New Delhi: Norwegian Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener on Friday called the recently signed India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement 'historic' in the India-Norway relationship and said that the pact will be an important instrument to enhance trade and investments between the two countries. "We have an extremely productive and constructive dialogue at the political level. The date the 10 March 2024 is historic in our relationship. On that day we signed the EFTA India Trade and Partnership agreement here in Delhi. The agreement will be an important instrument to advance trade and investments and increase people-to-people contact between Norway and India," she said while speaking at Norway's National Day celebrations held at the Norwegian embassy in New Delhi. "Norway is hosting the India- Nordic Summit. We look forward to this high-level meeting and hope this will give yet another big boost to our collaboration. During my eight months in India, I met so many impressive, kind, positive and welcoming people. I have visited ten Indian states that now celebrate vibrant Indian festivals and learned about the most important Indian fashion, crickets. Thank you for all the wonderful experiences. My impression is that Norwegians and Indians get along very well and I believe that the people-to-people contact is important for our bilateral relationship," she added. On 10th March, the EFTA States and India signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). The EFTA States undertake to maintain the abolition of all customs duties on imports of industrial products, fish and other marine products that originate from India. The National Day celebrations were held at the embassy with the aurora borealis theme and Union Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi presided over the event as chief guest. May 17, is observed as Norway National Day. Moreover, MoS Lekhi also addressed the gathering at the event and underscored the long-standing relationship between the two countries, asserting that the two countries experiencing unprecedented growth in the bilateral relationships. "Our relationship is, and it's important to understand that trade and commerce doesn't happen in air. Trade and commerce need to have a basis and the basis is the connection of people to people. And that people-to-people connect is what brings people together, and helps them understand each other. And with changing times, changing history, changing patterns, the pattern of today between the two countries has also changed," she said. "And I can very proudly say the relationship has not been so good ever before and in future hold still better days for both countries. And wishing this the very, very best, the relationship between the two countries and its people the very best," she added. She also highlighted the growth in trade between the two countries in the past decade and underscored that the trade between the two countries has touched the mark of USD 2.5 billion. "I must say that the trade and commerce is another area, bedrock being the constitutional democracies that the two countries are. But on that foundation, the building is built by trade and commerce and economy. And the two countries share quite a lot. To just mark these statistics, in 2013 and 2014, before our government came to power, the trade and commerce brought in a business of which is less than USD 1 billion and today it is USD 2.5 billion," she said. MoS also shared details about her participation in the event on X saying, "Happy to join the National Day reception at the Norwegian Embassy. Cherish our warm and friendly ties. Reaffirmed our commitment to deepen and expand our cooperation bilaterally and in multilateral fora." —ANI

Norwegian Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener on Friday called the recently signed India-EFTA Trade and Economic 

Norwegian Envoy May-Elin Stener Calls India EFTA-TEPA Agreement 'Historic'

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday stressed the growing role of Indian skills and talent at the global level and said that the developed countries of the world are now manifesting interest in concluding mobility agreements with India. "In the era of a knowledge economy, the role of Indian skills and talent is also being reassessed. The nature of technological advancement is itself creating greater demand. But there is also the reality of demographic shortages in developed countries. These trends are manifesting themselves right now in an interest across the world to conclude mobility agreements with India," EAM said while speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2024 in New Delhi. "On our part, we too would like to see that our talent is treated fairly and transparently. As a global workplace emerges - and believe me, it will grow faster than all of us anticipate. As a global workplace emerges - there are some immediate consequences. Expanding the scale and quality of skilling at home becomes an even more urgent imperative. This is very much in line with the Modi Government's thinking. They are supported by the spread of the innovation and start-up culture as well. Businesses too need to do their fair share in the upgrading of our human resources," he added. Asserting the obligation to secure Indian citizens even abroad, EAM also highlighted India's successful operations held to evacuate Indian citizens from Ukraine and Sudan and said that their goal is to make India a global hub for innovation, research, and design as well. "As the global workplace expands, the obligation to secure our citizens abroad will also grow proportionately. Fortunately, this is an area where we have already built capabilities and created SOPs, as evidenced recently in Ukraine and in Sudan. We are also deploying technology more widely for the ease of living of Indians traveling and working abroad," he said. "However, as we contemplate the relevance of our talent with the importance of 'Make in India,' our goal is to make ourselves into a global hub for innovation, research, and design as well. 'Work in India' is the natural outcome, I would say, a supportive basis for 'Make In India.' But it will also have 'Work for the World' as its subset," he added. He also underscored the crisis engulfed across the world due to the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza and said that the world is experiencing a 3F crisis of fuel, food, and fertilizers, in which India is acting with the judicious combination of 'Bharat First' and 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.' "Instead today, what is the reality we are staring at? A Ukraine conflict now in its third year. A huge escalation of violence in West Asia/the Middle East that could spread beyond. The disruption of logistics due to war, due to sanctions, drone attacks, and climate events. The world is experiencing a 3F crisis of fuel, food, and fertilizers. In Asia, new tensions have emerged in land and sea as agreements are dishonored and the rule of law disregarded," he said. "Terrorism and extremism have started to consume those who have long practiced it. In many ways, we are actually going through the perfect storm. For India, the task is to mitigate its impact on itself and contribute to stabilizing the world to the extent possible. It is this judicious combination of 'Bharat First' and 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' that defines our image as 'Vishwa Bandhu,'" he added. —ANI

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday stressed the growing role of Indian skills and talent at the global level and said that the developed

Indian Talent In High Demand Globally, Mobility Agreements On Rise: EAM Jaishankar

Bishkek [Kyrgyzstan]: Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the situation in Bishkek is calm and under full control and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure security and maintain peace and stability. The Kyrgyzstan Ministry said that destructive forces are deliberately disseminating untrue and false information about the situation in the country in foreign media outlets and social networks, particularly in Pakistan. In a statement, Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic informs that destructive forces are deliberately disseminating untrue and false information about the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic in foreign mass media and social networks, especially in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan." "The Ministry informs that the situation in the city of Bishkek of the Kyrgyz Republic is calm and under full control, and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure security, maintain peace and stability," it added. Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged journalists and the blogger community to publish only official and confirmed information from the competent authorities of the country. "Therefore, the Ministry urges public information media, bloggers, community representatives, as well as foreign experts to take only official and confirmed information from the competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic," Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Reportedly, there have been several incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since Friday evening, the Pakistan embassy in Kyrgyzstan said in a social media post, adding that the situation heated up. "There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening. According to the Kyrgyz press, the matter boiled over yesterday due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on May 13," the Pakistan embassy in Kyrgyzstan stated. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kyrgyzstan advised the Indian students to stay indoors and to get in touch with the Indian embassy. The Indian embassy also shared a helpline contact number for the students. "We are in touch with our students. The situation is presently calm but students are advised to stay indoors for the moment and get in touch with the Embassy in case of any issue. Our 24x7 contact number is 0555710041," the Indian embassy in Kyrgyzstan posted on X. (ANI) Highlighting that the situation is reportedly calm now, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday emphasized that they are monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. "Monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. Situation is reportedly calm now. Strongly advise students to stay in regular touch with the Embassy," he stated in a post on X. Moreover, a few hospitals of medical universities in Kyrgyzstan's capital and private residences of international students have been attacked, the Pakistan embassy in Kyrgyzstan stated. "The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. There have been reports of light injuries to a number of students from Pakistan," it added. "So far, the violence appears to be directed against all foreign students and not specific to Pakistanis," the Pakistan embassy stressed. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared a post on X, highlighting that they have directed Pakistan's Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance. "Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan's Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance. My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation," Shehbaz Sharif said. After Pakistan advised students in Kyrgyzstan to stay indoors as mob violence continues against international students, Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch said that a demarche has been made with Kyrgyzstan on the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. "At the instructions of DPM @MIshaqDar50 a demarche has been made with the Kyrgyz Republic. They have been impressed to take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani students and citizens residing in the Kyrgyz Republic," Mumtaz Baloch said in a post shared on X.
—ANI

Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs ensures Bishkek is calm and controlled, urging accurate reporting amid false information. Violence against foreign students reported.

"Situation in Bishkek calm": Kyrgyzstan Foreign Ministry after India issues advisory

Islamabad: At least 13 people, including five children, were killed and four others sustained injuries when a mini truck carrying a family fell into a ravine in Khushab district in Pakistan's province of Punjab, ARY News reported on Saturday. According to the rescue officials, the family was travelling from Bannu to Soon Valley in Khushab when the tragic accident took place. Quoting the eyewitnesses, ARY News reported that the speeding truck fell into the ravine when the driver took a sharp turn. Following the accident, the rescue teams reached the accident spot and shifted the bodies and injured to a nearby hospital. Whereas, in a separate accident, at least 18 people were killed and around 50 injured when a truck carrying pilgrims from Karachi to the Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan, fell into a ravine, according to ARY News. The bodies and injured were immediately brought to Karachi Trauma Centre for medicolegal proceedings and providing medical aid to the survivors.
—ANI

13 killed, 5 children among them, as a mini truck falls into a ravine in Khushab, Pakistan. Another accident in Balochistan claims 18 lives.

Pakistan: 13 including 5 children killed as minitruck plunges into ravine in Khushab

Toronto: Some Canadian provinces have logged a jump in unclaimed dead bodies in recent years, with next of kin citing funeral costs as a growing reason for not collecting loved ones' remains.
The phenomenon has prompted at least one province to build a new storage facility. Demand for memorial fundraisers has surged. The overall cost of a funeral in Canada at the top end has increased to about $8,800 from about $6,000 in 1998, according to industry trade group estimates.  In Ontario, Canada's most populous province, the number of unclaimed dead bodies rose to 1,183 in 2023 from 242 in 2013, said Dirk Huyer, the province's chief coroner.  In most of those cases, next of kin were identified but unable to claim the body for a variety of reasons, the most common being money. Finances went from being the reason for 20 per cent of the total unclaimed bodies in 2022 to 24 per cent in 2023.  "It's distressing because it's a person who has passed and there's nobody – family, friends, or others – that are in a position to be able to provide instructions or plans for that person after their death," Huyer said.  Officially, in Ontario, a body is deemed unclaimed after 24 hours. But the coroner's office staff may spend weeks trying to locate next of kin, he said. If the relatives confirm they are unable to claim a body, the local municipality works with a funeral home to provide a simple burial.
In the meantime, the body is kept in a morgue or temperature-controlled storage facility.  "There's always been families that are in need of additional assistance. (But) I've never seen the number of unclaimed remains that currently exist," said Allan Cole, owner of the Toronto-based funeral home MacKinnon and Bowes.  In Quebec, the number of unclaimed bodies grew to 183 in 2023 from 66 in 2013. In Alberta, the number of bodies for whom no next of kin could be located to claim them rose to 200 in 2023 from 80 in 2016.  Historically, the Health Sciences Centre in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador did not encounter enough unclaimed remains to warrant long-term storage, a spokesperson for Newfoundland Health Services told Reuters.  Now, in the wake of an uproar over unclaimed bodies kept in freezers outside the hospital, the province is constructing a permanent storage unit to hold remains.  "People weren't claiming bodies because they realized they couldn't afford to bury them," said Jim Dinn, leader of the province's opposition New Democratic Party. "It's not about building a bigger storage unit: It's about addressing the underlying cause causing the accumulation of bodies and removing the barriers so people can have a dignified burial."  Location matters: An adult single grave with the Mount Pleasant Group on average costs $2,800, but the price in midtown Toronto was $34,000 as of April 1, according to the website of the cemetery, funeral and cremation provider across the Greater Toronto Area. The price excludes opening and closing of the grave, funeral, tombstone, taxes and other items.  A funeral can cost C$2,000 to C$12,000, said Funeral Services Association of Canada President Jeff Weafer, up from about C$1,800 to C$8,000 in 1998.  The number of memorial fundraisers on crowdfunding site GoFundMe has ballooned to 10,257 in 2023 from 36 in 2013, a spokesperson for the site said.  Government support for funerals has failed to keep pace with rising funeral costs, advocates have said. The federal government announced a C$2,500 top-up to the C$2,500 death benefit in the Canada Pension Plan in the April budget.  "Losing your life partner or spouse is devastating for a senior. It can also be an immense financial burden after a lifetime of hard work," Katherine Cuplinskas, press secretary for Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, wrote in an email.  "That is why we are strengthening the Canada Pension Plan to provide a top-up to the death benefit."  That is not enough, Weafer said.  "This is not a respectful end for Canadians," he said. "The reason deceased individuals are going unclaimed by their families is about affordability."
—Reuters

Unclaimed bodies in Canada rise as funeral costs increase, with Ontario seeing significant growth. Families struggle with burial expenses, prompting more memorial fundraisers.

In Canada, bodies go unclaimed as costs put funerals out of reach

Moscow: A Russian court has ordered that Deutsche Bank's assets, accounts, property and shares be seized in Russia as part of a lawsuit involving the German bank, court documents showed.
The bank was one of the guarantor lenders under a contract for the construction of a gas processing plant in Russia with Germany's Linde, which was terminated due to Western sanctions.  The lawsuit was filed by St Petersburg-based RusChemAlliance, a joint-venture that is 50% owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom and which is the operator of the project.  St Petersburg arbitration court has barred Deutsche Bank from exercising its 100% interest in the authorised capital of its Russian subsidiary, as well as Deutsche Bank Technology Center LLC.  The court has also imposed the seizure of up to 238.6 million euros ($259.36 million) in securities, real estate and bank accounts of Deutsche Bank, as well as its Russian subsidiary and Deutsche Bank Technology Center.  Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt and in Russia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  The Russian court on Friday ordered UniCredit's assets, accounts and property, as well as shares in two subsidiaries, be seized as part of a parallel lawsuit.
—Reuters

Russian court orders seizure of Deutsche Bank's assets in a lawsuit involving terminated gas plant project, impacting its Russian subsidiary and Technology Center.

Russian court seizes Deutsche Bank assets as part of lawsuit

Kabul: At least 50 people are dead following a fresh bout of heavy rain and flooding in central Afghanistan, an official said on Saturday.
Mawlawi Abdul Hai Zaeem, the Head of the Information Department for the central Ghor province, told Reuters that there was no information about how many people were injured in the rain spell that began on Friday, which had also cut off many key roads to the area.  Zaeem added that 2,000 houses were completely destroyed, 4,000 partially damaged, and more than 2,000 shops were under water in the province's capital, Feroz-Koh.  Last week, flash floods caused by heavy rains devastated villages in northern Afghanistan, killing 315 people and injuring more than 1,600, authorities said on Sunday.
On Wednesday, a helicopter used by the Afghan air force crashed due to "technical issues" during attempts to recover the bodies of people who had fallen into a river in Ghor province, killing one and injuring 12 people, the country's defence ministry said.  Afghanistan is prone to natural disasters and the United Nations considers it one of countries most vulnerable to climate change.  It has battled a shortfall in aid after the Taliban took over as foreign forces withdrew from the country in 2021, since development aid that formed the backbone of government finances was slashed.  The shortfall has worsened in subsequent years as foreign governments grapple with competing global crises and growing condemnation of the Taliban's curbs on Afghan women.
—Reuters

Heavy rains and flooding in central Afghanistan leave 50 dead, 2,000 homes destroyed, and highlight the country's vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change.

50 dead in heavy rain, floods in central Afghanistan, says official

Tel Aviv: Israel's two chief rabbis instructed worshipers not to travel to a holy site on Mount Meron during the upcoming holiday of Lag B'Omer because of the war. Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and Rabbi David Lau instead told pilgrims to follow the instructions of security services. The Israeli military's Home Front Command canceled this year's traditional celebrations on Mount Meron following a security assessment. That assessment has taken added gravity with recent Hezbollah rocket barrages. The mountain, located in the Upper Galilee, is the location of a sensitive military air traffic control base which has been a special target for Hezbollah rockets and drones.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/israel-defends-rafah-operation-as-'limited-and-localised'-at-un-court" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/israel-defends-rafah-operation-as-'limited-and-localised'-at-un-court</a>&nbsp;

The mountain is better known as the burial site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the Second Century rabbinic leader who wrote the Zohar, Judaism's foundational book of kabbalah or mysticism. The anniversary of Rabbi Shimon's death, Lag B'Omer, is celebrated with bonfires and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to his grave. This year, Lag B'Omer begins at sundown on May 25. Forty-five people were killed and 150 people were injured in a stampede at the grave during Lag B'Omer celebrations in 2021. The tragedy, Israel's worst civilian disaster, was triggered by a combination of overcrowded conditions and a faulty walkway in a narrow passage. A state commission of inquiry's report released in March held Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally responsible.
—ANI

Israel's chief rabbis urge avoiding Mount Meron for Lag B'Omer due to security concerns. Traditional celebrations canceled after recent Hezbollah rocket attacks.

Israeli chief Rabbis tell pilgrims not to visit Mount Meron on Lag B'Omer holiday

Jerusalem: Lawyers representing Israel on Friday defended the military operation in Rafah as “limited and localised,” arguing at the United Nations’ top court that the judges should not seek to restrict Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.
At a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Israel responded to a South African petition for the court to order an immediate halt to its ground assault in Rafah.  Israeli forces have advanced into the outskirts of Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, over the past week and a half, ordering mass evacuations and intensifying their bombardment before a long-anticipated invasion of the city. More than 630,000 people have fled the area, many of them already displaced from elsewhere in Gaza, according to the United Nations.
The hearings are part of South Africa’s case accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which it filed in December. In late January, the court ordered Israel to do more to prevent acts of genocide, but is not expected to hear the main case over whether genocide is being committed until next year.  Last week, South Africa asked the judges to issue an emergency order aiming to prevent wide-scale civilian harm in Rafah. Lawyers for South Africa argued at the court Thursday that Israel’s Rafah operation was “the last step in the destruction of Gaza and its Palestinian people.”  The court has no means of enforcing its orders, but the South Africa case has contributed to the international pressure on Israel to rein in its campaign in Gaza. It was not clear when the court would issue a decision on South Africa’s request for an emergency order.  On Friday, Gilad Noam, the Israeli deputy attorney general for international law, repeated Israel’s fierce rejection that it was committing genocide in Gaza. He said Israeli authorities were working to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and to protect civilians amid fierce combat across the enclave, including in Rafah.  “Israel is taking steps to try and contend with the massive complexity that such a situation presents,” Noam told the judges. “That is why there has not been a large-scale assault on Rafah, but rather specific limited and localised operations prefaced with evacuation efforts and support for humanitarian activities.”  Israeli leaders have said that invading Rafah is necessary to topple Hamas’ rule in Gaza. Four battalions of Hamas fighters are in the city, according to the Israeli military, as well as at least some of the over 130 living and dead hostages still held by Palestinian armed groups since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that set off the war in Gaza.  But the prospect of a major ground invasion of Rafah amid hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians has provoked sharp criticism internationally, including from the Biden administration. After Israel began its advance into the area, President Joe Biden said Washington would withhold some weapons if Israel launched a full-fledged assault into densely populated areas.  Noam argued that the court ran the risk of engaging in “micromanagement of operational aspects of an armed conflict.” He said that demanding a cease-fire would only tie Israel’s hands because Hamas — an armed group rather than a state — was not subject to the court’s jurisdiction.  South Africa on Thursday also asked the court to order Israel to ensure greater access for aid workers, investigators and journalists in Gaza. Noam said that Israel’s justice system was working to crack down on alleged wartime misconduct, and that military prosecutors had opened 55 criminal investigations into possible violations by Israeli forces since the beginning of the war.  Human rights groups argue the Israeli military cannot credibly investigate itself and that soldiers who kill Palestinians under contested circumstances rarely face substantial penalties. B’Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights monitor, has dismissed previous inquiries by Israeli authorities into potential violations of the laws of war as a whitewash.  Israeli officials have accused South Africa, by filing the case, of acting as a “legal arm” of Hamas, which led the Oct. 7 attack. Last week, Hamas said that a delegation of its officials had attended a conference in Johannesburg. Hamas posted a photo of Basem Naim, a group spokesperson, speaking with Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s foreign minister, on social media.
—International New York Times

Israel defends Rafah military operations at the ICJ amidst genocide accusations by South Africa. Intense bombardment and mass evacuations in Gaza continue.

Israel defends Rafah operation as ‘limited and localised’ at UN Court

Kyiv: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday signed into law a bill allowing some Ukrainian convicts to serve in the country's military in exchange for the possibility of parole at the end of their service, a move that highlights the country's desperate attempts to replenish its forces after more than two years of war.
Parliament passed the bill last week, and political analysts were unsure whether Zelenskyy would enact it given the sensitivity of the matter. The measure echoes a practice that Russia has widely used to bolster its forces and that Ukraine ridiculed at the beginning of the war.
But Ukraine is now ceding territory to advancing Russian forces, and the Ukrainian military urgently needs to increase the number of troops on the more than 600-mile front line if it is to prevent Russia from breaking through its defenses. Ukrainian officials have said the measure could allow up to 20,000 prisoners to be mobilized.  The law comes on top of several recent efforts by the Ukrainian government to shore up its exhausted and depleted troops, including lowering the draft eligibility age to 25 from 27, stepping up border patrols to catch draft dodgers and suspending consular services for military-age men living abroad. Zelenskyy also enacted a law Friday that increases fines for evading the draft.  Ukraine's shortages of soldiers have been particularly evident since Russia launched a new offensive push in the country's northeast last week. The assaults have left the Ukrainian military scrambling to divert troops from other areas of the front and draw from their meager personnel reserves.  Ukrainian officials say they have now stabilized the situation in the northeast, but the rush of additional troops to the area has risked weakening other parts of the front where Russia is also on the attack, military experts say.  Russia's gains on the battlefield over the past year have largely resulted from its superior troop numbers. Moscow has sent wave after wave of soldiers in bloody assaults, even if it means sustaining huge numbers of casualties, to capture towns and cities such as Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka in the east.  As part of this strategy, the Kremlin has committed tens of thousands of convicts to the fighting, a controversial practice that Ukraine criticized in the first half of the war. But now, Ukraine is also looking to recruit prisoners.  Unlike in Russia, the possibility of serving will not be extended to people who have been convicted of premeditated murder, rape or other serious offenses. Lawmakers said involuntary manslaughter convictions could be considered.  Several Ukrainians on Friday expressed support for the measure, saying it would help Ukraine to face up to Russia's large army.  "As one military officer said, a small Soviet army cannot defeat a large Soviet army," said Pavlo Litovkin, a 31-year-old resident of Kyiv. But he added that Ukraine should not imitate "Russia's methods of warfare" by throwing waves of convicts into grueling battles that many soldiers have described as a "meat grinder."  Prisoners serving under the new law would be integrated into special units for the duration of martial law, meaning that they would not be demobilized until the end of the war. Lawmakers also said that prisoners eligible for service must have no more than three years of their sentence left to serve. The decision to mobilize and parole a prisoner will be made by a court and will require the prisoner's willingness to join the army.  Olena Vysotska, Ukraine's deputy justice minister, told a Ukrainian news outlet Friday that in a survey of Ukrainian convicts conducted by the ministry in April, 4,500 expressed a desire to serve in the army in exchange for the possibility of parole.  Still, the law could exacerbate heightened tensions around the issue of mobilization in Ukraine. Criticism has been growing over the harsh tactics sometimes used to conscript people and corruption issues in recruitment centers.  Maria Karpova, another resident of Kyiv, said she found it "strange that criminals are offered mobilization based on their willingness, while ordinary people who are reluctant to go there are mobilized against their will."
—International New York Times

Zelenskyy signs law for Ukrainian convicts to serve in military for parole, aiming to strengthen forces amid war. Measure part of broader efforts to address soldier shortages.

Zelenskyy signs law allowing convicts to fight for Ukraine

Kathmandu: Sherpas recovered the body of a Mongolian climber from Mount Everest and were looking for another mountaineer missing since the weekend, officials said on Friday. It marked the first confirmed death on Everest of the current climbing season.
The two Mongolians set off last weekend from their final camp at 8,000 metres (26,300 ft) to head for the summit of the world's tallest mountain in Nepal. They were attempting the summit approach from the South Col.  Pemba Sherpa of the 8K Expedition company that provided support services to the Mongolians up to their base camp said rescuers recovered one body below the South Summit at about 8,600 metres (28,500 feet). Details of his death were unclear, he said.
"Rescuers are looking for the other climber in the same area," Pemba told Reuters. Like many other sherpas, he uses his first name only.  Bad weather and high winds hampered any search for the missing climbers below the summit, known as the death zone because of dangerously low oxygen levels.  Mount Everest is the world’s tallest summit at 8,849-metres (29,032 ft) and officials say more than 6,500 people have reached its peak, many of them multiple times since the mountain was first scaled by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953.  A Nepali guide reached the peak for a record 29th time on Sunday.  However, about 335 people have also died on the mountain, hiking officials said.  Mountain climbing is a key source of revenue and employment in Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 tallest peaks.
—Reuters

Sherpas recover a Mongolian climber's body from Mount Everest, search ongoing for another. First death of the season. Everest's perilous climb continues.

Mongolian climber dies in season’s first Everest fatality

Bratislava [Slovakia]: Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, is now in a 'stable' condition, but remains serious after he was shot on Wednesday (local time) in Handlova from a close range, according to CNN. His deputy said on Thursday that the Slovak premier has undergone surgery, following the assassination attempt that rocked the European nation yesterday, which received reactions from several global leaders.
Attacks on the 59-year-old populist leader followed an off-site government meeting in the town of Handlova on Wednesday. The leader came back to power last year, and his contentious measures have prompted protests in recent weeks. As the prime minister walked up to a small group of people who were expecting him, a possible shooter in the crowd jumped forward and opened fire on him five times from the other side of a security screen, reported CNN. The wounded prime minister was seen on camera being helped into a car by his staff before it quickly drove off with him inside. According to hospital officials, Fico was evacuated from a neighbouring major trauma centre to a smaller hospital where he was admitted and spent more than five hours in surgery. Fico was "stabilised but in a very serious condition," according to hospital director Miriam Lapunikova on Thursday, and he would stay in the intensive care unit. She further mentioned that the prime minister was operated on by two surgical teams at the hospital, according to CNN. On Thursday morning, the country's Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak said Fico's condition "has been stabilized overnight, more steps are being taken to better his health. The situation is really serious." The assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico has sent shockwaves throughout Slovakia. The incident occurred following an off-site government meeting in the central Slovak town of Handlova. The suspected gunman, among a small crowd awaiting the Prime Minister outside the cultural centre where the meeting took place, reportedly targeted Fico. Footage from the scene captured the Prime Minister being rushed into a vehicle by his staff before being taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a major trauma centre in Banska Bystrica. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported in the attack. Slovak President Zuzana Caputova confirmed the detainment of the suspected gunman by police, urging the public to await further information from law enforcement agencies. Caputova condemned the attack as a "brutal and reckless" assault on democracy. She underscored the significance of the incident as an attack not only on an individual but on the democratic principles of the nation. The attack on Prime Minister Fico comes at a time of deep political polarisation in Slovakia. Fico's return to power last year sparked widespread division, with supporters viewing him as a caring leader while critics perceive him as a populist with pro-Russian leanings.
—ANI

Slovakia's PM Robert Fico is stable but serious after a close-range shooting in Handlova. The suspected gunman has been detained. 

Robert Fico 'stabilised' after surgery but remains in 'serious' condition after assassination attempt

Colombo: A court in Sri Lanka has ordered Indian nationals Yoni Patel and P Akash to surrender their passports as both are set to be indicted for match fixing in the unsanctioned Legends Cricket League here.
The two, who are currently out on bail, have been accused of trying to fix matches in the league, which was played between March 8 and 19 at Kandy's Pallekele Stadium.  A side called Rajasthan Kings defeated New York Super Strikers in the final.
Patel owns the Kandy Swamp Army team in the event.  Former Sri Lanka ODI captain Upul Tharanga, who is currently the chairman of national selectors, and ex-New Zealand player Neil Broom had complained to the Special Investigation Unit of the Ministry of Sports about the approaches by Patel and Akash to fix games by under-performing in the league.  Patel and Akash were subsequently banned from leaving the country by the magistrate's court until the investigations could be completed.  The league is neither recognised by the ICC, nor Sri Lanka Cricket.  Sri Lanka was the first South Asian country to criminalise match-fixing and corruption in sports when it passed a law against the menace in 2019.  Anyone found guilty can be jailed for up to 10 years and also be required to pay fines.  The law also seeks to punish acts of omission such as failure to report corrupt approaches.
—PTI

Sri Lankan court orders Indian nationals Yoni Patel and P Akash to surrender passports amid match-fixing charges in the Legends Cricket League at Pallekele Stadium.

Sri Lanka orders seizure of passports of Indians over cricket match-fixing charge

Berlin: German authorities banned a pro-Palestinian group on Thursday for its alleged support of Hamas and police raided properties to confiscate devices and documents, the interior minister of North-Rhine Westphalia said.
Herbert Reul said the group, Palestine Solidarity Duisburg, had repeatedly propagated "its anti-Israeli and antisemitic worldview, at meetings and on social media channels".  Some 50 police officers searched the properties in the northwestern state, confiscating laptops, cash, cell phones and documents, he said in a statement.
Palestine Solidarity Duisburg was not immediately available for comment.  The group had been known to the authorities since May 2023, the minister said. It organised a rally in front of German arms maker Rheinmetall's headquarters, protesting the delivery of weapons to Israel, which is fighting Hamas in Gaza.  The German government last year imposed a complete ban on the activities of Palestinian militant group Hamas, already a designated terrorist organisation in the country.  North-Rhine Westphalia's Office for the Protection of the Constitution recommended the ban on Palestine Solidarity Duisburg, Reul said.
—Reuters

German authorities banned Palestine Solidarity Duisburg for alleged Hamas support and antisemitism. Police raided properties, seizing devices and documents.

German police ban pro-Palestinian group, raid properties

Singapore: Economist Lawrence Wong was on Wednesday sworn in as Singapore's fourth prime minister in a planned political transition for the island state.
Wong, 51, succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, 72, who relinquished his position after two decades; both belong to the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) that has been driving Singapore's economic progress for more than five decades.  Wong, who was the deputy prime minister, will be leading the fourth generation PAP politicians’ government as the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 67, administered the oath to Wong, described by the local media as a low-key leadership transition.  Wong cited continuity, stability and the need to avoid disruptions as reasons for not making major changes at the minister (cabinet) level.  "With all other ministers holding on to their portfolios across the leadership transition from Lee Hsien Loong’s government to Wong’s, it also testifies to the consistency in Wong’s decision-making," a Channel News Asia report said.
—PTI

Lawrence Wong becomes Singapore's 4th Prime Minister, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong in a planned transition, ensuring continuity and stability in government.

Lawrence Wong sworn in as Singapore's new Prime Minister

Lecco: Over 500 years after Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, an academic believes she has unravelled the mystery about the backdrop to one of the world's most famous works of art.
Art historians have long debated its landscape, speculating on the locations that could have inspired Leonardo but the geologist and Italian Renaissance specialist Ann Pizzorusso thinks she has pinpointed it to Lecco in northern Italy.  "When I came to Lecco, I realised he had painted the Mona Lisa here," Pizzorusso said, speaking of the small town on the shores of Lake Como, hitherto best known as the setting of Alessandro Manzoni's masterpiece novel "The Betrothed".
According to the scholar, the arched bridge depicted in the painting would correspond to the 14th-century Ponte Azzone Visconti, even though previous theories had related it to similar structures in other Italian cities, such as Arezzo and Bobbio.  Pizzorusso is not the first person to have claimed to have solved the mystery but she cites her knowledge of geology to back her claims.  "The bridge to me was not the important aspect of painting," Pizzorusso said. "In the other hypotheses the geology was just incorrect."  The geologist found that rock formations in Lecco were limestone, which matched what is depicted behind the noblewoman.  "When you look at the Mona Lisa, you see this part of the Adda River, and you see another lake behind it, which are perfectly shown underneath these sawtooth mountains," she said from the spot where the scene could have been painted.  Pizzorusso's research on Leonardo "shows perfectly the extent to which the artist and the scientist came together," said Michael Daley, executive director of ArtWatch UK, a nonprofit organisation monitoring the conservation of artworks.  "No art historian is qualified to take Ann on in terms of her scientific understanding. The other studies are dead ducks now," he said.
—Reuters

Geologist Ann Pizzorusso claims the Mona Lisa's backdrop is Lecco, Italy. Her findings highlight Leonardo da Vinci's blend of art and science.

Mona Lisa's mysterious background decrypted by art-loving geologist

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday resigned as the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), ARY News reported, citing sources. Shehbaz Sharif has submitted his resignation as party president to Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N supremo. In light of the senior politician's resignation, the PML-N has decided to call a general council meeting in Lahore on May 28 to elect a new president. The PML-N had earlier announced to hold general council meeting on May 11, reported ARY News. In a recent presser, Rana Sanaullah stated that the Punjab chapter of the PML-N has asked Nawaz Sharif to take up the party presidency once more, stressing the importance of his leadership to the party's achievements. He stated that a resolution asking Nawaz Sharif to lead the party once more through this trying time was passed during the PML-N Punjab meeting, according to ARY News. It is important to note that, following his conviction in 2018, the former prime minister was barred from holding any public office. However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted him in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references on November 29 and December 12, respectively. After his acquittal, the former PM contested the General Elections 2024 and returned elected from NA-130 Lahore.
—ANI

Shehbaz Sharif resigns as PML-N president; party to elect new leader in Lahore meeting after Nawaz Sharif's recent acquittal.

Pakistan: Shehbaz Sharif steps down as President of PML-N

Seoul: The man with a shaved head, a beatific smile and flowing grey monk's robes was not offering meditation tips to soothe stress.
Instead, he was playing electronic dance music and shouting "This too shall pass! If you overcome suffering, you will live in paradise!", unlocking the roar of thousands of fans.  Known as "NewJeansNim", he is not a real Buddhist zen master but a South Korean DJ who is captivating young audiences by blending electronic dance music, or EDM, with the teachings of Buddha.  At an annual lotus lantern festival organised by South Korea's largest Buddhist sect on Sunday night to celebrate the Buddha's birthday, a large crowd gathered near a temple in Seoul to enjoy DJ NewJeansNim's performance, chanting "Buddha Handsome!" and jumping with their palms joined in prayer.  His stage name derives from "Sunim", a Korean title of respect for Buddhist monastics.  His real name is Youn Sung-ho, a 47-year-old comedian who debuted in 2001 and has since appeared on several TV shows, well known to many South Koreans by his character name "bbakoo". He worked as a model before his comedy career.  But he is now living another life.  His alter ego as DJ NewJeansNim, drawing younger generations with EDM chanting sutras, is welcomed by South Korea's Buddhist community for promoting "young Buddhism".  "I am just starting to feel that young people are changing their views on Buddhism. Whoever calls me, or wherever, I will go and perform to make it easier for people to accept Buddhism through my EDM performance," Youn told Reuters.  On April 30, Venerable Jinwoo, the head of Jogye Order, the largest sect of Korean Buddhism with some 10 million followers, gifted DJ NewJeansNim with prayer beads and a headset, asking him to keep spreading hope and happiness to young people.  "He is really fresh and new because normally when you think about monks they are pious and quiet. I thought he was really hip," said Lee Hyo-min, 25, one of his fans.
—Reuters

Explore how NewJeansNim merges EDM with Buddha's teachings to charm the youth at the Lotus Lantern Festival in Seoul, promoting a fresh take on Buddhism.

Celebrating Buddha's birthday, a South Korean DJ is in spotlight

Jakarta [Indonesia]: A bus carrying students and teachers crashed in Indonesia's Subang, killing at least 11 people, many of them students on Saturday evening (local time), The New York Times reported. The students and teachers were returning from a graduation celebration when the ill-fated bus met with the accident. According to authorities, the accident occurred at around 6:45 pm (local time) when the vehicle was heading from a hilly resort area in Bandung to Depok, West Java. The cause of the accident was still being investigated. The West Java police said that the bus had sped out of control on a downhill road and crashed into multiple vehicles. According to an initial probe, the bus was apparently not fit for the road and had malfunctioning brakes, the report said. According to the police, 61 passengers were onboard the bus, nine died at the site of the accident and two died later in a hospital. Among the dead were several students, a teacher and a motorcyclist. Several others were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment, some were in critical condition. While addressing a news briefing on Sunday, a West Java police commissioner said that 18 surgeries for serious injuries have been carried out so far. A local television broadcast showed a video of the overturned bus with its shattered windows and frame severely battered, according to The New York Times report. Road accidents involving multiple fatalities are not uncommon in Indonesia, as hilly terrain and inadequate road lighting lead to hazardous driving conditions that cause regular crashes, The New York Times reported. Earlier in 2021, as many as 29 people, including middle school students who were returning home from a school trip, were killed in a bus crash. Police investigations said that malfunctioning brakes were the cause of the accident. Earlier in 2019, another bus crash killed 35 people when the vehicle fell into a ravine.
—ANI

Tragic bus crash in Subang, Indonesia kills 11, including students and a teacher, returning from a graduation celebration.

Indonesia: At least 11, including students, killed in bus crash in Subang

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near the coast of Chiapas in Mexico on Sunday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.
The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), GFZ said.
—Reuters

6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Chiapas, Mexico, with a depth of 10 km. GFZ reports immediate details on seismic activity and potential impacts.

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