International

15-05-2023 BOSTON: US President Joe Biden’s has appointed Shahid Ahmed Khan to the prestigious President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts (PACA), the White House confirmed via a statement released on May 12; media reported Sunday. The PACA, an institution steeped in history since its establishment in 1958, has been a …

15-05-2023 Bureau Report + Agencies EYRE PENINSULA/ SYDNEY: A surfer is believed to have been killed in a shark attack on the west coast of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Rescuers were called to Walkers Rock Beach near Elliston at 10:10 local time (00:40 GMT) on Saturday morning. The 46-year-old man …

15-05-2023 VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he is constantly praying for peace after the two met privately at the Vatican. The pontiff also stressed on the urgent need to help “the most fragile people, innocent victims” of the full-scale invasion launched by Russia last year. …

15-05-2023 DHAKA: About half a million people are being evacuated to safer areas in south-eastern Bangladesh, ahead of a cyclone that could be extremely dangerous. Mocha is predicted to make landfall at midday, with 170kph (106mph) winds and storm surges of up to 3.6m (12ft). There are concerns the cyclone …

15-05-2023 KHARTOUM: Heavy fighting between warring parties has continued in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and other cities ahead of the ceasefire talks on Sunday. Residents say the Sudanese army has pounded civilian areas, while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has occupied civilian properties. Clashes were reported in Khartoum, neighboring Omdurman …

15-05-2023 MOSCOW/ KYIV: The hometown of Ukraine’s Eurovision act was hit by Russian missiles moments before the band took to the stage in Liverpool, officials say. The head of Ternopil regional state administration, Volodymyr Trush, confirmed two people had been injured. Ternopil mayor Serhiy Nadal said warehouses were damaged. Ukraine’s …

15-05-2023 BERLIN: Germany will provide Ukraine with additional military aid worth almost $3bn, including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition, the government announced ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s arrival in Berlin. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday that Berlin wanted to show, with its latest military aid package …

15-05-2023 Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA: Former President Donald Trump’s planned outdoor rally in Florida was abruptly canceled on Saturday due to a tornado watch. The cancellation came on the same day that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, considered a top potential challenger for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, engaged with voters in …

15-05-2023 GAZA/ JERUSALEM: A ceasefire was implemented, ending five days of intense fighting between Gaza and Israel. The violence claimed the lives of at least 33 Palestinians in Gaza and two individuals in Israel. Scheduled to commence at 10:00 pm local time, the ceasefire faced a last-minute barrage of rockets …

14-05-2023 Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI/ KARNATAKA: India’s opposition Congress party has won power in a key state, partial election results showed, defeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a year ahead of national polls. It removed Modi’s BJP from office in Karnataka, the only southern …