International
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May- 2023 -29 May
Ex-Mossad chief: Saudi-Iran deal won’t block Israel normalization
The Saudis’ deal with Iran will not block potential Israeli normalization with Riyadh, former Mossad director Yossi Cohen said Sunday. Israeli normalization with Saudi Arabia “is needed and is possible,” he said at an Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference related to the issue. The most recent former Mossad chief gave the audience an unusual personal insight into how Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman (MBS) thinks. Although Cohen, in making his prediction, said he could not confirm he has met with MBS (even though the Israeli censor as of 2022 finally allowed Israeli media to publish that such meetings have occurred), he gave an unequivocal analysis of what MBS wants. MBS lost patience with the US, not insulting Israel MBS was…
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28 May
From struggling newbie to mass leader, the rise and rise of Imran Khan
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Iman Khan Islamabad: Imran Khan, who lived a lavish life throughout his cricketing days, became one of the strongest headed captains of the Pakistan cricket team that lifted the 1992 World Cup and the country’s most respected philanthropist. He came into the political arena to challenge the political structure formed around the dynastic politics of the Sharif and Bhutto families. In the political arena Imran Khan was seen as a start to the process of a positive change, because of his image as a celebrity and a philanthropist. It took Imran Khan years before he could achieve relevance in the political system. However, his popularity continued to soar because of his philanthropic activities and his team…
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28 May
Turkish voters to choose their president: Erdogan or Kilicdaroglu
Neither candidate crossed the 50-percent mark for an outright win on May 14, triggering an unprecedented run-off vote. A man sells Turkish flags before Turkey’s May 28 presidential run-off vote, in Ankara, Turkey, May 27, 2023 [Yves Herman] Istanbul, Turkey – After months of campaigning by two dozen political parties, four presidential candidates and a bewildering lineup of electoral alliances, Turkish voters head to the polls, again, on Sunday, to make a critical choice between two men. The presidential run-off between incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu marks the final moment in what has been widely billed as Turkey’s most important election in recent history. The election period, which officially started on March 18, has seen numerous twists and turns,…
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28 May
Russia unleashes ‘massive’ air raids on Ukraine’s Kyiv
Kyiv’s air defences downed 40 Russian drones, with falling debris killing a 41-year-old man, officials say. An explosion of a drone is seen in the sky over Kyiv during a Russian drone strike on May 28, 2023 [Gleb Garanich] Russia has unleashed two waves of air attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, killing at least one person and wounding another, according to officials. Kyiv’s air defence systems downed at least 40 drones moving towards the city in the early hours of Sunday, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, with falling debris killing a 41-year-old man and wounding a 35-year-old woman. “Stay in shelters. The attack is massive!” the mayor said on Telegram. The pre-dawn attacks came on the last Sunday of…
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28 May
Biden, McCarthy reach tentative deal to raise US debt ceiling
Deal raises debt limit for two years while capping some spending, but uncertainty remains on whether it can pass Congress. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks during a news conference after he and President Joe Biden reached an ‘agreement in principle’ to resolve the looming debt crisis on Saturday, May 27, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC [Patrick Semansky] US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached a tentative deal to raise the federal government’s $3.4 trillion debt ceiling days ahead of a deadline to avert a potentially catastrophic default. The agreement on Saturday would raise the debt limit for two years while capping spending over that time, but risks angering both Democratic and Republican sides with the…
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28 May
Texas House votes to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton
In historic proceedings, the Texas House votes to impeach the attorney general over allegations of abuse of office. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reads a statement at his office in Austin, Texas, May 26, 2023 The Texas House has voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, a conservative firebrand and ally of former President Donald Trump who has been accused by his fellow Republicans of abuse of office. In historic proceedings, the 149-member House voted 121-23 on Saturday to impeach Paxton after hours of debate during which the chamber heard speeches from supporters and opponents of impeachment. Two members were present but not voting while three were absent. Paxton will now be temporarily removed from office pending a trial in…
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28 May
Stop deportation of 150 Indian students: Canadian party to govt
The students, whose deportation order is scheduled on May 29, said they were cheated by their immigration consultation agency in India Canadian flag Toronto: Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) has called on the government not to deport 150 Punjabi students who were told to leave the country as they arrived on fake college admission letters, according to the Canadian Border Security Agency. The students, whose deportation order is scheduled on May 29, said they were cheated by their immigration consultation agency in India that provided them fake documents, of which they were unaware of. The NDP, in a statement released on Friday, said the international students who were misled by dishonest recruiters shouldn’t have to pay the price. “Right now, students…
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28 May
Experts call for promotion of prosthesis and orthosis
Dr Ravinder Singh, senior scientist and program officer, disability, rehabilitation and assistive technology, ICMR, Delhi, addresses the national OPAI conference. Also seen are Ajay Chaudhary, general manager, ALIMCO, Kanpur, and Major B.V. Ram Kumar, director, NIEPID, Secunderabad. HYDERABAD: The importance of prosthesis and orthosis in India and the psycho-social perspective of their users were elaborated deeply at the inaugural of a two-day national conference, under the aegis of Orthotics & Prosthetics Association of India (OPAI) at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (Divyang Jan) (NIEPID) in Bowenpally here on Saturday. Speakers from across Japan, Australia, Russia and India gave their expert opinions on the subject, including the initiatives of the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India…
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28 May
Twitter leaves EU code of practice against disinformation, regulators warn
Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union’s Code of Practice on online disinformation London: Elon Musk-run Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union’s Code of Practice on online disinformation — a move which has not gone well with the regulators. EU’s internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, on Saturday said Twitter cannot hide from incoming legal liability in the region. “Twitter leaves the EU voluntary Code of Practice against disinformation. But obligations remain. You can run but you can’t hide,” Breton posted in a tweet. The platform is legally required to comply with as a very large online platform (VLOP) under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). “Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be a legal obligation under #DSA as of August 25. Our…
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28 May
Nun’s body intact four years after death draws people to Missouri monastery
Hundreds of people in the US have traveled to a monastery in a small Missouri town to view a nun’s body that seemingly has no signs of decay four years after her death. Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster was the founder of the Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles, a monastery in Gower, Missouri, about an hour outside of Kansas City. Lancaster’s body was exhumed on 18 May so it could be moved to its final resting place in a monastery chapel, four years after her death in 2019, reported the Catholic News Agency. But when the coffin was opened, Lancaster’s body was intact with almost no signs of decay. Lancaster’s body had never been embalmed and was buried in a…
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