Headline News
- Wall Street oscillates amid COVID-19 spikes, muted data
Wall Street struggled for direction on Thursday as investors weighed a resurgence in coronavirus infections and the possibility of a new round of shutdowns against data that suggested the U.S. economy might not bounce back with quick, V-shaped recovery.
  
- Facebook takes down certain posts, ads from Trump re-election campaign
Facebook Inc said on Thursday it took down certain posts and advertisements from U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence related to their re-election campaign, due to violation of the social network’s policy against organized hate.
 
- Jean Kennedy Smith, last surviving sibling of JFK, is dead at 92
Jean Kennedy Smith, the last surviving sibling of slain President John F. Kennedy, who as U.S. ambassador to Ireland in the 1990s played a pivotal role in the Northern Irish peace process, died on Wednesday at age 92.
 
- Portraits of former Confederate House speakers to be removed: Pelosi
Portraits of four former House of Representatives speakers who served the Confederacy will be removed from the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday.
 
- U.S. prison riot teams faulted for injuring staff during exercises
U.S. Bureau of Prisons riot teams that helped protect the White House during protests earlier this month injured employees by deploying flash bang grenades and pepper spray during exercises last year, the Justice Department’s internal watchdog has found.
 
- Lloyd’s of London to pay for ‘shameful’ Atlantic slave trade role
The Lloyd’s of London insurance market apologised on Thursday for its “shameful” role in the 18th and 19th Century Atlantic slave trade and pledged to fund opportunities for black and ethnic minority people.
 
- Explainer: London faces up to former role insuring Atlantic slave trade
London is facing up to its role in insuring the slave trade as part of a sweeping global reassessment of history and racism.
 
- U.S. Supreme Court blocks Trump bid to end ‘Dreamers’ immigrant program
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt President Donald Trump a major setback on his hardline immigration policies, blocking his bid to end a program that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants – often called “Dreamers” – who entered the United States illegally as children.
 
- Exclusive: Massive spying on users of Google’s Chrome shows new security weakness
A newly discovered spyware effort attacked users through 32 million downloads of extensions to Google’s market-leading Chrome web browser, researchers at Awake Security told Reuters, highlighting the tech industry’s failure to protect browsers as they are used more for email, payroll and other sensitive functions.
 
- Pelosi urges Senate to take up ‘Dreamers’ bill after top court ruling
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday urged the Senate to take up legislation previously passed by the Democratic-led House in support of so-called “Dreamers” now that the Supreme Court has blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to end their protections.
 
Shanghai Daily
- NZ locks down Auckland after 4 fresh virus cases
New Zealand said yesterday it was shutting down its largest city, Auckland, after four new cases of COVID-19 in the city, the first evidence of domestic transmission after being coronavirus-free for 102
- World sending flour to help Lebanon make bread
The World Food Programme will send 50,000 tons of wheat flour to Lebanon as an international aid after last week’s blast at Beirut’s port destroyed its only silo with all the private stocks held there,
- Did Renaissance master give himself a nose job?
Raphael probably didn’t like his nose, and replaced it with an idealized version in his famous self-portrait.
- Gandhi’s golden glasses to go under the hammer
A “rare and important” pair of iconic glasses worn by Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi look set to sell for tens of thousands of pounds after a British auction house put them up for sale on Mon
- Rage over Chicago police shooting
Hundreds of people descended on downtown Chicago early on Monday following a police shooting on the city’s South Side, with vandals smashing the windows of dozens of businesses and making off with merchandise,
- 1 dead as gas explosion rocks Baltimore
A NATURAL gas explosion destroyed three row houses in the US city of Baltimore on Monday morning, killing a woman and trapping other people in the debris.
- Shots fired near White House, but Trump safe
US President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a Secret Service agent out of the White House press room as he began a coronavirus briefing on Monday.
- US wants to delay G7 again
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he is interested in hosting G7 in a “calmer atmosphere” after the November presidential election, and that he has not decided whether to invite Russian President
- Russia first to approve vaccine for coronavirus
PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Russia had become the first country in the world to grant regulatory approval to a COVID-19 vaccine, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide
- World pledges US$295m to help a nation in crisis
World leaders on Sunday pledged more than 250 million euros (US$295 million) for disaster-struck Lebanon, with the emergency aid to be delivered “directly” to a population reeling from the deadly port
- Lebanon’s govt falls amid rage at deadly blast
Lebanon’s Cabinet has resigned over last week’s devastating blast at the Beirut port, the health minister said yesterday, a decision that was made under pressure as several ministers quit or expressed
- Legacy of forced labor haunts Japan’s ties with its neighbors
For years, Yeom Chan-soon was haunted by the cracking sound of a leather belt eating into the flesh of a fellow Korean mine worker being punished for trying to escape from forced labor in Japan.
BBC News (Middle East)
- Beirut explosion: City holds vigil to mourn blast victims
A Muslim call to prayer is broadcast and church bells toll a week after the devastating blast.
- Two Iranians sentenced to 10 years for spying
One man was accused of being a UK spy, while the other was convicted of spying for Israel and Germany.
- Fixing the scars of Beirut’s explosion
A plastic surgeon is offering free surgery to people like Romy, who was driving near the port when the blast hit.
- Beirut: Anatomy of a lethal explosion
Starting with the epicentre, we follow how the blast ripped through the city, bringing life to a halt.
- In pictures: Deadly floods hit Yemen’s historic capital
Some 130 people have died in heavy rains since mid-July, authorities in rebel-held Sanaa say.
- ‘We don’t have dreams any more’
The huge blast in Beirut’s port can be seen as a tragic symbol of Lebanon’s dysfunction as a state.
- Beirut explosion: Before-and-after images
Satellite and aerial images show the extent of the Beirut port explosion that ripped through the Lebanese city.
- Beirut explosion: Anti-government protests break out in city
Lebanese security forces deployed tear gas on a group of demonstrators near parliament.
- Saudi crown prince accused of sending hit squad to Canada
Mohammed bin Salman has been accused of sending a hit-squad to kill a former Saudi official.
- Beirut explosion: What we know so far
A devastating explosion in Beirut on 4 August killed at least 200 people and injured thousands.
- Beirut explosion: How ship’s deadly cargo ended up at port
More than 2,000 tons of ammonium nitrate arrived in 2013 on the Moldovan-flagged MV Rhosus.
- Beirut: Why has there been crisis after crisis in Lebanon?
From the war in 1975 to the explosion that devastated the port area of the capital, Beirut.
- Beirut explosion: What is ammonium nitrate and how dangerous is it?
Ammonium nitrate has been blamed for a deadly explosion in Beirut, but what exactly is the chemical?
- Beirut explosion: How conspiracy theories spread on social media
False rumours about what caused the Beirut explosion and who was behind it spread on social media.
- Iran women’s podcast gives voice to victims of abuse
Women in Iran are often too scared to speak about domestic abuse – now a podcast gives them a voice.
- Boys’ lemonade stand raises thousands for Yemen crisis
Best friends, Ayaan and Mikaeel, aged six, want to help children suffering in the Yemen crisis.
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A large number of Iranian university students meet with Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei at the 16th night of the fasting month of Ramadan on May 22, 2019. Photo: khamenei.ir 
Tehran, May 23, IRNA – Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi pointed to the ‘psycho-propaganda’ scenario launched against Iran, and said that this scenario is pre-maturely defeated and will definitely go nowhere.
Tehran, May 23, IRNA – German Foreign Ministry political director Jens Ploetner accompanied with German Ambassador to Tehran Michael Klor Berchtold held talks with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs Abbas Araqchi on bilateral ties and Iran nuclear deal.
Islamabad, May 23, IRNA – Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the victory in general election.
Persian yellow deer, which is on the verge of extinction, is seen on a series of photos in Dasht Naz protected area in northern Iran on May 23, 2019. IRNA/Ehsan Fazli Osanloo