Category: World

The UN secretary-general has called for an independent investigation into the killing of Palestinians near an aid distribution centre in Gaza on Sunday, amid disputed reports that Israeli forces had opened fire on people waiting to collect aid.

Witnesses reported being shot at while waiting for food from the centre in Rafah run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The Red Cross said its hospital received 179 casualties, 21 of whom were dead. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency put the death toll at 31.

On Sunday, the Israeli military denied its troops fired at civilians near or within the site and said reports to this effect were false.

The GHF said the reports were “outright fabrications” and that it was yet to see evidence of an attack at or near its facility.

Israel does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, into Gaza, making verifying what is happening in the territory difficult.

UN Secretary-General Guterres said in a statement on Monday: “I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday.

“I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.”

Israel’s foreign ministry responded by branding his comments a “disgrace” in a post on X, and criticised him for not mentioning Hamas.

Later on Monday, UN human rights chief Volker Turk told the BBC the way humanitarian aid is now being delivered is “unacceptable” and “dehumanising”.

“I think what it shows is utter disregard for civilians. Can you imagine people that have been absolutely desperate for food, for medicine, for almost three months and then they have to run for it or try to get it in the most desperate circumstances? Mr Turk told the BBC World Service’s Newshour programme.

“It does show a huge dehumanisation of the people who are desperately in need.”

The Civil Defence agency said 31 people were killed and 176 wounded “after Israeli gunfire targeted thousands of civilians near the American aid centre in Rafah” early on Sunday morning.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah received a “mass casualty influx” of 179 cases, including women and children, at that time.

The majority suffered gunshot or shrapnel wounds, and 21 were declared dead upon arrival, it said, adding “all patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site”.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said its teams at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis also treated people with serious injuries, some of whom were in a critical condition.

It added the patients “reported being shot at from all sides by Israeli drones, helicopters, boats, tanks and soldiers”, and that one staff member’s brother was “killed while attempting to collect aid from the distribution centre”.

A journalist in Rafah told the BBC a crowd of Palestinians had gathered near al-Alam roundabout in Rafah, close to the GHF’s site, when Israeli tanks approached and opened fire.

One video posted online on Sunday morning appeared to show Palestinians taking cover in an open area of sandy terrain while what sounds like automatic gunfire rings out. However, the BBC was unable to verify the location because there are not enough features visible.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) put out a statement on Sunday afternoon that said an initial inquiry indicated its troops “did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site and that reports to this effect are false”.

Spokesman Brig Gen Effie Defrin accused Hamas of “spreading rumours” and “trying bluntly and violently to stop the people of Gaza from reaching those distribution centres”.

The IDF also released drone video it said showed armed men firing at civilians on their way to collect aid, although the BBC was unable to verify where or when it was filmed.

Later on Sunday, an Israeli military official briefed reporters that soldiers had acted to “prevent a number of suspects from approaching the forces” approximately 1km from the GHF site, before it opened.

“Warning shots were fired,” the official said, before insisting there was “no connection between the incident in question and the false allegations against the IDF”.

The GHF said in a statement on Monday that the reports were “the most egregious in terms of outright fabrications and misinformation fed to the international media community.

“There were no injuries, fatalities or incidents during our operations yesterday. Period. We have yet to see any evidence that there was an attack at or near our facility.”

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, accused major news outlets of “reckless and irresponsible reporting” on the matter.

“Drone video and first-hand accounts clearly showed that there were no injuries, no fatalities, no shooting, no chaos,” he said on Monday.

“The only source for these misleading, exaggerated, and utterly fabricated stories came from Hamas sources, which are designed to fan the flames of antisemitic hate that is arguably contributing to violence against Jews in the United States,” he added.

Meanwhile on Monday, health officials and local media reported that another three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire near the same GHF centre in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan area.

A Red Cross spokesman told the Associated Press that its field hospital in Rafah received 50 wounded people, mostly with gunshot and shrapnel wounds, including two declared dead on arrival, while Nasser hospital in nearby Khan Younis said it received a third body.

The Israeli military said in a statement that “warning shots were fired toward several suspects who advanced toward” troops approximately 1km from the site.

The military added it was “aware of reports regarding casualties, and the details of the incident are being thoroughly looked into”.

Also on Monday, the Civil Defence reported that 14 people, including six children and three women, were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in the northern town of Jabalia. More than 20 others were believed to be missing under the rubble of the destroyed building, it said.

There was no immediate comment from the IDF, but it said in a statement that its aircraft had struck dozens of targets across Gaza over the past day, including “military structures belonging to terror organisations”, underground tunnels, and weapons stores.

Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on 2 March and resumed its military offensive two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It said the steps were meant to put pressure on the armed group to release the 58 hostages still held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c753e0p29z0o

At the age of 24, Nafisa Salahu was in danger of becoming just another statistic in Nigeria, where a woman dies giving birth every seven minutes, on average.

Going into labour during a doctors’ strike meant that, despite being in hospital, there was no expert help on hand once a complication emerged.

Her baby’s head was stuck and she was just told to lie still during labour, which lasted three days.

Eventually a Caesarean was recommended and a doctor was located who was prepared to carry it out.

“I thanked God because I was almost dying. I had no strength left, I had nothing left,” Ms Salahu tells the BBC from Kano state in the north of the country.

She survived, but tragically her baby died.

Eleven years on, she has gone back to hospital to give birth several times and takes a fatalistic attitude. “I knew [each time] I was between life and death but I was no longer afraid,” she says.

Ms Salahu’s experience is not unusual.

Nigeria is the world’s most dangerous nation in which to give birth.

According to the most recent UN estimates for the country, compiled from 2023 figures, one in 100 women die in labour or in the following days.

That puts it at the top of a league table no country wants to head.

In 2023, Nigeria accounted for well over a quarter – 29% – of all maternal deaths worldwide.

That is an estimated total of 75,000 women dying in childbirth in a year, which works out at one death every seven minutes.

The frustration for many is that a large number of the deaths – from things like bleeding after childbirth (known as postpartum haemorrhage) – are preventable.

Chinenye Nweze was 36 when she bled to death at a hospital in the south-eastern town of Onitsha five years ago.

“The doctors needed blood,” her brother Henry Edeh remembers. “The blood they had wasn’t enough and they were running around. Losing my sister and my friend is nothing I would wish on an enemy. The pain is unbearable.”

Among the other common causes of maternal deaths are obstructed labour, high blood pressure and unsafe abortions.

Nigeria’s “very high” maternal mortality rate is the result of a combination of a number of factors, according to Martin Dohlsten from the Nigeria office of the UN’s children’s organisation, Unicef.

Among them, he says, are poor health infrastructure, a shortage of medics, costly treatments that many cannot afford, cultural practices that can lead to some distrusting medical professionals and insecurity.

“No woman deserves to die while birthing a child,” says Mabel Onwuemena, national co-ordinator of the Women of Purpose Development Foundation.

She explains that some women, especially in rural areas, believe “that visiting hospitals is a total waste of time” and choose “traditional remedies instead of seeking medical help, which can delay life-saving care”.

For some, reaching a hospital or clinic is near-impossible because of a lack of transport, but Ms Onwuemena believes that even if they managed to, their problems would not be over.

“Many healthcare facilities lack the basic equipment, supplies and trained personnel, making it difficult to provide a quality service.”

Nigeria’s federal government currently spends only 5% of its budget on health – well short of the 15% target that the country committed to in a 2001 African Union treaty.

In 2021, there were 121,000 midwives for a population of 218 million and less than half of all births were overseen by a skilled health worker. It is estimated that the country needs 700,000 more nurses and midwives to meet the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio.

There is also a severe lack of doctors.

The shortage of staff and facilities puts some off seeking professional help.

“I honestly don’t trust hospitals much, there are too many stories of negligence, especially in public hospitals,” Jamila Ishaq says.

“For example, when I was having my fourth child, there were complications during labour. The local birth attendant advised us to go to the hospital, but when we got there, no healthcare worker was available to help me. I had to go back home, and that’s where I eventually gave birth,” she explains.

The 28-year-old from Kano state is now expecting her fifth baby.

She adds that she would consider going to a private clinic but the cost is prohibitive.

Chinwendu Obiejesi, who is expecting her third child, is able to pay for private health care at a hospital and “wouldn’t consider giving birth anywhere else”.

She says that among her friends and family, maternal deaths are now rare, whereas she used to hear about them quite frequently.

She lives in a wealthy suburb of Abuja, where hospitals are easier to reach, roads are better, and emergency services work. More women in the city are also educated and know the importance of going to the hospital.

“I always attend antenatal care… It allows me to speak with doctors regularly, do important tests and scans, and keep track of both my health and the baby’s,” Ms Obiejesi tells the BBC.

“For instance, during my second pregnancy, they expected I might bleed heavily, so they prepared extra blood in case a transfusion was needed. Thankfully, I didn’t need it, and everything went well.”

However, a family friend of hers was not so lucky.

During her second labour, “the birth attendant couldn’t deliver the baby and tried to force it out. The baby died. By the time she was rushed to the hospital, it was too late. She still had to undergo surgery to deliver the baby’s body. It was heart-breaking.”

Dr Nana Sandah-Abubakar, director of community health services at the country’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), acknowledges that the situation is dire, but says a new plan is being put in place to address some of the issues.

Last November, the Nigerian government launched the pilot phase of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (Mamii). Eventually this will target 172 local government areas across 33 states, which account for more than half of all childbirth-related deaths in the country.

“We identify each pregnant woman, know where she lives, and support her through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond,” Dr Sandah-Abubakar says.

So far, 400,000 pregnant women in six states have been found in a house-to-house survey, “with details of whether they are attending ante-natal [classes] or not”.

“The plan is to start to link them to services to ensure that they get the care [they need] and that they deliver safely.”

Mamii will aim to work with local transport networks to try and get more women to clinics and also encourage people to sign up to low-cost public health insurance.

It is too early to say whether this has had any impact, but the authorities hope that the country can eventually follow the trend of the rest of the world.

Globally, maternal deaths have dropped by 40% since 2000, thanks to expanded access to healthcare. The numbers have also improved in Nigeria over the same period – but only by 13%.

Despite Mamii, and other programmes, being welcome initiatives, some experts believe more must be done – including greater investment.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yk8ek86kdo

An al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out a major attack on the Malian town of Boulikessi and the seizure of an army base there.

More than 30 soldiers were killed in Sunday’s attack, according to sources quoted by the news agency Reuters, however that figure has not been confirmed by the authorities.

On Monday the same group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), said it targeted the military in the historic city of Timbuktu, with residents reporting hearing gunfire and explosions.

Mali’s army said in a statement late on Monday that it had repelled an “infiltration attempt by terrorist fighters” in Timbuktu, “neutralising” 14 militants and arresting 31 suspects.

It added that weapons, vehicles and other items were seized, but did not name the group responsible for the attack. The army said search operations across Timbuktu were ongoing.

In an earlier statement, the army said it “reacted vigorously” to Sunday’s attack, before “withdrawing” – suggesting a tactical retreat.

“Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation,” the statement added.

An unnamed local source told Reuters that JNIM had left many casualties and “cleared the camp”.

Unverified video footage showed dozens of militants storming the base, including one which captured them stepping on bodies, according to Reuters.

In Monday’s attack, JNIM said its fighters had attacked a military airport and Russian mercenaries.

Military and security sources told the AFP news agency they were “fighting back”, but that the militants were “everywhere in the city”.

A local official said the attackers had arrived “with a vehicle packed with explosives” that detonated close to the army camp.

Timbuktu, a UN World Heritage Site, was captured by Islamist militants in 2012 before they were driven out, but has once more been under siege in recent years.

The attacks, the latest sign of collapsing security in Mali and the wider Sahel region, came after the United States Africa Command warned about growing efforts by various different Islamist militant groups which operate in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa’s coastline.

Source :https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g3exnnd6po

The festival, created to mirror Spain’s La Tomatina festival, was hosted in Sutamarchan, north of Colombia’s capital Bogota, for its 15th edition this year after many years of suspension.

Source :https://www.reuters.com/pictures/tomatoes-fly-during-colombias-gran-tomatina-festival-2025-06-02/

Katie Thurston is going through the wringer in her Stage 4 breast cancer battle.

The “Bachelorette” alum, 34, gave a heartbreaking health update in an Instagram video posted Sunday.

“I just finished my second month of treatment and if you’re asking how long treatment is, technically forever,” Thurston told her followers. “I am optimistic about medical advancements in the future — fingers crossed as a stage 4 girly.”

“But right now, after finishing two months of my medication, my hair is coming out in an unnatural amount of clumps,” the reality star shared. “I’m losing my memory. That’s great. Going through customs and them being like, ‘Where are you coming from?’ And I looked at him and I was like, ‘I don’t remember.’”

Thurston explained that she recently got into a “little disagreement” with her husband, comedian Jeff Arcuri, where she couldn’t defend herself because of her memory issues.

“I was like, ‘This has happened before,’” she recalled. “He was like, ‘When?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know but I know it has!’ We’re able to laugh about it now.”

“Cancer is s–t,” Thurston continued. “Sometimes I’m like, ‘Stop feeling bad for yourself.’ Other times I’m like, ‘You’re allowed to feel bad for yourself. Cancer f—ing sucks.’”

Thurston explained that she’s reached the phase of her treatment where she has to make “big decisions” about how to treat her liver. She said she’s opted for histotripsy, which uses focused ultrasound to destroy cancer cells without cutting into the body.

“It’s National Cancer Survivors Day,” she said. “Every day that I’m alive, I’m a survivor. So go me, I guess.”

Thurston originally competed on Matt James’ season of “The Bachelor” in 2021 and then became the star of “The Bachelorette” Season 17.

One month before her intimate wedding to Acuri, 37, in New York City in March, Thurston publicly revealed her breast cancer diagnosis.

“I experienced a range of emotions over the past two weeks. Despair. Anger. Sadness. Denial. And then strength. Purposeful. Ready. I cried a lot,” she said in a message on Instagram.

In March, Thurston shared that her cancer had spread to her liver and was Stage 4.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/02/entertainment/bachelorette-star-katie-thurston-losing-memory-amid-cancer/

THE suspect accused of the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, has admitted that he spent over a year planning his sick crime.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, allegedly threw Molotov cocktails and used a makeshift flamethrower to target a crowd that peacefully gathered to raise awareness on Israeli hostages in Gaza, injuring 12 people.

Witnesses said they saw Soliman yelling “Free Palestine” as he used a converted garden sprayer as a flamethrower in the attack on Sunday.

Soliman confessed to the crime with vile remarks after being taken into custody.

He told police that “he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” according to an FBI affidavit.

“Soliman stated he would do it (conduct an attack) again.”

He was charged with a federal hate crime on Monday, and his mugshot was released, showing his face covered in bruises and a large bandage.

Soliman admitted that he planned the attack for a year, wanting to target what he called a “Zionist group,” said the FBI.

The attack happened at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, where the group gathers weekly to bring attention to the hostages.

Soliman hid behind bushes near the mall and allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into the crowd, burning himself in the process.

After taking off his shirt and revealing that he had a bulletproof vest underneath, Soliman allegedly used the flamethrower and gasoline to set several people on fire.

Video showed Soliman holding two clear bottles with a clear liquid in them as he yelled at onlookers.

Twelve people were injured in the attack, including an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, but there were no deaths.

“As a result of these preliminary attacks, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism,” Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge at the FBI’s Denver field office, said on Sunday.

His bond is set at $10 million.

CHILLING FIND

More than a dozen unlit Molotov cocktails were found near where Soliman was arrested, said the FBI.

Inside his car, investigators found papers with the words “Israel,” “Palestine,” and “USAID.”

Soliman told authorities that he made the Molotov cocktails at home after researching on YouTube.

“He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack,” said the FBI.

Soliman had been living in the US illegally after entering the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and was given a work authorization in March 2023 that had expired, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

President Donald Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for the attack in a statement on Monday.

“Yesterday’s horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/us-news/14382914/mohamed-sabry-soliman-colorado-attack-anti-semetic/

United States President Donald Trump on Monday (Jun 2) ruled out allowing Iran to enrich uranium under any nuclear deal between the foes – as Tehran defended what it said was its “peaceful” pursuit of fuel for power generation.

Uranium enrichment has remained a key point of contention in five rounds of talks since April to ink a new accord to replace the deal with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.

“Under our potential Agreement – WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!” Trump said on his Truth Social network after the Axios news outlet said Washington’s offer would let Tehran enrich some of the nuclear fuel.

Republican Trump also blamed predecessor Joe Biden for the impasse, saying the Democrat “should have stopped Iran a long time ago from ‘enriching'”.

Axios said the latest proposal that Washington had sent Tehran on Saturday would allow limited low-level uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, for an amount of time that has yet to be determined.

Iran has insisted that it has “nothing to hide” on its nuclear program.

Speaking in Cairo, where he met the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief Rafael Grossi, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: “If the goal is to deprive Iran of its peaceful activities, then certainly no agreement will be reached.”

The remarks came after Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday called for more transparency from Iran following a leaked report that showed Tehran had stepped up uranium enrichment.

“NEED FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY”

The IAEA report showed that Iran has ramped up production of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent – close to the roughly 90 per cent level needed for atomic weapons.

“There is a need for more transparency – this is very, very clear – in Iran, and nothing will bring us to this confidence (besides) full explanations of a number of activities,” Grossi said ahead of meeting Araghchi.

Grossi added that some of the report’s findings “may be uncomfortable for some, and we are … used to being criticised”.

Iran has rejected the report, warning it would retaliate if European powers that have threatened to reimpose nuclear sanctions “exploit” it.

“Some countries are trying to abuse this agency to pave the way for escalation with Iran. I hope that this agency does not fall into this trap,” Araghchi said of the IAEA.

Iran meanwhile pushed for the United States to drop sanctions that have crippled its economy as a condition for a nuclear agreement with Trump’s administration.

Araghchi said on Saturday that he had received “elements” of the US proposal for a nuclear deal following the five rounds of talks, mediated by Oman.

“WITH OR WITHOUT A DEAL”

Both Araghchi and Grossi met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who praised the US-Iran talks and called for “de-escalation in order to prevent a slide into a full-fledged regional war”.

On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference: “We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted.”

“So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue,” he said.

The US envoy in the nuclear talks said last month that Trump’s administration would oppose any Iranian enrichment.

“An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment,” Steve Witkoff told Breitbart News.

Following a phone call with Witkoff the day before about the ongoing nuclear talks, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged a peaceful solution and a nuclear-weapon-free Middle East, saying in Monday’s press conference that “the region is already experiencing enough problems and crises”.

He warned that military confrontation would create “a state of chaos from which no one will be spared”.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/trump-says-iran-deal-would-not-allow-any-uranium-enrichment-5162736

When the Earth shakes, the impact doesn’t stop at the surface. New research reveals that powerful earthquakes can send shockwaves all the way into space, disrupting satellite signals and GPS systems by disturbing the charged upper layers of our atmosphere.

Scientists from Nagoya University in Japan have made the first 3D visualisation of how the atmosphere reacted to a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula on 1 January 2024. They used data from over 4,500 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers across Japan.

Their research, published in the journal Earth, Planets and Space, shows how earthquakes can send complex sound waves into the upper atmosphere, disturbing a layer called the ionosphere. These disturbances can affect satellite communications and GPS signals, and challenge what scientists previously believed about how these waves travel.

What is the Ionosphere, and why does it matter?

The ionosphere is a part of the atmosphere that lies 60 to 1,000 kilometres above the Earth. It’s filled with charged particles and plays an important role in sending radio signals from satellites to the ground.

When the earthquake happened, it created sound waves that travelled upward into the ionosphere. These waves changed the amount of charged particles, which slowed down satellite signals. By measuring the delays in these signals, the researchers were able to calculate these changes and use a technique similar to a medical CT scan to build 3D images of the disturbances.

Surprising patterns in the sky

About 10 minutes after the earthquake, wave-like ripples appeared in the ionosphere, similar to the way water ripples after a stone is dropped in a pond. However, the team noticed something unusual – some of the waves tilted in a strange direction, south of the earthquake’s epicentre, and slowly straightened out as they rose higher.

Old models, which assumed that these waves came from a single point, couldn’t explain this pattern.

The breakthrough came when the scientists considered that the earthquake didn’t rupture in one spot, but along a 150-kilometre fault line. Dr Weizheng Fu, the lead author, said, “Earthquakes don’t rupture at one point, but spread along faults.” Their updated model showed that the sound waves were created at different places along the fault, around 30 seconds apart. This matched what they observed in the sky.

Why does this matter for technology and safety?

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh on Sunday indicted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for ordering police action against protesters last year, and directed the authorities in Bangladesh to produce her before the tribunal on June 16.

The proceedings of the tribunal came nearly ten months after Ms. Hasina left Bangladesh and took refuge in India on August 5, 2024. The ICT has issued warrants to arrest Ms. Hasina and former Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Former Bangladesh Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun was also indicted.

The ICT is a domestic war crimes tribunal which Ms. Hasina’s government had set up in 2010, primarily to prosecute those accused of collaborating with Pakistan in 1971.

‘Systematic attack’

“We do hereby take into cognizance the charges,” the ICT’s three-judge bench said, after a prosecution team argued that as Prime Minister, Ms. Hasina had overseen a “systematic attack” against students and common people who were demanding that she step down from power.

The tribunal’s verdict, telecast live on state-run BTV, came as the result of multiple cases lodged against Ms. Hasina by the victims of police violence in July and August 2024, when an anti-quota movement led by students quickly turned into a wider “single-agenda movement” to overthrow Ms. Hasina.

During the last stages of her government, a video went viral on social media showing Mr. Kamal inspecting the police crackdown. The video was cited by the interim administration as a proof of the former Home Minister’s involvement in the violent crackdown.

Strain on bilateral ties

Ms. Hasina’s presence in India was confirmed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. On August 6, 2024, he had briefed both Houses of Parliament about the Union government’s decision to grant her refuge on short notice due to the volatile developments in Bangladesh.

Bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh have been uneasy since last August because of Ms. Hasina’s presence in India. The ICT’s demand to Dhaka’s interim government to produce Ms. Hasina before the tribunal is expected to exacerbate frictions in the relationship.

Mr. Kamal’s location is not known, though it is believed that he has also been living abroad. Mr. Al Mamun is currently in police custody in Dhaka, as he was arrested along with former IGP A.K.M. Shahidul Hoque on September 4, 2024.

ICT’s mixed record

The ICT faced a setback last week after A.T.M. Azharul Islam, a leader of the Al Badr militia and the Jamat-e-Islami of Bangladesh, was acquitted by an appellate bench of the Bangladesh Supreme Court. Mr. Islam had been given a death sentence by the ICT in 2014 but the appellate bench of the Supreme Court overturned the ICT’s verdict on May 27

Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bangladeshs-international-crimes-tribunal-hears-ex-prime-minister-sheikh-hasina-charges-update-on-june-1/article69644825.ece

VOLODYMYR Zelensky has hailed Ukraine’s daring drone blitz on Russian airbases as one for the “history books”.

Dramatic footage captured the moment 117 expertly smuggled drones being stored inside trucks in Russia were launched by Ukraine.

President Zelensky revealed it took over 18 months to pull off the masterful attack.

It marks Kyiv’s longest range operation of the conflict so far with at least 40 aircraft being attacked as part of the expert operation codenamed “Spiderweb”.

In an embarrassing result for a raging Vladimir Putin 34 per cent of his cruise missile carriers at the targeted airfields were blasted, Zelensky said.

A £260million AWACS aircraft and bombers capable of dropping nuclear weapons were also struck.

Dramatic video shows one Ukrainian FPV drone taking off from the back of a lorry and heading towards an enemy airbase.

Another clip then captures the moment one of the drones locks on to a target before diving near the aircraft, believed to be a Tu-95 bomber, and explodes.

Zelensky hailed the strikes as he described it as an “absolutely brilliant result”.

Speaking on X, the heroic leader said: “A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation.

“Of course, not everything can be revealed at this moment, but these are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books.

“Ukraine is defending itself, and rightly so – we are doing everything to make Russia feel the need to end this war.”

Russia’s Ministry of Defence also confirmed the strikes.

They branded them “terrorist attacks” and claimed that the drones had all been “repelled” despite the damning footage.

Stunned Kremlin commentators described the blitz as “Russia’s Pearl Harbour” as they called on Putin to hit back with a nuclear response.

In total, four airbases were targeted, according to Ukrainian media.

Large swarms of drones attacked Olenya airbase in the Murmansk region, home to Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.

The second base under fire was the Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk Oblast in Sibera – some 2,500 miles from the Ukrainian border.

The two other airbases hit were Ivanovo and Diaghilevo, with Moscow later claiming the Amur Oblast had also been attacked.

More than £1.5billion worth of damage has been inflicted on the Russian air force, say Ukrainian sources.

This included to long-range Tu-22M3 bombers – used in daily raids on Ukraine – as well as an A-50 air reconnaissance aircraft.

The A-50 is an Early Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) (AWACS), carrying a price tag of £260million.

A source told Kyiv Post it marked a “turning point” in the war and said Russia’s “impunity is over”.

The air assault is believed to have been launched from within Russia – from the backs of lorries driving near the bases.

Ukraine’s RBC news agency reported that the SBU special operation – said to be supervised by President Zelensky – took more than 18 months to plan.

These FPV drones were hidden under remote-controlled roofs on trucks.

When triggered, the roofs opened and kamikaze drones launched toward Russian bombers.

The drones were reportedly trained by artificial intelligence (AI) to recognise the Russian bombers and execute automatic dive attack algorithms.

Pictures shared by the Ukrainian intelligence service showed a huge stockpile of FPV drones – some of them appeared to be placed inside lorries.

Maria Avdeeva, Senior Fellow at Foreign Policy Research Institute, said: “Ukraine secretly delivered FPV drones and wooden mobile cabins into Russia.

“The drones were hidden under the roofs of the cabins, which were later mounted on trucks.

“At the signal, the roofs opened remotely. Dozens of drones launched directly from the trucks, striking strategic bomber aircraft.

“Russia can’t produce these bombers anymore. The loss is massive.”

Unconfirmed reports also said that explosions were heard in Severomosk – the home port of Putin’s nuclear submarine base and prized Northern Fleet.

Unverified footage showed plumes of black smoke rising over the town located on the Kola Bay near the Barents Sea.

A source told the Kyiv Independent: “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia — this is the result of a special operation by the SBU.

“Right now, the Security Service of Ukraine is conducting a large-scale special operation to destroy enemy bomber aircraft in the rear of the Russian Federation.

“SBU drones are practising on aircraft that bomb Ukrainian cities every night.”

They added: “Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3.

Russia’s governor of the Murmansk region confirmed that the drone strike had taken place.

Unverified footage showed smoke billowing from Russian air bases as local civilians watched on in horror.

Ukraine’s Pravda Gerashchenko Telegram channel said: “A special operation ‘Web’ is being conducted to demilitarise Russia.

“The [SBU] report the destruction of Russian bomber aircraft behind enemy lines.”

Local residents reported hearing explosions as swathes of Ukrainian UAVs struck Putin’s bases.

Both airfields are miles from the bloody frontline, but were still “under drone attack” by Ukrainian forces.

It marks one of the bleakest days of the war for President Putin, who continues to blitz Ukraine relentlessly.

A report said the driver of the truck that released the drones “may not have known” that his vehicle was full of the Ukrainian UAVs.

According to Baza Media, the driver has since been detained.

Local reports said: “A truck stopped at a gas station at the entrance to the city.

“Drones started flying out of the back of the truck and then attacked various objects.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14371994/ukraine-drone-blitz-destroys-russian-airfields/

On the eve of peace talks, Ukraine and Russia sharply ramped up the war with one of the biggest drone battles of their conflict, a Russian highway bridge blown up over a passenger train and an ambitious attack on nuclear-capable bombers deep in Siberia.

After days of uncertainty over whether or not Ukraine would even attend, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would sit down with Russian officials at the second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on Monday.

The first round of the talks more than a week ago yielded the biggest prisoner exchange of the war – but no sense of any consensus on how to halt the fighting.

Amid talk of peace, though, there was much war.

At least seven people were killed and 69 injured when a highway bridge in Russia’s Bryansk region, neighbouring Ukraine, was blown up over a passenger train heading to Moscow with 388 people on board. No one has yet claimed responsibility.

Ukraine attacked Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers at a military base deep in Siberia on Sunday, a Ukrainian intelligence official said, the first such attack so far from the front lines, more than 4,300km away.

Ukraine’s domestic intelligence service, the SBU, acknowledged it carried out the attack, codenamed “Operation Spider’s Web”, planned for more than a year and a half.

The intelligence official said the operation involved hiding explosive-laden drones inside the roofs of wooden sheds and loading them onto trucks that were driven to the perimeter of the air bases.

A total of 41 Russian warplanes were hit, the official said.

Zelenskyy expressed delight at the “absolutely brilliant outcome”, and noted 117 drones had been used in the attack.

“And an outcome produced by Ukraine independently,” he wrote. “This is our longest-range operation.”

RUSSIA SAYS AIRCRAFT FIRES PUT OUT

A Ukrainian government official told Reuters that Ukraine did not notify the United States of the attack in advance.

Russia’s Defence Ministry acknowledged on the Telegram messaging app that Ukraine had launched drone strikes against Russian military airfields across five regions on Sunday.

Air attacks were repelled in all but two regions – Murmansk in the far north and Irkutsk in Siberia – where “the launch of FPV drones from an area in close proximity to airfields resulted in several aircraft catching fire”.

The fires were extinguished without casualties. Some individuals involved in the attacks had been detained, the ministry said.

Russia launched 472 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s air force said, the highest nightly total of the war so far. Russia had also launched seven missiles, the air force said.

Russia said it had advanced deeper into the Sumy region of Ukraine, and open source pro-Ukrainian maps showed Russia took 450 square km of Ukrainian land in May, its fastest monthly advance in at least six months.

US President Donald Trump has demanded Russia and Ukraine make peace and he has threatened to walk away if they do not – potentially pushing responsibility for supporting Ukraine onto the shoulders of European powers – which have far less cash and much smaller stocks of weapons than the United States.

According to Trump envoy Keith Kellogg, the two sides will in Turkey present their respective documents outlining their ideas for peace terms, though it is clear that after three years of intense war, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart.

Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since 2022.

In June last year, Putin set out opening terms for an immediate end to the war: Ukraine must drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by Russia.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/russia-ukraine-step-up-war-drone-attacks-eve-peace-talks-5162001

Taylor Swift celebrated regaining the masters to her first six albums by enjoying a lavish dinner outing in NYC with her bestie Selena Gomez.

The “Bad Blood” singer and the “Only Murders in the Building” actress were photographed Saturday night together inside Monkey Bar, a restaurant that was established in 1936 and serves shellfish, steaks, pastas and more.

In the photo shared on X, Swift, 35, was seated across from Gomez, 32, and the women appeared to be engaged in a deep conversation, with the “Cruel Summer” songstress sporting a look of shock on her face while her BFF stared at her.

Monkey Bar posted on its website that it would be closing the bar at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday for a “private event,” however, it’s unclear if that was due to the presence of the two pop stars.

Page Six has reached out to the Monkey Bar for comment but did not immediately hear back.

The celebratory outing came one day after Swift announced on her website that she bought back the masters to her first six albums.

“I’m trying to gather my thoughts into something coherent, but right now my mind is just a slideshow,” she began in her handwritten letter.

“A flashback sequence of all the time I daydreamed about, wished for, and pined away for a chance to get to tell this news. All the times I was thiiiiiiiiiiis close, reaching out for it, only for it to fall through,” the 14-time Grammy winner added.

“I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away. But that’s all in the past now. I’ve been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found that this is really happening. I really get to say those words.

“All of the music I’ve ever made … now belongs… to me.”

Scooter Braun bought the rights to Swift’s first six albums — “Taylor Swift,” “Fearless,” “Speak Now,” “Red,” “1989” and “Reputation” — in 2019 when his company Ithica Holdings acquired her former label, Big Machine Records.

The retired music manager then sold her masters to Shamrock Capital.

At the time, the billionaire pop star claimed “bully” Braun, 43, “stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/06/01/celebrity-news/taylor-swift-celebrates-regaining-masters-with-bestie-selena-gomez-during-nyc-dinner-outing/

More than 30 Palestinians were killed and nearly 170 injured on Sunday in south Gaza near a food distribution site, the health ministry said, as witnesses reported Israeli soldiers fired on people trying to collect aid and Israel denied it.
The U.S.-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said food was handed out without incident on Sunday at the distribution point in Rafah and there were no deaths or injuries.

GHF released undated video to support its statement that showed dozens of people gathering around piles of boxes. Reuters could not independently verify the video or what took place.
Witnesses said the Israeli military opened fire as thousands of Palestinians gathered to receive food aid. Israel’s military said that an initial inquiry found soldiers had not fired on civilians while they were near or within the distribution site.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry said 31 people were killed with a single gunshot wound to the head or chest from Israeli fire as they were gathered in the Al-Alam district aid distribution area in Rafah. It said 169 were injured.

In addition to Israeli gunshots, residents and medics said an Israeli tank had opened fire at thousands of people en route to the Rafah site.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said its field hospital in Rafah received 179 casualties, most with gunshot or shrapnel wounds.
“All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site. This is the highest number of weapon-wounded in a single incident since the establishment of the field hospital over a year ago,” ICRC said.
The United Nations has said most of Gaza’s 2 million population is at risk of famine after an 11-week Israeli blockade on aid entering the strip.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week and said it would launch more. The Israeli military has said GHF had established four sites so far.

The organization’s aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations which say GHF does not follow humanitarian principles.
There were chaotic scenes as hungry Gazans rushed its sites last last week. Hamas reported deaths and injuries in the tumult, and Israel said its troops fired warning shots.
Because the GHF distribution points are few and all in south Gaza, U.N. officials have said its plans force Palestinians, especially in the north, to relocate and face unsafe conditions.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN’s Palestinian relief agency, condemned Sunday’s deaths and said in a statement on X that “aid distribution has become a death trap”.

The Hamas-run Gaza government media office accused Israel of using aid as a weapon, “employed to exploit starving civilians and forcibly gather them at exposed killing zones, which are managed and monitored by the Israeli military”.
At Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis city where some casualties were brought, Gaza paramedic Abu Tareq said there was “a tragic situation in this place. I advise them that nobody goes to aid delivery points.”
Israel denies that people in Gaza are starving because of its actions, saying it is facilitating aid deliveries and pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centres and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump said last month that a lot of people in Gaza were “starving”.
Israel accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza. Hamas denies looting supplies and has executed a number of suspected looters.
Reda Abu Jazar said her brother was killed as he waited to collect food near the Rafah aid distribution centre. “Let them stop these massacres, stop this genocide. They are killing us,” she said, as Palestinian men gathered for funeral prayers.
The Red Crescent reported that 14 Palestinians were injured on Sunday near a separate GHF aid site in central Gaza.

CEASEFIRE TALKS FALTER

Israel and Hamas meanwhile traded blame for the faltering of a new Arab and U.S. mediation bid to secure a temporary ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli jails.
Hamas said on Saturday it was seeking amendments to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, but Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff rejected the group’s response as “totally unacceptable”.
Egypt and Qatar said in a joint statement that they are continuing efforts to overcome disagreements and reach a ceasefire.
Hamas on Sunday welcomed those efforts and expressed its readiness to start a round of indirect negotiations immediately to reach an agreement, the group said on Sunday in a statement.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strike-aid-point-kills-26-rafah-hamas-affiliated-media-say-2025-06-01/

The northern lights are expected to put on a breathtaking show over parts of the U.S. Sunday night due to a powerful geomagnetic storm hitting Earth.

The storm reached “severe” strength early Sunday morning, strong enough to push the glowing aurora borealis further south than usual — possibly lighting up skies from Michigan and Washington State, down to Northern California and even Alabama, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

“This is going to be a great night to view the lights where skies are clear,” Shawn Dahl, a coordinator at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, told the New York Times.

Clear skies are expected across much of the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, the Midwest, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley, making them prime viewing spots.

Star-gazers in the Big Apple, however, shouldn’t count on seeing much due to cloudy skies forcast basically all night.

“New York City isn’t looking great,” Peter Mullinax of the National Weather Service told the outlet.

The aurora is triggered when a burst of material from the sun, called a “coronal mass ejection,” smashes into Earth’s magnetic field.

This specific storm is hitting hard enough to reach G4 levels, one notch below the most extreme level, experts said.

Usually, the lights are only visible if you take a trek to Iceland or Greenland.

For your best shot at catching the lights, head outside the city, get away from light pollution, and face north, Dahl explained.

Even if you can’t see the lights with your own eyes, smartphone cameras may be able to pick up the light show.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/01/us-news/northern-lights-will-be-visible-across-most-of-us-thanks-to-a-severe-geomagnetic-storm/

The striking feature of this election has been the leading opposition candidate, Lee Jae-myung, campaigning in a bullet-proof vest.

At a recent rally, he was escorted to the podium by close protection officers, ready to shield him with their ballistic briefcases. He then addressed the crowd from behind bullet-proof glass, under the gaze of rooftop watchers.

This is not South Korean politics as usual. But South Korea has not been itself lately.

It is still recovering from the martial law crisis last December, when the president, Yoon Suk Yeol, tried to orchestrate a military takeover.

He failed, because of resistance from the public and politicians, and was impeached, triggering this snap election to choose his successor.

But the chaos Yoon unleashed that night has festered.

While stuck in limbo, without a president, the country has become more polarised and its politics more violent.

At street protests earlier this year it became commonplace to chant for various political leaders to be executed. And since launching his presidential bid, Lee has been receiving death threats, and his team say they have even uncovered a credible plot to assassinate him.

This election is an opportunity to steer South Korea back onto safer, more stable ground, and heal these fractures.

Given this, the ruling party was always going to struggle, marred by President Yoon’s self-defeating coup. But rather than break away from the disgraced former president, the conservative People Power Party (PPP) has chosen a candidate who repeatedly defended Yoon and his actions.

Kim Moon-soo, Yoon’s former labour minister, was the only cabinet member who refused to stand and apologise during a parliamentary hearing into martial law. He said sorry only well into his campaign, after he had won Yoon’s public endorsement.

This has turned the election into more of a referendum on martial law than anything else. Given most of the public overwhelmingly rejected the move, it has also virtually gilded the path for the opposition leader Lee, who famously livestreamed himself scaling the walls of the parliament complex, to get inside and vote down the president’s order.

Now the Democratic Party politician portrays himself as the only candidate who can ensure this never happens again. He has said he will change the constitution to make it more difficult for future presidents to declare martial law.

“We must prevent the return of the rebellion forces,” Lee urged voters at his recent rally from behind fortified glass.

Such promises have pulled in people from across the political spectrum. “I didn’t like Lee before, but since martial law I now trust and depend on him,” said 59-year-old Park Suh-jung, who admitted this was the first time she had attended a political event.

One man in his 50s said he was a member of another smaller political party, but had decided to back Lee this time: “He is the only person who can end Yoon’s martial law insurrection. We need to stop those who destroyed our democracy.”

Most recent polls put Lee about 10 points ahead of his rival Kim, but he was not always so popular. This is his second time running for president, having lost out to Yoon three years ago. He is a divisive character, who has been embroiled in a series of court cases and political scandals. There are many who do not trust him, who loathe him even.

Kim, hoping to capitalise on this, has branded himself “the fair and just candidate”. It is a slogan his supporters have adopted, many seemingly backing him not for his policies, but because he is not Lee.

“I don’t like Kim but at this point there’s no real choice. The other candidate has too many issues,” said one elderly woman who is planning to vote for him.

Kim has charted an unusual political path. As a student who campaigned for workers’ rights, he was tortured and imprisoned under South Korea’s right-wing dictatorship in the 1980s but then moved sharply to the right himself.

He was picked by the party base, many of whom are still loyal to Yoon. The party leadership, realising he was not the best choice, tried to replace him at the last minute with a more moderate, experienced politician, only to be blocked by furious members.

This has left the party weak and divided, with many suspecting it will splinter into rival factions after voting day. “Haven’t we already imploded?” one party insider said to me recently, their face crumpled in their hands. “This is a miserable campaign.”

“Choosing Kim is the biggest mistake the conservative party have made in this election, and they do know that. They will have to be held accountable for this decision,” said Jeongmin Kim, the executive director of Korea Pro, a Seoul-based news and analysis service.

Lee has seized this opportunity to hoover up centrist votes. He has shifted his policies to the right, and even claimed his left-leaning party is, in fact, conservative.

This, despite his reputation as a staunch leftist. He grew up in a slum outside Seoul, working in factories rather than attending school, and is someone who has previously quoted US senator Bernie Sanders.

But gone are his previous pledges to introduce a universal basic income. This time, he is courting South Korea’s powerful conglomerate businesses, the chaebols. He has even incorporated the conservative colour red into his own blue logo, and hits the campaign trail wearing red and blue trainers.

He has rebranded his foreign policy too. Typically, his Democratic Party is cautious about Korea’s security alliance with the US, preferring to prioritise relations with China and North Korea.

But Lee is casting himself as a “pragmatist” who can adapt to a changing security environment. “The US-Korea alliance is the backbone of our national security. It should be strengthened and deepened,” he said in a recent televised debate.

All this has left voters and diplomats here unsure of what he really stands for, and what he will do if elected – though this seems to be the point.

Ms Kim, Korea Pro’s analyst, believes his makeover is more genuine than might appear. “He was already high up in the polls, so he didn’t need to work hard to win votes,” she said. “I think he is playing a longer game. He wants to be a popular leader, someone who can be trusted by more than half of the country.”

Bringing the country together will be the biggest challenge for whoever wins.

When people vote on Tuesday, it will be six months to the day since they came out onto the streets to resist a military takeover.

After months of chaos, they are desperate to move forward, so the country can start addressing pressing issues that have been on hold, including tariff negotiations with US President Donald Trump.

But more than anything they hope this election can restore their own confidence in their democracy, which has been badly shaken.

At a baseball game in the capital Seoul last week – arguably the only place where Koreans are as tribal as they are about politics – both sides were united, acutely aware of this election’s importance.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7069pg4zpko

Two people have died and hundreds have been arrested across France after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans celebrated the club’s victory in the Champions League final, according to the French interior ministry.

In the south-west town of Dax, a 17-year-old boy died after being stabbed in the chest late on Saturday evening, local media reported.

A 23-year-old man who was riding a scooter in central Paris was also killed after being hit by a vehicle, the prosecutor’s office said.

Flares and fireworks were set off, bus shelters smashed and cars torched amid wild celebrations as PSG won the biggest prize in European club football for the first time in their history.

PSG condemned the violence in a statement, adding that these “isolated acts are contrary to the club’s values and in no way represent the vast majority of our supporters”.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the clashes were “unacceptable” and unjustifiable, and that those involved will be found and punished.

The club’s victory parade in central Paris went ahead on Sunday afternoon despite the clashes, but with an increased police and military presence on the ground.

Police set a cap of 100,000 fans for the event, which saw PSG make their way down the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe on an open-top bus.

A second commemoration is currently taking place at the club’s home stadium, Parc des Princes, with thousands of fans invited to celebrate their win.

France’s interior ministry said 192 people were injured in the clashes in the early hours of Sunday and 559 people arrested, including 491 in Paris.

Twenty-two police officers and seven firefighters were injured, the ministry said, adding that 264 vehicles were set on fire.

One of the officers was injured by a firework amidst the chaos and had to be put in an induced coma – with Macron later saying the officer had travelled to a different city to help with policing efforts.

Paris police prefect Laurent Nuñez said: “The toll is lower than what we have seen in the past, but we will never get used to this kind of abuse, with people who only came to commit acts of vandalism and who did not even watch the match, and we will always have a very firm response.”

Nuñez said police expect there to be further clashes on Sunday, but added that supporters “shouldn’t be mixed up with gangs of looters and vandals”.

Separately, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office told the BBC “several shops were looted” in the Place des Ternes area. About 30 people were arrested and taken into custody near a Foot Locker on the Champs-Élysées that was robbed, the office said.

Elsewhere across France, Dax mayor Julien Dubois, reacting to the fatal stabbing, said his “thoughts are with the young victim, his family and friends”.

“We are floored by all the drama tonight,” he wrote on social media. “It is advisable to quickly shed light on these facts in order to severely punish the perpetrator.”

While clashes broke out near the city’s Champs-Élysées avenue and PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, the majority of fans celebrated PSG’s 5-0 win over Inter Milan peacefully, with many singing and dancing in the streets or blaring their car horns.

The Eiffel Tower was illuminated with PSG’s blue and red colours.

Macron, a keen supporter of rivals Olympique de Marseille, posted on X: “A glorious day for PSG! Bravo, we are all proud. Paris, the capital of Europe this evening.”

The president hosted a ceremony for PSG at the Élysée Palace after Sunday’s parade and congratulated coach Luis Enrique and his team on their victory.

Approximately 5,400 police were deployed across Paris in anticipation of the raucous celebrations.

At least 300 people detained were suspected of possessing fireworks and causing disorder, Paris police said.

“Troublemakers on the Champs-Elysees were looking to create incidents and repeatedly came into contact with police by throwing large fireworks and other objects,” police said in a statement.

Riot police reportedly used a water cannon to stop a crowd reaching the Arc de Triomphe, and fired tear gas into the crowds.

Other clashes between police and crowds occurred on the Paris ring road. At least two cars were torched near the Parc des Princes.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau took a hard line against the disorder, writing on social media: “True PSG supporters are enjoying their team’s magnificent match.

“Meanwhile, barbarians have taken to the streets of Paris to commit crimes and provoke the police.

“It’s unbearable that it’s unthinkable to party without fearing the savagery of a minority of thugs who respect nothing.”

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgqyg325gno

It’s a grim paradox, doctors say.

On the one hand, antibiotics are being overused until they no longer work, driving resistance and fuelling the rise of deadly superbugs. On the other hand, people are dying because they can’t access these life-saving drugs.

A new study by the non-profit Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) looked at access to antibiotics for nearly 1.5 million cases of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) infections across eight major low- and middle-income countries, including India, Brazil and South Africa. CRGN bacteria are superbugs resistant to last-line antibiotics – yet only 6.9% of patients received appropriate treatment in the countries studied.

India bore the lion’s share of CRGN infections and treatment efforts, procuring 80% of the full courses of studied antibiotics but managing to treat only 7.8% of its estimated cases, the study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal reports. (A full drug course of antibiotics refers to the complete set of doses that a patient needs to take over a specific period to fully treat an infection.)

Common in water, food, the environment and the human gut, Gram-negative bacteria cause infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia and food poisoning.

They can pose a serious threat to newborns and the elderly alike. Especially vulnerable are hospital patients with weakened immunity, often spreading rapidly in ICUs and proving difficult – and sometimes impossible – to treat. Treating carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections is doubly difficult because those bacteria are resistant to some of the most powerful antibiotics.

“These infections are a daily reality across all age groups,” says Dr Abdul Gaffar, infectious disease consultant at Apollo Hospital in India’s Chennai city. “We often see patients for whom no antibiotic works – and they die.”

The irony is cruel. While the world tries to curb antibiotic overuse, a parallel tragedy plays out quietly in poorer nations: people dying from treatable infections because the right drugs are out of reach.

“For years, the dominant narrative has been that antibiotics are being overused, but the stark reality is that many people with highly drug-resistant infections in low- and middle-income countries are not getting access to the antibiotics they need,” says Dr Jennifer Cohn, GARDP’s Global Access Director and senior author of the study.

The study examined eight intravenous drugs active against carbapenem-resistant bacteria – ranging from older antibiotics including Colistin to newer ones such as Ceftazidime-avibactam. Of the few available drugs, Tigecycline was the most widely used.

Researchers blame the treatment gap on weak health systems and limited access to effective antibiotics.

For example, only 103,647 full treatment courses were procured of Tigecycline across eight countries – far short of the 1.5 million patients who needed them, the study found. This highlighted a major shortfall in the global response to drug-resistant infections.

What prevents patients with drug-resistant infections in India from getting the right antibiotics?

Physicians point to multiple barriers – reaching the right health facility, getting accurate diagnostic tests, and accessing effective drugs. Cost remains a major hurdle, with many of these antibiotics priced far beyond the reach of poorer patients.

“Those who can afford these antibiotics often overuse them; those who can’t, don’t get them at all,” says Dr Gaffar. “We need a system that ensures access for the poor and prevents misuse by the well-to-do.”

To improve access, these drugs must be made more affordable. To prevent misuse, stronger regulation is key.

“Ideally, every antibiotic prescription in hospitals should require a second sign-off – by an infection specialist or microbiologist,” says Dr Gaffar. “Some hospitals do this, but most don’t. With the right oversight, regulators can ensure this becomes standard practice.”

To fix the access problem and curb misuse, both smarter policies and stronger safeguards are essential, say researchers. But access alone won’t solve the crisis – the pipeline of new antibiotics is drying up. The decline in antibiotic R&D – and the limited availability of existing drugs – is a global issue.

India bears one of the world’s heaviest burdens of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but it may also hold the key to combating it – both at home and globally, researchers say.

“India is also one of the largest markets for new antibiotics and can successfully advocate for the development and access of new antibiotics,” says Dr Cohn. With a strong pharmaceutical base, the country is emerging as a hub for AMR innovation, from promising new antibiotics to advanced diagnostics.

Dr Cohn says India can strengthen its antibiotic response by generating local data to better estimate needs and pinpoint gaps in the care pathway.

This would allow for more targeted interventions to improve access to the right drugs.

Innovative models are already emerging – Kerala state, for instance, is using a “hub-and-spoke approach” to support lower-level facilities in managing serious infections. Coordinated or pooled procurement across hospitals or states could also reduce the cost of newer antibiotics, as seen with cancer drug programs, researchers say.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced262l83gjo

US President Donald Trump is not planning to extend the pause to his sweeping global tariffs, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.

The president’s plan – where countries face between 11% to more than 100% tariffs on goods brought into the US – was announced in April. But the majority of the tariffs were paused by Trump for 90 days in the wake of stock market volatility.

Speaking with Fox News, Lutnick said he expects the President to stand firm when that 90 day pause expires at the start of July.

A key trade deal would be with China, who US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said has “not been a reliable partner” and claimed it was holding back products in the global supply chain.

The president’s top trade advisers presented a united front in their appearances on separate US morning television programmes on Sunday.

They remained steadfast on the tariff agenda, which has faced ongoing challenges in the nation’s court system.

“Tariffs are not going away,” Lutnick said in response to the court cases.

He added that the US “could sign lots of deals now” but the Trump administration is working to “make them better”.

“You’re going to see over the next couple of weeks, really, first class deals for the American worker,” he said..

And on the expiration of the 90 day pause, Lutnick said: “I think that’s the deadline, and the President’s just going to determine what rates people have if they can’t get a deal done”.

When the pause expires, in theory it would enact sweeping tariffs on countries across the globe.

Imports from about 60 trading partners that the White House has described as the “worst offenders”, including the European Union, Vietnam, South Africa and more, will face higher rates.

On Friday, Trump announced the US will double its current tariff rate on steel and aluminium imports from 25% to 50%, beginning on Wednesday.

Like with most of the announced tariffs, Trump said the move would help boost local steel industry, while reducing US reliance on China.

US steel manufacturing has decreased in recent years and countries like China, India and Japan have become the world’s biggest producers.

The steel tariffs come as many hold their breath waiting for further announcements. from the Trump administration.

Trump’s tariff policies have upended global trade and cracks have formed – or widened – among relationships between the US and other countries, including some of its closest partners.

Indian-American student Megha Vemuri of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was banned from attending a graduation ceremony on Friday after she delivered a pro-Palestinian speech during a commencement event on May 29. Vemuri was designated to be the marshal at the graduation ceremony, however, the university announced that she and her family were barred from attending the event.

Vemuri, the elected class president and a double major in computation and cognition and linguistics, spoke at MIT’s OneMIT Commencement Ceremony in Cambridge. Her speech, which was not pre-approved, denounced MIT’s research ties with Israel and accused the university of being complicit in the “genocide” of the Palestinian people.

Following the speech, University Chancellor Melissa Nobles informed Vemuri that she would not be allowed to participate in the graduate ceremony on Friday, adding that she would receive her diploma by mail. In a statement, the university said: “MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage.”

In response to MIT’s decision to bar her from the graduation ceremony, Vemuri said she was not disappointed about missing the event. “I see no need for me to walk across the stage of an institution that is complicit in this genocide,” she wrote. However, she expressed disappointment with the university’s handling of the situation, saying school officials “massively overstepped their roles to punish me without merit or due process.”

According to data from the United States Department of Education, MIT received $2.8 million in grants, gifts, and contracts from Israeli entities between 2020 and 2024, as reported by The Boston Globe and cited by The New York Times.

Who is Megha Vemuri?

Born and raised in Alpharetta, Georgia, Vemuri graduated from Alpharetta High School in 2021. She studied computer science, cognition, and linguistics at MIT, recently completing her degree while serving as the class president.

At MIT, Vemuri was also a part of the Written Revolution, a student group that “platforms revolutionary thought on campus” through writing and art, which it describes as “powerful tools for conducting a revolution.”

Before enrolling at MIT, she interned at the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and participated in various youth leadership and science outreach programs.

Vemuri’s ONEMIT speech quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism. In response to the online backlash, she has since taken down her LinkedIn profile.

Taking the stage wearing a red keffiyeh – a symbol of solidarity with Palestine – Vemuri was one of nine speakers at MIT’s OneMIT Commencement Ceremony on Thursday. Read from crumpled sheets of paper, her speech, roughly four minutes long, was addressed to her classmates, highlighting some of their efforts to protest against Israel.

“You showed the world that MIT wants a free Palestine,” she said, adding, “The MIT community that I know would never tolerate a genocide.”

After Vemuri left the stage to a round of applause, MIT President Sally Kornbluth spoke next. She paused as some people began chanting, and then responded, “OK, listen folks. At MIT, we believe in freedom of expression. But today is about the graduates.”

President Kornbluth has found herself on this type of tightrope before. In December 2023, she testified before the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, alongside student presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. The hearing was on how universities were handling campus protests and allegations of antisemitism. Unlike her counterparts Claudine Gay and Liz Magill —both of whom were replaced by their schools — Kornbluth managed to avoid serious consequences.

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/world/who-is-megha-vemuri-mit-indian-american-us-pro-palestine-speech-10042316/

THE fate of an abandoned £15million mansion perched on a 400ft skyscraper hangs in balance after the tycoon owner fled to the UK.

Details of what’s inside the unbelievable White House replica have been revealed for the first time – but it remains unclear whether the sprawling home will have any residents.

Businessman Vijay Mallya, 69, who lives in the UK, commissioned the Sky Mansion on the 34th and 35th Kingfisher Towers in Bengaluru, India in 2010.

But the tycoon could never live in his dream home after he fled the country in 2016 after defrauding at least 17 banks of nearly £1billion.

Now sources familiar with the case say the future of the mansion remains uncertain as lenders and agencies probing the fraud are still trying to recover cash from Mallya.

Sprawled over an unbelievable 40,000sqft on two levels, the wacky mansion sticks out like a sore thumb on the gargantuan tower.

For its ultra-rich owner – if it ever gets one – there’s a helipad, infinity pool and an open deck that offers a 360-degree viewing platform of the city.

And despite the penthouse being part of the skyscraper, it’s a private villa with two of its own elevators.

The Kingfisher Towers were built on 4.5 acres of land where the father-in-law of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Narayan Murthy, reportedly bought a flat last year.

The mansion was one of the first residential penthouses in the country built at such a height.

Chairman of Prestige Group Irfan Razack previously said constructing the gargantuan mansion was a challenge as it was mounted on cantilever – a structure only supported at one end.

He said to local media: “It’s a complex structure. It was a challenge to construct the mansion on a huge cantilever at that height.”

It’s unknown when the build was completed – but the exterior of the mansion appears to be fully finished.

But it’s not clear if the White House replica is finished on the inside.

Interior firm Morph Design and Co, an arm of Prestige Group hired to work on the interiors of the mansion, revealed to The Sun that the “interiors of the mansion were not done”.

While the house is reportedly taken care of by the developers and regularly cleaned, the penthouse lies unoccupied due to legal tangles.

Prestige Constructions didn’t respond to a request from The Sun on its fate.

Before the penthouse was finished, Mallya fled the country after facing legal action over money laundering and alleged fraud charges.

He had taken a loan from a syndicate of banks for the operations of his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines – but he failed to make the payment.

The tycoon later declared himself bankrupt in the UK.

Indian banks have since been seeking to recover the outstanding loan amount through various legal mean – including the sale of his assets.

Several of his properties have been seized by the Enforcement Directorate, otherwise known as the financial crimes police.

And the mansion is likely part of the recovery procedure.

SS Naganand, the counsel who appeared for one of the banks, told The Sun: “The tower was part of the entire recovery proceeding and all the assets belonging to him are part of the process, certainly that mansion.

“The building was constructed long before the litigation started.

“Prestige Group put up the structure and kept a portion of it, the rest of which came to [his] company and Mallya had built something for him on the top and belonged to him personally.

“From my understanding there were proceedings relating to that both in Indian courts and the UK courts.”

Mallya’s former lawyer EC Agrawala said that the fate of the property can only be decided by the Indian government.

He said: “The mansion was under construction.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14349811/wackiest-mansion-skyscraper/

THE explosive Karen Read murder trial has torn a small town apart – and left its residents fearing for the future.

Ever since Boston police officer John O’Keefe was found dead in the snow outside a house party in January 2022, conspiracy theories and unbridled rage have swamped Canton, Massachusetts.

The first trial last year was unable to reach a verdict on whether Read was guilty of killing her boyfriend O’Keefe by backing into him with her SUV, before leaving him for dead in the snow.

Read is back in court again, currently in the middle of a retrial that started in April, which experts fear could once again end with a hung jury and no closer to finding out the brutal, chilling truth.

Some locals allege a cop cover-up is central to the case, especially with the court performances of high-ranking officials coming under fierce scrutiny.

Others, however, are fully behind the family of O’Keefe, who accuse Read of a malicious attack after a night of drinking on the 46-year-old whom she had been dating for two years.

For local resident Rita Lombardi – who passionatley backs Read’s dramatic push for justice – the torrid saga which has sparked national headlines has also threatened to obliterate relationships and her own health.

During the first trial, she was outside the courtroom for days on end, rallying supporters desperate to uncover the truth. A Facebook group boasted over 20,000 members.

The support was so fervent, she ended up ordering special pom poms from Amazon.

Her dedication to Read’s cause, however, has implications.

People who she claims “wanted to silence me” threw bleach filled balloons onto her lawn, as well as other neighbors’.

It destroyed the grass, yet the 65-year-old’s resolve remained intact.

“It’s taken an enormous toll on me,” she told The U.S. Sun, “the suffering has been excruciating, but I won’t be silenced.”

Rita, who says she had to take five months off work after the first trial because of the “impact” it had on her, points to a tight-knit community with the main players all interlinked.

That in turn, she claims, has seen some family ties severed beyond repair. There have also been threatening letters from elsewhere.

Relatives have lived in Canton for centuries. Her great-grandmother came to the town, which is 18 miles from Boston, in 1907 and her father grew up there.

She says she has strong links with the “other side” – some of her family were in the fire department – and used to have the “upmost” respect for Canton Police.

But when news of O’Keefe’s death sent shockwaves through the town, Rita said she was “totally floored.”

“I’ve been grieving for months,” she admitted. “I lost a niece and a nephew – 23 and 26 years-old – 100 days apart in 2018. And then I lost more by speaking out about this.”

Despite the issues which have fractured relationships dear to her heart, Rita continues to be a “strong and effective” voice for Read who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Her defense argues she is the victim of a police conspiracy and that O’Keefe was killed by someone else at a party at the house of Brian Albert, a retired Boston cop and lifelong Canton resident.

“An innocent woman has been railroaded,” Rita added. “The town knew the power the police wield.”

COURT CASE HEATING UP

The case has seen extensive debates over forensic evidence, with the defense challenging the reliability of the prosecution’s claims.

Apple health data from O’Keefe’s phone and watch, which recorded a 36-step count around the time of his death, was forensically examined recently.

Read’s case for the defense began this week when her team called their first witness to the stand on Friday, stressing the car crash which is central to the prosecution’s case never occurred and the former finance professor was framed.

She told reporters that unlike the first trial, there will be more witnesses and her attorneys would take at least a week to go through a “broader and deeper” testimony.

It’s still unclear if Read will take the stand herself.

Although her supporters on the streets outside the small Norfolk County Superior Courthouse haven’t been at the same levels as before, she retains a groundswell of local support.

A recent petition to scrub a buffer zone in the vicinity was greenlit by a U.S. District Court judge amid fears of swathes of pom pom-waving supporters polluting the views of jurors.

Judge Myong J. Joun said the public has the right to access the area surrounding the courthouse, but anyone in the streets must protest in the correct manner.

“The Buffer Zone Orders may be enforced only against those individuals who engage in activities that are intended to interfere with the administration of justice or are intended to influence trial participants in the discharge of their duties within the buffer zone,” Joun wrote.

There was a small crowd wishing Read well at the end of proceedings on Friday and now the restrictions have been lifted, it’s believed more people will come to show their support.

“I get messages all the time asking me to go back outside the courthouse every day,” Rita continues, “but it took a lot out of me. I still support justice though – for John O’Keefe, his family, Karen Read, and our country. I believe in her innocence 100%.”

There have been other changes surrounding a case which has local new channels and bloggers producing nightly discussion shows and podcasts which are building up to an emotional, explosive climax.

The high-stakes retrial has a new face leading the prosecution: Hank Brennan, the mob lawyer who once defended notorious gangster James “Whitey” Bulger.

Brennan was handpicked by Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey to take over the case from Adam Lally, who led the original trial but has now been sidelined.

Morrissey praised Brennan as a “highly respected” legal heavyweight with deep experience in law enforcement cases.

Lally is still on the prosecution team, but he’s taken a backseat this time.

Read, who didn’t testify in her first trial, has been vocal in the media speaking out in TV interviews to waiting reporters outside court, conducting an interview with Vanity Fair, and even taking part in a true-crime docuseries.

In court, Brennan played a bombshell clip from Read’s October 2024 Dateline interview, where she seemed to admit she might’ve hit O’Keefe, with her car.

“I didn’t think I hit him,” Read said in the video.

“But could I have clipped him… knocked him out… and in drunkenness and in the cold, he didn’t come to again?”

TWISTS AND TURNS

Meanwhile, another big twist is that State Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator, is no longer in uniform.

Proctor drew immense criticism during the first trial after he admitted under oath to sending vile, sexist texts about Read, calling her a “whack job c**t” and joking about not finding nude photos on her phone.

He apologized, but the damage was done. His credibility shredded.

Proctor was pulled off duty the same day the mistrial was declared last July.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14328244/karen-read-murder-trial-canton-john-o-keefe-police/

CHINA is “credibly preparing” for a military invasion of Taiwan and the attack is “real and imminent”, the US Defence Secretary has warned.

Pete Hegeseth said that Communist Beijing was “rehearsing for the real deal” and described the looming threat as a “wake-up call” for the world.

Speaking at the annual Singapore defence forum Shangri-la Dialogue, Hegeseth said China was preparing to use military force to upend the balance of power.

The Pentagon boss also accused Beijing of carrying out cyber attacks, harassing its neighbours, and “illegally seizing and militarising lands” in the South China Sea.

His warning comes after China deployed two hulking H-6 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons on a strategic island in the South China Sea.

Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan and held multiple large-scale exercises around the island, often described as preparations for a blockade or invasion.

Hegseth said: “[Beijing is] credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

“The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent.”

China claims almost the entire disputed waterway in the South China Sea – through which more than 60 per cent of global maritime trade passes.

This is despite an international ruling that Beijing’s assertion has no merit.

In recent months, the Chinese navy has also repeatedly clashed with the Philippines in the strategic waters.

Hegseth warned the Chinese military was building the capabilities to invade Taiwan and “rehearsing for the real deal”.

He called on Asian countries to boost military spending to increase deterrence against China.

Reassuring US allies, Hegseth said the Indo-Pacific was “America’s priority theatre”.

Hegseth said: “[US] is reorienting toward deterring aggression by communist China.

“Asian allies should look to countries in Europe for a newfound example,” Hegseth said, citing pledges by Nato members to move toward Trump’s spending target of five per cent of GDP toward defence.

As Hegseth spoke in Singapore, China’s military announced that its navy and air force were carrying out routine “combat readiness patrols” around the Scarborough Shoal.

It is a chain of reefs and rocks that Beijing disputes with the Philippines.

Meanwhile, aerial photos showed two hulking H-6 bombers on an airfield on Woody Island in the South China Sea, taken on May 19.

The long-range aircraft date back to the 1950s and were modelled on Soviet-era warplanes.

But they’ve been souped up to unleash modern weapons, including hypersonic and nuclear missiles.

They are considered China’s most advanced bombers, and this is the first time they’ve been spotted on the outpost in five years.

The photos also show two Y-20 transport aircraft and a KJ-500 early warning plane around Woody Island on the same day.

The KJ-500 is thought vital to China’s expansion of its air and sea campaign, as it tackles increasingly complex operations.

Woody is part of the Paracel Islands, which are roughly halfway between China and Vietnam and the object of an ownership dispute between the two nations.

China built a city called Sansha on Woody Island in 2012, which Beijing uses to lord over the rest of the Paracels and the Spratly Islands.

Hegseth’s comments came after Trump stoked new trade tensions with China, arguing that Beijing had “violated” a deal to de-escalate tariffs as the two sides appeared deadlocked in negotiations.

Meanwhile, a report by the US Defence Intelligence warned that China could begin seizing Taiwan’s smaller outlying islands as a precursor to a full-blown invasion.

The vast majority of Taiwan’s population lives on the main island, but Taipei also controls a smattering of smaller island chains.

These include the Kinmen and Matsu islands close to the Chinese mainland, the Pratas and Taiping in the South China Sea, and the Penghu archipelago nearer to Taiwan.

Storming these islands is one of the options on the table for China’s military generals – who continue to brandish threats of a full-scale invasion of Taiwan.

Experts also told The Sun how China will look to exploit a fragmented West while it waits for the “perfect moment” to launch an attack on Taiwan.

Fears are that the weakening of Western alliances and the unpredictability of US foreign policy under Donald Trump could create the perfect atmosphere for Beijing to trigger an invasion.

And if China does decide to attack, it’s feared it will go in with “full force” using three major military strategies that would wreak havoc on the island.

Defence experts say it’s the “perfect moment” for Xi’s long-standing ambition to reunify Taiwan with the Chinese mainland – and it could launch an attack as soon as 2027.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14365687/china-attack-taiwan-us/

China’s top official at a global defence dialogue on Saturday (May 31) rejected “accusations” made against the country as unfounded and politically motivated, and asserted its commitment to protecting and improving regional security.

“We do not accept groundless accusations against China. Some of these claims are completely fabricated, some distort the truth, and some are outright cases of ‘the thief crying thief’,” said Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng, who is leading a delegation from the National Defense University of the People’s Liberation Army at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

“They are essentially aimed at provoking conflict, creating division, inciting confrontation, and destabilising the Asia-Pacific,” he said, adding that such actions “go against the tide of the times, are unpopular, and will not succeed.”

Speaking at a session titled “Cooperative maritime security in the Asia-Pacific”, Hu said maritime security in the region remains “generally stable” and the South China Sea remains “one of the world’s safest and busiest sea lanes” for navigation.

He also said China proposes upholding “true multilateralism” and preserving maritime security order in the Asia-Pacific.

“We support the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in Asia-Pacific governance. We oppose unilateralism, hegemonic bullying, and turning Asia-Pacific waters into arenas for power games,” he added.

“We firmly oppose illegal actions that sow division, obstruct reunification, and harm sovereign nations’ core interests.”

Hu did not specify which countries or which accusations he was rebutting.

But earlier in the day, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had warned of the “threat” China poses as he called on allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defence needs.

“China’s army is rehearsing for the real deal,” Hegseth said in his speech. “We are not going to sugarcoat it – the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.”

Hegseth said the US would continue to strengthen its overseas military posture in response to what he described as intensifying threats from Beijing, particularly its assertiveness over Taiwan.

China’s military has repeatedly simulated scenarios resembling a blockade of the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.

The US, while maintaining a policy of strategic ambiguity, has pledged to support Taiwan’s ability to defend itself.

Besides Taiwan Strait tensions, China also has overlapping claims with various parties including Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia in the South China Sea, a vital waterway for global trade.

The Shangri-La Dialogue is a key annual defence summit organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Held from May 30 to June 1 this year, it brings together defence ministers, military chiefs, and senior officials from nearly 50 countries.

Hu emphasised the need for constructive engagement rather than confrontation at the forum.

“The original intention of holding this meeting is to address problems, not create them; to reduce differences, not widen them. There should be frank and sincere exchanges,” he said.

He was also asked about Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun skipping the event this year – the first time since 2019 that China was not represented by its defence minister.

“China attaches great importance to (the event) and has consistently sent delegations to participate over the years,” Hu replied.

It sends delegations of different levels from year to year, and this should be seen as part of normal operational arrangements, Hu said.

“This in no way affects our ability to articulate our national defence policies, engage in communication with various parties, or enhance mutual understanding,” he said.

“Objectively speaking, I was entrusted to come here today to share our views and engage with all of you. I believe everyone has clearly heard and understood our genuine position.”

QUESTIONS ABOUT AIRCRAFT CARRIER

The other officials who spoke at the session were Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, UK’s chief of defence staff, Admiral Seguchi Yoshio, commandant of the Japan Coast Guard, and Ricardo Montero Allende, Chile’s undersecretary of defence.

Asked about the UK sending its aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales as part of a naval strike group on a mission – codenamed Operation Highmast – across the Indo-Pacific amid a war in Ukraine, Radakin noted the interconnectedness and global nature of security.

Britain’s engagement with Southeast Asia extends to other areas such as trade pacts and being a dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he said.

“There are a whole lot of other reasons why we should be here, diplomatically, culturally, but to just see it through the narrow lens of an aircraft carrier, I think is not correct,” he said.

The UK has no plans to use its aircraft carrier in the Russia-Ukraine context, Radakin said, adding that ships can turn back and return if they need to.

Responding to another question on whether UK would strengthen defence cooperation with China in any particular area following his trip there in April, Radakin said it was about establishing military-to-military channels and communication.

“When we operate in this region, we do it in a very transparent way,” Radakin said. “We see ourselves as operating under the rule of law, and we are doing activities that we consider to be entirely routine for a nation like the United Kingdom.”

Asked how he feels about a British aircraft carrier in the Asia-Pacific region, Hu said conducting mobile deployments and training across the oceans is intrinsic to the nature of naval vessels. When used properly, they can safeguard peace and convey goodwill, he said.

But there are inherent dangers of foreign military deployments near contested or sensitive waters, Hu said.

“When warships enter foreign coastal or near-shore waters, the risks are substantial,” He said. “These activities are prone to misunderstanding, miscalculation, or even direct friction and conflict.”

He cautioned that tensions could escalate rapidly even without hostile intent. “When a nation sends warships far from home, especially into another country’s coastal waters – or worse, territorial waters – the potential for serious consequences becomes logically unavoidable.”

The UK-led naval task group departed southern England in April and will make a port call in Singapore next month.

The deployment includes stops in Australia, Japan and India.

While not naming the UK directly, Hu called for efforts to “fundamentally eliminate” maritime and aerial risks, saying the key lies in upholding international law, avoiding provocations, and preventing actions that threaten other countries’ sovereignty or stability.

He also underscored the importance of adhering to protocols such as the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), which China supports updating to enhance regional safety.

IN THE “SAME ASIA-PACIFIC BOAT”, SAYS HU

Calling for cooperation in the region, Hu added: “We all share the same Asia-Pacific boat. While each country has its own national conditions, our security and prosperity are intertwined. In the 21st century, a civilised era, we should resolve issues through dialogue and consultation.”

Hu observed there were no major maritime military conflicts in recent years, but warned of “serious challenges” stemming from bloc politics and foreign interference under the pretext of “freedom of navigation.”

Hu, the vice-president of the PLA’s National Defense University, called out “certain countries” for expanding their military presence in the region and “frequently infringing upon the sovereignty and maritime rights of others”.

These actions, he said, are often justified under the banner of free navigation but, in fact, “deliberately support separatist forces advocating ‘Taiwan independence,’ gravely undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”.

Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/china-rejects-groundless-accusations-shangri-la-dialogue-says-it-opposes-unilateralism-hegemonic-bullying-5161251

Rihanna’s baby bump is “Nobody’s Business” in her latest steamy summer Savage x Fenty campaign.

The pregnant Fenty beauty founder kept her growing stomach a secret in the collection of glam photos she shared from the shoot in her Friday Instagram post.

“It’s me playing ‘hide the baby bump’ whole shoot! boutta be a cheeky summer,” she captioned the photos, announcing her latest Savage x Fenty drop.

She wore a mosaic floral lace lingerie set as she posed in an empty pool for the sizzlin’ pictures.

For bottoms, the singer, 37, sported a pair of matching cheeky panties as she teased a glimpse of her backside in several photos.

She finished off the look with a pair of vibrant orange sandals.

It’s unclear how far along the singer was in her pregnancy at the time of the photo shoot, but the “Pon de Replay” hitmaker — who typically doesn’t shy away from showing off her baby bump — successfully kept it hidden as she playfully eased an ice cube down her body in the pictures.

The “Umbrella” singer revealed she was pregnant with baby No. 3 earlier this month by debuting her growing baby bump before arriving at the Met Gala.

She carried a black umbrella as she was photographed wearing a gray two-piece skirt set, matching knee-high stockings and gray pumps.

Her longtime partner, A$AP Rocky confirmed her pregnancy while speaking to reporters on the blue carpet at fashion’s biggest night, telling them her look for the night would be “whatever just don’t really cover her baby bump.”

Over the years, the singer — who is also mom to two other sons: RZA, 3, and Riot Rose, 1 — has become known as a queen of maternity style for the pregnancy looks she’s delivered. And of course, her outfit for this year’s Met Gala afterparty was no exception.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/30/style/pregnant-rihannas-playing-hide-the-baby-bump-in-sultry-new-savage-x-fenty-lingerie-campaign/

The White House withdrew on Saturday its nominee for NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, abruptly yanking a close ally of Elon Musk from consideration to lead the space agency.
President Donald Trump said he would announce a new candidate soon.

“After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

“I will soon announce a new nominee who will be mission aligned, and put America First in space.”
Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut who had been Musk’s pick to lead NASA, was due next week for a much-delayed confirmation vote before the U.S. Senate. His removal from consideration caught many in the space industry by surprise.
Trump and the White House did not explain what led to the decision.
“It may not always be obvious through the discourse and turbulence, but there are many competent, dedicated people who love this country and care deeply about the mission,” Isaacman said in a post on X.

“That was on full display during my hearing, where leaders on both sides of the aisle made clear they’re willing to fight for the world’s most accomplished space agency.
“I am incredibly grateful to President Trump, the Senate and all those who supported me.”
His removal comes days after Musk’s official departure from the White House, where the SpaceX CEO’s role as a “special government employee” leading the Department of Government Efficiency created turbulence for the administration and frustrated some of Trump’s aides.
Semafor reported the news earlier.
Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to a person familiar with his reaction, Musk was disappointed by Isaacman’s removal.
“It is rare to find someone so competent and good-hearted,” Musk wrote of Isaacman on X, responding to the news.

It was unclear whom the administration might tap to replace Isaacman.
One name being floated is retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Steven Kwast, an early advocate for the setting-up of the U.S. Space Force and Trump supporter, according to three people familiar with the discussions.
Isaacman, the former CEO of payment processor company Shift4, had broad space industry support but faced concerns from lawmakers over his ties to Musk and SpaceX, where he spent hundreds of millions of dollars as an early private spaceflight customer.
The former nominee had donated to Democrats in prior elections. In his confirmation hearing in April, he sought to balance NASA’s existing moon-aligned space exploration strategy with pressure to shift the agency’s focus on Mars, saying the U.S. can plan for travel to both destinations.

As a potential leader of NASA’s roughly 18,000 employees, Isaacman faced a daunting task of implementing that decision to prioritize Mars, given that NASA has spent years and billions of dollars trying to return its astronauts to the moon.
On Friday, the space agency released new details of the Trump administration’s 2026 budget plan that proposed killing dozens of space science programs and laying off thousands of employees, a controversial overhaul that space advocates and lawmakers described as devastating for the agency.
Montana Republican Tim Sheehy, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee, wrote on X that Isaacman “was a strong choice by President Trump to lead NASA” in response to reports of his departure.
“I was proud to introduce Jared at his hearing and strongly oppose efforts to derail his nomination,” Sheehy said.
Some scientists saw the nominee change as further destabilizing to NASA as it faces dramatic budget cuts without a confirmed leader to navigate political turbulence among Congress, the White House and the agency’s workforce.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-says-trump-will-soon-announce-new-nominee-nasa-head-2025-05-31/

Gilead Sciences’ (GILD.O), Trodelvy in combination with Merck’s (MRK.N), opens new tab blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda lowered the risk of an aggressive type of breast cancer worsening by 35% when used as an initial treatment, according to results of a large trial presented on Saturday.
The data is likely to change how patients are treated following a diagnosis for advanced triple-negative breast cancer, one expert said.

After a median follow-up of 14 months, patients treated with Trodelvy, a so-called antibody-drug conjugate, and Keytruda went 11.2 months without their cancer progressing, a measure known as progress-free survival. That compared with PFS of 7.8 months for those given the standard treatment of chemotherapy and Keytruda, researchers said.
Patients given the Trodelvy/Keytruda combination responded to the treatment for a median of 16.5 months, compared with 9.2 months for the chemo group, according to full results of the study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology scientific meeting in Chicago. The researchers said patients are still being followed to see if the regimen has an impact on overall survival.

Gilead previously said the Phase 3 study in 443 patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer whose tumors express PD-L1 – the protein targeted by drugs like Keytruda – had met its goal.
The findings suggest that the combination of Trodelvy and Keytruda “will likely become a new front-line standard of care in this setting,” Dr. Jane Lowe Meisel, co-director of breast oncology at Emory University School of Medicine and a designated ASCO expert said in a statement.
ASCO estimates that about 10% of breast cancers in the United States are triple-negative. That tends to be more difficult to treat than hormone-sensitive subtypes, because it does not have the common biomarkers used to guide treatment, the tumors are often larger, and the recurrence rate is high.
The medical group said that about 40% of triple-negative breast cancers are also PD-L1 positive, making them candidates for Keytruda.

Antibody-drug conjugates like Trodelvy are designed to deliver an anti-cancer drug more precisely to malignant cells, causing less damage to healthy cells than chemotherapy.
Serious side effects for Trodelvy included neutropenia, a condition caused by cancer treatments that lower levels of infection-fighting white blood cells, reported in 43% of patients, and diarrhea in 10%. In the chemotherapy group, the incidence of neutropenia was 45%, while 16% of patients had anemia and 14% had low blood platelet counts.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/gileads-trodelvy-with-keytruda-cuts-breast-cancer-risk-by-35-trial-2025-05-31/

At least seven people were killed and 69 injured when a highway bridge collapsed onto railway tracks, derailing an approaching train in Russia’s Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, Russian authorities said early on Sunday.
Russia’s Railways had initially said on the Telegram messaging app that the bridge collapse was the result of an “illegal interference in the operation of transport,” but it has since removed the post.

Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region, said on Telegram that 44 people were hospitalised. Three children were among those injured with one in serious condition, he added.
Russia’s ministry of emergency situations said on Telegram that efforts to find and rescue victims continued throughout the night, and that some 180 personnel were involved in the operation.
Among those killed was the locomotive driver, Russia’s state news agencies reported, citing medics.
Social media pictures and videos showed passengers trying to help others climb out of the train’s damaged carriages in the dark and firefighters looking for ways to reach passengers.

Russia’s Baza Telegram channel, which often publishes information from sources in the security services and law enforcement, reported, without providing evidence, that according to preliminary information, the bridge was blown up.
Reuters could not independently verify the Baza report. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Since the start of the war that Russia launched more than three years ago, there have been continued cross-border shelling, drone strikes, and covert raids from Ukraine into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions that border Ukraine.
The train was going from the town of Klimovo to Moscow, Russian Railways said. It collided with the collapsed bridge in the area of a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of the Bryansk region, Bogomaz said. The district lies some 100 km (62 miles) from the border with Ukraine.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/bridge-collapses-russias-bryansk-region-that-borders-ukraine-governor-says-2025-05-31/

A federal judge prevented the Trump administration from invalidating work permits and other documents granting lawful status to about 5,000 Venezuelans, a subset of the nearly 350,000 whose temporary legal protections the U.S. Supreme Court last week allowed to be terminated.
U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco in a Friday night ruling, concluded that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely exceeded her authority when she in February invalidated those documents while more broadly ending the temporary protected status granted to the Venezuelans.

The U.S. Supreme Court on May 19 lifted an earlier order Chen issued that prevented the administration as part of President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration agenda from terminating deportation protection conferred to Venezuelans under the Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, program.
But the high court stated specifically it was not preventing any Venezuelans from still challenging Noem’s related decision to invalidate documents they were issued pursuant to that program that allowed them to work and live in the United States.
Such documents were issued after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during former Democratic President Joe Biden’s final days in office extended the TPS program for the Venezuelans by 18 months to October 2026, an action Noem sought to reverse.

TPS is available to people whose home country has experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event.
Lawyers for several Venezuelans and the advocacy group National TPS Alliance asked Chen to recognize the documents’ continuing validity, saying without them migrants could lose their jobs or be deported.
Chen in siding with them said nothing in the statute authorizing the TPS program allowed Noem to invalidate the documents.
Chen, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, noted the administration estimated only about 5,000 of the 350,000 Venezuelans held such documents.
“This smaller number cuts against any contention that the continued presence of these TPS holders who were granted TPS-related documents by the Secretary would be a toll on the national or local economies or a threat to national security,” Chen wrote.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-judge-prevents-trump-invalidating-5000-venezuelans-legal-documents-2025-05-31/

Iran carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the U.N. nuclear watchdog at three locations that have long been under investigation, the watchdog said in a wide-ranging, confidential report to member states seen by Reuters.
The findings in the “comprehensive” International Atomic Energy Agency report requested by the agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors in November pave the way for a push by the United States, Britain, France and Germany for the board to declare Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations.

A resolution would infuriate Iran and could further complicate nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.
Using the IAEA report’s findings, the four Western powers plan to submit a draft resolution for the board to adopt at its next meeting the week of June 9, diplomats say. It would be the first time in almost 20 years Iran has formally been found in non-compliance.
Iran’s foreign ministry and the Iranian nuclear agency rejected the report, calling it “politically motivated” in a joint statement. They said Tehran will take “appropriate measures” in response to any effort to take action against the country at the Board of Governors meeting, state media reported, without elaborating.

Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
While many of the findings relate to activities dating back decades and have been made before, the IAEA report’s conclusions were more definitive. It summarised developments in recent years and pointed more clearly towards coordinated, secret activities, some of which were relevant to producing nuclear weapons.
It also spelled out that Iran’s cooperation with IAEA continues to be “less than satisfactory” in “a number of respects”. The IAEA is still seeking explanations for uranium traces found years ago at two of four sites it has been investigating. Three hosted secret experiments, it found.
The IAEA has concluded that “these three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear programme carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material”, the report said.

Nuclear material and/or heavily contaminated equipment from that programme was stored at the fourth site, Turquzabad, between 2009 and 2018, it said.
“The Agency concludes that Iran did not declare nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at three undeclared locations in Iran, specifically, Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad,” the report said.
At Lavisan-Shian in Tehran, a disc made of uranium metal was “used in the production of explosively-driven neutron sources” at least twice in 2003, a process designed to initiate the explosion in a nuclear weapon, the report said, adding that it was part of “small-scale” tests.
The report is likely to lead to Iran being referred to the U.N. Security Council, though that would probably happen at a later IAEA board meeting, diplomats said.
More immediately, it is likely to lead to Iran again accelerating or expanding its rapidly advancing nuclear programme, as it has done after previous rebukes at the board. It could also further complicate talks with the United States aimed at reining in that programme.

URANIUM ENRICHMENT

A separate IAEA report sent to member states on Saturday said Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons grade, had grown by roughly half to 408.6 kg. That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick.
Both IAEA reports said enrichment to such a high level was “of serious concern” since it is the only country to do so without producing nuclear weapons.
Israel, which has long urged strong action against Iran’s nuclear programme, said the IAEA report showed Tehran was determined to complete its nuclear weapons programme. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the world should act now to stop Iran from doing this.
U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA have long believed Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. Iran denies ever having had one.
Separately on Saturday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said his Omani counterpart presented elements of a U.S. proposal for a nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington during a short visit to Tehran.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later on Saturday that President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff “has sent a detailed and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it’s in their best interest to accept it.” She declined to provide further details.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iaea-report-says-iran-had-secret-activities-with-undeclared-nuclear-material-2025-05-31/

A claim by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that an immigrant threatened the life of President Donald Trump has begun to unravel.

Noem announced an arrest of a 54-year-old man who was living in the U.S. illegally, saying he had written a letter threatening to kill Trump and would then return to Mexico. The story received a flood of media attention and was highlighted by the White House and Trump’s allies.

But investigators actually believe the man may have been framed so that he would get arrested and be deported from the U.S. before he got a chance to testify in a trial as a victim of assault, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Law enforcement officials believe the man, Ramon Morales Reyes, never wrote a letter that Noem and her department shared with a message written in light blue ink expressing anger over Trump’s deportations and threatening to shoot him in the head with a rifle at a rally. Noem also shared the letter on X along with a photo of Morales Reyes, and the White House also shared it on its social media accounts. The letter was mailed to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office along with the FBI and other agencies, the person said.

As part of the investigation, officials had contacted Morales Reyes and asked for a handwriting sample and concluded his handwriting and the threatening letter didn’t match and that the threat was not credible, the person said. It’s not clear why Homeland Security officials still decided to send a release making that claim.

In an emailed statement asking for information about the letter and the new information about Morales Reyes, the Department of Homeland Security said “the investigation into the threat is ongoing. Over the course of the investigation, this individual was determined to be in the country illegally and that he had a criminal record. He will remain in custody.”

His attorneys said he was not facing current charges and they did not have any information about convictions in his record. The revelations were first reported by CNN.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s records show Morales Reyes is being held at a county jail in Juneau, Wisconsin, northwest of Milwaukee. The Milwaukee-based immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera, which is advocating for his release, said he was arrested May 21. Attorney Cain Oulahan, who was hired to fight against his deportation, said he has a hearing in a Chicago immigration court next week and is hoping he is released on bond.

Morales Reyes had been a victim in a case of another man who is awaiting trial on assault charges in Wisconsin, the person familiar with the matter said. The trial is scheduled for July.

Morales Reyes works as a dishwasher in Milwaukee, where he lives with his wife and three children. He had recently applied for a U visa, which is carved out for people in the country illegally who become victims of serious crimes, said attorney Kime Abduli, who filed that application.

The Milwaukee Police Department said it is investigating an identity theft and victim intimidation incident related to this matter and the county district attorney’s office said the investigation was ongoing. Milwaukee police said no one has been criminally charged at this time.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/ice-letter-threatening-trump-21447adfd14eb1a043f95344f9ccb3d5

It’s time to celebrate, Bills Mafia!

MVP quarterback Josh Allen married fiancée Hailee Steinfeld on Saturday in a luxurious ceremony in Ventura, California, photos from the couple’s big day show.

The Oscar-nominated actress, 28, stunned in a white, strapless gown with gloves while Allen, 29, looked dapper in a crisp black-and-white tuxedo.

The glitzy nuptials come less than a year after the couple got engaged.

Allen, who was first linked to Steinfeld in the spring of 2023 following a breakup with longtime girlfriend Brittany Williams, got down on one knee this past November.

He popped the question in front of a scenic ocean backdrop that featured a stunning flower arch and candles surrounding the space.

“The funniest thing was that we woke up and were getting ready for brunch and you jumped on the bed and said, ‘Can we get married already?!? What are you waiting for??!’” Allen recalled of the proposal as part of a Q&A with Steinfeld’s Beau Society newsletter.

“I replied, ‘Just give me a little more time.’ Little did you know I was about to propose to you…”

Allen, who was named league MVP after the 2024 season, credited Steinfeld for his stellar play in his seventh year with the Bills.

“She’s been a huge part,” Allen told the Associated Press. “The morale, the support. When I get home, she’s my biggest fan, my biggest supporter. She’s just the best.”

Steinfeld accompanied Allen to New Orleans in February when he picked up his MVP hardware at the 2024 NFL Honors.

“That’s MVP Josh Allen to you!” the “Sinners” star exclaimed on Instagram, to which Allen commented, “I love you.”

Allen threw 28 touchdowns and a career-low six interceptions through 17 regular-season games.

He also had 12 touchdowns on the ground in 2024.

The Bills reached the AFC Championship game in January but were bested by the defending champion Chiefs, 32-29.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/05/31/sports/josh-allen-hailee-steinfeld-get-married-in-stunning-california-wedding/

LOOKING for a flight deal just got a whole lot easier with a simple prompt and the power of artificial intelligence.

With a short message, ChatGPT can now find cheap tickets, filter your preferences, and even help you book a flight, all in seconds.

The tool, called Operator, works with Bing Travel to help users skip hours of browsing and comparing flight prices.

TikTok user Adam Stewart previewed the useful AI agent in a post with over 5,000 likes.

Stewart posts videos about AI and automation on his TikTok account, where he boasts over 105,000 followers.

Earlier this year, the creator shared a video where he tested Operator by looking for a five-passenger flight to Hong Kong.

He tasked Operator with finding a direct, daytime flight from Melbourne on April 7, with checked baggage included.

“I am trying to book a flight to Hong Kong for five people on the 7th of April, try to find me a direct flight,” he said.

“I want it to be a daytime flight as I don’t sleep well on planes and make sure baggage is included.”

The two-sentence prompt simply asked Stewart, “How many passengers?” and “Morning or afternoon?

ChatGPT immediately got to work, showing that it had filtered results to include only morning and afternoon departures.

The user noted, “Now we have got some options. Cathay, very nice.”

It bypassed the login page and pulled up a flight option that matched the user’s request.

“Now it found us a flight, this is perfect, it includes check-in,” the user said.

Once the flight was selected, the system asked if they wanted to go ahead with the booking just by clicking one button.

“One thing is you can turn off the notifications, so you don’t have to see how it works in the background,” Stewart added.

The only step left was to enter passenger details.

Operator is a research preview tool that uses its own browser to complete tasks like searching, filtering, and even booking flights.

It’s currently available to Pro users in the US, giving them early access to hands-off travel planning powered by ChatGPT.

The entire process takes seconds and doesn’t require switching between multiple websites or tabs.

ChatGPT and its rival, Claude, are becoming go-to travel tools for finding affordable routes.

Travelers can ask for flight suggestions by season, date, and price range.

ChatGPT can also find low-cost airline options and hidden flight tricks.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/travel/14356666/chatgpt-operator-book-flights-tool-prompt/

MAJOR US airlines are reportedly charging certain passengers more when booking tickets, according to a travel expert.

Three of the country’s biggest airlines—American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta—charge solo travelers more compared to those traveling in a group, site Thrifty Traveler has claimed.

The practice isn’t widespread, but a team of flight deal analysts searched through hundreds of routes daily to confirm that it’s “real and undeniable.”

“Whether it’s been just days, months, or even years, it’s something that few everyday travelers may realize is happening … or how much it might be costing them,” wrote Kyle Potter.

As an example, a price for a one-way United flight from Chicago-O’Hare Airport to Peoria costs approximately $269.

However, if the traveler has about two to four passengers, the price plummets to almost a third of that.

“Just $181 apiece for that exact same standard economy ticket,” wrote Potter.

This dynamic pricing only appears to happen with one-way domestic flights, not round-trip fares or international bookings.

Potter also explained that the phenomena hasn’t been seen on other major US airlines like Alaska, JetBlue, or Southwest.

While it hasn’t been confirmed why solo travelers are being charged more, Potter believes it’s a way for the airlines to keep “segmenting” their customers, such as charging business travelers who pay with a corporate card more while giving a better deal to families or groups on the same flight.

Another example showed a possible solo flier having to shell out at least $422 for a one-way American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Fort Myers, Florida, on October 13.

However, for two passengers, the ticket cost drops to $266 per person for the same flight.

The last example had a flight from Chicago-O’Hare to Lexington, Kentucky, giving a solo passenger $214 whether they fly from United or American, said Potter.

But two passengers only have to pay $108 each for the flight with a total cost of $215.

PRICE HIKE QUESTIONS

It’s unclear how this alleged pricing strategy began, however, Potter said that it’s a massive change in how airlines set prices, which will leave customers shocked.

Airlines don’t usually charge solo travelers more, and bulk discounts aren’t a common practice, but Potter believes it boils down to how airlines actually sell tickets.

“Carriers aren’t just selling economy, extra legroom, and first class tickets but an alphabet soup of different fare classes, each at a different price,” he wrote.

“If there’s only one fare available at the cheapest $118, searching for two would only yield fares at a higher, $199 price point.”

Potter believes airlines are trying to cater to different customers at once, as they’re more likely to be on business trips with their flights paid off by their employers, meaning they won’t care about paying extra.

“Of course, not all travelers booking solo tickets are charging flights to a corporate card. There are flyers heading out to attend to a family emergency,” said Potter.

“Friends booking flights separately. Spouses going on a trip who leave a day or two after one another. And many, many more.”

CUSTOMERS REACT

The story went viral on social media after travel influencer Brian Kelly shared it on Instagram to his over 416,000 followers.

“I personally think this is greed getting out of control and the airlines are just ASKING for government intervention,” he wrote in the caption.

There were thousands of comments from users, sharing their frustrations with the supposed price hike.

“I’m married, with a spouse in the army who is currently deployed,” wrote one person.

“I travel alone…a LOT. And this upsets me tremendously.”

Another person explained that solo travelers already have to pay more for accommodations and transportation.

“At least let us have the flights!”

A third person wrote: “A seat is a seat. Should cost the same per person regardless of 1 or or 4.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/travel/14364306/us-airlines-charging-extra-single-ticket-passengers/

ELON Musk showed up with a black eye as he said his final goodbyes to President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency in an Oval Office press conference on Friday.

Trump and the billionaire failed to acknowledge the injury as the president gushed over Musk’s 130 days of slashing federal spending.

At the beginning of their final press conference, Trump played a clip from CNBC where an anchor proclaimed that personal income has skyrocketed and tripled expectations.

The president then looked on Musk with pride as he listed the billionaire’s achievements, which included slashing many offshore projects said to be funded by USAID.

“He’s an incredible patriot,” Trump said after fuming over how the media criticized Musk.

Musk wore a black T-shirt with the words “The Dogefather” in the style of The Godfather emblazoned on the front as he smiled and nodded at Trump’s words.

But despite his sunny disposition, fans started to notice that the billionaire appeared to have a painful-looking black eye.

Viewers shared their concern for the Tesla founder and questioned what had left the painful-looking mark.

“Does Elon Musk have a black eye in the Oval Office right now?” wrote one viewer on X.

“Oh man, I can’t wait for the conspiracy theories.”

“Is no one going to ask why Elon Musk has a black eye,” said another person.

Another person wrote, “What is up with Elon Musk having a black eye at today’s White House Conference with President Trump?”

A reporter eventually asked Musk about his eye, and the billionaire quickly joked that he wasn’t “anywhere near France,” an apparent joke about French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte, who was seen slapping her husband before they walked off an airplane.

Musk then revealed that his five-year-old son X had accidentally hit him when the two were playing.

“I was just horsing around with little X and I said, ‘Go ahead punch me in the face,’ and he did,” Musk explained.

Trump, who said he didn’t notice the black eye, smiled at the admission and said, “X could do it. If you knew X he could do it.”

Musk then said, “I didn’t really feel much at the time, and I guess it bruises up, but I was just horsing around with the kid.”

When asked about Musk’s future in the White House, the pair confirmed that he would always be on standby to give the president guidance.

END OF AN ERA

Earlier this week, Musk confirmed that he would soon be stepping down from his position and thanked the White House for having him.

“The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he said in the post.

Trump confirmed that Friday would be Musk’s last day, but insisted that the tech billionaire would “always be helping all the way.”

Questions still remain over who will lead the department in Musk’s absence, but White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt suggested it would be a group effort.

Musk made a lofty vow to save the government $1 trillion, and claims that DOGE has already slashed $160 billion in spending.

He’s also had a slew of viral moments since joining Trump’s campaign, like when he held up a massive “chainsaw for bureaucracy” on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

In one presser with Trump, Musk set up a makeshift Tesla dealership outside the White House where the president gushed about the “computer” inside the cars.

And several times he was seen in the Oval Office with his four-year-old son X Æ A-Xii, whom he shares with his estranged ex Grimes.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14363506/donald-trump-elon-musk-leaving-doge/

The collapse of a glacier in the Swiss Alps this week has underscored the impacts of a warming world on the ice-packed parts of planet Earth.

When the melting Birch Glacier on crumbled on Wednesday, it engulfed the picturesque village of Blatten in the country’s southern Wallis region. A mound of debris has clogged the path of the Lonza River, increasing the risk of flooding.

Glaciers and ice sheets store about 70% of the world’s freshwater reserves. High-altitude regions are often dubbed the world’s “water towers” because they gradually release meltwater in the summer, sustaining towns and farms downstream.

Two billion people globally rely on glacial melt for their day-to-day water needs, researchers say. Yet, as the world gets hotter, the ice is thawing.

Glaciers around the world are now melting at twice the rate measured just two decades ago. Between 2000 and 2023, they lost an ice mass equivalent to 46,000 Great Pyramids of Giza.

And this is affecting communities worldwide. Some regions are left with too little water, while others struggle with too much.

Glaciers are a crucial freshwater resource

The residents of the small western Peruvian town of Huaraz draw almost 20% of their annual water supply from melting ice. But Andean glaciers are thawing even faster than elsewhere.

This poses a risk of flooding. In a decadelong lawsuit, one resident of Huaraz sued a German energy company over the potential risk to his home from a mountain lake that is filling with meltwater at a rapid rate.

Meltwater damages infrastructure, makes mountains unstable

It’s not only in Peru that huge glacial lakes form when glaciers thaw. When they become too full, deadly floods can wash away buildings, bridges and wipe out fertile land, like in Pakistan, where a glacial lake burst in October 2023.

That same month in neighboring India, a lake of melted ice overflowed and killed 179 people. Scientists estimate that globally, at least 15 million people are vulnerable to sudden flooding from thawing ice, most of them living in India and Pakistan. Since 1990, the volume of water in mountain lakes there has increased by around 50%.

The collapse of the Birch Glacier in Switzerland caused a landslide of rock and ice that covered most of the 300-strong village of Blatten in mud. Though residents had been evacuated as a precaution, one man is missing in what scientists call the latest dramatic example of climate change’s impact on the Alps.

Dwindling water supply for agriculture, electricity generation

As glaciers shrink, they eventually reach a threshold — known as peak water — at which runoff declines. As a result, less meltwater flows downstream, with potentially far-reaching consequences.

Reduced water supply has forced local farmers, who traditionally grew corn and wheat, to change both their crops and water management. Some communities in the Andes have now switched to growing a bitter potato variety that is more resilient to drought.

Unstable water supply is also stalling electricity production. In Chile, 27% of power is generated by hydroelectric dams which critically depend on meltwater. In 2021, the Alto Maipo plant was shut down due to dwindling flow.

Melting ice sheets increasing sea levels

It’s not only glaciers in high altitudes that are melting, but also those in the ocean, like Thwaites Glacier in Western Antarctica. This frosty giant is the size of the US state of Florida and has been deemed “very unstable.” Scientists have said it is thawing on all sides.

The melting of sea ice crucially contributes to rising sea levels. Thwaites Glacier has been dubbed “doomsday glacier” for its potential impact on what some researchers call “abrupt” sea level rise.

In the last 25 years alone, melting glaciers have caused global sea levels to rise almost 2 centimeters (0.7 inches). This might not seem like much, but low-lying islands like Fiji and Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean are at risk of disappearing under the waves.

In addition, more than 1 billion people in megacities like Jakarta, Mumbai, Lagos and Manila live within 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) of the coast. Protective dikes are only a temporary solution, as sea levels continue to rise.

Ice traditions under threat

Glaciers also hold spiritual and cultural significance.

Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims gather at one of Peru’s most sacred glaciers, the Colquepunco, for a religious festival.

In the past, ice blocks were carved from the glacier and carried down to local communities who believed in their healing properties. But as the glacier vanishes, this ancient tradition has come under threat.

Less snowfall for Alpine ski resorts

The Presena Glacier in Italy, a popular destination for skiers, has reportedly lost a third of its volume since 1990. And natural snow in the European Alps is expected to decline by 42% by the end of the century. Scientists estimate that many ski resorts worldwide won’t be profitable in the future.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/what-are-the-real-impacts-of-melting-glaciers/a-72701132

250 million bees escape after truck overturns in US

A commercial truck carrying an estimated 70,000 pounds (31,751 kilograms) of honeybee hives overturned in western United States, authorities said on Friday.

About 250 million bees are estimated to have been set free.

US Defense Secretary Hegseth warns of ‘imminent’ China threat

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday cautioned that China was “credibly preparing to potentially use military force” in a bid to reorder the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

Hegseth reassured Washington’s allies in the region that they would not be abandoned to tackle the growing military and economic pressures from Beijing.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday (May 30) that billionaire Elon Musk will remain a close adviser, even after the Tesla CEO departs the administration following a chaotic four-month tenure that saw him disrupt dozens of foreign agencies in his effort to slash government spending.

During a joint press conference in the Oval Office, Trump lauded Musk and defended his cost-cutting campaign as the head of the Department of Governmental Efficiency. The group has eliminated thousands of jobs and canceled billions of dollars in spending, including the majority of US foreign aid, but has thus far fallen far short of Musk’s lofty initial promises.

“Elon is really not leaving. He’s going to be back and forth,” Trump said from behind the Resolute Desk, as Musk stood to his right, wearing a black DOGE hat and a T-shirt that read “The Dogefather” in the style of the movie “The Godfather.”

The press conference appeared aimed at showing unity after Musk prompted frustration among White House officials this week by criticizing Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill as too expensive. Some senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saw Musk’s remarks on the tax bill as an open break from the administration, with Miller particularly irked by the comments, a source familiar with the matter said.

Trump gave Musk a large golden key inside a wooden box bearing his signature, a gift he said he reserved only for “very special people.” Musk, in turn, admired the gold finishings that Trump has installed around the Oval Office.

The White House and senior aides had insisted earlier in Trump’s term that Musk, the world’s richest man, was a key figure who wasn’t going anywhere.

But more recently, they began pointing to the expiration of his 130-day mandate as a special government employee, which was set to end around May 30, as a natural endpoint.

Musk, meanwhile, has said he intends to devote most of his energy to his business empire, including Tesla and SpaceX, after some investors expressed concern that DOGE was occupying too much of his time.

He has also said he plans to ratchet back his political donations, after he spent nearly US$300 million backing Trump’s presidential campaign and those of other Republicans in 2024.

But he told reporters on Friday that he would continue to be part of Trump’s circle of advisers.

“I expect to remain a friend and an adviser, and certainly, if there’s anything the president wants me to do, I’m at the president’s service,” he said.

CUTS FALL SHORT

Musk initially claimed DOGE would slash at least US$2 trillion in federal spending. Four months into its efforts, DOGE now estimates it has saved US$175 billion.

But the details it has posted on its website, where it gives the only public accounting of those changes, add up to less than half of that figure.

US Treasury summaries reviewed by Reuters show that the agencies targeted by DOGE have cut about US$19 billion in combined spending compared to the same period last year, far below Musk’s original target and amounting to just about 0.5% of total federal expenditures.

Trump and DOGE have managed to cut nearly 12%, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers, a Reuters review of agency departures found.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/trump-musk-offer-show-unity-tesla-ceo-departs-government-5160861

Israel may be breaching international law by restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday (May 30).

Speaking in a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of the latter’s state visit to Singapore, Mr Wong said: “We have always said that Israel had a right to defend itself. Unfortunately, Israel’s response has gone too far and its actions have caused terrible humanitarian disaster; and the restrictions imposed on the delivery of humanitarian supplies are completely unacceptable.

“In our opinion, it may even be a likely breach of international humanitarian law. So it cannot be justified,” he added.

Earlier in May, Israel partially ended an 11-week long aid blockade on Gaza. Limited amount of relief has entered via the United Nations or the United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

“We join countries around the world to call for an immediate ceasefire; for the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid; for the protection of civilians; and also for the return of hostages,” said Mr Wong on Friday.

“Beyond the current crisis itself, Singapore also supports the right of the Palestinian people to their own homeland. This has to be done as part of a negotiated two-state solution, because that is the only way for a comprehensive, just and durable solution to this long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict.”

The prime minister noted international efforts on these fronts, including a United Nations conference which France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting from Jun 17 to 20. It aims to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel’s security.

Singapore will participate in this conference and join the international community to work towards a durable solution, Mr Wong added.

Mr Macron meanwhile said during the presser that France could harden its position on Israel if it continues to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to Reuters.

“If there is no response that meets the humanitarian situation in the coming hours and days, obviously, we will have to toughen our collective position,” he said, speaking in French.

Reuters also reported Mr Macron saying the existence of a Palestinian state “is not just simply a moral duty but also a political necessity”.

On May 19, a joint statement by leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada also highlighted that Israel’s denial of humanitarian assistance risked breaching international humanitarian law.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/israel-may-be-breaching-international-law-restricting-humanitarian-aid-gaza-pm-wong-5160066

When astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore approached the International Space Station (ISS) last year with failing thrusters on their Boeing Starliner capsule, they were unable to fly forward to dock.

And if they couldn’t dock, they didn’t know if they could make it back home again.

“Docking was imperative,” Mr Wilmore told BBC News, two months after he and Ms Williams finally made a successful return to Earth. “If we weren’t able to dock, would we be able to make it back? We didn’t know.”

The astronauts had been travelling on a test flight that was meant to last eight days. Instead, they ended up staying in space for nearly 10 months.

The first challenge was to dock safely and successfully at the ISS, which they managed to do within several minutes after Mission Control on the ground helped them restart the craft’s thrusters.

Mr Wilmore said that the possibility they might never see Earth again “definitely went through our minds”.

But both astronauts said they didn’t communicate the worst-case scenarios out loud in those moments, because they were trained to move on with solving problems.

“You sort of read each other’s mind and know where we’re going with all the failures,” Ms Williams told the BBC.

“These were not expected,” she admitted. But thoughts quickly turned to solutions: “At the same time, you know, we’re like, what do we have? What can we do?”

The pair’s saga began in June 2024. They were taking part in the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, which was developed by aerospace company Boeing.

But after a number of technical problems during their flight, the option of Starliner carrying the astronauts home as planned was deemed to be a risk not worth taking – given that the pair could instead be brought back by another company, SpaceX.

For that reason, they stayed in space until they hitched a ride back on a SpaceX capsule. For its part, Boeing maintained that its own capsule was safe to use – and was proven right when the craft returned, uncrewed, in September 2024.

After months of experiments aboard the space station, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore eventually returned to Earth on 18 March.

During this phase of their mission, the pair were repeatedly described as stranded, implying there was no means for them to get off the ISS.

But that was not the case, as the space station always has spacecraft attached to it – which could have acted in an emergency as a lifeboat to carry the astronauts back to Earth.

Nonetheless, the pair’s stay was longer than expected – though the Nasa pair embraced this.

“We knew nobody was going to just let us down… we knew everybody had our back and was looking out for us,” Ms Williams said.

While in limbo, the pair even found themselves in the middle of a political row, after US President Donald Trump blamed his predecessor Joe Biden for abandoning them in space.

But the astronauts said they ignored the politics and didn’t feel abandoned. “We can’t speak to that at all,” said Mr Wilmore. “We understand space flight is hard, human space flight is even harder.”

After two months back on the ground, both astronauts say they are feeling fit and well, because the workouts that they undertook while in their zero-gravity environment paid off.

Exercising in zero gravity means your body doesn’t need much time to recover from the daily squats and deadlifts, Mr Wilmore explained.

He said he performed squats and deadlifts “every single day for almost 10 months”, meaning that he returned to Earth “literally stronger than I’ve ever been in my life”.

Ms Williams agreed – she went running days after landing back on Earth and once ran a full marathon in space strapped to a treadmill – but said it’s not always easy to readjust to the weight of the world.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clygd1vl9yeo

Taylor Swift has bought back the rights to her first six albums, ending a long-running battle over the ownership of her music.

“All of the music I’ve ever made now belongs to me,” said the star, announcing the news on her official website. “I’ve been bursting into tears of joy… ever since I found out this is really happening.”

The saga began in June 2019, when music manager Scooter Braun bought Swift’s former record label Big Machine and, with it, all of the songs from Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989 and Reputation.

Swift had personal objections to the deal, blaming Braun for complicity in the “incessant, manipulative bullying” against her by Kanye West, one of his clients.

On her website, Swift said that reclaiming the rights to her music had, for a long time, seemed unimaginable.

“To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,” she added, thanking fans for their support as the drama played out.

“I can’t thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but have never owned until now.

“I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away,” she wrote.

“But that’s all in the past now.”

In the music industry, the owner of a master recording controls the way it is distributed and licenced. The artist still earns royalties, but controlling the masters offers protection over how the work is used in future.

The family of Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel recently revealed a heartbreaking diagnosis just months after the teen brain cancer survivor captured America’s hearts when he was sworn in as an honorary member of the Secret Service by President Trump.

DJ, who was given five months to live after being diagnosed with incurable brain and spine cancer in 2018, has “three new tumors,” his father, Theodis Daniel, told Fox 7 Austin last week.

“It’s rough, there isn’t a class that can teach you how to deal with it. You’re hearing that your child has a nasty disease,” the heartbroken dad said.

“We’re just going around showing people, hey, you do care for one another. Let’s give compassion and let’s try to join and help each other get through things,” he added.

DJ, who dreams of becoming a police officer, was thrust into the national spotlight when he was sworn in as an honorary protector of Trump during the president’s address to a joint session of Congress on March 4.

The teen has nearly completed his quest to be sworn in by 1,000 law enforcement agencies across the country — which would be a Guinness World Record.

He already holds multiple records, including “the most keys to the city” and “most proclamation days.”

After his Secret Service honor, DJ got calls from law enforcement agencies throughout the country, including from Deputy Jeffrey Combs of the Williams County Sheriff’s Office in Texas.

“I saw Theodis pick his son up. I felt that unconditional love, and I just knew I had to find DJ, so it all worked out,” he told FOX 7 last week.

The teen has been keeping in good spirits: During the Williams County ceremony, DJ rubbed deputies’ bald heads for luck, the outlet reported.

And the youngster was just as upbeat at another recent swearing-in, this one in Polk County, Florida.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/05/30/us-news/dj-daniel-trumps-honorary-secret-service-agent-has-heartbreaking-health-update/

Ukraine resisted U.S. and Russian pressure to commit to attending another round of peace talks on Monday, saying it first needed to see Russian proposals, while a leading U.S. senator warned Moscow it would be “hit hard” by new U.S. sanctions.
U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Moscow and Kyiv to work together on a deal to end their three-year-old war, and Russia has proposed a second round of face-to-face talks with Ukrainian officials next week in Istanbul.

Kyiv has said it is committed to the search for peace, but that it was waiting for a memorandum from the Russian side setting out their proposals.
“For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X on Friday after hosting Turkey’s foreign minister for talks in Kyiv.
“Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next potential meeting brings no results,” he said, citing the lack of a document from Russia.
Delegations from the two countries met in Istanbul on May 16 but the session yielded little other than an agreement for a prisoner exchange.

Zelenskiy said he and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday discussed in a phone call the conditions under which Ukraine would participate in the Monday meeting proposed by Russia.
“There must be a ceasefire to move further toward peace. The killing of people must stop,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.
“We share the view that this meeting cannot and should not be empty,” Zelenskiy said.
He did not commit Ukraine to attending on Monday, although he said he and Erdogan did discuss the possibility of organising a four-way meeting with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United States.
Erdogan said it was important that Russia and Ukraine send strong delegations to Istanbul and added that a leaders’ meeting could contribute to the peace process, the Turkish presidency said.
Some Republicans in the U.S. Congress and White House advisers have urged Trump to finally embrace new sanctions on Russia to put pressure on Moscow.

Influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on a visit to Kyiv the Republican-led U.S. Senate is expected to move ahead with a bill on sanctions against Russia next week.
Graham, who met Zelenskiy in Kyiv, told a news briefing he had talked with Trump before his trip and the U.S. president expects concrete actions now from Moscow.
Graham accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to drag out the peace process and said he doubts the Istanbul meeting will amount to more than a “Russian charade.”
“The game that Putin has been playing is about to change. He is going to be hit, and hit hard by the United States, when it comes to sanctions,” Graham said.
Trump told reporters on Friday that both Putin and Zelenskiy were stubborn and that he had been surprised and disappointed by Russian bombing in Ukraine while he was trying to arrange a ceasefire. Trump made no mention of sanctions.

The war, the biggest in Europe since World War Two, began with a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Expectations for the talks are modest because the positions staked out so far by the two sides are far apart and work between them has yet to begin in earnest on narrowing the gap.
Nevertheless, both Kyiv and Moscow are keen to demonstrate to Trump they support his peace efforts. Kyiv wants more U.S. military aid, while Moscow hopes Trump will ease existing economic sanctions on Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian delegation would be travelling to Istanbul and ready for talks with Ukraine on Monday morning.
“Everyone is focused on the direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations. A list of conditions for a temporary truce is being developed,” Peskov said.
Moscow has said its delegation for Istanbul would be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin aide who led the previous round on May 16.

NO MORE NATO ENLARGEMENT?

Reuters reported this week that Putin’s conditions for ending the war include a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging NATO eastwards.
Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said on Friday that Russia’s concern over the eastward enlargement of NATO was fair and Washington did not want to see Ukraine in the U.S.-led military alliance.
Commenting on Kellogg’s statement, Peskov said: “We are pleased that these explanations by the president are understood, including in Washington.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters in Kyiv that the next step after talks in Istanbul would be to try to host a meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskiy.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv needed to see the Russian proposals in advance for the talks to be “substantive and meaningful,” without spelling out what Kyiv would do if it did not receive the Russian document or a deadline for receiving it.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-keeps-russia-guessing-over-participation-june-2-peace-talks-2025-05-30/

Once a baddie, always a baddie.

Kylie Jenner may be keeping mum about her relationship with Timothée Chalamet, but she’s not afraid to hit back at theories that she’s dressing more demure since snagging an Oscar-nominated boyfriend.

In her new Dazed cover story, the reality star, 27, denied switching up her style for Chalamet’s sake. When asked if fans should be “mourning a baddie,” she answered, “That’s so funny, I’ve seen that before too, and I’m always like, first of all, the baddie never left.”

“I wear a latex dress at least once a week. Like, where do you guys think the baddie went?” she asked. “People saw me in a flowy dress once in my life, and they were like, ‘She’s gone!’ I wore a sundress once in Palm Springs, you know – like, can a girl wear a sundress once?”

The Kylie Cosmetics founder joked she was “taking a break from slaying” in 2023 after fans noticed she was dialing back her glam.

Paige DeSorbo even took a swing during a “Giggly Squad” podcast episode, saying, “I do want to say about the Kardashians, every boyfriend they get, they take — they start to look like them. It’s like one of the weirdest things.”

The “Summer House” star likened the phenomenon to “when dogs start to look like their owners.”

That same year, Jenner was also compared to Sofia Richie and her “quiet luxury” sensibility after the makeup mogul wore a parade of ladylike outfits while on a European vacation.

In a 2024 New York Times interview, Jenner acknowledged she was “stripping down a little bit” when it came to her style.

“I don’t have this thick mane down to my butt, I don’t have lash extensions, I don’t have these long claws,” she said.

But when asked if it had to do directly with Chalamet, she responded cagily, “I don’t know how I feel about that. I just don’t want to talk about personal things.”

In another interview, Jenner said she’s simply grown out of the “King Kylie” aesthetic of her teen years as she’s come into her own as a mother of two.

“That era will always be a part of who I am, but it’ll never be what it was when I was younger. I probably would never wear lash extensions and thick eyebrows [now]. There are just certain trends that I’ve grown out of,” she told Elle last year.

“I’ve definitely had some moments of quiet luxury, as they would say, but I’m always experimenting. At the root of my authentic style, I think I’m more dark feminine.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/30/style/kylie-jenner-responds-to-claims-timothee-chalamet-changed-her-baddie-style/

Elon Musk allegedly fathered a child with a Japanese pop star — and told an ex that he would offer his sperm to “anyone.”

Ashley St. Clair, who allegedly shares son Romulus with the Tesla CEO, made the bombshell claims in a new article published by the New York Times Friday.

“Ms. St. Clair said that Mr. Musk told her he had fathered children around the world, including one with a Japanese pop star,” the article alleges. “He said he would be willing to give his sperm to anyone who wanted to have a child.”

St. Clair further claimed that Musk had a deep concern for the declining birth rate, which he has been vocal about on his social media platform, X.

“He made it seem like it was just his altruism,” she alleged to the outlet. “He generally believed these people should just have children.”

St. Clair also claimed that while she was giving birth to Musk’s alleged child back in September, he allegedly told her “over disappearing Signal messages” that he wanted to keep his paternity, as well as their relationship, under wraps.

The right-leaning writer even claimed that she had to pretend she didn’t know Musk when they both went to Mar-a-Lago to celebrate President Trump’s election victory.

Musk, 53, allegedly offered her $15 million — and an additional $100,000 a month until their son turned 21 — if she kept her mouth shut, according to documents obtained by the newspaper.

St. Clair refused to let the tech billionaire buy her silence, however, and she went public with the news of his alleged paternity in February. She also sued him for child support and sole custody, later accusing him of “substantially” reducing his child support after she filed the lawsuit.

Back in March, Musk shared on X that although he had questions about the infant’s paternity, he was still sending St. Clair millions of dollars and payments of over “$500k/year.”

WSJ previously reported that test results from Labcorp showed that there is a “99.9999%” certainty Musk is Romulus’ father.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/30/celebrity-news/elon-musk-allegedly-told-ex-he-fathered-a-child-with-japanese-pop-star-would-give-sperm-to-anyone-who-wanted-it/

13-year-old Faizan Zaki of Dallas, Texas, won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee by accurately spelling the difficult French word “claircissement” in an exciting climax that had the audience on the edge of their seats. His significant victory included the coveted Scripps Cup trophy, a commemorative medal, and a $50,000 cash reward.

Faizan, a seventh-grader at C.M. Rice Middle School, started his spelling journey at the age of 7. What began as a fun family activity quickly turned into a serious passion. “He just enjoys learning new words,” said his mother, Arshia Quadri. “It’s something that came naturally to him.”

His father, Zaki Anwar, recalled, “We just wanted him to enjoy the experience of competing at the bee. If he could spell a few words and achieve a few rounds, that would be great. But this is amazing!”

This year’s spelling bee was especially significant, marking its 100th anniversary. The competition saw 243 participants aged 8 to 14 from around the world gather at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, from May 27 to 30. Only nine made it to the final round.

Faizan spelled his winning word in the 21st round. As confetti rained down, he dropped to the floor in disbelief, living the moment. “I’m going to be having nightmares about that tonight,” he said, still overwhelmed by the victory.

Fourth Time’s The Charm

Hundreds of climbers and their Sherpa guides scaled Mount Everest this month in Nepal, struggling against harsh weather to make it to the summit of the world’s highest mountain before the climbing season finishes at the end of May.

Though several climbers did manage to reach the summit in mid-May, weather conditions deteriorated for days, forcing a retreat to base camp for many, including Kami Rita Sherpa, who was attempting to break his own record by scaling the peak for a 31st time.

He did manage to scale the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak on May 27, but several climbers were not so lucky.

The route to the summit is equipped with ladders and ropes but these are removed at the end of May, marking an end to the climbing season before the monsoon brings heavy rainfall and bad weather.

According to Nepal’s Department of Mountaineering, 468 foreign climbers from 57 countries were given permits to climb Everest by the end of May, along with a roughly equal number of Nepalese mountain guides.

Because of the limited windows of good weather near the summit, large numbers of climbers lined up, attached to the single safety rope, which is known as the “Everest traffic jam.”

“Overall on Everest, weather is the key and it was not same as the forecast. And secondly, it was crowded because both professionals and beginners were there at the same time,” said Pasang Rinji Sherpa, a guide, adding that because of some of the novice climbers, movement was slow.

Pasang Rinji has already climbed the peak twice but was forced to retreat this time because he got sick on the mountain.

He said there were many cases of flu and the “Khumbu cough,” named after a region on Everest, that affects climbers at high altitudes. Some climbers and guides abandoned or postponed their ascent, he said.

He said that only selected or qualified climbers should be allowed to climb the peak to make the experience safer and easier.

“Right now there are beginners with no experience or knowledge and professional at the same time and this is causing the problem,” he said. “There should be basic knowledge for the climbers to use gear properly and be safe while climbing Everest.”

Source : https://apnews.com/article/mount-everest-climbers-weather-sherpas-photos-4a65733a741abee0cfce23070bf36efe

Co-opting a famous phrase from the 1980 John Belushi-Dan Aykroyd classic The Blues Brothers, Donald Trump posted a cryptic meme on Wednesday night declaring that he is “on a mission from God” which also features an alt-right symbol in the background.

Showing the president walking down a dark city street, the image includes the caption “nothing can stop what is coming.” While the meme itself could be interpreted as the president’s response to the U.S. Court of International Trade striking down the majority of his “Liberation Day” tariffs, it was the image’s inclusion of Pepe the Frog – and the fact that it originated from a “groyper” account – that has drawn the most attention.

Additionally, this latest meme from the president may have boosted a meme coin associated with the far-right movement.

With members of his administration likening the court ruling that Trump “exceeded his authority” on tariffs to a “judicial coup,” the president seemingly fired back at the three-judge panel with memes on his Truth Social account. One image the president posted featured a billboard emblazoned with the slogan, “Trump was right about everything.”

And then there was the Blues Brothers-themed post, which piggybacks on an overarching MAGA theme that God has anointed the president to save the country, a belief among Christian conservatives that ramped up after last July’s assassination attempt and has only increased since Trump’s election. In fact, the president himself has repeatedly suggested he was “saved” by Christ because he is the chosen one.

At the same time, the “mission from God” meme parrots the long-running belief among QAnon adherents that Trump has been given a calling to secretly root out a cabal of cannibalistic pedophiles from within the government and liberal ruling class, and that soon the “storm will be coming” that will see the mass arrests of prominent Democrats and celebrities.

Trump, who has regularly posted memes and video clips that were created by QAnon conspiracists and far-right extremists, appears to have done the same thing with this particular post.

The far-right corner of the meme tags the Truth Social account @FruitSnacks, who appears to be a “groyper,” otherwise known as a supporter of notorious white supremacist Nick Fuentes. The person, who also has an account on X with the same FruitSnacks handle, has regularly reshared posts from Fuentes and a news account associated with the virulent antisemite. Of course, Trump infamously dined with Fuentes and Hitler-boosting rapper Kanye West at Mar-a-Lago in 2022.

At the same time, in recent months, it appears that FruitSnacks has grown increasingly jaded with the president following Trump’s return to the White House, echoing Fuentes and other far-right MAGA supporters who have sounded off over the administration’s perceived lack of action on their pet conspiracy theories.

“There will be no arrests or tribunals. It would have happened by now. Trump is in office, so… what is he waiting for?” FruitSnacks wrote on Truth Social earlier this month, adding in another post about the FBI files on deceased sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein: “Soooo… how about that Epstein client list?”

Meanwhile, the inclusion of Pepe the Frog, a cartoon figure that has been appropriated by “groypers” and the alt-right in recent years, sparked excitement in the fever swamps of the internet – and also may have contributed to a slight spike in the crypto market.

$PEPE, a meme coin named for the alt-right symbol, surged 8.5 percent overnight following the president’s Truth Social post. While it dropped 5 percent after the spike, the frog-themed token still showed an increase of nearly six percent over a 24 hour period and now has a market cap over $6 billion.

Trump posting a Pepe meme and potentially sparking a crypto rush created quite a bit of chatter on X among the far-right crowd, many of whom have the frog as their avatars. “Vision of PEPE OF THE UNITED STATES X is here to restore memerican greatness,” one account, which goes by the handle PEPE OF THE UNITED STATES, reacted. “Trump vibes. Pepe power. Full degen energy.”

Earlier this month, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington reported that as many as fifty of the invitees to Trump’s controversial meme coin gala – which featured 220 guests who had spent the most on the president’s $TRUMP cryptocurrency – were also holders of the Pepe the Frog coin and other assets linked to far-right extremism.

“The most wallets on the list, 45 in all, held assets named for Pepe the Frog as of May 12—the day winners were finalized—but holdings may have changed since they were analyzed,” CREW noted.

Source : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-meme-pepe-the-frog-b2760163.html

Before they allegedly kidnapped and tortured an Italian tourist at a swanky Soho townhouse, high-rolling crypto bros John Woeltz and William Duplessie were rolling up to Manhattan’s trendiest nightclubs with their own security detail — and looking for “Instagram baddies” flaunting Brazilian butt lifts, according to two women who partied with them.

A nightlife source claimed that the pair — who have been arrested on charges including the kidnapping and assault of Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan — were using Charlie Zakkour, a club kid turned crypto trader who is one of the stars of the upcoming Bravo reality show “Next Gen NYC,” as a connection to set them up at exclusive clubs.

The source alleged that Zakkour reached out to her in early March to say he knew “big” crypto guys who were staying at the Mercer Hotel and wanted to spend around $30K at Paul’s Baby Grand, the lounge opened by actress Chloë Sevingy’s brother, Paul Sevigny.

But Woeltz, 37, and Duplessie, 33, “ended up changing their mind and picked a sh–ty commercial club, Nebula, because they just wanted to be seen — to just be flashy. Nebula is extravagant.”

At Nebula, the source claimed, the duo spent “$100K on bottles. They had the front table.”

Duplessie immediately got comfortable at the nightclub, the source alleged: “The first time I met Will at Nebula, he was shirtless with sunglasses and smoking a cigar.”

And the duo “had four security guards with them at all times. I met Kate Moss and even she doesn’t do that,” the source sniffed. “You could tell they were trying to prove something.You can tell they’re posers.”

An attorney for Duplessie had no comment. Woeltz’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, and The Post has attempted to reach Zakkour.

The source claimed that, while with Duplessie and Woeltz — who reportedly calls himself the “Crypto King of Kentucky” and has boasted of holding $100 million in digital currency — she “saw a lot of blow … Tusi, ketamine.”

The source was also asked to wrangle other girls to hang out with the duo.

“They wanted Instagram baddies with tons of followers and BBLs [Brazilian butt lifts]. They wanted girls who were not drinking age, like 19,” the source alleged, adding that she roped in six female friends to hang out with Woeltz and Duplessie.

But things “got weird,” the source said, when “Charlie just started being so rude — saying [the girls] were not hot enough. This was Charlie on [Woeltz and Duplessie’s] behalf. This was around the time I started questioning my friendship with him.

“Will and John always had other people doing the talking for them. Will didn’t really talk to a girl unless he wanted to hook up with her. John was always giving me a creepy vibe. He didn’t seem really happy to be there.”

When the two did speak, the source said, “Pretty much all they talked about was how much money they have.”

Another party girl who hung out with Woeltz and Duplessie told The Post that she met them when a promoter from The Box invited her and some other young women to an April after-party at the Soho townhouse Woeltz was renting.

It’s also where Carturan claims he was held against his will for 17 days, from May 6 to 23, and allegedly tortured for the password to his $30 million Bitcoin wallet.

“The promoters put us all in this Sprinter van. When we got to the apartment, there was security everywhere. There was a girl doing coat check. I’ve never seen anything like that. Workers serving the food and drinks — Don Julio 1942, Grey Goose,” the party girl claimed.

There were even velvet ropes keeping guests from parts of the townhouse: “The kitchen was roped off, the dining room was roped off, the stairs were roped off.”

Duplessie — who was shirtless — was DJing, the party girl said, when “a girl I was with took a selfie. I don’t know if it was Will or a security guard, but someone immediately jumped at her and said, ‘You can’t take any pictures.’ It was a big deal.”

But there was plenty of illicit behavior to photograph, she claimed. “There was a big metal platter on a table in the basement. Will brought a freezer bag full of cocaine and poured it all on as if it was nothing and walked away. It was actually insane. It was a freezer bag of cocaine worth my tuition in college or more.”

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/05/29/us-news/what-it-was-allegedly-like-to-party-with-kidnapper-crypto-bros/

Elon Musk arrived in the nation’s capital with the chain saw-wielding swagger of a tech titan who had never met a problem he couldn’t solve with lots of money, long hours or a well-calibrated algorithm.

President Donald Trump was delighted to have the world’s richest person — and a top campaign donor — working in his administration, talking about how he was “a smart guy” who “really cares for our country.”

Musk was suddenly everywhere — holding forth in Cabinet meetings while wearing a “tech support” shirt and black MAGA hat, hoisting his young son on his shoulders in the Oval Office, flying aboard Air Force One, sleeping in the White House. Democrats described the billionaire entrepreneur as Trump’s “co-president,” and senior officials bristled at his imperial approach to overhauling the federal government.

After establishing Tesla as a premier electric automaker, building rockets at SpaceX and reshaping the social media landscape by buying Twitter, Musk was confident that he could bend Washington to his vision.

Now that’s over. Musk said this week that he’s leaving his job as a senior adviser, an announcement that came after he revealed his plan to curtail political donations and he criticized the centerpiece of Trump’s legislative agenda.

It’s a quiet exit after a turbulent entrance, and he’s trailed by upheaval and unmet expectations. Thousands of people were indiscriminately laid off or pushed out — hundreds of whom had to be rehired — and some federal agencies were eviscerated.

But no one has been prosecuted for the fraud that Musk and Trump said was widespread within the government. Musk reduced his target for cutting spending from $2 trillion to $1 trillion to $150 billion, and even that goal may not be reached.

In Silicon Valley, where Musk got his start as a founder of PayPal, his kind of promises are known as vaporware — a product that sounds extraordinary yet never gets shipped to market.

Trump said Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he would hold a press conference Friday with Musk. “This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way,” Trump added. “Elon is terrific!”

Musk’s position was always designed to be temporary, and he had previously announced his intention to dedicate more of his time to his companies. But he also told reporters last month that he was willing to work part-time for Trump “indefinitely, as long as the president wants me to do it.”

Musk got a seat at Trump’s table and put $250 million behind his campaign

It was clear that Musk wouldn’t be the typical kind of presidential adviser around the time that he showed the world his belly button.

Racing on stage at a campaign rally one month before the election, he jumped for joy next to Trump, his T-shirt rising to expose his midriff. Musk had already sold Trump on his idea for a Department of Government Efficiency while also putting at least $250 million behind his candidacy.

The plan called for a task force to hunt for waste, fraud and abuse, a timeworn idea with a new twist. Instead of putting together a blue-ribbon panel of government experts, Trump would give his top donor a desk in the White House and what appeared to be carte blanche to make changes.

Musk deployed software engineers who burrowed into sensitive databases, troubling career officials who sometimes chose to resign rather than go along. Trump brushed off concerns about Musk’s lack of experience in public service or conflicts of interest from his billions of dollars in federal contracts.

Their unlikely partnership had the potential for a generational impact on American politics and government. While Musk dictated orders for government departments from his perch in the White House, he was poised to use his wealth to enforce loyalty to the president.

His language was that of catastrophism. Excessive spending was a crisis that could only be solved by drastic measures, Musk claimed, and “if we don’t do this, America will go bankrupt.”

But even though he talked about his work in existential terms, he treated the White House like a playground. He brought his children to a meeting with the Indian prime minister. He let the president turn the driveway into a makeshift Tesla showroom to help boost sales. He installed an oversized screen in his office that he occasionally used to play video games.

Sometimes, Trump invited Musk to sleep over in the Lincoln Bedroom.

“We’ll be on Air Force One, Marine One, and he’ll be like, ‘do you want to stay over?’” Musk told reporters. The president made sure he got some caramel ice cream from the kitchen. “This stuff’s amazing,” Musk said. “I ate a whole tub of it.”

Looking back on his experience in government, he described it as a lark.

“It is funny that we’ve got DOGE,” an acronym that references an online meme featuring a surprised-looking dog from Japan. “How did we get here?”

Musk did not give federal workers the benefit of the doubt

From the beginning, Musk treated federal workers with contempt. At best, they were inefficient; at worst, they were committing fraud.

His team offered them a “fork in the road,” meaning they could get paid to quit. Probationary employees, generally people new on the job without full civil service protection, were shown the door.

Anyone who stayed faced escalating demands, such as what became known as the “five things” emails. Musk wanted every government employee to submit a list of five things they accomplished in the previous week, and he claimed that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Some administration officials curtailed the plan, concerned that it could jeopardize security in more sensitive areas of the government, and it eventually faded, an early sign of Musk’s struggle to get traction.

But in the meantime, he continued issuing orders like thunderbolts.

One day in February, Musk posted “CFPB RIP,” plus an emoji of a tombstone. The headquarters of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created after the Great Recession to protect Americans from fraud and deceptive practices, was shut down and employees were ordered to stop working.

Musk had already started gutting the U.S. Agency for International Development, a pillar of the country’s foreign policy establishment and the world’s largest provider of humanitarian assistance.

“Spent the weekend feeding USAID into a wood chipper,” he bragged.

Thousands of contacts were cut off, pleasing conservatives who disliked the agency’s progressive initiatives on climate change and gay rights.

Musk rejected concerns about the loss of a crucial lifeline for impoverished people around the globe, saying, “no one has died.” However, children who once relied on American assistance perished from malnutrition, and the death toll is expected to increase.

The lawsuits began piling up. Sometimes workers got their jobs back, only to lose them again.

The Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for ensuring the safety of everything from baby formula to biotech drugs, planned to lay off 3,500 employees. But again and again, the agency was forced to rehire people who were initially deemed expendable, including laboratory scientists, travel bookers and document specialists.

Commissioner Marty Makary, who started his job after many of the cuts took place, told attendees at a recent conference that “it was hard and my job is to make sure we can heal from that.”

Only 1,900 layoffs took place, but another 1,200 staffers took buyouts or early retirement. Experts fear the agency has lost much of its institutional knowledge and expertise in areas like vaccines, tobacco and food.

There are also concerns about safety on public lands. The National Park Service has been bleeding staff, leaving fewer people to maintain trails, clean restrooms and guide visitors. More cuts at the Forest Service could undermine efforts to prevent and fight wildfires.

The Environmental Protection Agency faces a broad overhaul, such as gutting the Office of Research and Development, which was responsible for improving air pollution monitoring and discovering harmful chemicals in drinking water.

Not even low-profile organizations were exempt. Trump ordered the downsizing of the U.S. Institute of Peace, a nonprofit think tank created by Congress, and Musk’s team showed up to carry out his plan. The organizations’ leaders were deposed, then reinstated after a court battle.

Musk made little headway at the top sources of federal spending

The bulk of federal spending goes to health care programs like Medicaid and Medicare, plus Social Security and the military.

Unfortunately for Musk, all of those areas are politically sensitive and generally require congressional approval to make changes.

Thousands of civilian workers were pushed out at the Pentagon, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reducing the ranks of top generals and looking to consolidate various commands. A plan to downsize an office for testing and evaluating new weapons systems could save $300 million per year. Hegseth recently asked employees to submit one idea per week for cutting waste.

However, the Pentagon budget would increase by $150 billion, for a total of more than $900 billion, under Trump’s spending proposal working its way through Congress. The money includes $25 billion to lay the groundwork for Trump’s “golden dome” missile defense program and $34 billion to expand the naval fleet with more shipbuilding.

Another $45 million is expected to be spent on a military parade on June 14, which is the 250th anniversary of the Army’s founding and Trump’s 79th birthday.

Musk also faced blowback for targeting Social Security, which provides monthly benefits to retirees and some children. He suggested that the popular program was “a Ponzi scheme” and the government could save between $500 billion and $700 billion by tackling waste and fraud.

However, his estimates were inflated. Social Security’s inspector general said there was only $71.8 billion in improper payments over eight years. Nor was there any evidence that millions of dead people were receiving benefits.

Changes to Social Security phone services, pitched as a way to eliminate opportunities for fraud, were walked back after an outcry from lawmakers and beneficiaries. But the agency could still shed 7,000 workers while closing some of its offices.

Musk’s popularity cratered even though Americans often agreed with his premise that the federal government is bloated and wasteful, according to polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Just 33% of U.S. adults had a favorable view of Musk in April, down from 41% in December. In addition, 65% said Musk had too much influence over the federal government.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/musk-leaves-white-house-doge-savings-trump-666f0c3f890354fe836230826d9faa85

Banksy’s latest piece of grafitti art has been revealed to the world – but where it was painted remains a mystery for now.

Images posted on the elusive artist’s Instagram depict a lighthouse stencilled on a drab, beige wall, along with the words: “I want to be what you saw in me”.

A false shadow appears to have been drawn on the pavement from a nearby bollard, giving the illusion that the lighthouse is itself a silhouette of the mundane street furniture.

But unlike a lighthouse, the post gives little away as to the artwork’s location. A second, wider shot showing two people walking their dogs offers little more.

Geoguessers on social media have speculated that the street art may lurk in Marseille, in the south of France, while others debate how to interpret the work’s meaning.

Another image of the art circulating online shows a blurred person riding a scooter in front of the piece, with a graffiti tag seemingly reading “Yaze” further along the wall.

The tag matches that used by a Canadian graffiti artist Marco The Polo, whose Instagram account features photos of his own work but who has called Banksy an inspiration.

Banksy has kept his true identity a secret throughout his career, and it is only through the Instagram account that works are identified as genuine.

Often imbuing his works with a political message, his previous pieces have alluded to immigration, the war in Ukraine and homelessness, among other things.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c331m8prmd1o

A senior Hamas official has told the BBC the Palestinian armed group will reject the latest US proposal for a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The White House said on Thursday that Israel had “signed off” on US envoy Steve Witkoff’s plan and that it was waiting for a formal response from Hamas.

Israeli media cited Israeli officials as saying it would see Hamas hand over 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 dead hostages in two phases in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The Hamas official said the proposal did not satisfy core demands, including an end to the war, and that it would respond in due course.

The Israeli government has not commented, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told hostages’ families on Thursday that he accepted Witkoff’s plan.

Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza and resumed its military offensive against Hamas on 18 March following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt.

It said it wanted to put pressure on Hamas to release the 58 hostages it is still holding, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

On 19 May, the Israeli military launched an expanded offensive that Netanyahu said would see troops “take control of all areas” of Gaza. The next day, he said Israel would also ease the blockade and allow a “basic” amount of food into Gaza to prevent a famine.

Almost 4,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the past 10 weeks, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The UN says another 600,000 people have been displaced again by Israeli ground operations and evacuation orders, and a report by the UN-backed IPC warns that about 500,000 people face catastrophic levels of hunger in the coming months.

At a news conference in Washington DC on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether she could confirm a report by Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV that Israel and Hamas had agreed a new ceasefire deal.

“I can confirm that Special Envoy Witkoff and the president submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas that Israel backed and supported. Israel signed off on this proposal before it was sent to Hamas,” she said.

“I can also confirm that those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home,” she added.

However, a senior Hamas official later said the deal contradicted previous discussions between the group’s negotiators and Witkoff.

The official told the BBC that the offer did not include guarantees the temporary truce would lead to a permanent ceasefire, nor a return to the humanitarian protocol that allowed hundreds of trucks of aid into Gaza daily during the last ceasefire.

Nevertheless, he said Hamas remained in contact with the mediators and would submit its written response in due course.

Earlier, Israel’s Channel 12 TV reported the Netanyahu told hostages’ families at a meeting: “We agree to accept the latest Witkoff plan that was conveyed to us tonight. Hamas has not yet responded. We do not believe Hamas will release the last hostage, and we will not leave the Strip until all the hostages are in our hands.”

His office later issued a statement accusing one of the channel’s reporters of trying to “smuggle” a recording device into the room where the meeting took place. But it did not deny that he had agreed to the US proposal.

Netanyahu has previously said that Israel will end the war only when all the hostages are released, Hamas is either destroyed or disarmed, and its leaders have been sent into exile.

Hamas has said it is ready to return all of those held captive, in exchange for a complete end to hostilities and full Israeli pull-out from Gaza.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response Hamas’ cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Another four people, two of them dead, were already being held captive in Gaza before the conflict.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qg5yzqle9o

UK authorities on Thursday charged a 53-year-old man with ramming a car into a crowd celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title earlier in the week.

The suspect, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, was charged with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving and five other counts covering variations of causing grievous bodily harm.

He was arrested on Monday and has been remanded into custody to appear before the Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Seventy-nine people aged 9 to 78 were injured when the Ford Galaxy plowed into supporters as they celebrated their club’s record-equaling 20th English top-flight title. There were no fatalities.

Suspect facing life sentence

Prosecutor Sarah Hammond said the suspect would face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Hammond said the agency had authorized police to charge the man following a “complex and ongoing investigation.”

“Prosecutors and police are continuing to work at pace to review a huge volume of evidence,” Hammond said.

“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure every victim gets the justice they deserve.”

Car allegedly followed ambulance

Police previously said they believed that the suspect had dodged a roadblock by tailing an ambulance responding to a report of a person in cardiac arrest.

Although the suspect was also arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and driving under the influence of drugs, neither of those offenses were listed as charges.

The charges also did not indicate how many victims the counts were tied to, as Hammond said all charges “will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”

With the investigation still at an early stage, police are continuing to review a large volume of evidence, including video evidence from the suspect’s car, body-worn camera footage from several police officers and eyewitness statements.

A doctor was sentenced to 20 years in prison for assaulting nearly 300 patients. DW spoke with survivors and family members who want action to address “institutional failures” — and better protection for children.

Joel Le Scouarnec is not the name on everyone’s lips in the western French seaside town of Vannes, where this week the former surgeon was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing nearly 300 of his patients — most of them children — over more than three decades.

His face was not on the front page of the local newspaper the morning after his conviction, and, as the weather oscillated between grey rainy skies and bright May sunshine, people mulling around the boat festival at Vannes harbor — a 10-minute walk from the courtroom — preferred not to talk about one of France’s most prolific abusers.

“It’s the shame of the Brittany region,” 83-year-old pensioner Joelle Leboru said. “He started everything here.”

“How could he get away with it for so long?”

Anatomy of a web of abuse

That’s the question that’s been keeping people in Vannes up at night: Under the authorities’ noses, dressed in a white medical coat of respectability, and in the heart of middle-class society, Le Scouarnec sexually abused hundreds of children. The crimes in the latest case against him spanned from 1989 to 2014 and were committed in a dozen hospitals in western France.

Le Scouarnec often violated victims while they were under anesthesia or waking up from surgery. He wrote graphic descriptions of hundreds of these instances of rape or sexual assault against children — and animals — in his journals, which police discovered when they raided his apartment in 2017 after he was accused of sexual abuse against a child who lived next door.

“I’m a major pervert. I’m at once an exhibitionist, voyeur, sadist, masochist. I’m scatological, a fetishist, a pedophile. And I’m very happy about it,” he wrote in one 2004 entry quoted in Le Monde. Police also found a collection of dolls, some the size of a baby, some the size of toddlers, around the apartment — according to the French newspaper.

Missed opportunities?

The 2017 knock on Le Scouarnec’s door came over a decade after his first brush with the law. The surgeon was charged and convicted in 2005 of possessing child sexual abuse material. He received a four-month suspended sentence, but was able to continue practicing medicine — including working with children — until he retired years later.

During the recent trial, hospital administrators who kept him on staff and later hired him elsewhere after his 2005 conviction denied direct responsibility. Since the court had not issued a professional ban or a prohibition on working with minors, they argued they were not obligated to impose additional restrictions.

Le Scouarnec worked primarily in rural, relatively resource-strapped hospitals, where the loss of a surgeon could have spelled closure for a whole department.

Questions were also raised during the trial about whether anyone else — in particular his ex-wife — knew about the abuse and failed to act. She denied any knowledge. Further legal proceedings are expected, as survivors push for accountability beyond Le Scouarnec himself.

‘Major institutional failures’

Unlike in most criminal cases, in which police identify suspects based on victims’ reports, this case unfolded in reverse: Investigators uncovered reams of evidence and then sought out victims — many of whom had no memory of the abuse and learned only from a call or visit from the police.

Among them was 35-year-old Louis-Marie, who stood outside the Vannes courthouse on sentencing day with other survivors. Together, they unfurled a banner adorned with hundreds of sheets of paper, each printed with a silhouette representing one of Le Scouarnec’s victims. Some of the figures were accompanied by names and ages — some of them under five. Many were labeled “anonymous.”

“We’ve realized there were major institutional failures, which to this day haven’t been recognized,” Louis-Marie told DW as he rallied with other survivors.

Le Scouarnec admitted guilt on all counts and asked for “no leniency” in his sentencing. He apologized to most of his victims, asking for forgiveness, in a way some of them described as merely mechanical. Le Scouarnec does not plan to appeal.

In a statement after Wednesday’s verdict, the French National Medical Council (CNOM) vowed to “conduct all reforms needed to ensure that such a tragedy never arises again.” France’s health minister also promised to work with the Justice Ministry to better protect children and other patients from being exposed to predators.

Maximum jail time

The guilty verdict was not a surprise. Regine, the mother of one abuse survivor, told DW before the reading that she was simply “exhausted.”

“As parents, we’re considered secondary victims. But it’s hard, knowing we left our children in the hands of this monster,” she said. “That’s something I’ll regret forever. It won’t disappear. For us, it’s for life.”

But not for Le Scouarnec. Under French law, the maximum sentence for aggravated rape — whether it involves one victim or hundreds — is 20 years. And that’s exactly what judges handed down to the 74-year-old former doctor in Vannes on Wednesday — with presiding judge Aude Buresi taking time to point out she was bound by her country’s legal limits. Now, advocacy groups are calling for legislative reform, pushing for tougher sentences for serial rapists.

Calls for reform

The court also imposed additional restrictions on Le Scouarnec, including measures to keep him away from children and animals and a ban on medical pracitce, should he ever be released.

And that’s a real possibility. Le Scouarnec has already spent several years in jail on pre-trial detention for separate convictions — including raping four children, two of whom were his nieces.

Unlike in the United States, French jail sentences are not cumulative — meaning that some of his 20-year term is already considered served and he could be eligible for early release in the 2030s, subject to judicial approval.

Judges on Wednesday decided against taking the exceptional step of confining Le Scouarnec to a secure psychiatric facility after his release, citing his age and stated willingness “to make amends.”

And that has left some survivors and family members shocked and bitterly disappointed. Xavier Vinet, whose son was abused by Le Scouarnec as a child, shook with anger as he spoke to DW outside the court.

“We should have lifelong jail time, given that we don’t have the death penalty here. We should bring it back — that’s what’s needed for men like him,” he said.

Lost before justice was served

Vinet’s son Mathis will never see justice served. He died in 2021 of an overdose which his family says was suicide.

“He was a joyful kid before all of this,” Vinet said. “He got on so well with his grandfather and with me.”

In 2018, like so many others, Mathis and his family heard from police that Le Scouarnec had written about abusing him during a hospital stay when he was 10.

“Then everything changed. Then he destroyed himself. That’s what I can say about him,” Vinet added.

Le Scouarnec admitted in court that he bore “responsibility” for the deaths of Mathis and another of his young victims who died in 2020.

China launched a spacecraft that promises to return samples from an asteroid near Mars and yield “groundbreaking discoveries and expand humanity’s knowledge of the cosmos,” the country’s space agency said.

The Tianwen-2 probe launched early Thursday (May 29, 2025) from southern China aboard the workhorse Long March 3-B rocket. The probe will collect samples from the asteroid 2016HO3 and explore the main-belt comet 311P, which lies even further from the Earth than Mars, according to the China National Space Administration.

Shan Zhongde, head of the CNSA, was quoted as saying the Tianwen-2 mission represents a ”significant step in China’s new journey of interplanetary exploration” and over its decade-long mission will “yield groundbreaking discoveries and expand humanity’s knowledge of the cosmos.”

Samples from 2016HO3 are due to be returned in about two years. The asteroids, chosen for their relatively stable orbits, hopefully will offer clues into the formation of earth, such as the origins of water.

China earlier returned rock samples from the moon’s far side back to Earth in a historic mission and has welcomed international cooperation. However, any cooperation with the U.S. hinges on removing an American law banning direct bilateral cooperation with NASA.

The near side of the moon is seen from Earth and the far side faces outer space. The far side also is known to have mountains and impact craters and is much more difficult to reach.

China also operates the three person-crewed Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace,” space station, making the country a major player in a new era of space exploration and the use of permanent stations to conduct experiments in space, especially since the station was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns.

China’s space program is controlled by the People’s Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party.

Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-launches-spacecraft-it-says-will-return-samples-and-yield-groundbreaking-discoveries/article69633875.ece

The crypto bigwig accused of sadistically torturing an Italian businessman for his Bitcoin password left a trail of debt in his wake before landing in the Big Apple – where he became known in the club scene as a hard-partying big spender, The Post has learned.

William Duplessie, 33, owed hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury homes and cars in Florida and wracked up criminal trouble in Switzerland for allegedly beating his fiancée, according to public records and law-enforcement sources.

But those legal woes apparently didn’t slow down Duplessie’s hedonistic lifestyle once he started shacking up in a posh SoHo townhouse with fellow crypto trader John Woeltz, 37, sometime after arriving in New York City in February, the sources said.

The hulking Duplessie became a regular at chic hot spots such as the The Box — an exclusive erotic nightclub where photos obtained by The Post showed him partying shirtless — and often roped socialites and fellow clubbers to his pad for parties.

The glitzy façade came crashing down May 23, when a barefoot Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan — a 27-year-old crypto millionaire from Italy — ran from the Prince Street townhouse and told a traffic cop that he had been held captive inside.

Carturan had been subjected to horrific tortures — including being Tased while standing in water and cut by a chainsaw — over nearly three weeks in a bid to gain his Bitcoin password, prosecutors said.

Woeltz, a seemingly mild-mannered Kentucky crypto king worth $100 million, was quickly arrested and ordered held without bail.

But Duplessie remained on the loose, allegedly partying it up in the Hamptons over the Memorial Day holiday weekend before he surrendered to cops Tuesday, according to sources. He, too, is being held without bail on charges that include kidnapping and assault.

Many details about the depraved scheme remain unclear, as do certain specifics about the alleged sick suspects’ backgrounds.

But court records from Miami, Florida, where Duplessie hails from, outline a spate of eye-watering debts he had allegedly racked up over extravagant purchases.

His former landlord sued him in 2023 for failing to pay $234,000 in rent and a security deposit on a swanky, palm-shaded home in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, a hub of crypto investors where peacocks walk the streets.

The home was left in “much physical disrepair,” the lawsuit noted.

Neighbor Sylvia Rayneri said her daughter used to own the home before selling it to the landlord who rented it to Duplessie.

She was shocked to hear about its connection to the alleged torture case.

“I don’t remember this guy,” she said Wednesday. “That’s so crazy. Mostly it’s families who rent this place. I remember in that year sometimes hearing music, but nothing crazy.”

Duplessie faced another 2023 lawsuit for allegedly failing to make his $3,700-a-month lease payments on a 2018 Lamborghini Huracan — a flashy sports car with a price tag starting at $210,000.

The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed within days of filing, records show.

A source in Palm Beach’s society scene said Duplessie hung out in the wealthy enclave during its peak winter season during February or March, “with the pretty young set going to places like Mary Lou’s and trying to make business contacts.”

Another source said they spotted both Duplessie and Woeltz at Mary Lou’s, a hip nightclub in West Palm Beach.

“William (Duplessie) was wilder and the other guy was quieter,” the source said.

Duplessie’s ambitions — and legal troubles — apparently extended far outside sunny Florida.

He has a potential criminal conviction in Switzerland, where he had founded the Pangea Digital Asset Group and Pangea Blockchain Fund, prosecutors revealed during his arraignment.

Sources said Duplessie had been accused of beating up his fiancée there.

A final Miami-Dade County lawsuit against Duplessie was filed in December by a motorist who contends the crypto big crashed a Porsche into his car, injuring him.

The summons for Duplessie, however, couldn’t be served because the court didn’t have his latest address: 38 Prince Street.

Duplessie and Woeltz started showing up in New York City’s wild club scene in February, sources said.

A passerby outside the Prince Street home — which law-enforcement sources said was being rented out for between $30,000 and $40,000 a month — said Duplessie was a regular at Gospël, a SoHo house music bastion.

“I’ve seen him drop $160,000,” the passerby said.

Another source said Duplessie would spent $100,000 on tables at The Box and Hearsay, an exclusive Meatpacking District club.

During bleary late nights partying, Duplessie spun tales about working for the CIA, sources said.

One party photo depicting three bottles of Ace of Spades champagne — a brand owned by Jay-Z — was taken in Nebula, a cavernous Midtown mega-club.

“They were spending lots and lots of money on Ace of Spades,” one source said. “We kept watching more and more bottles coming in such a short time. William was in pajamas.”

The signs of decadent boozing could be seen — and heard — outside the Prince Street townhouse.

Neighbors called in three separate noise complaints about partying early April 5, 311 data shows.

A SoHo street vendor who called himself “Dutch” said he regularly spotted Woeltz cart plastic bags full of empty liquor bottles to the sidewalk.

“I am talking maybe 50, 60 bottles — wine, vodka,” Dutch said. “Big bottles in plastic bags on the sidewalk.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/05/28/us-news/crypto-king-who-allegedly-kidnapped-bitcoin-millionaire-left-trail-of-debts-before-landing-in-nyc-becoming-big-spending-club-fixture/

A federal court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports under an emergency-powers law, swiftly throwing into doubt Trump’s signature set of economic policies that have rattled global financial markets, frustrated trade partners and raised broader fears about inflation intensifying and the economy slumping.

The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits arguing Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded his authority and left the country’s trade policy dependent on his whims.

Trump has repeatedly said the tariffs would force manufacturers to bring back factory jobs to the U.S. and generate enough revenue to reduce federal budget deficits. He used the tariffs as a negotiating cudgel in hopes of forcing other nations to negotiate agreements that favored the U.S., suggesting he would simply set the rates himself if the terms were unsatisfactory.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai said that trade deficits amount to a national emergency “that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base — facts that the court did not dispute.”

The administration, he said, remains “committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”

But for now, Trump might not have the threat of import taxes to exact his will on the world economy as he had intended, since doing so would require congressional approval. What remains unclear is whether the White House will respond to the ruling by pausing all of its emergency power tariffs in the interim.

Trump might still be able to temporarily launch import taxes of 15% for 150 days on nations with which the U.S. runs a substantial trade deficit. The ruling notes that a president has this authority under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The ruling amounted to a categorical rejection of the legal underpinnings of some of Trump’s signature and most controversial actions of his four-month-old second term. The administration swiftly filed notice of appeal — and the Supreme Court will almost certainly be called upon to lend a final answer — but it casts a sharp blow.

The case was heard by three judges: Timothy Reif, who was appointed by Trump, Jane Restani, named to the bench by President Ronald Reagan and Gary Katzman, an appointee of President Barack Obama.

“The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,” the court wrote, referring to the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The ruling left in place any tariffs that Trump put in place using his Section 232 powers from the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. He put a 25% tax on most imported autos and parts, as well as on all foreign-made steel and aluminum. Those tariffs depend on a Commerce Department investigation that reveals national security risks from imported products.

It was filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, a federal court that deals specifically with civil lawsuits involving international trade law.

While tariffs must typically be approved by Congress, Trump has said he has the power to act to address the trade deficits he calls a national emergency.

He is facing at least seven lawsuits challenging the levies. The plaintiffs argued that the emergency powers law does not authorize the use of tariffs, and even if it did, the trade deficit is not an emergency because the U.S. has run a trade deficit with the rest of the world for 49 consecutive years.

Trump imposed tariffs on most of the countries in the world in an effort to reverse America’s massive and long-standing trade deficits. He earlier plastered levies on imports from Canada, China and Mexico to combat the illegal flow of immigrants and the synthetic opioids across the U.S. border.

His administration argues that courts approved then-President Richard Nixon’s emergency use of tariffs in 1971, and that only Congress, and not the courts, can determine the “political” question of whether the president’s rationale for declaring an emergency complies with the law.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-trade-court-0392dbd59f548e49ad4f64254ae3f94a

Satellite imagery shows China landed two of its most advanced bombers in the disputed Paracel islands in the South China Sea this month – a gesture that some analysts described as Beijing’s latest signalling of its growing military capabilities to rivals.
The deployment marks the first time the long-range H-6 bombers have landed on Woody Island in the Paracels since 2020, and the movement of the now upgraded aircraft comes amid tensions with the Philippines, operations near Taiwan and ahead of the region’s biggest defence forum this weekend.

“China’s long-range bombers don’t need to be on the Paracels so it does appear to be omni-directional signalling by Beijing – against the Philippines and against the U.S. and other things that are going on,” said Collin Koh, a defence scholar at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to open the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore with a speech on Friday while U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will outline the Trump administration’s approach to the region on Saturday.
A British aircraft carrier is expected in the South China Sea on a rare deployment next month, diplomats say. Satellites captured two H-6 planes flying over the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal, also in the South China Sea, just ahead of Hegseth’s visit to the Philippines in late March, when he reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad commitment” to its treaty ally.

Regional diplomats and analysts say deployments of the jet-powered H-6 are closely scrutinised, given the way its Cold War-era airframe has been modernised to carry anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles, while some of the planes are capable of launching nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.
A potential threat to U.S. bases in the region, H-6 bombers were deployed in wargames around Taiwan in October, and in July flew close to the U.S. mainland for the first time.
Neither China’s defence ministry nor the Philippines’ maritime and national security council immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
China’s occupation of the Paracels is disputed by Vietnam, whose foreign ministry also did not immediately respond for comment.

SOVIET DESIGN

Echoing the development of the U.S. B-52, the basic H-6 dates back to 1950s Soviet designs but it remains China’s most advanced long-range bomber having been re-fitted with improved engines and modern flight systems along with its state-of-the-art weaponry.

Images provided to Reuters by Maxar Technologies show two H-6 bombers on a runway on Woody Island on May 19.
Another Maxar image on the same date show two Y-20 transport aircraft and an KJ-500 early warning plane – an aircraft that is seen as vital to China being able to control and secure increasingly complex air and sea operations.
Some analysts said the planes may have first arrived on May 17 and been present until May 23.
Ben Lewis, founder of open source data platform PLATracker, said they thought it was unlikely that the H-6s would be deployed long-term on Woody Island or be permanently based there.
“The ability to cycle forces through the bases, especially higher level assets like the H-6, provides the PLA with a force protection mechanism,” he said, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army.

China’s Southern Theatre Command, which covers the South China Sea, maintains two regiments of the bombers, according to the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies.
The bombers are generally kept at heavily fortified bases on the Chinese mainland, where they would have more protection in a conflict from U.S. attacks in conflict scenarios.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/chinas-most-advanced-bombers-seen-disputed-south-china-sea-island-2025-05-28/

President Vladimir Putin’s conditions for ending the war in Ukraine include a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging NATO eastwards and lift a chunk of sanctions on Russia, according to three Russian sources with knowledge of the negotiations.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the deadliest European conflict since World War Two and has shown increasing frustration with Putin in recent days, warning on Tuesday the Russian leader was “playing with fire” by refusing to engage in ceasefire talks with Kyiv as his forces made gains on the battlefield.

After speaking to Trump for more than two hours last week, Putin said that he had agreed to work with Ukraine on a memorandum that would establish the contours of a peace accord, including the timing of a ceasefire. Russia says it is currently drafting its version of the memorandum and cannot estimate how long that will take.
Kyiv and European governments have accused Moscow of stalling while its troops advance in eastern Ukraine.
“Putin is ready to make peace but not at any price,” said one senior Russian source with knowledge of top-level Kremlin thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The three Russian sources said Putin wants a “written” pledge by major Western powers not to enlarge the U.S.-led NATO alliance eastwards – shorthand for formally ruling out membership to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova and other former Soviet republics.

Russia also wants Ukraine to be neutral, some Western sanctions lifted, a resolution of the issue of frozen Russian sovereign assets in the West, and protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine, the three sources said.
The first source said that, if Putin realizes he is unable to reach a peace deal on his own terms, he will seek to show the Ukrainians and the Europeans by military victories that “peace tomorrow will be even more painful”.
The Kremlin did not respond to a request for comment on Reuters’ reporting. Putin and Russian officials have repeatedly said any peace deal must address the “root causes” of the conflict – Russian shorthand for the issue of NATO enlargement and Western support for Ukraine.
Kyiv has repeatedly said that Russia should not be granted veto power over its aspirations to join the NATO alliance. Ukraine says it needs the West to give it a strong security guarantee with teeth to deter any future Russian attack.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s administration did not respond to a request for comment.
NATO has also in the past said that it will not change its “open door” policy just because Moscow demands it. A spokesperson for the 32-member alliance did not respond to Reuters’ questions.
Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops.
Russia currently controls just under one fifth of the country. Though Russian advances have accelerated over the past year, the war is costing both Russia and Ukraine dearly in terms of casualties and military spending.
Reuters reported in January that Putin was growing concerned by the economic distortions in Russia’s wartime economy, amid labour shortages and high interest rates imposed to curb inflation. The price of oil, the bedrock of Russia’s economy, has declined steadily this year.

Trump, who prides himself on having friendly relations with Putin and has expressed his belief the Russian leader wants peace, has warned that Washington could impose further sanctions if Moscow delays efforts to find a settlement. Trump suggesting on social media on Sunday that Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY” by unleashing a massive aerial attack on Ukraine last week.
The first source said that if Putin saw a tactical opportunity on the battlefield, he would push further into Ukraine – and that the Kremlin believed Russia could fight on for years no matter what sanctions and economic pain were imposed by the West.
A second source said that Putin was now less inclined to compromise on territory and was sticking to his public stance that he wanted the entirety of four regions in eastern Ukraine claimed by Russia.
“Putin has toughened his position,” the second source said of the question of territory.

NATO ENLARGEMENT

As Trump and Putin joust in public over the outlook for peace in Ukraine, Reuters could not determine whether the intensification of the war and the toughening of positions heralds determination to reach a deal or the collapse of talks.
In June last year, Putin set out his opening terms for an immediate end to the war: Ukraine must drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw all of its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by Russia.
In addition to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, Russia currently controls almost all of Luhansk, more than 70% of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. It also occupies a sliver of the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, and is threatening Dnipropetrovsk.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden, Western European leaders and Ukraine cast the invasion as an imperial-style land grab and have repeatedly vowed to defeat Russian forces.
Putin casts the war as a watershed moment in Moscow’s relations with the West which he says humiliated Russia after the Soviet Union fell in 1991 by enlarging NATO and encroaching on what he considers Moscow’s sphere of influence.
At the 2008 Bucharest summit, NATO leaders agreed that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members. Ukraine in 2019 amended its constitution committing to the path of full membership of NATO and the European Union.
Trump has said that previous U.S. support for Ukraine’s NATO membership bid was a cause of the war, and has indicated that Ukraine will not get membership. The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
Putin, who rose to the top Kremlin job in 1999, has repeatedly returned to the issue of NATO enlargement, including in his most detailed remarks about a possible peace in 2024.
In 2021, just two months before the Russian invasion, Moscow proposed a draft agreement, opens new tab with NATO members that, under Article 6, would bind NATO to “refrain from any further enlargement of NATO, including the accession of Ukraine as well as other States.” U.S. and NATO diplomats said at the time that Russia could not have a veto on expansion of the alliance.
Russia wants a pledge on NATO in writing because Putin thinks Moscow was misled by the United States after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall when U.S. Secretary of State James Baker assured Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 that NATO would not expand eastwards, two of the sources said.
There was such a verbal promise, former Central Intelligence Agency Director Director William J. Burns said in his memoires, but it was never formalised – and it was made at a time when the collapse of the Soviet Union had not occurred.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-ukraine-peace-wants-pledge-halt-nato-enlargement-sources-say-2025-05-28/

The Swiss village of Blatten has been partially destroyed after a huge chunk of glacier crashed down into the valley.

Although the village had been evacuated some days ago because of fears the Birch glacier was disintegrating, one person has been reported missing, and many homes have been completely flattened.

Blatten’s mayor, Matthias Bellwald, said “the unimaginable has happened” but promised the village still had a future.

Local authorities have requested support from the Swiss army’s disaster relief unit and members of the Swiss government are on their way to the scene.

The disaster that has befallen Blatten is the worst nightmare for communities across the Alps.

The village’s 300 inhabitants had to leave their homes on 19 May after geologists monitoring the area warned that the glacier appeared unstable. Now many of them may never be able to return.

Appearing to fight back tears, Bellwald said: “We have lost our village, but not our heart. We will support each other and console each other. After a long night, it will be morning again.”

The Swiss government has already promised funding to make sure residents can stay, if not in the village itself, at least in the locality.

However, Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the regional office for Natural Hazards, warned that further evacuations in the areas close to Blatten might be necessary.

Climate change is causing the glaciers – frozen rivers of ice – to melt faster and faster, and the permafrost, often described as the glue that holds the high mountains together, is also thawing.

Drone footage showed a large section of the Birch glacier collapsing at about 15:30 (14:30 BST) on Wednesday. The avalanche of mud that swept over Blatten sounded like a deafening roar, as it swept down into the valley leaving an enormous cloud of dust.

Glaciologists monitoring the thaw have warned for years that some alpine towns and villages could be at risk, and Blatten is not even the first to be evacuated.

In eastern Switzerland, residents of the village of Brienz were evacuated two years ago because the mountainside above them was crumbling.

Since then, they have only been permitted to return for short periods.

In 2017, eight hikers were killed, and many homes destroyed, when the biggest landslide in over a century came down close to the village of Bondo.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnv1evn2p2vo

Around 47 people were injured, largely due to gunshots fired by the Israeli military, during chaotic scenes at a new aid distribution centre in Gaza, a senior UN official said on Wednesday (May 28).

The Israeli military said afterwards that its soldiers did not fire at civilians at the aid distribution point.

Thousands of Palestinians rushed into the centre run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Tuesday, AFP journalists reported, as Israel implemented a new distribution system that bypasses the United Nations.

The incident in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip came days after the partial easing of a total aid blockade on the Palestinian territory that Israel imposed on Mar 2, leading to severe shortages of food and medicine.

“From the information we have, there are about 47 people who have been injured” in Tuesday’s incident, Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, told the UN correspondents’ association in Geneva.

He added that “most of those injured are due to gunshots” and based on the information he has, “it was shooting from the IDF” – the Israel Defence Forces.

Sunghay stressed that his office was still assessing and gathering information on the full picture of events.

“The numbers could go up. We are trying to confirm what has happened to them”, in terms of how seriously people were injured, Sunghay added.

“We are checking information from the UN. At the time we are speaking, we have no information on this matter,” Israeli military spokesman Colonel Olivier Rafowicz told AFP, referring to the wounded civilians.

Israeli soldiers “fired warning shots into the air, in the area outside” the centre managed by the GHF, he said, adding that “in no case (did they fire) towards the people”.

Rafowicz added that “Hamas is doing everything to prevent humanitarian aid”.

Sunghay also expressed concern about the possible medical aid injured people would be able to access.

“Getting medical aid has never been easy in Gaza or in the West Bank because hospitals have been attacked, ambulances have been attacked, health workers have been attacked,” he said.

The Israeli military said its troops “fired warning shots in the area outside” the distribution compound on Tuesday, and that it had re-established “control over the situation”. A senior military official said the distribution was nonetheless “a success”.

GHF NOT “VIABLE SOLUTION”

Little is known about the GHF, which surfaced in early May.

The foundation has faced accusations of helping Israel fulfil its military objectives while excluding Palestinians, bypassing the UN system, and failing to adhere to humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence.

“We have raised numerous concerns with this mechanism,” Sunghay said.

He said large parts of the Gazan population would not travel all the way to the far south to collect food – while the elderly, sick, disabled and those looking after children would not be able to do so in any case.

There were also concerns within the population that they would be detained, or not allowed to return to northern Gaza.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/gaza-aid-centre-shooting-47-injured-us-humanitarian-foundation-5156941

A video that went viral in Indonesia this month showed about 20 students of primary school age, some wielding iron rulers, chasing one another in Depok city on the outskirts of Jakarta.

They were later found to be from two different primary schools located nearby.

The students were fishing at a river near their schools and one group began to mock the other, according to Masrokan, a sports teacher at one of the schools.

They decided to resolve their conflict after school on May 10.

“They chased each other, and people living nearby saw it,” said Masrokan, who goes by one name.

“So the adults chased the students and told them to stop the brawl.”

The incident sent shockwaves across Indonesia due to the age of the children – ranging from 10 to 12 – involved.

It also came on the back of several deadly brawls involving older students in recent months.

In Pati regency in Central Java, a 17-year-old died after a brawl involving students from two high schools broke out on May 9.

In Southeast Maluku in March, two people died and over a dozen were injured in a clash between two youth groups wielding air rifles, arrows and machetes.

While not a new phenomenon in Indonesia, these and other recent cases have prompted the authorities to vow a crackdown on trouble-makers and find alternative outlets for them to channel their energy.

CNA takes a look at the root causes of such brawls in Indonesia and what can be done to prevent them.

MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES = MORE BRAWLS, SAY EXPERTS

Youth brawls and hooliganism are hardly unique to Indonesia and are complex problems that have persisted for generations, experts told CNA.

Ichsan Malik, a lecturer on peace and conflict resolution from the Indonesia Defense University in Bogor, West Java, said the first brawl reported by a national newspaper was one involving high school students in Jakarta in 1968.

He said a brawl in Indonesia is commonly understood to involve the use of weapons. If no weapon is used, in Indonesia, it is usually labelled a fight.

Brawls are more common among high school students because it is during adolescence when one is forming one’s identity, which may manifest in the teenagers being “more easily frustrated and aggressive”, said Ichsan.

The brawl in Depok involving primary school students could have happened because children nowadays are exposed to many things from an early age with the rise of social media, said Ichsan.

Educational expert Doni Koesoema from Multimedia Nusantara University in Tangerang, Banten, said that brawls also took place when he was in junior high school in Surabaya in 1986.

However, the brawls in those days were not so violent, he said.

In the past, brawls tended to happen between students from different schools in Indonesia but, these days, they also happen between groups of young adults from different neighbourhoods, said sociologist Bagong Suyanto from Surabaya’s Airlangga University.

He shared Ichsan’s view that brawls tend to happen more in marginalised or poor, homogeneous neighbourhoods with unemployment or poor employment prospects.

Parts of Manggarai sub-district in Jakarta, for instance, are notorious for brawls between residents from different neighbourhoods, which have taken place for decades.

According to informal parking attendant Muhammad Lutfi, 24, who is a resident there, the brawls have become more frequent since the area became busier with the revamp of Manggarai train station in recent years.

Fights these days are usually due to tussles over who gets to work informally at a particular commercial space or the quest for domination in a certain area, he said.

The rise of online shopping has also made weapons such as machetes and knives more accessible, said Lutfi.

Lutfi himself became caught in a tussle earlier this month.

He was taking a nap at a parking lot on the evening of May 4 when more than a dozen young people came storming towards him and hit his head with a sickle.

“I think the brawl here happened because they want to work as a parking attendant or earn money,” said Lutfi, who was rescued by others at the parking lot who intervened and took him to the hospital.

He was left with a scar on his head from the attack.

POLICE PATROLS AND OTHER MEASURES

Brawls among youths or students escalate when enforcement is lax, said Ichsan.

For years, no real solution has been introduced to eradicate the violence, but several authorities have recently vowed to tackle the problem.

Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi said the brawling children in Depok were victims of an inadequate system, and her ministry would ensure they undergo mentoring.

“All Indonesian children are our children who should be in a safe environment … We all certainly agree that brawls involving elementary school-aged children are a violation of the basic principles of child protection,” said Arifah on May 12.

Following the incident, the students, their parents, teachers and the police met at one of the schools on May 15.

The students signed a statement saying they would not take part in brawls again.

The police will also regularly patrol the area around schools, especially after school hours.

“This will not just happen at the two schools but everywhere in this area (in) Cimanggis, Depok,” police chief Jupriono, who oversees the subdistrict, told CNA.

At the provincial level, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi wants to send students involved in brawls to military barracks.

Taking a religious and cultural approach is Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, who wants to introduce a programme called Manggarai Bershalawat, which means “Manggarai praying for blessings”.

“People who are fighting, having disagreements, must have a reason. What is the main cause? The main cause must be sought,” said Pramono last Friday (May 23) during a prayer session where he also launched the programme in Manggarai.

“One of them is that the youth’s energy here is not being channelled properly. There are no sports facilities,” he said, handing out badminton and futsal equipment for the sub-district’s residents’ use.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-student-youth-brawls-policies-5154071

French President Emmanuel Macron was scolded by wife Brigitte Macron after she aggressively shoved his face in a shocking moment that has since gone viral.

Brigitte allegedly called the politician a “loser” after their uncomfortable squabble that unfolded on an airplane during their state visit to Vietnam Sunday, a lip reader told The Express in an article published Wednesday.

“As the aircraft door opens, President Macron is seen turning toward Brigitte,” the expert explained. “In an unexpected moment, she pushes him in the face. Realizing the door is already open and staff are witnessing the interaction, Emmanuel appears uncomfortable and quickly raises his hand with a forced ‘Hi.’

The analyst claimed that Emmanuel, 47, attempted to compose himself and stepped closer to his spouse, 72, before crossing to the other side of the plane. He then signaled his wife to follow him by telling her, ‘Let’s go.’

“He thanks the pilot and waves at the cameras, trying to recover the public-facing image,” the analyst explained.

While Emmanuel was momentarily calm, the analyst claimed “things turn[ed] icy again” when the couple was seen descending the stairs to the tarmac.

“He offers his arm; she ignores it, clinging to the railing instead,” the analyst shared. “As she passes, she appears to mutter … ‘Dégage, espèce de loser,’ translated in English, ‘Stay away, you loser.’”

Emmanuel apparently replied to her name-calling by saying, “Essayons, s’il te plaît,” which translates in English to “Let’s try, please?” to which she allegedly answered in her native tongue, “No.”

“His closing expression, and the phrase lipread as ‘Je vois,’ translated in English [to] ‘I see,’ says it all,” the analyst added.

The expert completed the analysis by offering a “hot take.”

“A rare unguarded exchange that hints at deeper tensions between the couple. One to watch, especially with a packed diplomatic schedule ahead.” the lipreader said.

Brigitte and Emmanuel’s volatile exchange was captured on camera over the weekend after they touched down in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, Sunday.

Emmanuel was seen standing close to the plane’s exit door when Brigitte lunged at his head with both her hands and pushed him with full force.

The president appeared shocked before attempting to shake it off by waving at the media filming the interaction.

Shortly after, they exited the aircraft side-by-side but notably did not touch or hold hands.

Emmanuel released a statement shutting down the allegation that they were “squabbling” and chalked it up to a moment of “joking

“Everyone needs to calm down,” he said, noting that the public was turning the moment into “a sort of geo-planetary catastrophe.”

“People are saying all sorts of nonsense,” he claimed.

A source close to the French leader alleged that Emmanuel was “decompressing” ahead of the trip by “joking around.”

“It’s a moment of togetherness. No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists,” the source said.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/28/celebrity-news/what-french-president-macron-and-wife-brigitte-said-to-each-other-after-she-shoved-him-lip-reader/

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former stylist Deonte Nash testified that the disgraced music mogul would consistently hurl degrading insults at Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.

Nash told prosecutors during the ongoing sex-trafficking trial Wednesday that Combs would refer to his now-ex-girlfriend — whom he dated on and off from 2007 to 2018 — as “baby girl, CC, bitch, slut, ho,” per People.

Nash went on to tell the court that Combs called Ventura a bitch “quite a bit.”

“That was his fave,” he claimed.

The stylist, who worked for Combs from 2008 to 2018, further claimed, “He would say, ‘She was nothing but a slut anyway.’”

When asked how Ventura responded to the abusive nicknames, Nash testified that the singer would feel “sad” and “go into a depression.”

Nash claimed he heard Combs threaten to “beat [Ventura’s] ass” or “send her sex tapes out.”

“It drove her crazy. She would be super emotional. She might stay in the house for days,” he added.

Nash is one of several witnesses who have testified about the disgraced music mogul’s alleged physical and emotional abuse of Ventura.

Last week, singer Dawn Richard — who is also suing the Bad Boy Records founder for sexual abuse— testified that Combs “owned” Ventura and would often become violent toward her when she “would speak up for herself.”

“He would drag her and kick her and punch her in the mouth,” she told the jury.

Cassie’s mother, Regina Ventura, testified that she and her husband were blackmailed by Combs for $20,000 over the “Me & U” singer’s brief relationship with Kid Cudi. (Cassie previously testified in court that Combs was jealous of their romance).

A pregnant Cassie took the stand earlier this month to testify about her decade-long relationship with Combs and her participation in his infamous “Freak-Off” parties — which at times lasted up to four days and caused her “painful” medical issues.

The “Long Way to Go” hitmaker also answered questions about the 2016 surveillance footage of his physical attack at a hotel and her allegation that Combs raped her in 2018 which was mentioned in her 2023 bombshell lawsuit.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/28/celebrity-news/sean-diddy-combs-vulgar-names-for-cassie-ventura-revealed-in-testimony-at-trial/

A TEENAGER’S driving lesson ended in horror after a deadly plunge off a cliff.

The crash killed the young girl’s father, who was teaching her how to drive, according to police.

It happened on Memorial Day in Laguna Beach, California, just fifty miles from Los Angeles.

A 15-year-old girl was behind the wheel with her 64-year-old dad, James Politoski, in the passenger seat, according to police.

The lesson took place in an upper parking lot of a closed Gelson’s Market, cops said.

At some point, the teen drove through a fence, and the car careened off a 40-foot embankment.

The vehicle flipped and landed upside down on the sidewalk below Coast Highway, authorities said.

“It appeared to be on a permitted driver, a 15-year-old female driver with her father out, essentially, in a driving lesson sort of situation,” Lieutenant Jesse Schmidt of Laguna Peach told NBC local affiliate WSAZ.

“Gas pedal, brake pedal confusion, and tumbled over a 40-foot cliff on the Coast Highway,” Schmidt said.

Cops were able to confirm the teen had a valid driver’s permit.

Her father died at the scene, according to first responders.

Paramedics rushed the girl to the hospital with major injuries.

She was in stable condition as of Wednesday, May 28, police said, and is expected to survive her injuries.

“It is always difficult when an accident leads to the loss of life, especially under circumstances where a parent was simply trying to do the right thing by teaching their child a valuable life skill,” Schmidt said in a statement to The U.S. Sun.

“What began as an act of care and guidance ended in unimaginable sorrow.”

Aerial footage from CBS local affiliate KCAL showed the mangled car upside down near the highway.

Police believe the teen may have accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake.

The car tore through a fence before it went airborne, landing hard below.

“It’s a tragic incident,” Schmidt said.

“The community is shaken by this because someone lost their life by being a good parent.”

Authorities said the investigation into the crash is still ongoing.

“Tragically, an adult male passenger in the vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the department said in a statement.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14346466/teen-daughter-car-crash-kills-dad-tragedy-accident-driving/

A massive political rally commenced in Dhaka this afternoon by three affiliated organisations of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) – Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal – even as interim government advisor Muhammad Yunus embarked on a four-day Japan visit.

The rally, titled “Rally for Establishing Youth Political Rights”, will see BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to addressing the rally virtually as the chief guest. The organisers say lakhs of supporters are expected to congregate at the BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan Mr Rahman’s address will be closely watched as he has been critical of the Yunus-led interim government.

A BNP delegation had met Mr Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on May 24 and demanded a clear and immediate roadmap for elections, which should be held by December.

The BNP has often expressed its opposition on the interim government taking decisions on matters that have long-term implications for Bangladesh and wants it to focus on primarily holding elections and transfer power to a democratically elected government. The party had stated that the people of Bangladesh do not believe that an interim government has the jurisdiction to make such nationally important and long-term policy decisions.

The BNP has told Mr Yunus that when it comes to decisions on the Rohingya corridor and Chattogram port, the government’s statements and activities should have been in accordance with national interests.

Mr Yunus, who has been facing protests over several issues, left for Tokyo on Wednesday on a four-day official visit to Tokyo to attend the 30th Nikkei Forum. He is also expected to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on May 30 to strengthen Bangladesh-Japan ties. Seven Memorandums of Understanding MoUs are expected to be signed in the areas of investment, energy and technology.

Protests have been taking place in Bangladesh, including at the heavily-guarded secretariat, over a move by the interim government in Bangladesh to clamp down on dissent by government employees.

The interim government had issued an ordinance on Sunday allowing the Ministry of Public Administration to dismiss public servants for misconduct without lengthy procedures, which are seen as safeguards against arbitrary dismissals. This sparking outrage across the bureaucracy, with government employees calling the ordinance “repressive” and demanding its immediate rollback.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/bangladesh-nationalist-party-holds-rally-as-muhammad-yunus-leaves-for-japan-8528083

SABRINA Carpenter is being eyed up for a starring role in Mamma Mia 3.

The chart-topping singer, 26, is wanted to feature in the upcoming feel-good film.

Producer Judy Craymer, who had the idea for the original stage show — and has finished a script for a third movie — said: “She’d be a goddess or some relation who would look very much like Meryl Streep.”

Speaking about the project, 67-year-old Judy told Hollywood news site Deadline: “Well, we know what we want to do with the movie, and it will happen.

“And I mean, we brought together this amazing group of movie stars that were all connected through it, and huge friendships evolved.”

The first film came out in 2008 and had an all-star cast, including Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan.

It was adapted from the 1999 West End musical — made up of Abba hits.

The original movie and 2018 sequel Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again have made more than $1billion at the box office.

Espresso singer Sabrina is known to be a big Abba fan and has covered some of their songs on her Short n’ Sweet tour.

She also has cats called Benny and Björn — and last month met the real Björn Ulvaeus, 80, in Stockholm.

Amanda Seyfried, 39, who plays Sophie the films, previously said she could see Sabrina playing her daughter, despite an age gap of just 13 years.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/tv/14344983/sabrina-carpenter-mamma-mia-three/

SEAN “Diddy” Combs threatened Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura that he would send her “freak-off” videos to her parents to get them fired from their jobs, a stylist and friend of the singer testified.

Combs’ trial descended into chaos early after his defense team demanded a mistrial, claiming prosecutorial misconduct over questioning of the destroyed evidence from Kid Cudi’s car firebombing.

Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ lead attorney, argued the prosecution made an “outrageous” suggestion when they claimed the music executive, 55, could have played a part in the destruction of fingerprint evidence from Cudi’s arson investigation.

The defense claimed the suggestion was raised to the jury during the prosecution’s questioning of arson investigator Lance Jimenez.

Jimenez was testifying about his investigation into Cudi’s car bombing and said that the fingerprint evidence recovered from the bottle of the Molotov cocktail was destroyed without his knowledge in 2012.

Jimenez told the courtroom that the DNA evidence was destroyed on orders from the Los Angeles Police Department, who was not part of his team.

After the judge called for a brief 10-minute break and the jury was escorted out of the courtroom, Agnifilo said the remarks “implied that someone in this courtroom was responsible for the destruction of the fingerprint cards.”

Combs’ defense team urged Judge Arun Subramanian to declare a mistrial, citing prosecutorial misconduct.

However, the motion was quickly denied.

Judge Subramanian agreed to strike the questions and responses about the fingerprint evidence from the record.

The judge then instructed the jury to disregard all the information disclosed about the DNA evidence, saying the questions and responses were irrelevant to the case.

FREAK-OFF VIDEO THREATS

Deonte Nash, Ventura’s friend and a celebrity stylist, testified about the repeated threats Combs allegedly made against his then-girlfriend.

Nash told the courtroom how during one phone conversation, Combs threatened Ventura that he would release the videos of her participating in “freak-offs” on the internet.

When asked what Ventura said about the recorded sexual encounters, Nash said she told him “she didn’t want to” have sex with the men.

Combs also warned Ventura that he would send a copy to her parents’ workplace to get them fired from their jobs, Nash said on the stand.

Nash testified how he saw bruises on Ventura’s body “quite often.”

The day began with testimony from an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, who responded to the break in at the property of rapper Kid Cudi, born Scott Mescudi, in December 2011.

VICTIM #4 EXPECTED TO TESTIFY THURSDAY

The prosecution is expected to call forth Victim #4, who is being identified in court only by the pseudonym “Mia,.”

Mia is a former employee of Combs, who prosecutors say was coerced into sex with him.

During opening statements, prosecutor Emily Johnson described Mia as a former personal assistant whom Combs worked “to the bone for years.”

Johnson said that at some point, Combs allegedly forced himself on her sexually, coerced her to perform oral sex on him, and even snuck into her bed to have sex with her against her will.

On Tuesday, Capricorn Clark, who worked for Combs on and off between 2004 and 2018, testified about her former boss’ violent and arduous demands that led her to develop stress-induced alopecia.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/14332192/sean-diddy-combs-trial-sex-trafficking/

The Starship is designed to eventually be fully reusable and launch at low cost, carrying Elon Musk’s hopes of making humanity a multi-planetary species.

Billionaire Elon Musk’s commercial space flight company, SpaceX, suffered another setback on Sunday after its ninth Starship test flight exploded over the Indian Ocean just 30 minutes after the uncrewed rocket was launched into space from Texas. The ambitious project is central to Musk’s dream of colonising Mars, who hoped to release a series of mock satellites following liftoff, but that got nixed because the door of the rocket failed to open all the way.

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Musk acknowledged that both the mission’s progress and the technical issues that led to the failure, but noted the test was a “big improvement” and has given them “lots of good data to review”.

“Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent. Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phase. Lot of good data to review,” he wrote.

Musk, however, vowed to pick up the pace. “Launch cadence for the next 3 flights will be faster – approximately one every 3 to 4 weeks,” he said, congratulating the SpaceX team for “great achievement.

The billionaire CEO was scheduled to deliver an update on his space exploration ambitions in a speech from Starbase following the test flight, billed as a livestream presentation about “The Road to Making Life Multiplanetary.” Hours later, he had yet to give the speech.

Musk’s Mars Mission

The 400-foot tall (122 meter) Starship rocket system is the core of Musk’s goal of sending humans to Mars. It is designed to eventually be fully reusable and launch at low cost, carrying the billionaire’s hopes of making humanity a multi-planetary species.

The rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas and flew beyond the point of two previous explosive attempts earlier this year. For the latest launch, the upper-stage cruise vessel was lofted to space atop a previously flown booster – a first such demonstration of the booster’s reusability.

But SpaceX lost contact with the 232-foot lower-stage booster during its descent before it plunged into the sea, rather than making the controlled splashdown the company had planned. Starship, meanwhile, continued into suborbital space but began to spin uncontrollably roughly 30 minutes into the mission. The errant spiralling came after SpaceX cancelled a plan to deploy eight mock Starlink satellites into space – the rocket’s “Pez” candy dispenser-like mechanism failed to work as designed.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/elon-musk-reveals-what-led-to-spacex-starship-crash-over-indian-ocean-8526918

Saudi Arabia and the UAE avoided high tariffs imposed by the US government. In the past, international companies often set up anew in low-tariff nations to avoid higher prices. Will it happen in the Middle East too?

“Made in Saudi Arabia” — the suggestion has been hyped ever since US President Donald Trump imposed high tariffs on goods produced in China and other Asian countries.

“Saudi Arabia should be sending their trade representatives to the Trump administration right now, asking, ‘what was China providing you? Tell us what it is and we will make it in Saudi Arabia’,” Ellen Wald, a historian and author of the 2018 book “Saudi, Inc.: The Arabian Kingdom’s Pursuit of Profit and Power,” told media outlet Middle East Eye last month.

China and other countries, including Vietnam and Thailand, are all major centers for manufacturing with many multinational companies, from Adidas to Apple, making everything from laptops to tracksuits there. But in April, the Trump administration imposed higher tariffs on them.

Other nations managed to escape the toughest Trump tariffs though. Most Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were only landed with 10% tariffs.

One of the options companies have used to avoid high tariffs in the recent past has been to pivot to manufacturing in low-tariff nations. For many international businesses, this started a few years ago as US-China trade tensions grew — it’s part of the reason why Vietnam and Thailand have been doing so well in this sector.

Next “pivot countries” in the Middle East?

Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been trying to diversify their economies away from oil and to advance manufacturing, especially in the high-tech sector. The UAE has Operation 300bn, which was launched in 2021 and refers to increasing the local industrial sector’s contribution to national income to 300 billion UAE dirhams (€72 billion). Saudi Arabia has Vision 2030, with a similar focus on growing local manufacturing and industry.

There have already been reports about some of the world’s largest technology companies, including US brands Dell and HP, scouting sites for new factories in Saudi Arabia. Chinese firm Lenovo is building a computer and server assembly factory there and Saudi company Alat — state funded to the tune of around $100 billion (€88 billion)— is collaborating with Japan’s Softbank Group on industrial robotics, that could later be used on assembly lines, addressing local labor shortages. The Saudis have apparently also been wooing China’s Foxconn, a major supplier of Apple’s iPhones, and Taiwan’s Quanta, who make computers and computer parts for the likes of Dell.

“Dozens of countries are pitching to take advantage of high tariffs on Asian countries that export to the US, in the hope that they will be able to penetrate the US market,” David Butter, an associate fellow at the UK think tank Chatham House, told DW.

Pivot has positives, negatives

“And countries like Saudi Arabia could position themselves as relative safe havens for businesses seeking to escape higher tariffs or mitigate the uncertainties surrounding them,” Nader Kabbani, director of research at the Qatar-based Middle East Council on Global Affairs, or ME Council, explained.

Saudi Arabia has a lot of attributes that could help make that happen, Kabbani continued.

“It has abundant natural resources, including and in addition to oil. It has a large domestic market. It is centrally located, serving as a bridge between Asia, Africa, and Europe,” he told DW. “And its government actively supports economic diversification efforts. It also has reasonably well-developed infrastructure [and] is willing to attract migrant workers at all skill levels.”

The region does have some advantages, agreed Frederic Schneider, an independent policy consultant and a senior non-resident fellow, also at the ME Council. He added to Kabbani’s list of advantages, the Gulf states’ large logistics industry, low- or no-tax regimes and the fact that local currencies are pegged to a weakening US dollar, meaning their exports may become cheaper and therefore more competitive.

But there’s an equally long list of potential disadvantages, including some tough competition.

“Existing manufacturing is still relatively underdeveloped and largely confined to sectors adjacent to the hydrocarbon sector,” Schneider told DW. If the Saudis want to compete in high-tech manufacturing, they’ll be up against countries like China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Germany and Switzerland. In lower-tech sectors, they’re competing against Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

“And while these countries suffer from different disadvantages … they have decades of experience, an existing infrastructure and large domestic market and human capital pool,” Schneider pointed out.

There are other negative factors too, Schnieder continued. That includes growing cultural issues as more foreigners work in previously conservative Gulf communities, climate change causing the region to heat up faster than others, and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty around possible conflicts between, for example, Iran and the US.

“Project risks are also sizeable,” Schneider added. “While the region is keen to sport technological ‘firsts,’ many do not materialize.” He pointed to unsuccessful drone taxis and travel via hyperloop as well as cryptocurrency investments gone wrong and abandoned or downsized construction projects.

There has also been heavy criticism of Saudi Arabian plans by a group called Never Neom. “What exists [of Saudi plans] are vague investment announcements — mostly tied to foreign partnerships and projects still on paper,” Never Neom writes on its website.

The activist group, which protests grand plans for futuristic Saudi city, Neom, previously had a Facebook page blocked for “inauthentic behavior” connected to political opponents of the Saudi government. Still, the group’s statements offer some of the only counter-arguments to all the more dominant paid content online about Saudi manufacturing prowess.

Trade war trumps all

So is it all just hype? The answer likely lies in the middle somewhere.

Governments in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are certainly building more factories and seeing non-oil activities contribute more to national income every year.

But even if there is a pivot of some sort to Gulf states, higher international tariffs and a possible trade war would still undermine any benefits, experts argue.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/laptops-iphones-made-in-saudi-arabia-hype-or-genuine-opportunity/a-72687658

A Cambodian soldier was killed during clashes with the Thai army along a disputed stretch of border, Cambodia’s military said on Wednesday.

“One of our soldiers died during the fight, and there were some injuries, but we don’t have detailed figures yet,” said Cambodian Royal Army spokesperson Mao Phalla.

Border skirmish lasted 10 minutes

Phalla confirmed “there were clashes,” but said Thai soldiers had attacked Cambodian troops who had been on a routine border patrol in the northern Preah Vihear province, which borders Ubon Ratchathani on the Thai side.

“Our soldier died in the trenches. The Thais came to attack us,” he alleged.

Thailand’s Royal Army at the same time said the clash took place after Cambodian soldiers began firing first.

The Thai army said in a statement that its soldiers fired back in response to fire from Cambodia’s border force.

This, it said, led to an exchange lasting around 10 minutes before the Cambodians requested a ceasefire, according to the Thai army statement.

Thai Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the situation has been resolved and that both sides did not intend to open fire at each other.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/cambodian-soldier-killed-in-clash-with-thai-army/a-72700404

With South Koreans due to vote for a new president in the first week of June, analysts warn that the winner of the vote will immediately face challenges in the international arena from friends and rivals alike.

Seoul is already under pressure on trade and security issues from the US administration of President Donald Trump, its most important ally against the regime in North Korea.

At the same time, South Korea aims to keep essential trade ties with US rival China. Furthermore, its relations with another regional player — Japan — could show cracks depending on the outcome of the vote.

Most recent polls put Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-Myung in favor with 49.2% of voters, significantly ahead of his People Power Party (PPP) rival Kim Moon-soo, at 36.8%. The PPP party’s image has been tarnished by now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol who is on trial over his attempt to impose martial law in December.

Kim has been narrowing the gap, however, and a third party, the conservative New Reform Party, currently boasts 10.3% support, possibly giving it a say in the make-up of the new government.

“The winner is going to face a lot of big issues very quickly,” said Choo Jae-woo, a professor of foreign policy at Kyung Hee University in Seoul.

“My feeling is that the incoming president will have to first of all engage with Trump and hope to take the rest of his policies from there,” he told DW. “For Korea, the most serious worry is the tariffs on exports to the US and the changing role of the military alliance, including the US forces in Korea.”

Dealing with an ‘incoherent’ US

Seoul is in talks with Washington on trade and there have been suggestions that a deal could be within reach, although it is not clear whether all tariffs will be lifted.

The question of US troops stationed in South Korea is even more delicate, with reports in recent weeks suggesting that the Pentagon is considering withdrawing more than 4,000 troops from the present 28,000 stationed.

The US has played down the reports — but Trump has repeatedly threatened to pull troops out unless Seoul paid more for their presence.

Removing any troops from the peninsula would hand a strategic win for both North Korea and China, Choo said.

Dan Pinkston, a professor of international relations at the Seoul campus of Troy University, said Seoul is struggling to manage the “incoherent” decisions that are emerging from Washington on trade and security matters.

“Whoever comes in has to find a way to manage those relationships with the US and return to some sort of predictability or stability as they are all over the place at the moment and that makes planning and moving forward impossible,” he said.

The threat from the North

North Korea will also be a major concern for a new administration, after President Yoon’s government decided to effectively ignore Pyongyang and halt most efforts to communicate with Kim Jong Un. During Yoon’s tenure, Pyongyang forged an alliance with Russia that saw North Korean troops deploy in Russia and Ukraine. Moscow allegedly returned the favor by giving North Korea fuel and military technology that was previously beyond its reach due to UN sanctions.

Bolstered by the alliance with Moscow, Kim Jong Un has now severed all communications with the South and constructed additional defenses on the already heavily fortified border.

“If Lee wins, I am sure he will try to reset ties with the North, but it takes two to tango, and I think it is very unlikely that Kim will do anything to reciprocate,” said Pinkston. “Those bridges have been burned. Lee will try, but it will be very difficult.”

Choo agrees that Kim will continue to give the South “the cold shoulder” because Seoul is perceived as an ally of the US and still hostile to the North.

Consideration for China

Relations with Beijing are also tense, despite China being South Korea’s top trading partner. Last year, China imported around $133 billion (€117.3 billion) of South Korean goods, or 19.5% of South Korea’s total exports, edging out the US with $128.4 and 18.8%.

But Choo points out that Seoul and Beijing are currently bickering over an old oil rig that China has placed within disputed waters in the Yellow Sea.

China claims the facility is part of a fishing project, which is permitted under an existing bilateral agreement, but South Korea fears it is being used to encroach further into the disputed waters and enforce Beijing’s claims to more sea territory.

“It is delicate and will put the president in a dilemma because Chinese Premier Xi Jinping is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum that South Korea is hosting in Gyeongju later this year,” Choo pointed out.

“The new government will not want to stir up anti-Chinese sentiment out of concern that Xi might cancel his attendance at the summit,” he said. “The new president will on this issue as well be walking a very fine line.”

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/south-korea-foreign-policy-battles-wait-for-new-president/a-72696682

Thousands of Palestinians have overrun an aid distribution site in Gaza set up by a controversial US and Israeli-backed group, a day after it began working there.

Videos showed crowds walking over torn-down fences and earth berms at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) compound in the southern city of Rafah.

The group said that at one point its team fell back because the numbers seeking aid were so great. The Israeli military said troops nearby fired warning shots.

The GHF, which uses armed American security contractors, aims to bypass the UN as the main supplier of aid in Gaza, where experts have warned of a looming famine after an 11-week Israeli blockade that was recently eased.

The UN said the videos from Rafah were “heartbreaking” and that it had a detailed plan ready to get enough aid to the “desperate population” of 2.1 million.

The UN and many aid groups have refused to co-operate with GHF’s plans, which they say contradict humanitarian principles and appear to “weaponise aid”.

They have warned that the system will practically exclude those with mobility issues, force further displacement, expose thousands of people to harm, make aid conditional on political and military aims, and set an unacceptable precedent for aid delivery around the world.

Israel has said an alternative to the current aid system is needed to stop Hamas stealing aid, which the group denies doing.

The GHF said it had given out the equivalent of 462,000 meals through a partnership with local non-governmental organisations.

However, it added Palestinians had experienced several hours of delays in accessing one site “due to blockades imposed by Hamas”, without providing evidence.

US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio support “bold” and “out-of-the-box efforts” to make life better for the people of Gaza, said a senior Trump administration official.

On Tuesday afternoon, Israeli and Palestinian media shared videos showing thousands of men, women and children streaming into one of the distribution sites. In one clip, some people are seen running and ducking as what appear to be gunshots ring out.

Witnesses described a scene of chaos as people seized food parcels and other aid. They also said Israeli troops stationed nearby had opened fire.

“The situation was extremely difficult. They only allowed 50 people to cross at a time,” one man told BBC Arabic’s Middle East daily radio programme. “In the end, chaos broke out – people climbed over the gates, attacked others, and took all the [aid].”

“It was a humiliating experience,” he added.

A woman said “people are exhausted – willing to do anything, even risk their lives – just to find food and feed their children.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops had fired “warning shots in the area outside the compound”.

“Control over the situation was established, food distribution operations are expected to continue as planned, and the safety of IDF troops was not compromised,” it stated.

Gaza’s Hamas-run Government Media Office said Israel’s efforts to distribute aid had “failed miserably”. It also denied that Hamas had tried to stop civilians reaching the GHF’s sites.

At a news conference in New York, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric called the footage “heartbreaking”.

“We and our partners have a detailed, principled, operationally sound plan supported by member states to get aid to a desperate population. We continue to stress that a meaningful scale-up of humanitarian operations is essential to stave off famine and meet the needs of all civilians wherever they are,” he added.

The US state department’s spokeswoman called the UN’s criticism “the height of hypocrisy”.

“It is unfortunate, because the issue here is giving aid to Gaza, and then suddenly it moves into complaints about style or the nature of who’s doing it,” Tammy Bruce told reporters.

Challenged by the BBC about the independence and neutrality of the GHF, Bruce acknowledged there are “some disagreements” about how the distribution of food and aid into the region is “being implemented”.

But she added: “I think that most of us would agree that this is good news… the real story here is that there’s food aid going in.”

The GHF sites are meant to be secured by American contractors, with Israeli troops patrolling the perimeters. To access them, Palestinians are expected to have to undergo identity checks and screening for involvement with Hamas.

UN and other aid agencies have insisted they will not co-operate with any scheme that fails to respect fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.

On Sunday night, Jake Wood resigned as the GHF’s executive director, saying the group’s system could not work in a way that would be able to fulfil those principles.

The GHF’s board rejected the criticism and accused “those who benefit from the status quo” of being more focused on “tearing this apart than on getting aid in”.

The group also alleged on Monday that Hamas had made death threats to NGOs supporting its distribution sites and attempted to block civilians from accessing the aid.

Hamas has publicly warned Palestinians not to co-operate with GHF’s system.

Israel imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid and commercial supplies to Gaza on 2 March and resumed its military offensive two weeks later, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It said the steps were meant to put pressure on the armed group to release the 58 hostages still held in Gaza, up to 23 of whom are believed to be alive.

On 19 May, the Israeli military launched an expanded offensive that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would see troops “take control of all areas” of Gaza. The plan reportedly includes completely clearing the north of civilians and forcibly displacing them to the south.

Netanyahu also said Israel would temporarily ease the blockade and allow a “basic” amount of food into Gaza to prevent a famine, following pressure from allies in the US.

Since then, Israeli authorities say they have allowed at least 665 lorry loads of humanitarian aid, including flour, baby food and medical supplies, into Gaza.

However, more than 400 loads were on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom crossing awaiting distribution by the UN as of Tuesday evening, according to the Israeli military body in charge of aid co-ordination, Cogat. It called on the UN to “do its job”.

There was no immediate comment from the UN, but it said last week that its teams faced significant challenges in collecting supplies due to insecurity, the risk of looting and co-ordination issues with Israeli forces.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gep705527o

Nitrous oxide – known colloquially as “laughing gas” – has many uses, from a painkiller during dental procedures to a whipping agent for canned whipped cream.

While its euphoric side effects have long been known, the rise of vaping has helped create a perfect delivery vehicle for the gas – and a perfect recipe for an addiction, experts warn.

Meg Caldwell’s death wasn’t inevitable.

The horseback rider from Florida had started using nitrous oxide recreationally in university eight years ago. But like many young people, she started to use more heavily during the pandemic.

The youngest of four sisters, she was was “the light of our lives,” her sister Kathleen Dial told the BBC.

But Ms Caldwell’s use continued to escalate, to the point that her addiction “started running her life”.

She temporarily lost use of her legs after an overdose, which also rendered her incontinent. Still, she continued to use, buying it in local smoke shops, inhaling it in the car park and then heading straight back into the shop to buy more. She sometimes spent hundreds of dollars a day.

She died last November, in one of those car parks just outside a vape shop.

“She didn’t think that it would hurt her because she was buying it in the smoke shop, so she thought she was using this substance legally,” Ms Dial said.

The progression of Ms Caldwell’s addiction – from youthful misuse to life-threatening compulsion – has become increasingly common. The Annual Report of America’s Poison Centers found there was a 58 % increase in reports of intentional exposure to nitrous oxide in the US between 2023-2024.

In a worst-case scenario, inhalation of nitrous oxide can lead to hypoxia, where the brain does not get enough oxygen. This can result in death. Regular inhalation can also lead to a Vitamin B12 deficiency which can cause nerve damage, degradation of the spinal column and even paralysis. The number of deaths attributed to nitrous oxide poisonings rose by more than 110% between 2019 and 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Possession of nitrous oxide was criminalised in the UK in 2023 after misuse among young people increased during the pandemic. But while many states have also outlawed the recreational use of the product in the US, it is still legal to sell as a culinary product. Only Louisiana has totally banned the retail sale of the gas.

Galaxy Gas, a major manufacturer, even offers recipes for dishes, including Chicken Satay with Peanut Chili Foam and Watermelon Gazpacho on their website. With flavours like Blue Raspberry or Strawberries and Cream, experts warn this loophole – as well as major changes in packaging and retail – has contributed to the rise in misuse.

Until recently users would take single-use plain metal canisters weighing around 8g and inhale the gas using a balloon. But when usage spiked during the pandemic, nitrous oxide manufacturers began selling much larger canisters online – as large as 2kg – and, eventually, in shops selling electronic vapes and other smoking paraphernalia.

Companies also began to package the gas in bright colourful canisters with designs featuring characters from computer games and television series.

Pat Aussem, of the Partnership to End Addiction, believes these developments are behind increased misuse:

“Even being called Galaxy Gas or Miami Magic is marketing,” she said. “If you have large canisters, then it means that more people can try it and use it and that can lead to a lot of peer pressure.”

The BBC reached out for comment to both Galaxy Gas and Miami Magic but did not receive a response. Amazon, where the gas is sold online, has said they are aware of customers misusing nitrous oxide and that they are working to implement further safety measures. In a response to reporting from CBS News, the BBC’s news partner in the US, Galaxy Gas maintained that the gas was intended for culinary use and that they include a message on their sites warning against misuse.

Concern about nitrous oxide misuse increased last year, after several videos of people using the product went viral online.

On social media, videos of young people getting high on gas became a trend. A video uploaded in July 2024 by an Atlanta-based fast-food restaurant featured a young man inhaling Strawberries and Cream flavoured nitrous oxide saying “My name’s Lil T, man”, his voice made deeper by the gas. To date the clip has been viewed about 40 million times and spawned thousands of copies.

Misuse also featured heavily in rap music videos and Twitch streaming. Guests tried it on the Joe Rogan Show and rappers including Ye (formerly Kanye West) spoke about abusing the substance publicly. Ye has since sued his dentist for “recklessly” supplying Ye with “dangerous amounts of nitrous oxide”.

In response to the trend, TikTok blocked searches for “galaxy gas,” and redirected users to a message offering resources about substance use and addiction. Rapper SZA also alerted her social media followers about its harms and slammed it for “being MASS marketed to black children”.

In March, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an official alert warning against inhaling the gas after it “observed an increase in reports of adverse events after inhalation of nitrous oxide products”.

The FDA told the BBC that it “continues to actively track adverse events related to nitrous oxide misuse and will take appropriate actions to protect the public health”.

But for some, these warnings came too late.

In 2023, the family of a 25-year-old woman, Marissa Politte successfully sued Nitrous Distributor United Brands for $745m in damages after the radiology technician was killed by a driver high on nitrous oxide. The jury found the company responsible for selling the product in the knowledge that it would be misused.

“Marissa Politte’s death shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but my God, it should be the last,” Johnny Simon, the Politte family’s lawyer, said at the time. In the years since there have been several fatal traffic accidents involving the gas both in the US and the UK.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly36n88n56o

Forget tunnel ‘fits; Timothée Chalamet is making Celebrity Row his runway.

The native New Yorker has been a fan of the Knicks his entire life, long before hitting it big in Hollywood. But this playoff season, he’s taking things seriously — and suiting up accordingly.

Chalamet, 29, was just 3 years old the last time his hometown basketball team was in the NBA Championship; now, they’re just a few games away from tasting the finals, should they win the current series against the Indiana Pacers.

And while the tracksuits and work boots the Oscar nominee’s been wearing courtside might seem casual at first glance, there’s more to his game-day looks most than meets the eye.

Take his shoes, for example. On May 16, Chalamet hit Madison Square Garden wearing a pair of Timberland boots stamped with crosses in Knicks blue and orange — a custom creation from ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive brand Chrome Hearts commissioned by the actor’s stylist, Taylor McNeill.

While a pair of standard-issue Timberlands retail for under $200, similar pairs from the brand’s Chrome Hearts collaboration will set you back anywhere from $19,000 to $30,000 on resale site Grailed.

For Game 6 of the semifinals series against the Celtics — which the Knicks won, advancing them to the Eastern Conference Finals — Chalamet teamed his boots with a custom navy velour tracksuit finished with orange stripes and the brand’s signature crosses.

He layered an orange-and-blue striped polo — collar popped — for a touch of prep reminiscent of his “Call Me By Your Name” wardrobe.

Chalamet wore the statement-making shoes again on May 22, this time with bright orange Chrome Hearts jeans accented with tonal red crosses; a similar style’s currently going for a casual $22,000 on Grailed.

On May 23, for Game 2 against the Pacers, he called for divine intervention in a custom Miracle Academy T-shirt by Nahmias and a blue-and-orange Chrome Hearts hat worth around $2,000.

And Chalamet traveled to Indianapolis on March 25, clad in a $4,200 Chrome Hearts shirt and an electric blue version of his wildly pricey jeans.

With just 10 brick-and-mortar stores in the United States and only a few small items available to buy online, Chrome Hearts is famous for its eye-watering price tags — but it’s the thirst for resale that truly takes the rock-and-roll brand’s mystique to absurd heights.

On Chrome Hearts’ website, one can pick up a three-pack of socks for $220 or a singular pair of boxer briefs for $85. The label offers homeware too, having partnering with Baccarat on $3,825 crystal decanters and $2,815 ashtrays.

A-list fans of the brand include the entire Kardashian-Jenner family, with Kim wearing a custom leather Chrome Hearts gown to the 2025 Met Gala, Kourtney pushing baby Rocky in a gothic black leather stroller and Kylie — Chalamet’s girlfriend — bringing a cross-covered leather tote worth $36,000 to the beach.

According to data shared with Page Six Style by eBay experts, Chrome Hearts was among the top-performing brands on the site in 2024 when it comes to average pre-owned sales price growth over the past five years, ranking alongside names like Dior, Gucci, Fendi, Off-White and Louis Vuitton.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/27/style/timothee-chalamet-courtside-knicks-outfits-keep-getting-crazier/

President Trump is pardoning “terrific people” Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are serving time in separate federal prisons for tax evasion and bank fraud.

Trump gave the couple’s children the news via a personal phone call shared on X Tuesday, saying, “It’s a terrible thing. It’s a terrible thing. But it’s a great thing because your parents are gonna be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. It that OK? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow.”

He added, “I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good life.”

The Chrisleys’ youngest son, 19-year-old Grayson Chrisley, was heard saying, “Mr. President, I just wanna say thank you for bringing my parents back,” to which Trump replied, “Yeah, well, they were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing. Pretty harsh treatment.”

He then asked the couple’s 27-year-old daughter, Savannah Chrisley, who was on the call, “Was your brother fighting also for this release, right?”

Grayson responded, “I go to the University of Alabama, and I saw you speak, and I thought, ‘That’s the greatest presidential speech I’ve ever heard in my life.’”

Flattered, POTUS returned the praise, saying, “What a great group of people. If you were in the audience, you have to be good. What a good school it was, and I love Alabama, you know? I love Alabama.”

He continued, “That school is really — that was very impressive when I was there. Yeah, I think I did a good job. I got a lot of good comments on that one, so I love doing that with great young people.”

Savannah — who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she publicly thanked Trump for standing up against political prosecutions and fighting for families like hers — then jumped in to say that her brother “got kicked out of class for defending” Trump, calling it “pretty interesting.”

Trump, 78, was “surprised” to hear that since he believes “90 percent” of the college’s students would vote for him.

“But anyway, you keep fighting,” he urged the pair. “Congratulate your parents. I hear they’re terrific people. That should not have happened, so you just take care.”

After Savannah thanked the president again, he responded, “Boy, they have good children! You’re no longer children, but I’ll say it anyway. They have good children, don’t they, huh?”

Todd and Julie’s attorney Alex Little told Page Six in a statement, “This pardon corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community. President Trump recognized what we’ve argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile. Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias.”

Little, a partner at Litson PLLC, went on, “Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists: to correct misguided prosecutions and reaffirm basic constitutional protections. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”

According to Little, the “Chrisley Knows Best” stars’ pardon petition detailed serious misconduct by the government, including an illegal raid, reliance on tainted evidence and a trial that featured false testimony from a key government witness.

He also pointed out that both Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, have demonstrated exemplary conduct during their respective incarcerations.

The Chrisleys were found guilty in June 2022. Their accountant, Peter Tatantino, was also convicted of a series of related charges, including aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns.

Todd was sentenced to 12 years, and Julie received a seven-year sentence.

“The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum in November 2022.

“The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors and evading taxes at every corner.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/05/27/celebrity-news/trump-pardons-todd-and-julie-chrisley-after-tax-evasion-and-bank-fraud-convictions/

When the Trump administration escalated its standoff with Harvard University, revoking its ability to enrol new international students, even ordering thousands of current foreign students to transfer or leave the United States, fear and confusion spread rapidly.

Now, after an intense backlash and a lawsuit by Harvard, the Trump’s administration’s plan to bar foreign students at Harvard has been blocked. For now.

A judge has issued a temporary restraining order, pending a set of hearings this week.

Some observers caution that the Harvard ban might prove to be a temporary tempest – a politically motivated stunt that could be reversed with time. After all, the US has seen abrupt policy shocks before that were later softened (think of the trade tariffs on allies and rivals alike).

Could the Harvard saga be another such episode? Possibly. But the damage may already be done. While the intensity of the storm could potentially ease, the days of unfettered US-Asia academic exchange may not fully return to the old normal.

Singapore and its neighbours must therefore prepare for a world where American universities are a less automatic choice and where Asia needs more self-reliance in training top talent.

FUTURE LEADERS LEFT IN LIMBO

It’s undeniable that the Trump administration’s clampdown, targeting a crown jewel of American higher education, marks an alarming escalation of politics intruding into academia.

The Trump administration has justified this unprecedented move by accusing Harvard of “fostering violence” and “antisemitism” and even of ties to China’s Communist Party.

The university in its lawsuit blasted the action as “unlawful” retaliation for its rejection of “the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students”.

On Sunday (May 25), US President Donald Trump defended the ban, saying that the home countries of some of Harvard’s international students are “not at all friendly to the United States”.

“We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, but Harvard isn’t exactly forthcoming. We want those names and countries,” he said in a post on Truth Social.

Why does this matter to Singapore and Asia? Because for decades, an acceptance letter from a top US university was a ticket to unparalleled learning and networks.

US institutions, particularly Harvard, have helped shape generations of ministers, diplomats and civil servants from Asia and beyond. For instance, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong holds a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. Meanwhile, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and recently retired ministers Heng Swee Keat and Teo Chee Hean are also Harvard alumni.

About 6,800 international students – including 151 Singaporeans – are enrolled at Harvard in its current academic year, accounting for 27 per cent of the student body, according to university figures.

If Harvard, which has produced eight US presidents and is arguably the most prestigious of all the Ivy League schools, is off limits, many Asian elites may rethink going to the US at all. They may question if it’s worth investing in an American education if the welcome can be rescinded on a whim.

Indeed, US officials have warned that other universities could face similar bans. “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said last week.

For Singapore, this has tangible implications. The country sends thousands of students to US universities annually. Many are on government scholarships or self-funded with hopes that an Ivy League pedigree will vault them into leadership tracks.

If those plans are now in doubt, Singapore’s public sector talent pipeline may need to adjust.

We could see more Singaporean scholars head to the United Kingdom, Europe or Australia instead, or remain at home for education.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SINGAPORE UNIVERSITIES?

Asia’s rise over the past decades has in part been fuelled by sending its best students westward; that option now comes with caveats. Singapore and its neighbours must therefore invest even more in developing regional centres of excellence.

This is already happening. China has poured resources into its C9 League universities, India is seeking to reform its higher education, and Singapore and South Korea boast some of the finest schools in the world. The trend can accelerate, spurred by necessity.

As global education becomes collateral in larger political fights, Singapore could emerge as a neutral academic waypoint.

The city has long punched above its weight in education. Its universities are world-class. Education here is not subject to partisan reversals. Institutions can plan across decades, not election cycles.

The outcome of the recent general election reinforces this stability.

With geopolitical tensions rising and US-China ties under strain, Singapore’s non-aligned stance and multicultural fabric make it an ideal meeting ground for scholars of all stripes.

We already see this in initiatives like the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, which was established in collaboration with Harvard but has come into its own as a training ground for future leaders from over 90 countries. Its faculty is ranked among the top 2 per cent of the world’s scientists.

A TIME TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE

The education of international students has been America’s “greatest soft power resource”, a term coined by Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard University, because when those students spend formative years immersed in American ideals and later become leaders back home, they naturally help align their countries’ outlooks with the US.

The Harvard ban will have consequences that outlast the current political theatre. Yet, as with previous storms, this too shall pass – if not fully, then partially. Policies can change, doors can reopen.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/harvard-university-trump-foreign-students-ban-impact-leaders-ministers-singapore-asia-5154576

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (May 27) that Canada could join his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system for free – but only if it becomes part of the United States.

Otherwise, it would cost Canada US$61 billion to be part of the system, said Trump, who has repeatedly called for the US’ northern neighbor to become the 51st state.

Canada has expressed interest in joining the missile system, plans for which Trump unveiled last week to defend against a wide array of enemy weapons, but has firmly rejected any loss of sovereignty.

“I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost US$61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network.

“But (it) will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!”

There was no immediate response from Canada to Trump’s claims.

Trump announced plans for the “Golden Dome” system a week ago, saying it would eventually cost around US$175 billion and would be operational by the end of his term in 2029.

Experts say the scheme faces huge technical and political challenges, and could cost far more than he has estimated to achieve its goals.

Trump also said at the time that Canada was interested in joining the missile system. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney then confirmed that his country had held “high-level” talks on the issue.

NATO members Canada and the US are partners in continental defence through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

But the scheme now seems set to add to the tensions that Trump has sparked with Canada.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/trump-golden-dome-canada-becomes-part-us-5156301

When 32-year-old Abdul Haqqim was deciding last year whether his new car should be an electric vehicle (EV) or an internal combustion engine (ICE) car, among his topmost concerns was its resale value.

There are multiple claims online that an EV’s resale value would tank due to factors such as battery degradation and the speed at which newer technologies emerge.

“Back then, the information that I had was not much, (and) there was hearsay that potentially the resale value would not be as high as a normal petrol car,” said Mr Haqqim, who is an account manager in an advertising firm.

Before he bought his car in May last year, he thoroughly researched EVs and their resale value. To that end, he was comforted that the EV he purchased came with a six-year battery warranty.

This allowed for a one-to-one swap to a new battery should the original battery fall below a certain capacity.

On whether new EV technology might render his vehicle outdated or redundant, lowering its resale value, he said “core technologies” such as battery life and charging have likely “plateaued”.

Other updates, such as ventilated seats, did not bother him as much.

“It’s more of a good-to-have than a necessity, just like how the difference between an iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 is just a bit,” he said.

But not everyone shares his optimism, even though EVs have grown in popularity in Singapore.

A total of 5,947 EVs were registered in the first four months this year, comprising about 40 per cent of new car registrations, according to the latest Land Transport Authority (LTA) data.

The data also showed that China’s BYD has overtaken Toyota as the top-selling car brand in Singapore, selling 3,002 cars and making up about 20 per cent of total vehicle sales in Singapore in the first four months this year.

Toyota sold 2,050 cars in that same period, while its main EV competitor Tesla sold 535 cars.

BYD’s growth has been exponential – from three cars in 2020, to 89 the following year, 786 in 2022 and 1,416 in 2023. Last year, its sales figure went up to 6,191.

Tesla’s sales have also boomed in the last four years, albeit at a slower pace. From 20 cars in 2020, it grew to 924 in 2021, then 875 the following year and 941 in 2023. Last year, it sold 2,384 cars.

CONCERNS OVER RESALE VALUE

Although sales of new EVs have increased quickly, some drivers remain sceptical of their resale value. Comments on online forums discussing the viability of EVs have raised such concerns.

“There isn’t much demand in the market for secondhand EVs, and in time to come, when EVs with newer or better technology are available, your resale value will tank even more,” read one comment on a Reddit thread discussing considerations drivers should have before buying an EV.

Mr Anson Lee, director of car dealer Euro Performance Asia, said he has found it “extremely hard to sell” secondhand EVs compared with ICE cars.

Of the 20 he has attempted to sell so far, he has only managed to move three. Some have been sitting in his shop for over a year.

For the three that he sold, all of them were about a year old, and he had to sell them at about 40 per cent below their initial price, he said, adding that he was able to sell similar ICE vehicles at about 10 to 15 per cent below their initial price.

One reason for the low demand for used EVs is that drivers see them as a “gadget”, he said.

Using a mobile phone analogy, he said: “If you compare it to an iPhone, for example, if you are using an iPhone 13, and the iPhone 15 comes out, will you still buy an iPhone 13?”

He added: “Even if you look at Tesla, when the Model Y came out, everyone sold away their Model 3, and people no longer wanted a Model 3.”

The Tesla Model 3 was first released in Singapore in 2021, and the newer Model Y was released the following year.

He added that the difference in functionality between secondhand and new EVs is “not that far off”, but drivers “want to buy the latest model”.

Secondhand car marketplace SGcarmart has also seen slower sales for used EVs.

Its editorial manager, Mr Desmond Chan, said that EVs tend to take around a third longer to sell than ICE cars.

According to statistics compiled by SGcarmart last year, 56 per cent of used EVs took more than 42 days to sell, while this figure was 44 per cent for used ICE cars.

Drivers who CNA spoke to shared concerns that their EVs might draw low resale values, with many buying EVs with the plan to use them for 10 years – the duration of the Certificate of Entitlement (COE).

In Singapore, a COE is required to own and use a vehicle. Drivers must bid for these certificates in open bidding exercises conducted twice a month.

“A LOT OF MISINFORMATION”

With these concerns at the top of some prospective buyers’ minds, could this prove a hurdle for Singapore’s EV push?

Among the government’s medium-term green goals is for all new car and taxi registrations to be of cleaner-energy models by 2030.

Responding to queries from CNA, an LTA spokesperson said that the EV resale market is “relatively new and evolving”, and prices have yet to achieve the “stable equilibrium” seen in the long-established ICE car market.

“While the high adoption of new EVs will eventually lead to a larger resale market, it is likely that the used EV market will experience a period of adjustment before reaching the same level of maturity as the ICE car market,” added the spokesperson.

One transport analyst said that there is “a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding” about the EV resale market.

Associate Professor of Economics at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Walter Theseira said he is “not sure” if claims of poor resale values are supported by data, particularly for EVs designed and built after 2020.

“A good EV from 2020 is still very competitive in functionality to one designed in 2025,” he said.

“While early adopters may have suffered great reductions in resale value, it is much less likely that today’s EVs will be surpassed significantly within a few years.

“The narrative of low resale value has, I think, been driven by vested interests, particularly in the resale car space where the majority of the trade is non-EVs and where there is little expertise in handling EVs,” he added.

Consumers and dealers lack understanding of some EV functions such as charging, battery degradation and EV tax policy, he said.

“Actually, it’s quite a lot of information, so I can understand why (dealers) are reluctant … If the buyer asks questions, they may not feel confident to answer,” he said.

He added that a lot of what buyers ask for is “model specific information”.

“So just because (dealers know about) some BYD and Tesla models, it doesn’t mean they can answer a question about another EV.”

BATTERY HEALTH

It has not hindered sceptics, and the analogy some go back to is that of a mobile phone’s battery health.

“The battery will degrade and it will deplete just like your handphone,” said Mr Lee, the car dealer.

If you keep “fast charging” the battery of an EV with a 300km range, it will “maybe drop to 250km, 230km”, he added.

While it is true that the batteries of an EV will degrade over time, the way that it does so is “far better than those of an iPhone”, said Associate Professor Zhou Yi from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

For example, the EV battery standard in China stipulates that it retains a minimum “state of certified energy” of 70 per cent after eight to 10 years.

EV batteries have advanced power management systems that regulate charging and discharging, he noted.

He said that EV charging infrastructure in most countries, including Singapore, is well regulated, maintained, and of “good standard”.

“EV batteries are far better in design, management, charging and maintenance than those of phones,” he added.

Agreeing, Prof Tseng King Jet from SIT said that most mobile phones are not expected to be used beyond four years. That is why reputable mobile phone brands do not have batteries lasting beyond that time.

“EVs, on the other hand, are generally expected to last up to 10 years,” he said.

“Hence, reputable EV manufacturers are currently ensuring this expectation can be met by offering 10-year warranties.”

Some EV distributors in Singapore have rolled out 10-year warranties for brands such as South Korea’s Hyundai and Kia, and Chinese brands Aion, XPENG, Zeekr, Skyworth and BYD.

Israel forcing Germany to reconsider support, says former Israeli ambassador to Berlin

Shimon Stein, who served as Israel’s ambassador to Germany from 2001 to 2007, spoke to DW about German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s recent shift in tone towards Israel.

Israel’s European allies have grown increasingly frustrated over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave.

Merz has said that Germany cannot remain silent if Israel continues to break international law in its war with Hamas. In Merz’s coalition government, some have called for a halt on arms exports to Israel.

“We have reached a point when German interests are not being upheld the way it understands its interest with respect to whatever Israel does,” Stein said.

He highlighted Israel’s military objectives in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “undefined total victory” and the “crazy plan” proposed by US President Donald Trump to turn “Gaza into a Riviera and evict two million Palestinians.”

According to US President Donald Trump, nuclear talks with Iran last Friday showed “some real progress, serious progress.”

“We’ve had some very, very good talks with Iran,” Trump told reporters in northern New Jersey before returning to Washington on Sunday.

“And I don’t know if I’ll be telling you anything good or bad over the next two days, but I have a feeling I might be telling you something good,” Trump said.

“Both the US and Iran are taking the current negotiations very seriously,” Sina Azodi, assistant professor of Middle East policy at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and an expert on international relations with a focus on Iran’s foreign policy and nuclear non-proliferation, told DW. “They want to reach an agreement,” she said.

According to Azodi, a deal with Iran is of great importance to the US government. “There are three central foreign policy issues for the White House: the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear program. An agreement with Iran would be considered a major foreign policy success,” she said.

Meanwhile, the government in Iran is keen on a possible deal, Azodi adds. Iran is running out of time for the negotiations as the so-called snapback mechanism, a clause in the current agreement, is coming closer by the hour, she added.

In this case, all UN sanctions against Iran could come back in full force if no agreement is reached.

Secondly, Israel would not attack Iran without the consent of the US. As long as negotiations between the US and Iran continue, such an attack is unlikely, politicians in Tehran believe.

“Thirdly, the economic crisis in Iran continues to worsen,” Azodi told DW. Sanctions are having a massive impact and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has promised to work towards lifting them. However, so far, nothing has been achieved.

New interim agreement?

Under the mediation of Oman, the US and Iran began talks on a possible new nuclear agreement in mid-April. As the United States and Iran have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1979, they have only held talks via third countries.

The first four rounds of talks were unsuccessful as Washington and Tehran were unable to reach an agreement on uranium enrichment. Tehran insists on being allowed to continue enriching uranium for civilian purposes, while the US insists on a complete halt to enrichment.

According to reports in the Italian daily newspaper La Republica, Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi proposed an interim agreement, which is now being drafted.

Also, a high-ranking US official told the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom that the possibility of a provisional agreement had been discussed. This would involve freezing uranium enrichment for an initial period of three years in return for the sanctions being partially lifted.

It would not be the first provisional agreement between the US and Iran. Both sides had already signed an interim agreement in Geneva in November 2013. The negotiations subsequently led to Iran’s nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, in 2015.

However, that JCPOA agreement was terminated by US President Trump in 2018 during his first term in office. Back then, Trump said that he wanted to “get a better deal” with Iran than his predecessor Barack Obama. The Iranian response was to gradually distance itself from the agreement.

Today, the country is closer to building a nuclear bomb than ever before, experts claim.

Israel views the Iranian nuclear program as a threat to its existence. The Iranian leadership does not recognize Israel and regularly threatens to eliminate it.

Officially, however, Tehran emphasizes that its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes. But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concerns. According to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to this level.

A face-saving solution

The physicist Behrooz Bayat says that Iran needs a face-saving solution in order to navigate the issue of uranium enrichment. Bayat worked as an external consultant for the IAEA and is considered an expert on Iran’s nuclear program.

In his view, one option for Iran could be to form a consortium of Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These countries would then work together on uranium enrichment.

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Iran also proposed in early May to involve the Gulf states in its enrichment program in order to refute US objections that Iran does not provide transparency.

However, it remains unclear how such a model could be implemented in practice, emphasizes Bayat. For Iran, it would be a face-saving solution that would mean it could continue to formally enrich uranium, even if its implementation is highly unlikely.

Regional support

Meanwhile, the Gulf states support the current talks between Iran and the US. “For the countries in the region, it is very important that there is no new war in the Middle East,” Sina Azodi told DW. “Anyone investing in growth and progress needs security and stability,” she added.

In 2019, as tensions between the US and Iran increased during Donald Trump’s first presidency, the Yemeni Houthi rebels, who are allied with Iran, attacked Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil and gas company, Aramco.

“After the attack, Riyadh expected a clear reaction from the US as its most important ally. But this failed to materialize,” Azodi recalls. “Saudi Arabia came to the realization that stronger ties with Iran could be strategically more advantageous,” she said.

In turn, bilateral relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have changed significantly in the past years. In October 2024, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and met Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/iran-us-nuclear-talks-is-a-new-deal-imminent/a-72687249

A US-backed aid group has started operations in Gaza amid widespread criticism from the humanitarian sector, international observers, and its own executive director, who has already resigned.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has been tasked with distributing aid in the Gaza Strip, a process that reportedly commenced on Monday.

It potentially marks the most substantial distribution of food supplies in Gaza since Israel began blocking aid agencies from entering the region at the beginning of March.

However the privately-run GHF has only been allowed to operate in the Gaza Strip with the endorsement of Israel and the United States. Other long-established humanitarian groups, including the UN’s own network of aid agencies, remain blocked from entering the region.

Because of this, GHF’s operation has come under widespread condemnation for not operating under humanitarian principles.

What is the GHF and what has it done so far?

The GHF is registered in Geneva, Switzerland and, according to the Reuters news agency, operates with private security and logistics operators UG Solutions and Safe Reach Solutions.

It is the centerpiece of a US and Israel-backed plan to distribute aid in Gaza.

Communications from the GHF indicated it will establish four distribution sites to deliver food and medical supplies to Gazans, distribute 300 million meals within its first 90 days of operation and reach one million Palestinian people within a week.

Around two million Palestinians live in Gaza.

GHF’s operation began on Monday, May 27, just hours after its executive director, former US Marine Jake Wood resigned.

Wood had been the face of the organization since it was thrust into the spotlight as the aid provider of choice for the US and Israel. He previously ran disaster relief efforts through Team Rubicon, which he co-founded in 2010.

In a statement, Wood said GHF was unable to conform “to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon.”

DONALD Trump has taken another swipe at Putin, warning that he is “playing with fire” as his frustration with the reckless Russian bubbles over.

Furious rhetoric from the US president has intensified over the past few days as Russia has blitzed Ukraine and shown signs of preparing for a major onslaught.

In a Truth Social post, Trump seethed: “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD.

“He’s playing with fire!”

Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Medvedev responded by saying the only truly bad thing to worry about was World War Three.

He said: “Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire’ and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russiam I only know of one REALLY BAD thing: WWIII.

“I hope Trump understands this!”

Putin has been stalling peace negotiations for weeks and cranking up the heat in Ukraine rather than de-escalating – playing Trump for a fool.

On Tuesday it was revealed that Vlad’s marauding forces had snatched another four villages in Ukraine’s Sumy region.

This was the area from which Ukraine launched its surprise invasion to take Russian land in Kursk, which Moscow only recently reclaimed.

Sumy governor Oleh Hryhorov wrote in a post: “The enemy is continuing attempts to advance with the aim of setting up a so-called buffer zone”.

He said the villages of Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka and Zhuravka had been overrun and the resident evacuated.

Trump’s bash at Putin on Tuesday was the latest in a series that charts his growing irritation.

Russia launched a cloud of 367 drones and missiles at cities across Ukraine over the weekend – the largest of the war so far – prompting Trump to brand him “crazy”.

He said: “I don’t know what’s wrong with him. What the hell happened to him? Right? He’s killing a lot of people. I’m not happy about that.”

And later posted online: “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him.

“He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers.

“Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.”

He added: “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

The Kremlin sought to lower the temperature – although hinted that Trump was merely being “emotional”.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organising and launching this negotiation process.

“Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.”

At least 13 Ukrainians were killed in the weekend strikes, including three children.

Trump’s comments also come amid reports that Russia is amassing a 50,000-strong force on the border with Ukraine, in preparation for a renewed onslaught.

Putin is reportedly preparing for a major push to take more land in the north east.

Military analysts believe he is trying to press home his advantage and capture more Ukrainian land.

They warn that Putin only has a “four-month window” to get a breakthrough in Ukraine this year.

And this could be the beginning of Russia’s summer offensive targeting the border city of Kharkiv – the “fortress” city of Ukraine which put up the maximum resistance at the start of the invasion.

Reacting to the reports, German Chancellor Freidrich Merz predicted that peace was still a long way off.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14335414/trump-slams-putin-warning-playing-fire/

FBI deputy director Dan Bongino’s years-old theory about cocaine found in the White House is resurfacing after the agency announced it would re-investigate the incident.

Bongino, who on Monday announced the new probe into the mystery drugs, previously alleged that there is “zero” chance the Biden family wasn’t involved in bringing the substance into the building.

“There’s absolutely ZERO chance anyone other than a family member brought that cocaine inside the White House complex,” he posted on X two years ago.

“No chance that would make it past the mag/security checkpoints.

“Family bypasses those.”

Bongino posted his suspicions on X two years ago, following the discovery of a dime-sized bag inside a cubby near an entrance to the West Wing on July 2, 2023.

The substance inside the bag tested positive for cocaine, leading many people to allege that Biden’s son, Hunter, was responsible for it.

There is no evidence to suggest the drugs was linked to Hunter or any other member of the Biden family.

The former president’s son had previously struggled with crack cocaine addiction and was seen leaving the White House just two days before the drugs were found.

Hunter, 53 at the time, was visiting the Capitol to celebrate Independence Day with his family.

Despite his years of addiction, Biden’s youngest son says he’s completely sober.

“Makes sense. I cannot imagine a staffer bringing drugs into the White House, even in the Biden Admin,” one woman replied to Bongino’s post.

“That would be beyond idiotic.”

The Secret Service closed its investigation just 10 days after the drugs were found in 2023, citing a lack of evidence.

“Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered,” the agency said at the time.

In February 2025, Trump echoed Bongino’s hunch about the Biden family, questioning why there was no substantial proof found.

Trump assumed that there were usually “hundreds and even thousands” of fingerprints on the locker where the drugs were found, but there weren’t when investigators arrived.

“And when they went to look at it, it was absolutely stone cold, wiped dry,” Trump told The Spectator.

Since stepping back into the White House, Trump said he’s even more convinced “either Joe or Hunter” was behind the scandal.

While the owner of the mysterious bag of cocaine has yet to be named, that may be changing soon.

On May 26, Bongino announced that the FBI would investigate the case, along with a couple of other instances that displayed “potential public corruption.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14336026/biden-cocaine-scandal-dan-bongino-theory/

US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin “crazy” on Sunday (May 25) after Moscow launched a deadly barrage of drones against Ukraine, even as the warring countries completed a large-scale prisoner exchange.

At least 13 people were killed when Russia launched a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight to Sunday.

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” he added.

His comments marked a rare rebuke to Putin, whom he often speaks of with admiration. The US leader has, however, expressed increasing frustration with Moscow’s position in deadlocked truce negotiations with Kyiv.

Earlier Sunday, Trump told reporters he was “not happy” about the latest attack on Ukraine and that he was “absolutely” considering increasing sanctions on Moscow.

“I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all,” he said.

“TERROR”

Ukraine’s emergency services described Sunday an atmosphere of “terror” in the country after a second straight night of massive Russian air strikes, including on the capital Kyiv.

Those killed in the latest Russian strikes included victims aged eight, 12 and 17 in the northwestern region of Zhytomyr, officials said.

“Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media.

“The silence of America, the silence of others around the world only encourages Putin,” he said, adding: “Sanctions will certainly help.”

In his social media post, Trump also criticised Zelenskyy, a frequent target of his ire, accusing him of “doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does”.

“Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” he said.

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also called for “the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war”.

“Last night’s attacks again show Russia bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine,” she said on social media.

On a Tuesday morning at a Bukit Batok bowling alley, the sound of clattering pins echoes off the walls.

At one end, a couple of youngsters celebrates strikes exuberantly. At the opposite, a group of older men are racking up the points in more stoic fashion.

And then there is Mr William Thong.

A familiar fixture – he bowls here multiple times a week – Mr Thong has his own locker, his own bowling shoes and a flask of teh-o to keep him going.

Mr Thong stands out from the other amateur bowlers.

His gait is slower and his technique guided more by feel than vision, but he is no less adept at picking up the odd strike or two.

Eyes locked on the target, Mr Thong sends an eight-pound ball swirling down the lane. This time, there are still a few stubborn pins left standing, but he keeps at it for the next hour or so.

After all, what keeps the 93-year-old going is not the score flashing on the electronic screen, but his love for the sport.

BOWLING WITH HALF AN EYE

In his younger days, Mr Thong was an all-rounder in sports, who ran cross-country and played basketball and football.

His foray into bowling only began in his early 20s, after joining an American firm.

“I wanted to please the president (of the company) that I could I also bowl. I joined him and he was happy,” he recalled.

He eventually grew into the sport and competed at local amateur tournaments.

“I enjoy getting strikes, getting spares. Especially the speed (of the ball),” said Mr Thong.

According to Mr Alfred George Pillay, a fellow bowler who has known Mr Thong for close to a decade, the latter was also a bowling captain in his fourties.