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Voxus News, Bradford (2024)

23/05/2023

📰 Russian 🇷🇺 PM arrives in China 🇨🇳 for business forum, talks with Xi 🤝

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has landed in China, according to Moscow's foreign ministry. His visit will involve a meeting with President Xi Jinping and the signing of several agreements on infrastructure and trade 📜🤝. Mishustin arrived in Shanghai on Monday, receiving a warm welcome from Moscow's Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov and Beijing's top diplomat to Russia Zhang Hanhui 🛬🤝.

The Kremlin stated that Mishustin will participate in a Russian-Chinese Business Forum and visit a petrochemical research institute in Shanghai, along with engaging in talks with "representatives of Russian business circles" 🤝💼. Bloomberg News reported that the forum has invited sanctioned Russian tycoons, including those from the crucial fertilizer, steel, and mining sectors, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who deals with energy issues ⛽💼.

Russia's gas exports have experienced a significant decline due to severe sanctions imposed by Western countries following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, China became Russia's top energy customer last year, offering a boost to its exports 🌍🔌.

After his stay in Shanghai, Mishustin will travel to Beijing where he will meet with Xi and Premier Li Qiang, as reported by Russian state media TASS 🛫🤝🇨🇳. China and Russia have strengthened their economic cooperation and diplomatic ties in recent years, with their strategic partnership growing closer following Russia's invasion. China, though claiming neutrality in the conflict, has refrained from condemning Russia's actions 🤝🚫❌.

In February, Beijing issued a 12-point paper calling for a "political settlement" to the conflict in Ukraine, which was seen by Western countries as potentially allowing Russia to maintain control over much of the seized territory 📄🏴‍☠️. During a March summit in Moscow, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement ushering in a "new era" of cooperation, while Xi also extended an invitation to Putin to visit Beijing. Just days earlier, Putin had faced an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine ⚖️🏴‍☠️🇺🇦🇷🇺.

15/05/2023

Turkey's election night was marred by squabbling and accusations between the two major parties as the vote count seesawed back and forth.

The opposition accused state-run Anadolu news agency of slowing the vote count to keep their candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, trailing behind President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, figures from the Anka news agency showed a much narrower lead for Erdogan, with Kilicdaroglu close behind in the national vote.

The spokesperson for Erdogan's AK Party accused the opposition of trying to usurp the ballot and making a grave statement. As the vote count continues, tensions remain high in Turkey, and the question remains, who will come out on top in this crucial election?

The race's third candidate, Sinan Ogan, also appeared to be gathering more votes than expected, with both Anadolu and Anka showing him at more than 5 percent.

Turkey's opposition has accused Anadolu of manipulating the timing of its results in past elections, claiming that it always shows an early lead for the AK Party and delays voting figures for areas where the opposition is strong.

The election results are yet to be officially finalized, and Erdogan has called for his party workers to keep watch over the ballot boxes until then.

14/04/2023

Pakistan's Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, recently announced on Twitter that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it will provide financial support of $1 billion to the South Asian country.

This announcement could pave the way for Pakistan to secure a crucial bailout package from the global lender to tackle its ongoing economic crisis. However, some experts have expressed skepticism about the announcement, given the finance ministry's lack of credibility in the past.

The IMF has put forward a set of demands for the latest loan package, including removing the artificial cap on the Pakistani rupee's value in the market, removing subsidies, raising taxes, and providing guarantees from friendly countries of providing financial support.

Additionally, earlier this month, Saudi Arabia also committed to funding $2 billion for Pakistan. The resumption of the IMF program is critical for Pakistan's struggling economy, which has been wrecked by record-breaking inflation and an ever-declining foreign exchange reserve.

13/03/2023

Gary Lineker, a former England football captain and current BBC Match of the Day presenter, has been temporarily removed from his role due to his criticism of the UK government's new policy towards asylum seekers. Lineker's comments on Twitter, which included comparing the government's language towards asylum seekers to that used in N**i Germany, led to calls for his dismissal from some Conservative Party members of parliament.

The BBC stated that Lineker's recent social media activity breached their guidelines and he should avoid taking sides on political issues. However, Lineker's colleagues and other public figures have expressed their support for him and questioned the BBC's impartiality.

The controversy surrounds the UK government's plans to detain and deport asylum seekers arriving by boat, which has been criticized by human rights groups and the United Nations. The opposition Labour party called the BBC's decision to remove Lineker from air an assault on free speech. In response to Lineker's temporary removal, some of his colleagues announced they would not appear on the Match of the Day show without him, prompting the BBC to air the program without studio presentation or punditry.

**iGermany

24/02/2023

US authorities have released two Pakistani brothers, Abdul and Mohammed Rabbani, from Guantanamo Bay military prison after being held there for two decades. The men were accused of providing al-Qaeda members with lower-level logistical support, but no charges or trials were held against them. The brothers alleged torture during their time in CIA custody before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay. They have been reunited with their families in Karachi after being formally questioned by Pakistani authorities. The release comes as the US aims to shut down the prison, with 32 detainees still remaining.

24/02/2023

Russia has launched an uncrewed Soyuz spacecraft to rescue two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut who were unable to return to Earth due to their original spacecraft being damaged by a mini meteorite while parked at the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz MS-23 vessel successfully took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Friday and is expected to dock with the ISS on Sunday. However, the return of the three crew members is not expected until later this year as the MS-23 did not have a replacement crew on board. The damaged Soyuz MS-22 will undock from the ISS in late March and return to Earth for a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan.

21/02/2023

A recent report indicates that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones in India have received 5G support following the Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 update earlier this year.

However, the report also reveals that these phones only support the first 5G standard, Release 15, and not the latest standards such as Release 16, which comes with improvements to the foundation of the 5G system.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones use Samsung's Exynos 5300 modem, which currently only supports Release 15. However, Samsung claims that this modem can support Release 16, which may be added to the Pixel 7 series later this year.

Qualcomm recently released the Snapdragon X75 modem with support for the latest 3GPP standards, including Release 17 and 18, which offer high-speed coverage and power efficiency.

In summary, the Pixel 7 series phones in India now support 5G but currently only with the first 5G standard, with the possibility of getting support for the latest standards later this year.

21/02/2023

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is testing a new subscription service called "Meta Verified" in Australia and New Zealand that would allow users to pay a monthly fee to have a verified account.

The service will soon be rolled out to other countries, including the United States. The fee for the service is $11.99 per month on the web and $14.99 per month on Apple and Android operating systems. Meta will use a government ID to verify the user's account and provide a blue badge, which was previously reserved for notable public figures or businesses.

The service aims to increase authenticity and security across the platforms, and will primarily target content creators who want to expand their presence. Subscribers will receive extra protection against impersonation, direct access to customer support, and greater visibility.

The company has stated that there will be no changes to already verified accounts, and the service is not available to businesses. It is not yet clear how the pricing will be adjusted for countries where users cannot afford the monthly fee.

Meta's advertisement revenue has declined for the first time since the company went public in 2012, and it has also faced regulatory changes from Apple.

The company's push into the metaverse is also seen as a major gamble.

18/02/2023

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, son of Qatar’s former PM, has made a debt-free bid to purchase Manchester United, whose US-based owners, the Glazer family, are seeking a valuation of up to £7bn.

The Qatari bid is one of several offers received for the 20-time English champions, with the potential sale expected to set a record for sports business sales.

Other potential bidders include UK billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, Saudi Arabia, and US private equity firms. United's Premier League rivals Liverpool are also exploring a sale, while Tottenham Hotspur is expected to receive a bid from Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi.

18/02/2023

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao announced on Friday that the company has pulled back on some potential investments in the US.

This comes in response to a Bloomberg report that Binance is considering ending relationships with US business partners amid increased regulatory scrutiny. Binance is also reassessing US venture capital investments and may delist tokens from US-based projects, including USD Coin.

News of Binance's potential disassociation from US partners follows a Reuters report that the global exchange had secretly moved over $400m from accounts held by its US partner. Binance states that they are conducting a careful cost-benefit analysis to protect their global user base.

US regulators have increased scrutiny of crypto companies this year following multiple industry collapses. New York's top financial regulator has ordered the company behind Binance's stablecoin to stop issuing the token.

Binance has suspended all dollar bank transfers after a US banking partner, Signature Bank, reduced exposure to crypto firms.

18/02/2023

In the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, members of the Pakistani Taliban launched an attack on a police compound, resulting in the death of at least four people, including three security personnel and a civilian.

Gunfire and explosions were heard outside the compound, which houses various police buildings and residences. Two su***de bombers were killed, one of whom detonated his explosives after entering the police building.

The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. A joint operation involving police and paramilitary forces cleared the building within three hours of the attack.

The assault is the latest in a series of attacks by armed groups in Pakistan since November, when the Pakistani Taliban ended a ceasefire with the government.

16/02/2023

Turkish and Syrian territories were hit by a massive earthquake causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

The disaster agency in Turkey reported that over 20,000 people lost their lives while 80,000 others were injured. Among the deceased were Turkish actor Cagdas Cankaya, who played a role in the TV series Kurulus: Osman, and his Armenian musician wife Zilan Tigris.

The show's official Instagram page expressed condolences and prayed for those affected by the calamity.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.8, struck on February 6, causing further damage to Syrian cities already ravaged by years of war.

The disaster was followed by another large quake of magnitude 7.7 later that day.

16/02/2023

Following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, people from different parts of the world have come together to assist the Turkish residents affected in Hatay and other provinces. Rescue workers, emergency supplies, and various other types of support have been sent to the affected region.

Turkish restaurateur Nusret Gokce, also known as Salt Bae, has also offered his assistance by providing meals to 5,000 people every day from the areas affected by the earthquake.

The death toll from the earthquake has surpassed 41,000, with 35,418 deaths reported in Turkey and more than 5,800 in Syria.

In an effort to help survivors, Salt Bae shared a video clip on Instagram of a mobile kitchen from his restaurant, Nusr Et, preparing meals for those affected by the earthquake. He has also shared video messages from various celebrities expressing their prayers for the people affected.

Another Turkish chef, CZN Burak, has also joined the relief efforts by loading trucks with basic food items and drinking water for Hatay and other provinces affected by the earthquake. He has shared video clips of himself preparing meals for survivors and expressed gratitude for those who have contributed to the relief efforts.

16/02/2023

Railway officials reported that an explosion occurred on the Jaffar Express train in Punjab’s Chichawatni on Thursday morning, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to three others.

Babar Ali, a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways, confirmed the casualties and injuries but stated that the cause of the blast is still unknown.

The counter-terrorism department has dispatched a team to the site to gather evidence, and eyewitness statements and information are being collected to investigate the incident.

The train was stopped on the outskirts of Chichawatni after the driver detected a problem with the coaches.

The railway track has been cordoned off, and officials are collecting evidence. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided based on reliable sources.

15/02/2023

Japan has accused China of violating its airspace with surveillance balloons and demanded that China confirm the facts and ensure that such incidents do not occur again.

The Japanese government is considering relaxing rules on the use of weapons by its armed forces in order to defend against airspace intrusions, while China has denied the accusations, saying that Japan lacks conclusive evidence.

The United States has also shot down a Chinese balloon and discovered three more unidentified craft, leading to a reassessment of past airspace intrusions by Japan.

15/02/2023

Air India, the largest international airline and second-largest domestic carrier in India, has placed orders for 470 Boeing and Airbus passenger jets to meet the surging demand for affordable air travel.

The order includes 220 Boeing aircraft valued at $34bn, and 250 passenger jets from Airbus. The Boeing purchase is the third-largest sale in dollar value and second-largest in quantity for the US plane maker.

The order, estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, will help Air India's owner, Tata Sons, compete against discount rivals, including India's dominant carrier, IndiGo.

The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and US President Joe Biden discussed the deal, which will help India meet the growing demand for air travel over the next 15 years.

The order sends a strong signal that India wants to remain attached to the West, said independent aviation adviser Bertrand Grabowski.

The Airbus deal was applauded by French President Emmanuel Macron and is a sign of the strengthening strategic partnership between India and France.

15/02/2023

Amid the devastation caused by last week's earthquakes in Turkey, many Turkish families are providing shelter for survivors who have lost their homes.

Melih Telci, a lawyer from Istanbul, offered his family's summer home in Yalova to a family of four left homeless by the earthquake, providing them with furniture, clothes, and food.

Ayse Arslan, a housewife from Armagan village in Trabzon, hosted a couple from Malatya in her empty apartment, and has since taken in 21 survivors.

Rumeysa Otoman, who lost 17 family members in the earthquakes, is hosting 60 survivors in her home in Bursa, and is working to bring more.

Volunteer groups have sprung up across the country to coordinate efforts to house the survivors, with many believing that it is their duty to step in and help.

The Turkish government is also providing temporary accommodation, but with an estimated two million displaced people in need of shelter, many individuals and families are offering their homes to help those in need.

13/02/2023

India's Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) is conducting an investigation into the links between Adani Group and some of the investors involved in the failed $2.5 billion share sale of the conglomerate.

The probe is aimed at examining any potential violations of Indian securities laws and any conflicts of interest that may have arisen during the share sale process.

The watchdog is particularly focused on the relationships between Adani Group and two Mauritius-based firms, Great International Tusker Fund and Ayushmat Ltd, which participated as anchor investors.

The investigation is also focusing on Elara Capital and Monarch Networth Capital, two of the 10 investment banks that managed the share offering, to rule out any conflicts of interest.

The allegations against Adani Group were made by a US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research, which accused the conglomerate of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation. Adani has denied the charges.

The fallout from Hindenburg's allegations has become a cause for concern at the national level, leading to calls for an independent probe.

India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs has launched a review of Adani's past financial statements and is in touch with SEBI.

13/02/2023

South African rapper, AKA (real name Kiernan Forbes), was killed along with his friend and chef, Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane, in Durban on Saturday.

The motive for their deaths is currently under investigation. Forbes’ parents, Tony and Lynn, expressed their sadness in a statement on AKA’s Twitter account, saying that their son was loved and he returned that love.

Forbes had a successful career in the music industry, having won several awards in South Africa and been nominated for international awards such as the BET Award and MTV Europe Music Award.

He was scheduled to perform at a club in Durban the night before his death and had recently posted about his upcoming album on Twitter.

The killing has been condemned by the head of a parliamentary committee on arts and culture as a “hit” and she has called on authorities to protect South African artists from similar contract and revenge killings.

South Africa has a high rate of gun violence and an estimated 30 people are murdered with guns in the country daily. In recent years, there have been several incidents of shootings in bars in Johannesburg and other cities.

The most recent incident saw eight people killed at a birthday party last month.

10/02/2023

SpaceX conducted a successful test-firing of the engines on its starship rocket, which is the most powerful rocket ever built.

The static fire test took place at the company's base in Texas and involved the firing of 33 Raptor engines on the first-stage booster.

One engine was turned off before the test began and one stopped during the test, resulting in 31 engines firing in total.

The test lasted its full duration and generated large flames and clouds of smoke. NASA is counting on the starship to take astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis 3 mission.

The Super Heavy booster, which is 69 meters tall, will be mated with the upper-stage starship spacecraft to form a 120 meter-tall vehicle.

The engine test was praised by spaceflight enthusiasts as a big win for SpaceX.

Other super heavy rockets under development include Blue Origin's New Glenn and China's Long March 9.

Blue Origin was recently awarded its first interplanetary NASA contract to launch a mission to study the magnetic field around Mars.

10/02/2023

Human rights organizations have criticized the delivery of United Nations aid to northwest Syria, which arrived three days after the earthquakes.

The death toll from the earthquakes, which hit southwestern Turkey and northern Syria, has risen to over 20,000, and is expected to increase as more bodies are found in the rubble.

In Turkey, the confirmed death toll is 17,406, and in Syria, it is 3,317.

Despite the slim chance of finding more survivors after 72 hours, rescue workers in Adana, Turkey rescued a 45-year-old man, and two young boys were rescued in Antakya and Diyarbakir, who had been trapped for nearly 80 hours.

Evacuations of survivors from the worst-hit Turkish cities are ongoing, and civilians in Syrian towns are burying their dead.

The United Nations delivered six trucks of aid supplies to northwest Syria, but human rights groups have criticized the timing and content of the aid.

The UN Secretary-General is calling for more aid access to Syria, and several Western countries have pledged to increase their humanitarian assistance.

A state of emergency has been declared in southern Turkey's 10 affected provinces, and the World Bank has announced $1.78 billion in aid to Turkey.

The US Secretary of State is also discussing ways to provide assistance to Turkey and Syria.

09/02/2023

TOKYO: The Nikkei share average in Japan extended its losses on Thursday, continuing its retreat from a two-month high. The downbeat performance was due to investors positioning for a protracted period of high US interest rates, following the trend on Wall Street. The earnings season saw a mix of big winners and losers, with shares of materials maker Teijin and Pacific Metals posting gains of around 6% each after positive quarterly earnings, while Fujifilm declined by 2.6%.

The Nikkei ended the morning session at 27,479.86, down 0.5% but hovering around the 27,500 level it had reached in late-January. However, the index hit its highest point since mid-December at the start of the week, reaching 27,821.22 due to strong earnings results. The broader Topix index also slipped 0.2% to 1,980.07.

All three major US stock indexes dropped overnight, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq, as Fed speakers backed the idea of more hikes and high rates for longer. The drop affected Japanese chip-related stocks as well, with chip-making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron declining by 2.3% and shaving 37 points off the Nikkei. Chip-testing equipment maker Advantest was next, subtracting 14 index points with a 2% slide.

According to Kazuo Kamitani, a strategist at Nomura in Tokyo, the market is shifting to the view that there won’t be any monetary loosening by the Fed this year, and some people who had been thinking the peak in rates would come in March now think there’s probably going to be another hike after that. US consumer price data on Tuesday will provide a crucial clue to Fed policy direction, and until then both US and Japanese stock markets are likely to be broadly directionless.

Of the Nikkei’s 225 components, 76 rose while 138 fell, with 11 remaining flat. The basic materials sub-index was the best performing sector, rising 0.8%, followed by a 0.5% gain for energy. Utilities were the laggards, with a 1% drop, while tech shares lost 0.7%.

09/02/2023

NUST Joins Relief Efforts for Earthquake Victims in Turkiye

ISLAMABAD - In response to the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria, NUST Islamabad has joined forces with the government of Pakistan to provide humanitarian aid to the affected communities. The university has already gathered relief aid worth Rs 4 million and is actively collecting in-kind donations through established donation camps at its campus in Islamabad.

The donation drives are taking place outside Gates 1 and 2, as well as at Concordia 1 on the NUST Campus. An appeal has been launched through various digital media platforms, calling on people to join the efforts and support the victims of the earthquake.

The items needed for in-kind donations include warm clothing such as overcoats and raincoats, footwear, sweaters, trousers, gloves, and undergarments. Additionally, tents, bed mattresses, blankets, sleeping bags, gas cylinders and heaters, food boxes, and women's hygiene products are also in high demand.

NUST continues to work alongside the government of Pakistan in the relief efforts and encourages everyone to play their part in supporting the earthquake victims in Turkiye.

09/02/2023

The in and has left at least 15,000 people dead and many more still trapped under the rubble.

Despite the freezing temperatures, rescuers continue to search for survivors.

There has been criticism towards the government's response, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has acknowledged the shortcomings.

The death toll is expected to rise, and the EU is planning a donor conference in March to mobilize international aid. Meanwhile, the White Helmets in Syria are appealing for international help in their efforts to rescue those buried under rubble.

The EU is encouraging member countries to respond to Syria's request for medical supplies and food.

The quake was the largest Turkey has seen since 1939 and the Turkey-Syria border is one of the world's most active earthquake zones.

08/02/2023

A few hours ago, Microsoft announced that it will integrate OpenAI technology into the next version of Bing search engine and the Edge web browser.

The presentation demonstrated how OpenAI could improve productivity by creating a travel itinerary, posting to LinkedIn, and converting code to another programming language.

The CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, was interviewed about the partnership with OpenAI and the decision to challenge Google search.

Nadella is a strong believer in AI and sees it as the future of computing.