Everything posted by BirSaNN
-
A Labour MP has accused her party of "choosing not to act" on allegations of sexual misconduct by its MPs. Charlotte Nichols said Labour's hierarchy knew about allegations against current MPs, but "can't even keep our own house in order". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's World At One, she said there was an "underlying absolutely rotten culture at Westminster" around sexual misconduct. Labour said the party would "swiftly and fully investigate" any allegations. MP 'taken aback by extent and severity of abuse' Alleged sex offence MPs could face Parliament ban Ms Nichols said the party had to be "shamed" into suspending Swansea West MP Geraint Davies after allegations that he subjected younger female colleagues to unwanted sexual attention were published by the Politico news website. "It was damage limitation from the party's point of view," the Warrington North MP added. "But they have known about this sort of behaviour - not just from him, but from others as well - for a very long time. And they have chosen not to act," she said. Mr Davies has said he does not recognise the allegations, but added: "If I have inadvertently caused offence to anyone, then I am naturally sorry." Under questioning, Ms Nichols said her party's response to allegations against a frontbench Labour MP who was accused of sexually assaulting a female MP had been "been utterly inadequate". The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police, which announced in May it had ended its inquiry "at the victim's request". 'Political point scoring' In a statement responding to Ms Nichol's interview, Labour said it "would strongly urge anyone with a complaint to come forward so that allegations can be swiftly and fully investigated and action taken. "The party has ensured that there is a wide range of support available to complainants, to provide confidence and confidential guidance throughout the disciplinary process." Ms Nichols said that when she first entered Parliament in 2019, she was "fairly shocked" to be given a verbal list of 30 MPs to avoid by a Labour official "People I was told to do everything I could to make sure that I wasn't alone with, to never accept a drink from, to not get in a lift with," she said. "People that their bad behaviour is so widely known, and so little action has been taken about this, that really it's left to individuals to try to keep themselves safe as far as possible by staying out of the orbit of these people." Ms Nichols said claims of sexual impropriety were used as "political point scoring" by Westminster parties, including her own. "When we can't even keep our own house in order, it is really upsetting both on a personal and political level, because we can and should be better." link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65789649
-
It is only the seventh case of the deadly disease reported in the U.S. since it first emerged in the country in 2003. A rare case of mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), has been detected at a slaughter plant in South Carolina but poses no threat to humans or other cattle. It is only the seventh confirmed case of the extremely deadly disease ever recorded in the U.S. Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the discovery in a statement released May 19. A 5-year-old beef cow belonging to a herd from Tennessee tested positive for BSE after being deemed unfit for slaughter and undergoing routine testing. "This animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or to human health in the United States," USDA representatives wrote in the statement. An investigation into the exact cause of the infection is ongoing, but it is likely an isolated case, they added. Sponsored Links If you own a mouse, you will never turn off your computer again. Combat Siege BSE is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle caused by proteins called prions; prions are found on the surface of cells, but in diseases like mad cow, these proteins fold abnormally and can cause other, healthy prions to do the same. In BSE, the prions affect proteins in the brain and central nervous system, causing a range of symptoms, including behavioral changes, coordination problems, weight loss, decreased milk production and eventually, death, according to the USDA. There are two forms of BSE: classical BSE, which develops when a cow ingests infected material, such as meat or bone meal, made from an infected cow in their feed; and atypical BSE, which develops spontaneously in older cattle. The recently diagnosed cow had atypical BSE, which poses less of a concern for animal welfare officials. link: https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/extremely-rare-case-of-mad-cow-disease-detected-in-the-us
-
We tried out the electric go-kart concept and came away impressed with how easy the swappable battery packs are to use. The Honda eGX Racing Kart is a concept for now, but its greatest appeal is that it's powered by two 1.3-kWh batteries that last for up to 45 minutes of flat-out driving and can be replaced in under 30 seconds. The single electric motor gives the eGX kart plenty of gusto, even if the batteries contribute to a 230-pound weight that makes it a bit heftier than comparable gas karts. The batteries take around five hours to charge, but the simple swapping procedure means that the fun doesn't have to stop when the charge is depleted. For most people, motorsports is prohibitively expensive. Even karting, the lowest rung on the ladder, is a costly exercise. But Honda's latest experiment, the eGX Racing Kart, shows a new path that could make karting far more accessible, eliminating costly nonrenewable items and reducing overall maintenance requirements. The eGX Racing Kart is just a concept for now, but the electric vehicle's swappable batteries hint at a new future for grassroots motorsports. The eGX kart uses Honda's Mobile Power Pack (MPP) batteries, which are designed to be easily replaceable. Measuring 11.7 inches by 6.2 inches by 7.0 inches, the MPPs are roughly the size of a two-slice toaster and weigh 22.7 pounds. Thanks to sturdily integrated handles, transporting the battery is a breeze. The MPP is already in use in Japan, where electric-moped riders can stop at stations to quickly swap out a depleted battery for a fresh one rather than wait for their bike to charge. The approximately 50-volt batteries can each store 1.3 kWh and take about five hours to recharge. In the eGX, two MPP units are wired to operate in series, resulting in a more efficient system with less energy loss compared to batteries wired in parallel. Honda says the two batteries combine to provide 35 to 45 minutes of driving at a time. If you want to stay on the track while the batteries recharge, swapping in new packs takes less than 30 seconds. Simply lift the plastic container lid, undo the locking mechanism by pulling up on the handle, and slide the battery out. The whole process is idiot-proof, with MPPs only fitting into the container one way and the locking mechanism making a audible click when the battery is correctly inserted. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44079294/hondas-egx-racing-kart-electric-drive/
-
Barcelona won a second Women's Champions League title after coming from behind in stunning fashion to beat German giants Wolfsburg. The Spanish champions trailed 2-0 at half-time before Patri Guijarro's two-minute brace pulled them level. Spurred on by their instant response in the second half, Barcelona piled on the pressure and were eventually rewarded. Fridolina Rolfo got the winner, thumping it into the roof of the net from close range with 20 minutes left. After losing their crown to Lyon in last year's final, Barcelona travelled to Eindhoven as favourites against a very strong Wolfsburg side, who were seeking a third European trophy in 10 years. Wolfsburg got off to the perfect start when competition top scorer Ewa Pajor robbed the ball off England defender Lucy Bronze, returning after knee surgery in April, to drive in the opener. Germany international Alexandra Popp was then set-up by Pajor with a teasing cross - the striker making no mistake as she headed in Wolfsburg's second. Barcelona had lacked fluency and patience in the first half but it was no surprise they bounced back, displaying the quality of football that helped them reach a fourth final in five seasons. Among Barcelona's winners was England midfielder Keira Walsh, who picked up her first European title, while Bronze became the first English woman to win the trophy with two different clubs after winning it on three consecutive occasions with former club Lyon between 2018 and 2020. link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65734681
-
Rachel, 34 He recently bought a food processor and has been making some amazing curries – his cooking is a big turn on for me Jerome and I missed out on the honeymoon period. When I met him he was going through a divorce – and his wife was actually a friend of mine – so things weren’t exactly straightforward between us. Then I fell pregnant with our first child, and after she was born we didn’t have good sex for two years. The pregnancy was unplanned: I was 27 and felt too young to be having a baby. I had an abortion, but a month after the procedure I was still experiencing morning sickness. I went to the doctor and he told me the abortion hadn’t worked: I was still pregnant. It’s difficult for me to think about that time now. I was distraught. Jerome and I tried to take the fact that I was still pregnant as a sign that we were meant to have this baby, and, looking back, I suppose we were. But I felt I had no control over my own body. When you have a newborn, the most pleasurable physical sensation you can imagine is simply not to be touched at all. You’ve had your kid physically hanging off you for 18 hours, so all you want to do is sit completely still and have nobody lay a finger on you. We’re experiencing that heady, lovey stage – now, six years into the relationship – because we’re so much more relaxed What kept us going was making the effort to get out of the house together. I felt I’d lost myself, becoming a mother so unexpectedly, and stepping out of our roles as mum and dad for an hour helped with that. Even if we weren’t being physically intimate during that time, we were falling for each other in a new way. Jerome has a laddy exterior but he’s also very sensitive. I got to know that side of him during our difficulties. In some ways we’re experiencing that heady, lovey stage – now, six years into the relationship – because we’re so much more relaxed. These days, whether or not we’re having sex has more to do with the household rota than any drama between us: if Jerome has done the cleaning he is definitely getting some. He recently bought a food processor and has been making some amazing curries – his cooking is a big turn on for me. And if there’s white wine on the table, sex is absolutely happening. Jerome, 39 Now we actively do things for one another in bed, rather than just take what we want out of it. It’s not just about lust, it’s about enjoyment Rachel is a very attractive girl, but, if I’m honest, when we first got together I had an ulterior motive. There was a little voice in my head going: my wife would absolutely hate this! She had cheated on me, so I got a bit of satisfaction out of dating someone she knew. Of course, when Rachel and I fell in love, her connection with my ex stopped being fun. Things moved fast – I can pinpoint the night we conceived our first child. We’d got home a bit drunk, and been living together for less than three months. I know exactly when it was because we weren’t even having much sex at the time. Moving in together so fast had been tricky. An abortion felt like the right decision, but then we found out the operation hadn’t worked, and we weren’t left with much of a choice. It was getting late in the day to have a second abortion, and, to me, the fact that the baby was still there started to feel like destiny. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jun/03/if-there-is-wine-on-the-table-sex-is-absolutely-happening
-
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv has been repeatedly hit by missiles and drones over the past few weeks. Most of the attacks come at night. In central Kyiv, Nataliya Lyashchenko has lost count of the number of times where the sound of air sirens, drones and missiles have stopped her sleeping. During one night-time raid, she said the bright lights in the dark sky were "like Star Wars". Strikes like these are becoming more frequent. Experts believe Russia is changing its tactics in an attempt to sap Ukraine's air defences - but also suspect that, to some degree, it is lashing out at Ukraine's civilian po[CENSORED]tion in response to setbacks in the war. BBC Verify has analysed local media reports, eyewitness accounts, and statements from local officials and the Ukrainian military to build a picture of the rise in these aerial attacks both on Kyiv and across the country since the start of this year. In January, there were just three days when Russia launched aerial attacks on targets in Ukraine. In May, that figure increased to 21 days. There also were attacks on the first two days of June. In addition to intensifying the attacks, Russia appears to have changed its main objectives. Dara Massicot, senior policy researcher at the Rand Corporation, says that the aim of the attacks is to wear down Ukrainian air defences. "Right now we're seeing more strikes against large po[CENSORED]tion centres, which puts Ukraine in a position where they're forced to expend interceptors to defend their cities," she says. Interceptors are surface-to-air missiles used to shoot down attacking drones or missiles. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65682618
-
The organization smuggled heroin and cocaine from the Netherlands to Morocco through Melilla. Rabat - Spain’s Civil Guard and National Police have dismantled a drug trafficking ring that transported hard drugs like heroin and cocaine from the Netherlands to Morocco through the Spanish enclave of Melilla. The authorities arrested five suspects of Spanish and Moroccan nationalities, who all hold extensive criminal records, Spanish outlet El Faro de Melilla reported on Friday. They also seized 2.5 kilograms of heroin and over 22 kilograms of high purity cocaine, as well as possessions valued at over 900,000 euros. The criminal ring would transport the drugs from Europe to Morocco through mule vehicles. The investigation was launched in August 2022 after Dutch authorities apprehended a Spanish citizen with 8 kilograms of cocaine in his possession. El Faro de Melilla reported that the group would store the drugs in a nursery building in the Spanish enclave, and wait for the perfect chance to bring them into Morocco. The leader of the ring, reported to be a Moroccan male, was based in Melilla and was responsible for the entire operation’s logistics and infrastructure. He had an international extradition order on him by the Moroccan authorities. The five people arrested on Friday will be brought before the courts on the counts of belonging to a criminal organization and a crime against public health in the form of drug trafficking, the outlet added. Border security is one of the main priorities of Moroccan-Spanish cooperation. Last year, a meeting between Morocco’s General Director of National Security and Territorial Surveillance (DGSN-DGST) Abdellatif Hammouchi and his Spanish counterpart Francisco Pardo Piqueras saw the two officials reiterate their plans to increase cooperation to tackle security threats and trafficking rings. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/06/355770/spanish-police-dismantle-network-that-smuggled-drugs-to-morocco
-
Nick Movie: MEG 2 Time: August 4, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: - Trailer:
-
A woman has submitted a formal complaint to Labour about the behaviour of suspended MP Geraint Davies. Earlier, the Labour Party said he had been suspended following "incredibly serious" allegations of "completely unacceptable behaviour". According to news website Politico, he is accused of subjecting younger colleagues to unwanted sexual attention. The MP for Swansea West told Politico he did not recognise the allegations. "If I have inadvertently caused offence to anyone, then I am naturally sorry as it is important that we share an environment of mutual and equal respect for all," he said. The BBC has contacted Mr Davies for comment, but has so far received no response. 'Unwanted touching' Mr Davies has been administratively suspended from the party pending an investigation into the allegations. This means he can not sit as a Labour MP while the investigation is ongoing, although he remains the Member of Parliament for Swansea West, and will sit as an independent. Politico, which first reported the allegations, said it had spoken to more than 20 people who worked with Mr Davies in Parliament, including serving MPs, and current and former Labour Party staff. The news site said five women had claimed Mr Davies had subjected them to unwanted sexual attention, both physical and verbal. The allegations, which go back at least five years, include excessive drinking, as well as sexual comments and unwanted touching of younger women, according to the website. Some of the individuals said they had discussed his behaviour with Labour whips, who are in charge of party discipline. 'Incredibly serious' Politico later reported a different woman had submitted a formal complaint to the party, which the BBC has confirmed. Earlier, a Labour Party spokesperson said: "These are incredibly serious allegations of completely unacceptable behaviour. "We strongly encourage anyone with a complaint to come forward to the Labour party's investigation. "Any complainant will have access to an independent support service who provide confidential and independent guidance and advice from external experts throughout the process." Mr Davies, who first became an MP in 1997, has sat on several Commons committees including the Welsh Affairs and Environment Committee. Until 2005 he was the MP for Croydon Central and has also served as leader of the south London borough's council. In 2010 he became MP for Swansea West, where he currently has a majority of 8,116. The allegations of inappropriate behaviour are the latest to emerge from Westminster, in what has been dubbed the "Pestminster scandal". Both Labour and Conservative MPs have faced accusations which have led to suspensions in recent years. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65774184
-
The tiny marsupials have a penchant for peanut butter, which researchers have used to help them monitor and conduct health checks on the po[CENSORED]tion. Adorable marsupials that look like "mini kangaroos on steroids" are bouncing back in southern Australia after disappearing from the region for more than 100 years. Brush-tailed bettongs (Bettongia penicillata), also known as yalgiri in the language of the local Narungga People, are energetic creatures that once hopped and darted across much of the Australian mainland. Over the last two centuries, their numbers have dwindled due to predation by foxes and feral cats, as well as habitat loss. Now only a few thousand survive in pockets of Western Australia, in sanctuaries and on islands. But recently, the mini marsupials have made a comeback in the south after being reintroduced by conservationists. "They're like a little, ankle-sized kangaroo — a mini kangaroo on steroids if you like," Derek Sandow, an ecologist with the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board in South Australia, told the French News Agency (AFP). "They've got really powerful hind legs, they carry their young in their pouch, like a kangaroo does, but they're only a kilo and a half (three pounds)." Sponsored Links If you own a mouse, you will never turn off your computer again. Combat Siege Sandow is part of a team of wildlife researchers that have tagged and reintroduced 120 brush-tailed bettongs to the Yorke Peninsula, near Adelaide, since August 2021, in the hope that the po[CENSORED]tion might recover. The new arrivals were translocated from nearby Wedge Island and from the Upper Warren region of Western Australia and the latest release was coordinated with Noongar and Narungga Traditional Owners, according to WWF Australia. "On the southern Yorke peninsula, we've actually got geography on our side," Sandow told ABC Radio Adelaide. "We've got a foot-shaped peninsula, ocean on three sides. We've built a predator management fence across the ankle, just to slow the movement of foxes and cats, but we're operating in a working landscape, so there's towns and farms, and we're trying to demonstrate that with a reduction of these threats, we can actually bring back these really vulnerable native species." link: https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/mini-kangaroos-on-steroids-make-comeback-in-south-australia-after-disappearing-for-100-years
-
The FF91 2.0 Futurist Alliance, a mouthful of a trim name, celebrates the start of a complex three-step delivery process. Faraday Future has revealed the FF 91 2.0 Futurist Alliance, which it says will begin reaching customers this summer. The startup asks a $5000 deposit against the total price of $309,000 plus an as yet unnamed destination charge. There are also two other models coming: the Futurist model for about $250,000 and the not-yet-priced FF 91 2.0. The Faraday Future FF 91 has existed in theory longer than some of our younger editors have been members of the working world. And what a trip it's been since CES 2017, when the company first unveiled its production-intent design. Of course, the production part of that process has proved quite tricky for the EV startup, but deliveries will allegedly begin this year, and there's a fancy new FF 91 trim to celebrate the occasion. Faraday Future this week announced the FF 91 2.0 Futurist Alliance. Limited to just 300 units globally, the Futurist Alliance costs a meaty $309,000 (not counting the typical, yet unmentioned destination fee), starting with a $5000 deposit. The exclusivity extends beyond just the trim name, with three specific paint options, a new set of wheels, and something the company calls "one-on-one bespoke private AI and special tuning." What doesn't require buzzword-parsing skills, though, are the Apple Watch and personalized driver training that also come with this lofty price tag. If that's too rich for your blood, there's always the $249,000 Futurist model, which only requires a $1500 deposit. The base model, FF 91 2.0, carries a yet-unknown price but the deposit is only $1000. 381 Miles of Range If you're worried about spending house money on a six-year-old car, worry not—its innards are newer than that. In fact, that's where the "2.0" comes from; it's a reference to the fact that the FF 91 has undergone significant revisions since its initial CES debut. A 142.0-kWh battery resides under the floor, powering three motors (two rear, one front) to the tune of a net 1050 horsepower, which is enough for a manufacturer-estimated 2.3-second sprint to 60 mph. This battery is no range slouch, either, with an EPA-estimated 381 miles of range. With EPA figures and post-crash-test approval, the FF 91 seems about as real as a car can get. However, according to the company's press release, the early delivery process will be a bit dense. It starts with "co-creation delivery for the first industry expert Futurist Product Officers (FPOs)." This is a registration-based spot that, according to FF's website, grants access to "exclusive experiences with FF products, provide feedbacks [sic], generate creative ideas, and see your ideas turn into reality." So, if you want the earliest crack possible at the FF 91, not only do you have to pony up six figures of simoleons, it sounds like you also have to give them free ideas to implement in future cars. That's only the first stage of the delivery process. It's unclear if the FPOs will actually receive their cars at the planned "co-creation event"—which is not actually on May 31 but instead on June 6—but rather just receive training on the vehicle's myriad systems, because FF goes on to say that these folks will "take possession of the reserved FF 91 vehicle at the beginning of the second phase of delivery." The third phase is mentioned nowhere in the release, with the exception of the paragraph confirming a tripartite process. Buckle up. It's looking like Faraday Future's Wild Ride still has plenty more track left to travel. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44055678/faraday-future-ff-91-futurist-alliance-launch-edition/
-
Lionel Messi will play his final game for Paris St-Germain against Clermont on Saturday, says manager Christophe Galtier. BBC Sport reported in May that the 35-year-old Argentina forward would leave when his contract ends this summer. Messi, who joined on a free transfer from Barcelona in July 2021, helped PSG win two successive Ligue 1 titles. "I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football," said Galtier. "This will be his last match at the Parc des Princes and I hope that he will receive the warmest of welcomes." PSG increased security at the homes of Messi, forward Neymar, midfielder Marco Verratti and Galtier last month following protest from fans. It followed a defeat by Lorient and Messi being suspended for two weeks after travelling to Saudi Arabia without PSG's permission. He later apologised to his team-mates. Messi captained Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup and, following his return from the tournament, appeared set to stay at PSG. The two parties reached an agreement in principle to extend his stay by a year before changing their minds. ADVERTISEMENT Messi has 21 goals and 20 assists for PSG in all competitions this season, and 32 goals in 74 matches for the club overall. PSG have been knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage in the past two seasons. Spanish football writer Guillem Balague said Messi is set to make a decision on his future soon but will not return to Barcelona, the club where he spent 21 years. link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65776489
-
What with the hypochondriacs and the time-wasters, a medic’s work is never done. And let’s not forget the injured bottoms … At school, I was quite nerdy and interested in human biology, so I decided to go into medicine. No one else in my family is a doctor, so I didn’t have any role models. At medical school, you were given a whole dead body to dissect – I heard stories of people playing cricket with limbs and skipping with intestines. Dealing with patients every day means dealing with a lot of hypochondria – people who have minor symptoms, or absolutely nothing wrong with them, are often convinced that they are dying. One lady came into A&E every day for a year – even though she would be waiting six hours or more to be seen. We have had parents who wanted to have a party, but didn’t have childcare, so dropped off their kids at A&E. Another set of parents came into A&E on Christmas Day to try to get batteries for their kids’ toys because the shops were closed. When patients do require hospital treatment, not all of them are willing to stay put. I remember one patient who had undergone an 18-hour operation and had drains and lines sticking out of him; he was supposed to stay in hospital for a month to recover, but he unplugged himself from all the machines and discharged himself because he had had enough of staying in hospital. In one city where I worked, not a weekend would go by without someone coming in with something stuck up their bottom. Once, a nurse said: “I think he might have passed it.” When I looked down, there was a vibrator buzzing all over the bed. Then there was the lady with the carrot. She said: “I was doing some gardening, fell over and landed on it.” It’s an excuse we have heard thousands of times. The pandemic was horrific. People were dying and there were a lot of people in intensive care. I know of a second-year nursing student who spent months in quarantine without being allowed to go home. A young person with so little experience being put in that situation is awful, but it was a common story. When the initial data on Covid emerged, there was a very high mortality prediction. Covid was a proper threat to life – extremely transmissible, with a genuine fear that it was going to kill even more people than it did. With hindsight, it’s easy to say some things should have been done differently, but, based on the available evidence, I think governments around the world were acting in people’s best interests. The world may have returned to normal, but you still get the same amount of idiots. Recently, a guy came in to A&E because his washing machine had broken down. How do you respond to that? link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jun/01/one-guy-came-into-ae-because-his-washing-machine-was-broken-my-life-as-a-doctor-in-badly-behaved-britain
-
The Russian region of Belgorod has again come under attack from across the Ukrainian border, with at least eight people reportedly hurt in shelling. Russia's defence ministry has also claimed it thwarted other attempts by Ukraine to "invade" the region. Kyiv has not commented on the allegations but has denied involvement in previous attacks across the border. The latest strikes come more than a week after one of the most significant cross-border raids since the war began. Belgorod's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Ukraine's armed forces shelled several districts on Thursday, damaging buildings. No fatalities have been reported but Mr Gladkov said hundreds of families would be evacuated once the situation became calmer. Mr Gladkov added that as a result, some school exams in Shebekino had been cancelled and the authorities were now devising a way to allow students to secure university places without sitting them. He also said that there had been an explosion in Belgorod city, which was thought to have been caused by a drone. Two people were injured in that attack. Alongside the shelling, Russia's defence ministry has claimed its servicemen in the region "repelled three attacks by Ukrainian terrorist groups", whose formations "suffered significant losses" and were "driven back". "More than 30 Ukrainian terrorists, four armoured combat vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, and one pickup truck were destroyed on the Ukrainian side of the border," said ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov. It has not been possible to independently verify the reports. There have been conflicting reports about violence on the border. BBC Verify has seen videos from two pro-Ukrainian paramilitary groups, the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, announcing raids into Russia's territory. Despite this, local officials have denied reports of a Ukrainian troop breakthrough in Shebekino adding that the situation remains difficult and that the "shelling is ongoing". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of the situation in Belgorod and criticised the international committee for failing to condemn Ukraine. There have been a spate of attacks inside Russia in recent weeks. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of trying to frighten Russians following drone attacks in the capital, Moscow. Kyiv has denied involvement in any of the attacks. But the US is investigating whether any of its military equipment was used in the earlier incursion in Belgorod on 22 May and said it did not support any attack on Russian soil. Meanwhile, three people have died during another attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. An 11-year-old girl is reported to be among the dead. It is the fourth attack on the city this week and comes after 17 strikes were launched on Kyiv throughout May. It comes as the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, again called for Ukraine to be allowed to join Nato and the EU. He was visiting Moldova for the European Political Community summit, where he also met European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen. He said their talks touched on security guarantees for Ukraine while it's waiting to join Nato. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65779989
-
The decision to promote the Amazigh language aligns with Article 5 of Morocco's 2011 constitution, which recognizes Tamazight as an official language of the country. Rabat - Morocco's Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports announced today its decision to gradually introduce the teaching of the Amazigh language in primary education, beginning from the 2023/2024 school year and aiming for full implementation by the start of the 2029/2030 school year. To effectively implement this nationwide project, the ministry is undertaking various actions and measures at different levels, including organizational, administrative, pedagogical, training, and support initiatives at central, regional, provincial, and local levels. The goal is to ensure that by the start of the 2025-2026 school year, 50% of schools will offer instruction in Amazigh, the ministry said in a press release. These measures include comprehensive teacher training programs to enhance pedagogical skills, regular supervision and support from educational inspectors, increased use of information and communication technology (ICT), and the promotion of digital resources for teaching the Amazigh language. As part of a partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, digital platforms for distance learning will be provided to both teachers and students. This collaboration aims to establish the official status of the Amazigh language and strengthen its integration within the education system. Read Also: Amazigh New Year Becomes Official National Holiday in Morocco To facilitate the implementation of this project and equip Amazigh language teachers with the necessary tools for teaching, the ministry will provide kits, manuals, and guides to further solidify the Amazigh language's place in the linguistic framework of the education system. The decision to promote the Amazigh language aligns with Article 5 of Morocco's 2011 constitution, which recognizes Tamazight as an official language of the country and a “common heritage of all Moroccans without exception.” It also reflects King Mohammed VI's commitment to preserving the Berber language as part of Morocco's identity and cultural heritage. The implementation of this project demonstrates Morocco's dedication to integrating the Amazigh language into education and public life, as mandated by Law 26-16. On May 3, 2023, King Mohammed VI gave instructions to add the Amazigh New Year to the list of national holidays in Morocco, a historic step that's widely expected to deepen national unity and further promote the country's diverse cultural heritage. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/06/355739/morocco-plans-to-expand-amazigh-language-teaching-to-50-of-schools-by-2025
-
Nick Movie: CITADEL DIANA Time: coming in 2024 May 26 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: - Trailer: