Source: European Parliament
Since April 2025, the United States (US) and Iran have been engaging in talks over a new nuclear deal. The current multilateral agreement limiting Iran’s nuclear programme is considered defunct by most analysts, after the US withdrew in 2018 and Iran started breaching its provisions as of 2019.
Source: NATO
On Thursday 22 May, Major General Christophe Hintzy from France assumed command of NATO Mission Iraq, at a change of command ceremony in Baghdad. He succeeds Lieutenant General Lucas Schreurs from the Netherlands, who had been in post since May 2024. The ceremony was attended by Iraqi officials, Ambassadors from Allied and partner countries, NATO officials, and other representatives from the international community in Baghdad.
“For France and for me personally, it is an honour and immense privilege to take over command of the NATO Mission in Iraq, a country often regarded as the cradle of civilization,” Major General Hintzy said. “Together with Iraqi security institutions and Iraqi Security Forces, we share a common goal. Our success will never be an individual success, but rather a collective one to develop tailored and sustainable solutions that will help Iraq as a valued partner for NATO,” he pointed out.
The outgoing commander, Lieutenant General Lucas Schreurs, thanked his Iraqi counterparts for their hospitality and excellent cooperation and praised them for their commitment to the cooperation with NATO and to further strengthening the Iraqi security forces and institutions. “To our Iraqi partners — your resilience and leadership inspire us. We have learned much from you, and it has been a privilege to serve alongside you. To our Allies and partners — thank you for investing in Iraq’s future and in our shared security,” he said. “Christophe, I pass this command to you with full confidence. You inherit a team of dedicated professionals and a resilient network of partnerships. I know you will lead with vision and respect for both NATO’s principles and the Iraqi context. This mission is about people — about trust, support, and sovereignty. I know you will carry it forward with the integrity it deserves,” Lieutenant General Schreurs added.
At the NATO Summit in Brussels in July 2018, Allied leaders launched NATO Mission Iraq, following a request and upon invitation from the Government of Iraq. The mission was established in Baghdad, in October 2018. It is a non-combat, advisory, and capacity-building mission that assists Iraq in building more sustainable, transparent, inclusive and effective security institutions and forces, so that they themselves are able to stabilise their country, fight terrorism, and prevent the return of ISIS/Daesh.
All efforts of NATO Mission Iraq are carried out with the consent of the Iraqi government and conducted in full respect of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ahead of the change of command ceremony of NATO Mission Iraq, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Tom Goffus, participated in the second meeting of the High-Level Dialogue for Partnership between NATO and Iraq, held in Baghdad, on 21 May. “This second meeting of the High-Level Dialogue for Partnership, here in Baghdad, is a testimony to our partnership with Iraq and to cementing this dialogue,” he said, adding that “NATO continues to stand prepared to support the Government of Iraq and its security institutions into the future through NATO Mission Iraq.”
The High-Level Dialogue for Partnership between NATO and Iraq was launched in Brussels on 27 August 2024. It provides an additional framework for consultations and exchange of views on issues of mutual interest – including stability across the Middle East.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
DUBLIN, Ireland, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN – Fusion Fuel Green PLC (Nasdaq: HTOO) (“Fusion Fuel” or the “Company”), a leading provider of full-service energy engineering, advisory, and utility solutions, today announced that its majority-owned operating subsidiary, Al Shola Al Modea Gas Distribution LLC (“Al Shola Gas”), has secured an estimated $2.7 million in new engineering contracts since the beginning of March 2025, and, since the beginning of January 2025, has added more than 1,800 residential service contracts and two commercial service contracts to its portfolio for estimated recurring revenue of more than $0.9 million. The Company also provided an update on Al Shola Gas’ bulk LPG supply.
Overview of New Contracts – Engineering Projects
Since March 2025, Al Shola Gas has signed contracts for design, supply, installation, maintenance, and operations with an estimated total value of approximately $2.7 million.
“The award of these market-leading contracts exemplifies Al Shola Gas’s capability to undertake and execute the industry’s most exemplary and demanding projects. We continue to expand our operations as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) benefits from increased migration and construction sector growth,” added Al Shola Gas, Managing Director, Sanjeeb Safir.
Overview of New Contracts – Residential Utilities
Since the commencement of the current year, Al Shola Gas has signed contracts for the supply and maintenance of LPG utility solutions for over 1,800 new apartments situated in 16 buildings throughout Dubai, UAE. The anticipated annual recurring revenue generated from the new contracts is projected to be approximately $0.9 million. Consequently, with the incorporation of these new contracts, the current billings for utility solutions rendered by Al Shola Gas will increase to encompass over 12,000 customers.
Overview of New Contracts – Commercial Utilities
Furthermore, since the beginning of 2025, Al Shola Gas has signed commercial LPG supply and maintenance contracts for two food and beverage facilities in Dubai. With the addition of these properties, Al Shola Gas now manages monthly billing for over 170 food and beverage outlets.
Overview of Bulk LPG Supply
Bulk LPG supplied by Al Shola Gas to its current customers has consistently exceeded 600 MT monthly. Bulk LPG supply has been organically growing at a rate of 10 to 20 MT per month. With new bobtail trucks purchased and expected to join the Al Shola Gas fleet in the coming months, the company expects to reach 800 MT per month in bulk LPG supply by the end of the year.
“Al Shola Gas continues to deliver impressive operational results and commercial traction,” said John-Paul Backwell, CEO of Fusion Fuel. “These new contracts reflect the market’s trust in our capabilities and contribute meaningful value to our long-term revenue base through project and recurring utility income.”
About Fusion Fuel Green PLC
Fusion Fuel Green PLC (NASDAQ: HTOO) is an emerging leader in the energy services sector, offering a comprehensive suite of energy supply, distribution, and engineering and advisory solutions through its Al Shola Gas and BrightHy brands. Al Shola Gas provides full-service industrial gas solutions, including the design, supply, and maintenance of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems, as well as the transport and distribution of LPG to a broad range of customers across commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. BrightHy, the Company’s newly launched hydrogen solutions platform, delivers innovative engineering and advisory services enabling decarbonization across hard-to-abate industries.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target”, “may”, “intend”, “predict”, “should”, “would”, “predict”, “potential”, “seem”, “future”, “outlook” or other similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions) that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Fusion Fuel has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations, are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, those set forth in Fusion Fuel’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2025, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — Ahead of passage, Speaker Johnson delivered the closing argument for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on the House floor this morning, arguing for its swift passage and immediate consideration by the U.S. Senate.
Click here to watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks
Below are Speaker Johnson’s remarks as delivered:
After a long week and a long night and countless hours of work over the past year, a lot of prayer and a lot of teamwork, my friends, it quite literally is again Morning in America, isn’t it? And after four long years of President Biden’s failures, President Trump’s America First agenda is finally here, and we are advancing that today.
What we’re going to do here this morning is truly historic, and it will make all the difference in the daily lives of hard-working Americans. The Dallas waitress pulling overtime, the Detroit mom counting bills late at night, the Kentucky coal miner waiting on his second chance. These are the forgotten men and women of our country that we are all called here to serve, and the One Big Beautiful Bill will deliver for those people.
It revives our economy. It will deliver historic tax relief. It will make the largest investment in our border security in a generation. It will unleash affordable American energy again, restore common sense to government, secure generational savings and strengthen our national defense, while it also strengthens our essential programs like Medicaid for the people who need it the most. That’s what we’re doing with the One Big Beautiful Bill.
To put it simply, this bill gets Americans back to winning again, and it’s been a long time coming. This One Big Beautiful Bill is the most consequential legislation that any party has ever passed, certainly under a majority this thin. Legislation of this magnitude is truly nation shaping and life changing. It’s the kind of transformational change that future generations will study one day.
They’ll look back at this day as a turning point in American history, and it’s exactly what we were sent here to do. Let the record show that when the House Democrats vote in a few moments, this is what they’ll be voting for. Their vote will show that they are apparently for the largest tax increase in the history of our country. They will be voting for when they vote against this bill, waste, fraud, and abuse. They will be voting against safer communities, American energy dominance and American strength on the world stage.
Today wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of arguably the most powerful and the most successful and the most respected president in the modern era of the United States. Our Democratic colleagues mock the objective truth. We were delivered unified government, my friends, in November, the White House, the Senate and the House were delivered to the party on this side of the aisle. So you can laugh all you want.
None of this would be possible without the leadership of the 45th and the 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and it would not be possible without the really hard work of the men and women on this side of the aisle.
I just want to name our chairman of their House committees that produced and did all the hard work to produce the big, beautiful bill. Scripture says we give honor where honor is due, Mr. Leader, and we’re going to do that here quickly: Chairman G.T. Thompson of the Agriculture Committee, Chairman Mike Rogers of the Armed Services Committee, Chairman Jodey Arrington of the Budget Committee, Chairman Tim Walberg, Education and Workforce Committee, Chairman Brett Guthrie, Energy and Commerce Committee, Chairman French Hill, Financial Services Committee, Chairman Mark Green, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Judiciary Committee, Chairman Bruce Westerman, House Natural Resources Committee, Chairman James Comer Oversight and Accountability Committee, Chairman Sam Graves, Transportation and Infrastructure, Chairman Jason Smith, Ways and Means Committee, and I want to make special mention of Chairwoman Virginia Foxx of the Rules Committee, who, by my count, sat in that chair and led that Rules Committee for almost seemed like two straight days. And I think she took two short breaks. She’s the “iron lady of the House,” and I’m so grateful for all their hard work.
The beauty of what we produce with the One Big Beautiful Bill over here is that this was a team effort. This was men and women who were elected to come here, the duly elected representatives of the people back home. They rolled up their sleeves. They got down in the trenches. We began this effort over a year ago.
It was actually March of last year, because we anticipated, and we believed, that we would be delivered unified government, that we would have a Republican leader in the White House, Donald J. Trump, that we would have the Senate and the house, and that we would have that moment of opportunity. And so, we planned, and we worked, and we locked arms together as a team, and we have delivered this against all odds.
The media has tried to divide us. They’ve written our eulogy about 10 times, and you know what? Sometimes it’s good to be underestimated, isn’t it? But we got this done, and I’m so proud of the work of every member of this House Republican Conference who worked in their committees. Every single member had a say in this, every single constituent, the millions of people that are represented here, have their voices and their interests reflected, because we did this together as a team, and it’s quite an achievement.
I just want to say that all that tireless work has led to the hard work of crafting this legislation, and we’ve been ready since day one to deliver on this agenda. Unified control of government is a rare mandate. It doesn’t happen very often. It’s happened just three times for our party in the last half century. We do not take it for granted, and we are delivering on that mandate here today.
The American people gave us a mandate in November. They sent a message with their vote. They gave this side of the aisle the power, and we’re going to use it to make their lives better. What we’re achieving here today is nothing short of historic, and that’s true. House Republicans are getting it done again.
In the Republican Party, see, we believe in a simple principle. We believe that America really is a shining city on a hill. Ronald Reagan used to talk about that, he was referencing Scripture. He understood that America is exceptional. He understood that, as it says right there above the Speaker’s rostrum, our national motto, that we trust in God, in God is our trust. These are the things that make our nation exceptional, and the people of our country, they deserve, they deserve better.
We’ve been working hard to deliver so that the people of our country see this again as a shining city on a hill, and that people around the world see us for who we should be. One thing that we can all agree on, on both sides of the aisle, is that a strong America is good for everybody, all around the world. All of us together, regardless of party, were called here to stand together and defend those freedoms and to defend those foundations that made us the greatest nation in the history of the world. All of us have to look and recognize that the shine has not been on that city in a while. We’re here to restore it, and this piece of legislation, as large as it is and historic as it is, will do that very thing.
Now look, we’re accomplishing a big thing here today, but we know this isn’t the end of the road just yet. We’ve been working closely with Leader Thune and our Senate colleagues, the Senate Republicans, to get this done and delivered to the President’s desk by our Independence Day, that’s July 4.
Today proves that we can do that, and we will do that. And it doesn’t matter how much the media doubts this, or how much the Democrats, you know, give us their narratives. Doesn’t matter how long the speeches are. It doesn’t change the facts; we’re delivering, and we’re doing it in a big way.
So, to our friends in the Senate, I would just say, the President is waiting with his pen. The American people are waiting for this relief. They are waiting for these life changing results, and we are going to finish this job. This is a historic moment that we will be talking to our children and our grandchildren about, and everyone will remember America’s back. I yield back.
###
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
The newly allowed patent advances Wearable Devices’ neural gesture technology, unlocking seamless pinch-to-zoom, volume control, and object manipulation in mid-air
Yokneam Illit, Israel, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wearable Devices Ltd. (the “Company” or “Wearable Devices”) (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW), a technology growth company specializing in artificial intelligence (“AI”)-powered touchless sensing wearables, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has allowed a continuation of its patent titled “Gesture and Voice-Controlled Interface Device”.
Traditional gesture sensing systems continuously track hand and finger movements but lack clear “start” and “end” points, making it difficult for devices to understand when a user truly intends to zoom, adjust volume, or manipulate an object. As a result, unintuitive solutions have been used – such as requiring the use of both hands, adding special buttons, or abandoning continuous control altogether. The same goes for voice assistants, which require a “wake word”, prompting them to wait for further instructions.
Wearable Devices’ newly allowed patent defines a method to extract precise start and end points from continuous gestures. This breakthrough enables devices to support natural and intuitive control gestures like pinch-to-zoom not just for zooming images, but also for adjusting volume, resizing objects, or moving elements – seamlessly and touch-free.
The technology is ideally suited for augmented reality (“AR”) headsets, gesture-controlled smart devices, and wearable controllers based on cameras, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), or electromyography (EMG) sensors – making mid-air fine control finally accessible and natural.
“This patent unlocks the full potential of touchless control, allowing users to adjust digital environments as intuitively as they would on a touchscreen – but without ever needing to touch a device,” said Guy Wagner, President and Chief Scientist at Wearable Devices.
About Wearable Devices
Wearable Devices Ltd. (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW) is a growth company pioneering human-computer interaction through its AI-powered neural input touchless technology. Leveraging proprietary sensors, software, and advanced AI algorithms, the Company’s consumer products – the Mudra Band and Mudra Link – are defining the neural input category both for wrist-worn devices and for brain-computer interfaces. These products enable touch-free, intuitive control of digital devices using gestures across multiple operating systems.
Operating through a dual-channel model of direct-to-consumer sales and enterprise licensing and collaborations, Wearable Devices empowers consumers with stylish, functional wearables for enhanced experiences in gaming, productivity, and extended reality (“XR”). In the business sector, the Company provides enterprise partners with advanced input solutions for immersive and interactive environments, from AR/virtual reality (“VR”)/XR to smart environments.
By setting the standard for neural input in the XR ecosystem, Wearable Devices is shaping the future of seamless, natural user experiences across some of the world’s fastest-growing tech markets. Wearable Devices’ ordinary shares and warrants trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “WLDS” and “WLDSW,” respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate” or other comparable terms. For example, we are using forward-looking statements when we discuss the benefits and advantages of our products and technology, our aim to make neural input as intuitive and accessible as possible, and the potential of our touchless control technology in enabling devices to support natural and intuitive control gestures and allowing users to adjust digital environments. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: the trading of our ordinary shares or warrants and the development of a liquid trading market; our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed on March 20, 2025 and our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Investor Relations Contact
Michal Efraty
IR@wearabledevices.co.il
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Emad H. Atiq, Professor of Law and Philosophy, Cornell University
In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, billionaire and Trump megadonor Elon Musk offered his thoughts about what motivates political progressives to support immigration. In his view, the culprit was empathy, which he called “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization.”
As shocking as Musk’s views are, however, they are far from unique. On the one hand, there is the familiar and widespread conservative critique of “bleeding heart” liberals as naive or overly emotional. But there is also a broader philosophical critique that raises worries about empathy on quite different and less political grounds, including findings in social science.
Empathy can make people weaker – both physically and practically, according to social scientists. Consider the phenomenon known as “empathy fatigue,” a major source of burnout among counselors, nurses and even neurosurgeons. These professionals devote their lives to helping others, yet the empathy they feel for their clients and patients wears them down, making it harder to do their jobs.
As philosophers, we agree that empathy can take a toll on both individuals and society. However, we believe that, at its core, empathy is a form of mental strength that enables us to better understand the impact of our actions on others, and to make informed choices.
The term “empathy” only entered the English language in the 1890s. But the general idea of being moved by others’ suffering has been a subject of philosophical attention for millennia, under labels such as “pity,” “sympathy” and “compassion.”
One of the earliest warnings about pity in Western philosophy comes from the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus. In his “Discourses,” he offers general advice about how to live a good life, centered on inner tranquility and freedom. When it comes to emotions and feelings, he writes: “He is free who lives as he wishes to live … And who chooses to live in sorrow, fear, envy, pity, desiring and failing in his desires, attempting to avoid something and falling into it? Not one.”
Feeling sorry for another person or feeling pity for them compromises our freedom, in Epictetus’s view. Those negative feelings are unpleasant, and nobody would choose them for themselves. Empathy would clearly fall into this same category, keeping us from living the good life.
A similar objection emerged much later from the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche framed his discussion in terms of “Mitleid” – a German term that can be translated as either “pity” or “compassion.” Like Epictetus, Nietzsche worried that pity or compassion was a burden on the individual, preventing them from living the good life. In his book “Daybreak,” Nietzsche warns that such feelings could impair the very people who try to help others.
Epictetus’s and Nietzsche’s worries about pity or compassion carry over to empathy.
Recall, the phenomenon of empathy fatigue. One psychological explanation for why empathic people experience fatigue and even burnout is that empathy involves a kind of mirroring of other people’s mental life, a mirroring that can be physically unpleasant. When someone you love is in pain, you don’t just believe that they are in pain; you may feel it as if it is actually happening to you.
Results from neuroscience and cognitive psychology research indicate that there are different brain mechanisms involved in merely observing another’s pain versus empathizing with it. The latter involves unpleasant sensations of the type we experience when we are in pain. Empathy is thus difficult to bear precisely because being in pain is difficult to bear. And this sharpens the Stoic and Nietzschean worries: Why bother empathizing when it is unpleasant and, perhaps, not even necessary for helping others?
The answer for why one should see empathy as a strength starts with a key insight from 20th century philosophy about the nature of knowledge.
That insight is based on a famous thought experiment by the Australian philosopher Frank Jackson. Jackson invites us to imagine a scientist named Mary who has studied colors despite having lived her entire life in a black and white room. She knows all the facts about the spectrum distribution of light sources and vision science. She’s read descriptions of the redness of roses and azaleas. But she’s never seen color herself. Does Mary know everything about redness? Many epistemologists – people who study the nature of knowledge – argue that she does not.
What Mary learns when she sees red for the first time is elusive. If she returns to her black and white room, never to see any colored objects again, her knowledge of the colors will likely diminish over time. To have a full, rich understanding of colors, one needs to experience them.
Thoughts like these led the philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell to argue that experience delivers a special kind of knowledge of things that can’t be reduced to knowledge of facts. Seeing, hearing, tasting and even feeling delivers what he called “knowledge by acquaintance.”
We have argued in a book and recent articles that Jackson’s and Russell’s conclusions apply to pain.
Consider a variation on Jackson’s thought experiment: Suppose Mary knows the facts about pain but hasn’t experienced it. As before, it would seem like her understanding of pain is incomplete. In fact, though Mary is a fictional character, there are real people who report having never experienced pain as an unpleasant sensation – a condition known as “pain asymbolia”.
In Russell’s terminology, such people haven’t personally experienced how unpleasant pain can be. But even people without pain asymbolia can become less familiar with pain and hardship during times when things are going well for them. All of us can temporarily lose the rich experiential grasp of what it is like to be distressed. So, when we consider the pain and suffering of others in the abstract and without directly feeling it, it is very much like trying to grasp the nature of redness while being personally acquainted only with a field of black and white.
That, we argue, is where empathy comes in. Through experiential simulation of another’s feelings, empathy affords us a rich grasp of the distress that others feel. The upshot is that empathy isn’t just a subjective sensation. It affords us a more accurate understanding of others’ experiences and emotions.
Empathy is thus a form of knowledge that can be hard to bear, just as pain can be hard to bear. But that’s precisely why empathy, properly cultivated, is a strength. As one of us has argued, it takes courage to empathically engage with others, just as it takes courage to see and recognize problems around us. Conversely, an unwillingness to empathize can stem from a familiar weakness: a fear of knowledge.
So, when deciding complex policy questions, say, about immigration, resisting empathy impairs our decision-making. It keeps us from understanding what’s at stake. That is why it is vital to ask ourselves what policies we would favor if we were empathically acquainted with, and so fully informed of, the plight of others.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Empathy can take a toll – but 2 philosophers explain why we should see it as a strength – https://theconversation.com/empathy-can-take-a-toll-but-2-philosophers-explain-why-we-should-see-it-as-a-strength-254554
Source: United Nations (Video News)
The Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, today (21 May) “warmly” welcomed last week’s announcement by United States President Donald Trump on the cessation of sanctions on Syria, as well as similar steps recently announced by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Briefing the Security Council remotely from Damascus, Pedersen said, “I have long called for bold steps on sanctions, as have millions of Syrians in and outside the country.”
The Special Envoy said there “are indeed historic developments,” which “hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition,” as well as giving the Syrian people “a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty from which they are trying to emerge.”
Pedersen said, “we also know that Syria faces significant structural challenges, with an economy ravaged by over a
decade of war and conflict, and a host of other destabilizing factors. Revitalizing a devastated economy will require from the interim authorities sustained actions including on overall economic reform and governance standards across the financial system, and this will need international support.”
He also noted “alarm at renewed Israeli airstrikes in Syria in the reporting period, including during the violence in Druze areas and close to the presidential palace.”
Such attacks, Pedersen said, “are unacceptable and must cease,” and Syria’s “sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be respected.”
He said, “there are clearly diplomatic possibilities and these must be prioritized.”
Also briefing remotely, the Geneva Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva (OCHA) Director, Ramesh Rajasingham, said, “16.5 million Syrians need protection and humanitarian assistance. Over half of the population is food insecure. Nearly 3 million people face severe food insecurity.”
Rajasingham noted that “more than 670,000 men, women and children have been displaced since November last year. This includes some 15,000 people displaced between 30 April and 6 May from Rural Damascus due to the violence in Druze-majority areas.”
At the same time, he said, “since December, over 1 million internally displaced people have returned to their areas of origin, including some 330,000 people from camps in north-west Syria.”
Highlighting the alarming funding situation, he warned that as of today, only 10 percent has been funded of the $2 billion needed to reach 8 million people from January through June of this year.
United States representative John Kelley told the Council that President Trump pledged sanctions relief, will give Syrians, “a chance at greatness,” adding that Trump “wants to see Syria and the entire region thrive.”
Kelley said, “that’s why he’s made a bold decision on Syria with the hope the new government will take this opportunity to rebuild and take the country from being a source of instability to a source of stability.”
For his part, Syria’s representative Riyad Khaddour said, “today, we are witnessing the international community’s eagerness to embrace this pivotal moment re-opening its doors to Syria and engaging actively with it. This clearly culminated with the visit of the President of the United States to the region in which included key milestones and constructive decisions, most notably, President Trump’s courageous decision announced from Riyadh – a location of great symbolic significance – to lift sanctions on Syria.”
Khaddour said, “the new Syria is in sincere pursuit of becoming a state of peace and partnership, not a battleground for conflicts or a platform for foreign ambitions. The new Syria welcomes constructive cooperation initiatives based on mutual interests and mutual respect.”
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Despite the Israeli government’s announcement of allowing limited humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip following more than two months of closed crossings, obtaining food remains a daily struggle for the population amid escalating displacement and acute shortages of essential supplies.
Source: European Parliament
The meeting of the Delegation for relations with Iran took place, IN CAMERA , on Monday, 19 May 2025, at 15.00-16.30 in Brussels (room SPINELLI 1E1).
The main issue was an exchange of views with Mr Bartjan Wegter, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, on the Iranian regime’s destructive activities in Europe and EU’s response
Source: European Parliament
Following the violence in Syria’s coastal region, on 11 March 2025, the High Representative/Vice-President issued a statement[1] on behalf of the EU, strongly condemning the attacks and the horrific crimes against civilians including summary killings, many of which have been allegedly perpetrated by armed groups supporting the security forces of the transitional authorities. The EU called for a swift, transparent and impartial investigation to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice and welcomed the transitional authorities’ establishment of an independent investigative committee. The EU remains attentive to the actions of the new authorities in ensuring the protection of all Syrians upholding the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
On 17 March 2025, the EU hosted the ninth Brussels Conference on ‘Standing with Syria: Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition’, committing nearly EUR 2.5 billion for 2025-2026. This is part of the EU’s continuous efforts in building a better future for the Syrian people . The EU’s humanitarian assistance is delivered through pre-certified partners in all parts of Syria, based on people’s needs, humanitarian principles and accountability to affected populations, emphasising transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. The EU’s non-humanitarian assistance follows strict implementation parameters and extensive monitoring, including third party monitoring and risk assessments.
The EU urges all external actors to respect Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. The EU is committed to supporting an inclusive, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led transition grounded on international law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism and tolerance among all components of society which guarantees the rights of all Syrians without any kind of discrimination and away from malign foreign interference.
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001949/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Christian Ehler (PPE)
Recital 72 of the Horizon Europe Regulation states that, in order to guarantee scientific excellence, and in line with Article 13 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the programme should promote respect for academic freedom in all countries benefiting from its funds.
Submitted: 14.5.2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
HOUSTON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amplify Energy Corp. (“Amplify” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AMPY) announced today that the Company will be participating in the 2025 Louisiana Energy Conference on Wednesday, May 28th at the Four Seasons in New Orleans, LA.
Amplify’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Martyn Willsher, will be participating in a panel discussion regarding the topic of “Small Cap E&Ps See Value Creation in U.S. Basins Beyond the Permian.” In addition, Mr. Willsher will be available to meet with investors during the conference.
About Amplify Energy
Amplify Energy Corp. is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploitation and production of oil and natural gas properties. Amplify’s operations are focused in Oklahoma, the Rockies (Bairoil), federal waters offshore Southern California (Beta), East Texas / North Louisiana, and the Eagle Ford (Non-op). For more information, visit www.amplifyenergy.com.
Investor Relations Contacts
Jim Frew – Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(832) 219-9044
james.frew@amplifyenergy.com
Michael Jordan – Director, Finance and Treasurer
(832) 219-9051
michael.jordan@amplifyenergy.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
ORLANDO, Fla., May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Americans praise transparency, compassion, and real savings in a marketplace plagued by confusion and mistrust.
More than ever, they’re turning to private health insurance solutions that prioritize honesty, affordability, and clarity as the U.S. healthcare landscape changes. One Florida-based company, America First Healthcare, is gaining traction for doing just that, and verified reviews from both the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot suggest that clients are noticing the difference.
Founded by entrepreneur Jordan Sarmiento after a personal medical crisis left him with $95,000 in hospital bills, America First Healthcare was built to give Americans a straightforward, trustworthy path to health coverage. Sarmiento says, “I created this company so no one else would have to go through what I did. I used to feel helpless, overwhelmed, and unprotected.”
And according to dozens of clients, that mission is succeeding.
Customers have shared detailed accounts of exceptional service on the Better Business Bureau, where America First Healthcare is BBB-accredited with an A rating. In one verified five-star review, a customer wrote:
“Daniel was extremely helpful and answered every question I had. He thoroughly explained my coverage options and was very pleasant. Would definitely recommend America First Healthcare.” – BBB Verified Reviewer, December 2024
Based on verified reviews, America First Healthcare holds a TrustScore of over four stars with more than 90% positive reviews on Trustpilot. One recent reviewer enjoyed their experience with the company:
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Alejandro Ustariz for his outstanding service and support in helping me secure excellent dental insurance coverage. From the very beginning, he was knowledgeable, patient, and attentive to my specific needs. He spent ample amount of time to explain all the available options in a clear and understandable way, ensuring I made an informed decision.” – Verified Trustpilot Review, May 1 2025
Another client wrote:
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Alejandro Ustariz for his outstanding service and support in helping me secure excellent dental insurance coverage. From the very beginning, he was knowledgeable, patient, and attentive to my specific needs. He spent ample amount of time to explain all the available options in a clear and understandable way, ensuring I made an informed decision.” – Verified Trustpilot Review, February 2024
Sarmiento, who founded the company with a belief in small government and free-market healthcare solutions, has made it clear that America First Healthcare’s goal is not just to sell policies, but to rebuild trust in private insurance.
The founder, Sarmiento, says “Our advisors aren’t taught to close deals, they’re taught to care,” said Sarmiento. “We listen before we recommend. We explain without jargon. And we serve people like they matter. Because they do.”
With a growing footprint nationwide and a client base that includes families, small business owners, and independent contractors, the company is quickly becoming a voice for Americans seeking health insurance without the games.
Jordan Sarmiento and America First Healthcare are changing the tone of health insurance, one honest conversation at a time.
ABOUT AMERICA FIRST HEALTHCARE
America First Healthcare is a private health insurance agency headquartered in Orlando, Florida. It is dedicated to helping Americans find honest, affordable healthcare coverage that works for their needs, not against them. Founded in 2021, the company believes in transparency, values-first service, and putting people over profits.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jordan Sarmiento
Founder & CEO, America First Healthcare
Email: info@americafirsthealthcare.com
Address: 7700 Southland Blvd, Orlando, FL 32809
Website: https://americafirsthealthcare.com
Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.
Source: Amnesty International –
116 leading UK and Irish creatives have urged Keir Starmer to act over Israel’s escalating atrocities in Gaza, criticising UK arms exports, settlement trade, and lack of ICC support – open letter
Riz Ahmed, Dame Harriet Walker, Maxine Peake, Nish Kumar, Paloma Faith and others condemn UK government inaction on Gaza
The Prime Minister must ‘stand up for justice and human rights’ and ‘words are no longer enough; we need to see action’ – Creatives
Artists gather outside Downing Street to hold placards urging the PM to act to stop the genocide and human rights abuses in Gaza
Over 100 leading voices from across the UK and Ireland’s film, television, and creative industries including Riz Ahmed, Dame Harriet Walker, Maxine Peake, Nish Kumar, Paloma Faith, Juliet Stevenson and many more have united to call on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take urgent action in response to Israel’s escalating atrocities in Gaza and the wider Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
In a public letter, the group condemn “all attacks on civilians” but emphasise that as well as Israel’s decades-long military occupation, expansion of illegal settlements, and system of apartheid, Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, as described by Amnesty International in its report “You feel Like You Are Subhuman”.
“We are deeply troubled by your lack of meaningful action to help deter Israel’s horrifying and calculated violations of Palestinian rights,” the letter states to the Prime Minister.
Since October 2023, more than 20,000 children have reportedly been killed in Gaza. The group point to the use of 2,000lb bombs dropped from F-35 fighter jets – supplied with UK-made components – as part of a devastating campaign that includes siege tactics blocking access to food, water, electricity, and medicine for over two million civilians.
“You know what is happening,” they write to the Prime Minister, and state “your Government is failing to fulfil its obligation to prevent the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
The letter also highlights a stark double standard in UK policy: banning imports from Russian-occupied Crimea, while allowing trade with Israeli settlements in the illegally Occupied Palestinian Territory. The International Court of Justice has made clear that countries must not support illegal occupations – including through trade.
In addition to arms and trade, the group call on the UK government to fully support the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region.
Their demands include:
The group implores the Prime Minister “to stand up for justice and human rights” and that “words are no longer enough; we need to see action”.
Artists gather outside Downing Street to deliver the letter and hold placards urging the PM to act to stop Israel’s genocide and human rights abuses in Gaza.
The artists held placards bearing messages from residents of Gaza that capture the urgency and human toll of the crisis:
These statements are a stark reminder of the daily reality for civilians under Israel’s illegal blockade.
About the Signatories
This statement by Amnesty International has been endorsed by a coalition of UK-based professionals across the creative industries – filmmakers, actors, writers, artists and cultural leaders – who believe in the power of art, law, and collective voice in the face of injustice.
Ahmed Masoud; Aisling Bea; Aiysha Hart; Alan Moore; Alexander McKinnon; Alexei Sayle; Alice Roberts; Alisdair Beckett; King Amrita Acharia; Andrea Arnold Anjli; Mohindra Anneika; Rose Annie Mac; Sir Anish Kapoor CBE; Anoushka Shankar; Dr Ariel Caine; Bernadette O’Brien; Bertie Carvel; President of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation; Brian Eno; Briony Hannah; Brona C Titley; Charlotte Church; Chipo Chung; David Morrissey; Deborah Frances-White; Declan McKenna; Denise Gough; Emma D’Arcy; Esther Freud; Esther Manito; Fionn O’Loinsigh; Francesca Martinez; Frankie Boyle; Frederico Gaggio; Grace Petrie; Dame Harriet Walter; Himesh Patel; Ian Rickson; Imran Yusuf; Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness; Inua Ellams MBE; Ivor Graeme; Jackie Clune; James Acaster; Jan Pearson; Janie Dee; Jason Fleming; Jay Griffiths; Jen Brister; Jessica Fostekew; Jim Loach; John Higgs; Josie Long; Jolyon Rubinstein; Juliet Stevenson CBE; Kathy Lette; Kerry Godliman; Khalid Abdalla; Ken Loach; Lise Meyer; Lolly Adefope; Louisa Young; Love Ssegga; Mae Martin; Mahtab Hussain; Manjinder Virk; Mariam Haque; Marnie Dickens; Max Porter; Maxine Peake; Dr Michael Hrebeniak; Misan Harriman; Mystery Jets; Nadia Sawalha; Nicola Thorp; Nikesh Patel; Nikesh Shukla; Nikita Gill; Nimmi Harasgama; Nish Kumar; Paapa Essiedu; Paloma Faith; Paul Laverty; Penny Woolcock; Peter Wyer; Rebecca O’Brien; Rida Hamidou; Riz Ahmed; Robin Ince; Robin Morrissey; Roger Hartley; Roisin O’Loughlin; Ruth Lass; Salena Godden; Sam Spruell; Sara Masry; Sarah Agha; Sasha Behar; Selma Dabbagh; Shazia Mirza; Simon Rix; Sonali Bhattacharyya; Stewart Lee; Steve Coogan; Susan Lynch; Suzi Ruffell; Thomas Browne; Thomas Combes; Thusitha Jayasundera; Tobias Menzies; Dame Tracey Emin; Tracey Seaward; Vijay Mistry; Vivian Munn; Young Fathers (all members); Zainab Hassan
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN, May 22 (Xinhua) — Iran has agreed to Oman’s proposal to hold a fifth round of proxy nuclear talks with the United States in Rome on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Wednesday.
In his statement, Baghaei noted that the Iranian negotiating team is committed to protecting the country’s rights and interests in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment and the lifting of harsh sanctions, and will spare no effort to achieve these goals.
Since April, with Oman’s assistance, Iranian and US delegations have held four rounds of proxy talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme and lifting US sanctions. The fourth round took place in Muscat on May 11. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
WASHINGTON, May 22 (Xinhua) — Two Israeli embassy employees were killed late Wednesday outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.
“Two Israeli embassy employees were senselessly murdered this evening outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC,” she wrote on social media X.
According to media reports, the people mentioned died from gunshot wounds. “We are actively investigating and working to obtain additional information to release,” K. Noem said.
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutsch said the museum hosted an event Wednesday evening.
At least one of the victims was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but later died from his injuries.
Police are currently questioning a person in connection with the incident. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CAIRO, May 22 (Xinhua) — Chinese auto brand Jetour Auto on Tuesday unveiled its new lightweight SUV model T1 at a launch near Egypt’s pyramids as part of its international expansion strategy.
The event, held under the motto “Time to Wake Up,” attracted about a thousand participants, including car dealers, industry experts and media representatives.
“During our global development, Jetour has received many travel stories from users around the world. We are committed to developing world-class products with world-class technology to serve our customers,” said Dai Lihong, president of Jetour Auto.
In recent years, Jetour has become one of the fastest growing brands in the automotive sector. The company’s cumulative sales worldwide in the six years of its existence have exceeded 1.7 million units. In 2024 alone, sales volume exceeded 560,000 units, an increase of 80 percent compared to 2023, Dai Lihong noted.
Jetour also signed an agreement with Egypt’s KASRAWY Group to supply assembly kits for its T1 and T2 models. These will be used to assemble cars in Egypt, increasing local production and creating new jobs. –0–
Source: US State of California
Defendant Admits Concealing 50% Ownership of $7B Defense Contracting Business to Evade Taxes
A former defense contractor pleaded guilty today to tax crimes related to his scheme to defraud the United States and evade taxes on income that he earned from his contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Douglas Edelman founded and owned 50% of Mina Corp. and Red Star Enterprises (Mina/Red Star), a defense contracting business that received more than $7 billion from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide jet fuel in the United States’ post-9/11 military efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Working with others, Edelman engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his Mina/Red Star profits to evade U.S. taxes, including by concealing his income in undisclosed foreign bank accounts, creating false documents and making false statements that one of his co-conspirators — a French citizen residing abroad and without U.S. tax obligations — founded and owned Mina/Red Star.
For example, when the company became profitable in 2005, Edelman began taking distributions which he deposited into Swiss bank accounts, primarily at Credit Suisse, in the name of other companies he owned. In 2008, Credit Suisse informed Edelman that he had to either close his accounts or disclose them to U.S. authorities. Rather than come into compliance with his tax and reporting obligations, Edelman closed his accounts and opened new ones at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore in the name of a nominee entity, the beneficiaries of which were purportedly Edelman’s daughters. He then directed the subject income he earned from Mina/Red Star to those bank accounts.
In 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs began investigating allegations of corruption in connection with Mina/Red Star’s contracts with the Department of Defense. As part of this inquiry, the subcommittee became interested in the identity of Mina/Red Star’s owners. At this time, Edelman had not filed U.S. tax returns to report the millions of dollars he had earned from Mina/Red Star and had not paid U.S. taxes on his income.
Rather than disclose his ownership, Edelman caused his attorneys to tell Congress a false story that a French co-conspirator who had no U.S. tax or reporting obligations founded and co-owed Mina/Red Star with another individual. To corroborate the false story, Edelman and a co-conspirator caused false and backdated paperwork to be created.
To continue the scheme, Edelman conveyed the false story about Mina/Red Star’s ownership to other arms of the U.S. government, including to the Department of Defense during contract negotiations in 2010 and 2011, to the IRS in a 2016 application to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and to the Justice Department in a 2018 presentation.
In conjunction with his 2016 application to the IRS’s Voluntary Disclosure Program, Edelman filed false tax returns for several prior years that only reported income from gifts or purported consulting payments, continuing to conceal the millions he had earned from his company. On the returns, he also concealed profits he had earned from a separate business to provide internet service to members of the armed forces at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan.
Instead of paying the taxes that he knew he owed, Edelman used the money to fund his lifestyle and additional investments. He invested in a music television franchise in Eastern Europe, a land venture in Tulum, Mexico, and a farm in Kenya, and purchased property around Europe, including a home in Ibiza, Spain, and a townhouse in London.
Edelman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count to which he has pleaded. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office made the announcement.
Special agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, along with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation. Also providing assistance were His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom; the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and authorities from Belize, Israel, and Cyprus.
The Government of the Kingdom of Spain arrested and extradited Edelman to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in securing Edelman’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
BRISBANE, Australia, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the fast-evolving world of online gambling, JACKBIT has been recognized as the top choice among the best online casinos in Australia in 2025. In a highly competitive iGaming landscape, JACKBIT surges ahead with its player-friendly features, particularly its no KYC policy and instant crypto withdrawals, earning it the number one spot among the best online casinos Australia offering real value for Aussie players.
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Top Australian online casinos offer responsible gambling tools like deposit limits, session timers, self-exclusion options, and access to support resources. These tools are essential to maintaining healthy gaming habits.
Email: support@jackbit.com
Disclaimer & Affiliate Disclosure
The information in this article is for informational and promotional purposes only and is not legal, financial, or professional advice. While we strive for accuracy, no warranties are made regarding completeness or timeliness. Readers should verify information independently. The publisher, affiliates, and contributors are not liable for errors, omissions, or losses from using this content.
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Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Two staff members from the Israeli Embassy in the United States were killed in a shooting Wednesday evening near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., according to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
“We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share,” Noem said in a post on social platform X.
The shooting occurred near the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, known as the Capital Jewish Museum, according to media reports.
Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, Illinois. During an online press briefing, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said that the suspect shouted “Free Palestine” as he was taken into custody.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yeshiel (Michael) Leite said at a press conference that the victims were a couple who had been preparing to get engaged. Embassy spokesperson Tal Naim Cohen confirmed that the two were shot at close range while attending a museum event.
Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, said in a statement that his organization was hosting an event at the museum that evening.
Cohen said Israeli officials had “full faith in law enforcement authorities on both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israel’s representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States.”
“Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said in a post on X. “We are confident that the U.S. authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act.”
In response, U.S. President Donald Trump called for an end to the “horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism” in a post on social platform Truth Social.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Star forward Wu Lei is set to return to the national team from injury as China announced a 27-player roster on Thursday for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers against Indonesia and Bahrain.
Wu Lei (L) of China controls the ball during an international freindly match between New Zealand and China in Auckland, New Zealand, March 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)
Wu, who had been sidelined for months with a severe knee injury, missed six consecutive World Cup qualifying matches since last October. He returned to the pitch in April and scored his first goal of the season last Saturday.
Also included in the squad for the first time is 29-year-old naturalized midfielder Yang Mingyang from Chengdu Rongcheng. Yang previously represented Switzerland at youth international level.
China is scheduled to face Indonesia away on June 5 before hosting Bahrain in Chongqing on June 10.
With two rounds remaining, China and Bahrain both sit on six points, three behind group leader Indonesia. The Chinese team must win both matches to qualify for the playoff round of the Asian qualifiers.
The 27-man roster is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Yan Junling, Liu Dianzuo, Wang Dalei;
Defenders: Jiang Guangtai, Wei Zhen, Yang Zexiang, Zhu Chenjie, Han Pengfei, Hu Hetao, Li Lei, Wu Shaocong, Wang Shiqin;
Midfielders: Xu Haoyang, Yang Mingyang, Cao Yongjing, Sai Erjiniao, Huang Zhengyu, Xie Wenneng, Wang Shangyuan;
Forwards: Wu Lei, Liu Ruofan, Liu Chengyu, Wei Shihao, Wang Ziming, Zhang Yuning, Lin Liangming, Wang Yudong.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Iran has agreed to Oman’s proposal for holding the fifth round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States in Rome on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Baghaei said that the Iranian negotiating team was steadfast in pursuing and safeguarding the nation’s rights and interests regarding the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment and removal of the cruel sanctions, and would spare no effort or initiative to achieve those ends.
Facilitated by Oman, Iranian and U.S. delegations have so far held four rounds of indirect talks since April on Tehran’s nuclear program and the lifting of U.S. sanctions. The fourth round was held in Muscat on May 11.
In recent days, U.S. officials have repeatedly demanded that Iran completely cease uranium enrichment, a request firmly rejected by Tehran.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Israel allowed 100 aid trucks carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israeli military said, as UN officials reported that distribution issues had meant that no aid had so far reached people in need.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would be open to a temporary ceasefire to enable the return of hostages. But otherwise he said it would press ahead with a military campaign to gain total control of Gaza.
After an 11-week blockade on supplies entering Gaza, the Israeli military said a total of 98 aid trucks entered on Monday and Tuesday. But even those minimal supplies have not made it to Gaza’s soup kitchens, bakeries, markets and hospitals, according to aid officials and local bakeries that were standing by to receive supplies of flour.
“None of this aid – that is a very limited number of trucks – has reached the Gaza population,” said Antoine Renard, country director of the World Food Programme.
The blockade has left Gazans in an increasingly desperate struggle for survival, despite growing international and domestic pressure on Israel’s government, which one opposition figure said risked turning the country into a “pariah state”.
Thousands of tons of food and other vital supplies are waiting near crossing points into Gaza but until it can be safely distributed, around a quarter of the population remains at risk of famine, Renard said.
“I’m here since eight in the morning, just to get one plate for six people while it is not enough for one person,” said Mahmoud al-Haw, who says he often waits for up to six hours a day hoping for some lentil soup to keep his children alive.
U.N. officials said security issues had prevented the aid from moving out of the logistics hub at the Kerem Shalom crossing point but late on Wednesday there appeared some hope that supplies would move more freely.
Nahid Shahaiber, a major transport company owner, said 75 trucks of flour and over a dozen more carrying nutritional supplements and sugar were inside the southern area of Rafah and witnesses said trucks carrying flour had been seen in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies entering Gaza in March, saying Hamas was seizing supplies meant for civilians – a charge the group denies.
Under mounting international pressure, it has allowed aid deliveries by the U.N. and other aid groups to resume briefly until a new U.S.-backed distribution model using private contractors operating through so-called secure hubs is up and running by the end of the month. But the United Nations says the plan is not impartial or neutral, and it will not be involved.
‘PARIAH STATE’
As people waited for supplies to arrive, air strikes and tank fire killed at least 50 people across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Palestinian health authorities said. The Israeli military said air strikes hit 115 targets, which it said included rocket launchers, tunnels and unspecified military infrastructure.
Efforts to halt the fighting have faltered, with both Hamas, which insists on a final end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli forces, and Israel, which says Hamas must disarm and leave Gaza, sticking to positions the other side rejects.
Netanyahu said an Israeli air strike this month had probably killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar and he reiterated his demand for the complete demilitarization of Gaza and the exile of Hamas leaders for the war to end.
The resumption of the assault on Gaza since March, following a two-month ceasefire, has drawn condemnation from countries including Britain and Canada that have long been cautious about expressing open criticism of Israel. Even the United States, the country’s most important ally, has shown signs of losing patience with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu said it was “a disgrace” that countries like Britain were sanctioning Israel instead of Hamas.
There has been growing unease within Israel meanwhile at the continuation of the war while 58 hostages remain in Gaza.
Left-wing opposition leader Yair Golan drew a furious response from the government and its supporters this week when he declared that “A sane country doesn’t kill babies as a hobby” and said Israel risked becoming a “pariah state among the nations.”
Golan, a former deputy commander of the Israeli military who went single-handedly to rescue victims of the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, leads the left-wing Democrats, a small party with little electoral clout.
But his words, and similar comments by former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in an interview with the BBC, underscored the rift within Israel. Netanyahu dismissed the criticism, saying he was “appalled” by Golan’s comments.
Opinion polls show widespread support for a ceasefire that would include the return of all the hostages, with a survey from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem this week showing 70% in favour of a deal.
But hardliners in the cabinet, some of whom argue for the complete expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza, have insisted on continuing the war until “final victory”, which would include disarming Hamas as well as the return of the hostages.
Netanyahu, trailing in the opinion polls and facing trial at home on corruption charges, which he denies, as well as an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, has so far sided with the hardliners.
Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people by Israeli tallies and saw 251 hostages abducted into Gaza.
The campaign has killed more than 53,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and devastated the coastal strip, where aid groups say signs of severe malnutrition are widespread.
(Reuters)
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
WASHINGTON, May 21 (Xinhua) — Two Israeli embassy employees were killed late Wednesday outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.
“Two Israeli embassy employees were senselessly murdered this evening outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC,” she wrote on social media X.
According to media reports, the people mentioned died from gunshot wounds.
“We are actively investigating and working to obtain additional information to release,” Noem added. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
OTTAWA, May 22 (Xinhua) — Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on Wednesday she has demanded that the Israeli ambassador be summoned over the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shooting at a diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that there were four Canadians among the delegation that was shot at by the Israeli military, and they were not injured.
“I have asked my officials to call the Israeli ambassador to convey Canada’s grave concerns. We expect a full investigation and accountability,” she wrote.
The IDF said the delegation deviated from its approved route and soldiers fired warning shots, resulting in no casualties.
Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement threatening to take “concrete measures” against Israel in response to the renewed military offensive in the Gaza Strip. –0–
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
U.S. President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday with explosive false claims of white genocide and land seizures during a tense White House meeting that was reminiscent of his February ambush of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, but the overwhelming majority of victims are Black.
Ramaphosa had hoped to use Wednesday’s meeting to reset his country’s relationship with the U.S., after Trump canceled much-needed aid to South Africa, offered refuge to white minority Afrikaners, expelled the country’s ambassador and criticized its genocide court case against Israel.
The South African president arrived prepared for an aggressive reception, bringing popular white South African golfers as part of his delegation and saying he wanted to discuss trade. The U.S. is South Africa’s second-biggest trading partner, and the country is facing a 30% tariff under Trump’s currently suspended raft of import taxes.
But in a carefully choreographed Oval Office onslaught, Trump pounced, moving quickly to a list of concerns about the treatment of white South Africans, which he punctuated by playing a video and leafing through a stack of printed news articles that he said proved his allegations.
With the lights turned down at Trump’s request, the video – played on a television that is not normally set up in the Oval Office – showed white crosses, which Trump asserted were the graves of white people, and opposition leaders making incendiary speeches. Trump suggested one of them, Julius Malema, should be arrested.
The video was made in September 2020 during a protest after two people were killed on their farm a week earlier. The crosses did not mark actual graves. An organizer of the protest told South Africa’s public broadcaster at the time that they represented farmers who had been killed over the years.
“We have many people that feel they’re being persecuted, and they’re coming to the United States,” Trump said. “So we take from many … locations, if we feel there’s persecution or genocide going on,” he added, referring specifically to white farmers.
“People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and in many cases, they’re being killed,” the president added, echoing a once-fringe conspiracy theory that has circulated in global far-right chat rooms for at least a decade with the vocal support of Trump’s ally, South African-born Elon Musk, who was in the Oval Office during the meeting.
South Africa, which endured centuries of draconian discrimination against Black people during colonialism and apartheid before becoming a multi-party democracy in 1994 under Nelson Mandela, rejects Trump’s allegations.
A new land reform law, aimed at redressing the injustices of apartheid, allows for expropriations without compensation when in the public interest, for example if land is lying fallow. No such expropriation has taken place, and any order can be challenged in court.
South African police recorded 26,232 murders nationwide in 2024, with 44 linked to farming communities. Eight of those victims were farmers.
Ramaphosa, sitting in a chair next to Trump and remaining poised, pushed back against his claims.
“If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you, these three gentlemen would not be here,” Ramaphosa said, referring to golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen and billionaire Johann Rupert, all white, who were present in the room.
That did not satisfy Trump.
“We have thousands of stories talking about it, and we have documentaries, we have news stories,” Trump said. “It has to be responded to.”
‘THERE IS JUST NO GENOCIDE’
Ramaphosa mostly sat expressionless during the video presentation, occasionally craning his neck to look at the screen. He said he had not seen the material before and that he would like to find out the location.
Trump then displayed printed copies of articles that he said showed white South Africans who had been killed, saying “death, death” as he flipped through them, eventually handing them to his counterpart.
Ramaphosa said there was crime in South Africa, and the majority of victims were Black. Trump cut him off and said: “The farmers are not Black.”
Ramaphosa responded: “These are concerns we are willing to talk to you about.”
The South African president cited Mandela’s example as a peacemaker, but that did not move the U.S. president, whose political base includes white nationalists. The myth of white genocide in South Africa has become a rallying point for the far right in the United States and elsewhere.
“I will say: apartheid, terrible,” Trump noted. “This is sort of the opposite of apartheid.”
The extraordinary exchange, three months after Trump and Vice President JD Vance upbraided Ukraine’s Zelenskiy inside the same Oval Office, could prompt foreign leaders to think twice about accepting Trump’s invitations and risk public embarrassment.
Unlike Zelenskiy, who sparred with Trump and ended up leaving early, the South African leader kept his calm, praising Trump’s decor – the president has outfitted the Oval Office with gold accessories – and saying he looked forward to handing over the presidency of the Group of 20 next year.
Trump declined to say whether he would attend the G20 meeting in South Africa in November.
Later in the meeting, Rupert, the business tycoon, stepped in to back up Ramaphosa, saying that crime was a problem across the board and many Black people were dying too.
Following the meeting, Ramaphosa sought to focus on trade, telling reporters the two countries had agreed to discuss critical minerals in South Africa. His trade minister said the government had submitted a trade and investment proposal that included buying liquefied natural gas from the U.S.
But the president also flatly denied Trump’s allegations about a wave of racial violence against white farmers.
“There is just no genocide in South Africa,” he said.
(Reuters)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Real Madrid forward Endrick has suffered a muscle injury that is likely to rule him out of this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
“Following tests carried out today on our player Endrick by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the conjoint tendon in his right hamstring,” informs the club.
Real Madrid’s Endrick (L) vies with Real Valladolid’s Selim Amallah during La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Real Valladolid in Madrid, Spain, Aug. 25, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
As usual, Real Madrid did not provide a timeline for the 18-year-old’s return. The club, which signed Endrick last summer, stated only that “his recovery will be assessed,” though the severity of the injury makes his participation in the Club World Cup highly unlikely.
Real Madrid is set to debut in the tournament on June 18 against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, followed by matches against Mexican club Pachuca on June 22 and Austria’s RB Salzburg on June 27 in the group stage.
The injury brings a premature end to what has been a slightly disappointing debut season for Endrick, who has been behind Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr in the attacking pecking order.
Endrick scored just one goal in 22 La Liga appearances–19 of those as a substitute–but found more success in cup competitions, netting five times in the Copa del Rey and once in the Champions League.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has welcomed Qatar’s decision to provide additional funding to support the organization’s scientific research efforts.
The Ministry of Sports and Youth in Qatar will contribute an extra 1.5 million U.S. dollars, in addition to the country’s annual payment of more than 200,000 dollars to WADA, the agency announced on Wednesday.
“WADA is appreciative of the continued support of our partners within Qatar’s Ministry of Sports and Youth. The additional funding will make a significant impact on anti-doping research globally and within Qatar itself,” said WADA President Witold Banka.
“This is another indication of the strong support WADA receives from governments around the world, which believe in and trust us to deliver on our clean sport mission and understand the importance of cutting-edge scientific research to being ahead of those who seek to cheat the system.”
Earlier this month, Japan pledged an additional 196,000 dollars to support anti-doping capacity and capability development in Asia and Oceania. According to WADA, Japan has contributed roughly 2.5 million dollars in additional funding over the past two decades.
In the past 10 years, WADA has also received additional contributions from countries including Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, India, Kuwait, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and the United States.
Banka stated earlier this year that WADA invests heavily in anti-doping research, allocating about 10 percent of its annual budget to scientific and social science initiatives. The agency has also called on its partners to support ongoing research efforts, including recent work focused on unintentional doping.
WADA has set a budget of more than 50 million dollars for 2025.
The United States, which failed to pay its 2024 annual fee of 3.62 million dollars–amounting to 14 percent of WADA’s budget–automatically loses its seat on the organization’s executive committee for the year.
“It is so important for athletes that WADA is properly resourced and that it has certainty around the funds it receives,” said Yuhan Tan, Belgium’s former badminton player and WADA Athlete Council representative on the Foundation Board.
“I call on all governments to fulfill their commitments and make their annual contributions to WADA in a predictable and timely fashion so the work upholding the World Anti-Doping Code and supporting athletes around the world can continue. Clearly, anti-doping is becoming more and more politicized, which must be avoided as it puts all athletes and the entire system at risk,” he commented when WADA released its budget plan earlier this year.
