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IMPORTANT
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Put it in neutral
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Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ‘cautiously’ considering neutral option
In an address to Russian journalists that was preemptively censored by Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was willing to discuss adopting neutral status as part of a peace accord, but that it should be subject to a referendum and guaranteed by third parties. “Guarantees of security and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go. This is the most important point,” Zelenskyy said. But he stressed that his representatives at face-to-face talks in Turkey this week would not budge when it came to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity or demands for demilitarization. (Source: Reuters, BBC)
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drunk punch
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Will Smith punches Chris Rock minutes before Oscar win
The Oscars may have found the ratings it needed. Will Smith burst onto the stage after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s short hair (she has alopecia, which causes hair loss) and slapped the comedian in the face, yelling “leave the name of my wife out of your fucking mouth”, twice. A few minutes later, he was back on stage accepting the best actor statuette for his role in King Richard – and apologize in tears. Somewhere else, CODA became the first film from a streaming service to win Best Picture and Jane Campion won Best Director for The power of the dog. (Source: NYT)
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bloody saturday
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State of emergency in El Salvador after 62 gang killings in 24 hours
El Salvador’s parliament approved a state of emergency after the country suffered its most violent day since the end of the civil war in 1992. , who was elected in 2019 on promises to fight organized crime. Last year, the gang-ridden nation recorded only 1,140 murders – the lowest in 30 years. Juan Pappier, of the international advocacy group Human Rights Watch, tweeted that the new laws – which restrict the right to assemble and allow arrests without warrants – were “very worrying”. (Source: BBC)
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I did not mean that !
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Biden denies calling for regime change in Russia
An off-the-cuff comment from US President Joe Biden threatened to undo the impact of a carefully – but strongly – crafted speech in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday. “For the love of God, this man cannot stay in power,” he improvised, prompting a quick rebuttal from France’s Emmanuel Macron. “I wouldn’t use those kinds of words,” Macron said, warning they could make the situation worse. The White House spent Sunday playing down the comments, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying, “We don’t have a regime change strategy in Russia or anywhere else.” The Kremlin stressed that “the president of Russia is elected by the Russians”. (Source: NYT, BBC)
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Briefly
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Right here are some things you should know today:
No more US sanctions. The Treasury Department has announced that six Nigerian nationals have been sanctioned for setting up a Boko Haram cell to raise funds for fighters in Nigeria. (Source: AlJazeera) Test everyone? China has announced staggered shutdowns in Shanghai that will be rolled out sequentially to neighborhoods across the city as part of an effort to test the entire population of 26 million. (Source: NYT) Millions strike. Workers across India today began a two-day strike, demanding universal social security coverage for the vast unorganized sector, minimum wage hikes and an end to the privatization of public sector banks. (Source: PA)
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Catch the latest episodes of
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INTRIGUING
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Lord Vlademort
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Putin compares himself to JK Rowling, the author points out the differences
In a televised rant last week, Vladimir Putin lamented the Western boycott of events, books and products with ties to Russia. “Today they are trying to undo a whole millennial culture… They are banning Russian writers and books,” he said before comparing the situation to the treatment of the author of Harry Potter, who has been heavily criticized for its stance on trans rights. “They recently canceled Joan Rowling,” he said, “just because she didn’t meet the demands of women’s rights.” Rowling tweeted that “criticisms of Western cancel culture may not be best done by those currently massacring civilians.” (Source: vanity lounge, Sky News)
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Urinary luck
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New ultrasound technique breaks up kidney stones in 10 minutes
Patients with small kidney stones – waste crystals that can cause severe pain when lodged in the kidneys or ureter – are often treated with shock wave lithotripsy. This technique, which is usually done under sedation and takes about an hour, uses high-amplitude, low-frequency ultrasound waves to break up stones so they can be passed out naturally. Jonathan Harper and a team from the University of Washington have developed a less painful treatment that uses ultrasound waves at a lower amplitude and higher frequency. The new technique takes just 10 minutes, does not require sedation, and breaks stones into smaller pieces. (Source: new scientist)
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decrepit
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Shark House is now a protected monument – much to the chagrin of the owner
Quantum chemist Magnus Hanson-Heine is angered by Oxford City Council’s decision to declare the 25ft-long sculpture of a shark crashing through its roof in rural England a heritage site that brings a ” special contribution” to the community. His father, Bill Heine, and sculptor John Buckley installed the shark in 1986 to protest against American bombings in Libya and the use of missiles and nuclear weapons in general. “Using the planning apparatus to preserve a historic symbol of defiance of planning law is absurd,” said Hanson-Heine, who is particularly angered by the timing of the decision given the Russian bombardment of Ukrainian homes. (Source: PA)
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Remembering Taylor Hawkins
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Foo Fighters drummer dies in Bogota hotel, drugs found in his body
The Foo Fighters have canceled their South American tour after drummer Taylor Hawkins, 50, died on Friday. Hawkins, who joined the band in 1997 and was their most recognizable member behind vocalist Dave Grohl, had traces of 10 substances, including opioids, marijuana and antidepressants, in his body. But Colombian officials have not determined the cause of death. Tributes poured in from the music world: “God bless you Taylor Hawkins. I loved your wit and unstoppable rock power,” wrote Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. Ozzy Osbourne called him “truly a great person and an amazing musician”. (Source: BBC, NME)
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The show must continue
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Saudi Grand Prix continues despite Houthi missile strike
Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday after a missile strike on an oil depot 10 miles from the circuit nearly sabotaged the race. In a four-hour emergency meeting with organisers, drivers – including Verstappen and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton – raised safety concerns while vehemently objecting to Saudi Arabia’s record in matters of human rights. Several drivers have said they never want to race in the Kingdom again, but F1 is desperate to continue racing there due to a $900million contract. “I’m so happy everyone is safe,” Hamilton said after the race. “I just want to go home.” (Source: The Guardian, ESPN, AlJazeera)
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COMMUNITY
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