Billionaire Elon Musk announced on Friday that his company SpaceX will provide internet service for 19,000 rural schools in Brazil and environmental monitoring in the Amazon.

"Super excited to be in Brazil for launch of Starlink for 19,000 unconnected schools in rural areas & environmental monitoring of Amazon!" Musk wrote in his Twitter account on Friday.

Starlink, a satellite constellation operated by SpaceX, provides internet access with more than 2,400 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit to 32 countries.

Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, is also expected to meet Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, according to Teslarati, a California-based multi-platform media company that publishes news on Tesla, SpaceX, and ventures affiliated with Musk.

The Brazilian government announced in November that it was considering to provide satellite internet service to indigenous communities, schools, and health centers in the Amazon, according to Teslarati.​​​​​​​/aa

The European Commission announced on Friday an additional €22 million ($23.3 million) in humanitarian aid for the Rohingya community.

The aid will provide shelter, food and health assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and their host communities, as well as displaced Rohingya and other conflict-affected people in Myanmar, the EU’s executive body said in a statement.

“The EU’s new aid package underlines our commitment to the most vulnerable refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh, as well as conflict-affected population in Myanmar,” said Janez Lenarcic, EU commissioner for crisis management.

He emphasized that “sustained international solidarity is essential” because the Rohingya crisis has reached unprecedented proportions.

According to the UN, the number of people in humanitarian need in Myanmar has sharply risen from 1 million to over 14.4 million in a year.

Described by the UN as “the most persecuted minority in the world,” the Rohingya faced a brutal military crackdown in Rakhine state in Myanmar in August 2017.

Thousands of Rohingya have been killed by Myanmar forces, while more than 1 million have fled in successive waves of displacement since the 1990s, according to the UN refugee agency.

Bangladesh alone hosts around 1.2 million Rohingya who have fled the violence and persecution since 2017./aa

The Global Well being Organisation (WHO) held an emergency assembly on Friday to speak about the hot outbreak of monkeypox, a viral an infection extra commonplace to west and central Africa, after over 100 circumstances have been showed or suspected in Europe.

The WHO committee assembly to speak about the problem is the Strategic and Technical Advisory Team on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Doable (STAG-IH), which advises on an infection dangers that might pose an international well being danger. It might no longer be answerable for deciding whether or not the outbreak must be declared a public well being emergency of global worry, WHO’s best type of alert, which is recently implemented to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here is what we all know to this point about Monkeypox:

– The primary Eu case was once showed on Would possibly 7 in a person who returned to England from Nigeria.

– Since then, over 100 circumstances had been showed out of doors Africa, in step with a tracker by way of a College of Oxford instructional.

– Portugal detected 9 extra circumstances on Friday, taking its general to 23.

– Spain reported 24 new circumstances on Friday, basically within the Madrid area the place the regional executive closed a sauna connected to the vast majority of infections.

– Lots of the circumstances don’t seem to be connected to go back and forth to the continent. Consequently, the reason for this outbreak is unclear, even though well being government have stated that there’s doubtlessly a point of group unfold.

– Circumstances had been reported in a minimum of 9 nations Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK – in addition to the USA, Canada and Australia.

– Germany described it as the most important outbreak in Europe ever.

– There’s no explicit vaccine for monkeypox, however information displays that the vaccines used to eliminate smallpox are as much as 85% efficient towards monkeypox, in step with the WHO.

– British government stated they have got presented a smallpox vaccine to a couple healthcare employees and others who will have been uncovered to monkeypox.

– Maximum are being detected thru sexual well being services and products and amongst males who’ve intercourse with males, and the huge geographic unfold throughout Europe and past means that transmission will have been occurring for a while.

– In Britain, the place 20 circumstances had been now showed, the United Kingdom Well being Safety Company stated the hot circumstances within the nation have been predominantly amongst males who self-identified as homosexual, bisexual or males who’ve intercourse with males.

– Union Well being Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has directed the Nationwide Centre for Illness Keep an eye on and the ICMR to stay an in depth watch at the state of affairs.

– The Union well being ministry has advised airport and port government that any in poor health passenger with a go back and forth historical past to Monkeypox-affected nations be remoted and samples despatched to the Nationwide Institute of Virology./Reuters

The United States is “deeply concerned” that China will restrict access to a visit by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, the State Department said on Friday, while also criticizing Bachelet for his “silence” in the face of it What it said was atrocities in China’s western Xinjiang region.

China’s Foreign Ministry announced that Bachelet will visit the country from May 23-28, marking the first visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since 2005. Her schedule includes a trip to Xinjiang, where activists say around 1 million Uyghur Muslims live in mass detention.

The United States has accused Beijing of committing genocide there, and Western rights groups fear the visit will be seen as an endorsement of China’s human rights record. Continue reading 

“We are deeply concerned about the upcoming visit,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a news conference, adding the United States has “no expectation that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) will provide the necessary access that required to conduct a full visit, unmanipulated assessment of Xinjiang’s human rights environment.”

Price said the United States has communicated its concerns to China and Bachelet, who he says have failed to heed repeated calls by the United States and other countries for months to release a report from their staff on the situation in Xinjiang.

“Despite frequent assurances from her office that the report will be released shortly, it remains unavailable to us,” Price said.

“The High Commissioner’s continued silence in the face of indisputable evidence of atrocities in Xinjiang and other human rights violations and abuses across the PRC is deeply concerning, particularly as she is and should be the leading … voice on human rights,” he said.

China has dismissed Western allegations of forced labor and genocide against Uyghurs and warned other countries not to interfere in China’s internal affairs by criticizing its actions in Xinjiang.

Human Rights Watch said Friday that it and other human rights groups had expressed concerns that the Chinese government was “manipulating the visit as a public relations stunt.”/ Reuters 

  A prominent Ethiopian general critical of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government appeared in court on Friday after being detained this week, his wife said, amid the arrests of some ethnic Amhara political activists and journalists. 

Brigadier General Tefera Mamo commanded the Amhara region’s forces until February when he was removed without explanation. Amhara forces backed Abiy’s federal troops against rebellious forces in northern Tigray when conflict erupted there in 2020.

Last Sunday, Tefera gave a TV interview in which he criticized Abiy’s strategy against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and also accused Amhara members of the prime minister’s ruling party of being motivated by money.

Menen Haile, Tefera’s wife, said he had been remanded in custody for ten days.

“The police said they suspected him working to forcefully dismantle the constitutional order,” she told Reuters.

Tefera was arrested in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on Monday, Menen said.

The president and spokesman of Amhara’s regional administration and police did not respond to requests for comment.

Critics say Abiy, who won a Nobel Peace Prize after taking power as a reformist in 2018, is cracking down on dissent around Ethiopia. He says he is guaranteeing stability and law and order in the multi-ethnic nation.

Daniel Bekele, head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, said his team was monitoring Tefera’s detention.

“We are gravely concerned about the wave of arrests,” he told Reuters.

The federal government issued a statement saying it was “taking a wide range measures in Amhara region against groups involved in the illegal arms trade, looting and destroying property of individuals, killings, and creating conflict among the public.”

CLASHES AND ARRESTS

Tefera’s case comes during reports of arrests and a clash in one town in Amhara, Ethiopia’s second most populous region, where a 2019 uprising led by a dissident general killed the regional president and chief of army staff.

On Thursday, allied federal and regional troops clashed in Motta with members of a volunteer militia known as Fano, according to Fano member Tafere Damete. He gave no more details.

Fano had been helping federal and Amhara soldiers in the Tigray war, and in his TV interview, Tefera had said the movement should not be sidelined.

A student leader, Eshetu Getinet, told Reuters that two Fano members had been detained in recent days in the regional capital and operations were under way to pick up more.

Nine members of the National Movement of Amhara (NAMA), an opposition party, were also arrested in two towns on May 18, said the Amhara Association of America.

“We urge the government to immediately stop abduction of NAMA members and leaders, Fano leaders, youths, those who are legally armed, military officers who served their country tirelessly,” said a statement signed by five NAMA parliamentarians.

Five journalists from local media outlet Ashara, which has focused recent reporting on Fano, were also detained on Thursday, their colleague told Reuters.

“Those who took them were wearing a uniform of Amhara special forces, Amhara police and anti-riot forces. I was hiding in a toilet when they took them,” he said, adding that they shut down Ashara’s offices in Bahir Dar.

Amhara officials, military and police had no comment./Reuters 

An additional 3 gold medals have been added to the Kuwaiti team following the first day of swimming competitions, putting their current standing in the swimming category at 9 Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze.

The event took place at the Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Aquarium Complex at Al-Nasr Club earlier today, and witnessed Walid Abdul-Razzaq winning gold in the 100m freestyle category, to be trailed by Saudi Arabia, and Qatar in third. In the 200m mixed medley, Qatar managed to obtain Gold and Silver thanks to Abdul-Aziz Al-Obaidli and Omar Ashraf, while Bronze went to the UAE’s Salem Ghalib. The second Gold for Kuwait came during the 100m Breaststroke as Rashid Al-Tarmoum touched the wall for the win.

Representing Kuwait Abbas Qoli, Sauod Al-Shamroukh, Mashari Al-Samhan, and Walid Abdul-Razzaq for the intense 4 X 200m freestyle relay to finish in first place, trailed by Qatar and Oman. The upcoming swimming events will be held on Friday, the competitions consisting of the 100m freestyle, 200m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 400m freestyle.

The Kuwaiti shooting team added another bronze medal to its tally during participation in the third Gulf Games held in Kuwait until May 31st. The shooting team had two gold medals, one silver, and three bronze. Today’s bronze medal came via the Kuwaiti team consisting of Abdullah Al-Huraibi, Ali Al-Mutairi, and Turki Al-Shimmiri who competed in the 50 meters rifle three-position event.

The gold went to the Omani team with the silver snatched by the Bahraini team. The shooting event will concluded tomorrow with the Skeet singles and teams’ event as well as the teams’ 25 meters rapid fire and teams’ 10 meters air pistol competitions. (KUNA)

Three gold for Kuwait’s Aquatic team

Kuwait shooting team wins bronze medal in Gulf Games

An additional 3 gold medals have been added to the Kuwaiti team following the first day of swimming competitions, putting their current standing in the swimming category at 9 Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze.

The event took place at the Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Aquarium Complex at Al-Nasr Club earlier today, and witnessed Walid Abdul-Razzaq winning gold in the 100m freestyle category, to be trailed by Saudi Arabia, and Qatar in third. In the 200m mixed medley, Qatar managed to obtain Gold and Silver thanks to Abdul-Aziz Al-Obaidli and Omar Ashraf, while Bronze went to the UAE’s Salem Ghalib. The second Gold for Kuwait came during the 100m Breaststroke as Rashid Al-Tarmoum touched the wall for the win.

Representing Kuwait Abbas Qoli, Sauod Al-Shamroukh, Mashari Al-Samhan, and Walid Abdul-Razzaq for the intense 4 X 200m freestyle relay to finish in first place, trailed by Qatar and Oman. The upcoming swimming events will be held on Friday, the competitions consisting of the 100m freestyle, 200m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 400m freestyle.

The Kuwaiti shooting team added another bronze medal to its tally during participation in the third Gulf Games held in Kuwait until May 31st. The shooting team had two gold medals, one silver, and three bronze. Today’s bronze medal came via the Kuwaiti team consisting of Abdullah Al-Huraibi, Ali Al-Mutairi, and Turki Al-Shimmiri who competed in the 50 meters rifle three-position event.

The gold went to the Omani team with the silver snatched by the Bahraini team. The shooting event will concluded tomorrow with the Skeet singles and teams’ event as well as the teams’ 25 meters rapid fire and teams’ 10 meters air pistol competitions. (KUNA)

 MP Osama Al-Shaheen asked Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Oil and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Muhammad Al-Fares if the Council of Ministers has determined the minister in charge of the lopsided demographic structure issue as per Article One of law number 74/2020 on demographic imbalance.

He wants to know if the Council of Ministers issued the executive regulations to address the demographic imbalance issue as stated in Article Three of the law, which has been in effect since Nov 28, 2020. He also inquired why the executive decree on the law has yet to be issued, taking into consideration that Article Five of the same law stipulates one year grace period for the Council of Ministers to issue the decree.

Meanwhile the Public Authority for Manpower has decided to postpone the amendment of the percentages of national labor in the private sector, which was to be increased according to directions to support national labor in the sector and in coordination with the Civil Service Council. The decision to postpone was to make further study in setting appropriate ratios and perceptions. PAM is keen on recruiting Kuwaiti youth in various sectors and institutions especially in the banking sector with more Kuwaiti employees./ Arab times online

Reconnaissance Research on Tuesday hosted a closed symposium attended by French experts about the impacts of the Ukraine war on Kuwait and the region, in presence of HE French Ambassador to Kuwait Claire Le Flecher and a number of representatives of the French diplomatic mission. The symposium focused on visions and ideas presented by two key speakers: Dr. Pierre Razoux, Dr. Jean Baptiste.

Both of them have long experience in the fields of security, defense and international relations. The conferees discussed the effects of global changes. triggered by the Russian war on Ukraine, on the Iranian nuclear deal.

The speakers pointed out that Iran would become a nuclear country by 2025, and that any future deal wouldn’t work out, considering that it is necessary to get ready to deal with a “nuclear Iran” even if this fact doesn’t appeal to the region’s countries.

The symposium stressed that there is European willingness to support Ukraine as much as possible, as Russian President Vladimir Putin bets on Europe’s impatience with the war effects due to its growing energy needs, especially during the coming winter. The speakers said that if the war doesn’t come to an end before winter, some European countries may change their mind, given pressing energy needs. Still, their stance wouldn’t matter so much nor would it reverse the equation in favor of the Russian side, regarded by the speakers as the loser so far due to failure to achieve its ends as scheduled.

The symposium considered that China, Turkey and India are key beneficiaries of the war since they have had unprecedented export opportunities, especially following Russia’s decision to suspend its exports of military supplies, spare parts and other strategic goods. The speakers noted that the need to have food, water and energy security has now become the core issue for all countries, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic and then the Russian war on Ukraine.

Addressing the symposium, French Ambassador Claire Le Flecher said: “It is important for us to collaborate with independent think-tanks such as Reconnaissance Research to talk about many pressing issues, and Ukraine in this context is an important topic.” She also drew a comparison between the relevance of such discussions regarding Kuwait’s past with the Iraqi invasion. Support was given to Kuwait at that time, it needs to be given to Ukraine today.

On his part, Dr. Pierre Razoux, the Academic and Research Director of the FMES Institute, said: “This war has far more impacts than many people realize.” He also talked about the impact of the EU’s management of the Ukrainian crisis, creating challenges or burdens for China regarding its links with many states, especially GCC. Dr. Jean Baptiste Jeangène-Vilmer, director of the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM) at the French Ministry for the Armed Forces, said: “I strongly believe that the EU has both the will and ability to sustain its support for Ukraine even during the coming winter, when there will be more demand for energy.”

He also spoke about how the EU gathered together in unity to face this war and show its power of cohesion. Founder and CEO of Reconnaissance Research Abdulaziz Al-Anjeri said: “To have two prestigious French institutions (FMES) and (IRSEM) select Reconnaissance Research as a starting point for their inaugural activities in Kuwait, is a true honor.” He added: “the significance of this symposium stems from its main issue: the Russian war on Ukraine. And despite Europe being the hardest hit by this war, it is a global crisis, and no country seems to be far from being affected by its impacts.”

Participants pointed out that Russia is a superpower that has strong presence in the region and enjoys strategic relations with many countries here. The discussion listed the main impacts of this war as the surge in oil prices and disruption of international supply chains, underlining that it’s necessary to weigh all these dimensions with key research, academic and scientific experts only to get familiar with future scenarios and possible reflections on Kuwait and the region in general./

Turkiye has valid grounds for opposing Sweden's NATO membership, a Swedish journalist said in his column on Thursday.

PM Nilsson, foreign affairs editor at Swedish daily Dagens Industri, said that there are legitimate reasons for Turkiye to stand against Sweden's application to join NATO.

He said the Social Democratic Party's precondition for Magdalena Andersson's election as premier was the "agreement" it made with independent MP Amineh Kakabaveh to help the YPG/PKK terror group.

The agreement was "weird" and "unconstitutional," he said.

"It was to deepen cooperation with the YPG/PKK in Syria. This agreement means that a single lawmaker dictates Sweden's foreign policy through the YPG, which is defined by Turkiye as the Syrian branch of the PKK," according to Nilsson.

He further said this "untenable agreement" showed that there is no "misunderstanding" by Turkiye, as opposed to what Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said.

On the election of Andersson as Sweden's prime minister, far-right Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson had said that the Social Democratic Party was negotiating with the PKK terror group to form a government.

"We saw that the Social Democratic Party would establish a close relationship with the PYD, a branch of the PKK terror group, via Kakabaveh to form the government," Akesson had said.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US and European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot./aa