DR Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo Eruption Causes Thousands To Flee

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May 23, 2021

Goma’s sky turned a fiery red after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades on Saturday.

So far it is not known if there are any casualties but locals reported the shocking scenes while government has launched an evacuation plan for the eastern city of Goma, which houses nearly 2 million people.

Taking mattresses and belongings, thousands of residents fled towards the border with Rwanda in the east hours before the government announced the evacuation plan.

Rwandan authorities said about 3,000 people already had officially crossed from Goma while Rwanda’s state media said people would be accommodated in schools and places of worship.

Other residents fled to higher grounds to the west of the city.

The last time the volcano erupted in 2002, hundreds were killed and more than 100,000 people were left homeless.

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said he would be returning home on Sunday from Europe earlier than planned in order to help coordinate relief efforts.

Woman On Sudan’s Ruling Council Quits, Saying Civilians Are Being Ignored

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Zoe Maven

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May 23, 2021

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One of only two women on Sudan’s ruling Sovereignty Council said on Saturday she had resigned, accusing the military-dominated transitional government of ignoring civilian voices.

In a video statement carried by the state news agency SUNA, Aisha Musa said the civilian component in the sovereign (council) and at all levels of government has become just a logistical executive body that does not participate in decision making

Musa said she had submitted her resignation on May 12, a day after the killing of two protesters who had been marking the anniversary of a deadly raid on a protest site during the 2019 uprising.

She accused the transitional authorities of leading the country to “more killing, injustice, poverty and suffering”.

Musa complained that the investigation into the 2019 raid had not yet been completed and its results revealed. Activists say 130 people died in that raid and ensuing violence; the authorities have acknowledged 87 deaths.

The 14-member military-civilian council was set up along with a cabinet of technocrats to steer Sudan through a transition after the army toppled long-serving autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019 following months of popular protests.

Musa also accused the transitional authorities of delaying the formation of the Legislative Council, the third body constituted in the power-sharing agreement alongside the Sovereignty Council and the cabinet.

There was no immediate response from the Sovereignty Council to Musa’s resignation.

Nigeria Buries Army Chief Ibrahim Attahiru After Plane Crash

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Zoe Maven

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May 23, 2021

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Nigeria continues to mourn following the funeral of top-ranking army commander Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru on Saturday In Abuja, a day after he and 10 other officers died when their plane crashed in bad weather.

It was the third military air disaster this year and the army posted videos on social networks of the service attended by political and military leaders at the national mosque.

Army chief of staff Attahiru was appointed by Buhari last January in a shakeup of the senior command to better fight surging violence and a more than decade-long jihadist insurgency.

Attahiru died as news emerged that Nigeria’s Boko Haram jihadist leader Abubakar Shekau had himself been seriously wounded or possibly killed after clashes with a rival Islamic State-allied faction.

Attahiru was in charge of leading the frontline offensive against Shekau in 2017.

Speaking at the funeral, Lucky Irabor, Nigeria Chief of Defense Staff said 21st day of May 2021, was a very sad day for the Armed Forces as one of their finest and best pilots was conveying him along with the entourage.

He said the war against insecurity must be won, truly must be won and asked Nigerians to continue praying for them.

Nigeria’s military has been battling an Islamist insurgency in the northeast since 2009, a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 and displaced around two million more.

Attahiru had once been in charge of leading the frontline offensive against Boko Haram’s commander Shekau in the northeast in 2017.

Bitcoin Down Almost 50% From Year’s High

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Koko Lawrence

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May 23, 2021

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FILE PHOTO: A collection of virtual currency bitcoin tokens are displayed in this picture illustration taken Dec. 8, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration/File Photo

Bitcoin fell 13% on Sunday after the world’s biggest and best-known cryptocurrency suffered another sell-off that left it down nearly 50% from the year’s high.

Bitcoin fell to $32,601 at 1800 GMT (2 p.m. ET), losing $4,899.54 from its previous close. It hit a high for the year of $64,895.22 on April 14.

Ether, the coin linked to the ethereum blockchain network, dropped 17% to $1,905 on Sunday, losing $391.31 from its previous close.

Bitcoin markets operate 24/7, setting the stage for price swings at unpredictable hours.

“Many point to bitcoin’s volatility as untenable,” wrote RBC Capital Markets’ Amy Wu Silverman in a research note published on Saturday. “Indeed, Bitcoin makes severe and dizzying swings.”

Bitcoin had been under pressure after a series of tweets last week by billionaire Tesla Chief Executive and cryptocurrency backer Elon Musk, chiefly his reversal on Tesla accepting bitcoin as payment.

In addition, on Friday China cracked down on mining and trading of the largest cryptocurrency as part of ongoing efforts to prevent speculative and financial risks.

China’s latest campaign against crypto came after the U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday called for new rules that would require large cryptocurrency transfers to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Reserve flagged the risks cryptocurrencies posed to financial stability.

Little Island Park Built By Billionaire, Further Transforms Manhattan’s West Side

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Koko Lawrence

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May 23, 2021

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Little Island is its name, but the vision and the budget behind it were colossal.

The public park on the Hudson River finally opened Friday nearly seven years after plans were unveiled, thanks to billionaire media mogul Barry Diller, whose $260 million donation has further transformed the once-derelict West Side of Manhattan.

The island was built on the pillars of the former Pier 54, connected to Manhattan by a walkway that will take visitors from the trendy Meatpacking District to the site where survivors of the Titanic were taken and from where the Lusitania departed.

The West Side, once dominated by a bustling port, deteriorated into industrial eyesores and homeless camps before a revitalization this century converted much of it into magnificent parkland.

The latest addition, nicknamed Diller Island, is “eye candy” and “a charmer, with killer views,” according to New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman.

Its 2.7 acres (1.1 hectares) slope up and down, teeming with flora and featuring a 687-seat amphitheater with sunset views. Foot traffic will be regulated to prevent the park from being overrun.

Park visitor Janet Alvarez, a longtime local resident, said she has anticipated Friday’s opening for years. The day was delayed by legal challenges and the pandemic.

“I’m bursting with emotion. And to see people smiling and looking happy and with the mask off. It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood,” Alvarez said.

The Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation of Diller and his wife, the designer Diane von Furstenberg, will pay for maintenance for the park for the next 20 years.

The same foundation donated $20 million to the nearby High Line, a disused elevated railroad converted into a park in the sky. Diller also built his IAC corporate headquarters near the High Line in a building designed by star architect Frank Gehry.

Diana Interview: Lord Hall Resigns From National Gallery

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Koko Lawrence

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May 23, 2021

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Ex-BBC director general Lord Hall has resigned as National Gallery chairman amid the outcry after an inquiry into Panorama’s Princess Diana interview.

Lord Hall, who was director of news when Martin Bashir used deception to get the 1995 scoop, said his continued presence would be a “distraction”.

The inquiry described an internal probe led by Lord Hall in 1996 into what happened as “woefully ineffective”.

Diana’s brother Earl Spencer has asked the Met Police to investigate the BBC.

A spokesman for the force would not comment on whether Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick had received a letter from Earl Spencer, who has alleged his sister was the victim of blackmail and fraud.

Earlier this week, the Met said it would assess the new report “to ensure there is no significant new evidence”, after previously deciding against a criminal investigation.

The independent inquiry by former senior judge Lord Dyson found Bashir was unreliable and dishonest, and that the corporation fell short of its high standards when answering questions about the interview.

It also found that Bashir seriously breached BBC rules by mocking up faked documents, which he showed to Earl Spencer to obtain the interview.

Since the report was published on Thursday, the Duke of Cambridge has blamed BBC failings for fueling his mother’s paranoia and worsening his parents’ relationship. The Duke of Sussex has also spoken about the hurt caused by the interview.

Oba Of Benin Speaks On Return Of Artefacts Looted By Britain, Others

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Koko Lawrence

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May 23, 2021

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The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has expressed displeasure that some groups of individuals, using pseudo names, are negotiating the recovery of stolen Benin artworks on behalf of the throne.

The monarch made this known on Friday in his palace in Benin, when Andreas Görgen, the Director-General of the Directorate of Culture and Communications of the German Embassy in Nigeria, led a top German delegation on an assessment tour of the Oba’s palace in Benin.

The Benin traditional ruler frowned at the development, saying that the palace would not fold its hands to see such abominable development take place.

According to the monarch, prestigious Benin artefacts were largely looted from the Oba’s palace during the invasion of 1897 by British and other foreign nations.

He said ‘These artefacts should be returned to the original owner,” insisting that no third party must negotiate or receive the materials on behalf of the Benin kingdom.

Ewuare said that the Benin artworks have deep spiritual, traditional and cultural significance to the kingdom.

He noted that when returned, they would boost tourism sector in the state.

He reiterated that the throne will collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the Oba Ewaure foundation and the government, in the struggle to recover all the Benin looted artefacts from various countries.

In his response, Görgen told the traditional ruler that the German government acknowledged some objects from Benin in its custody, adding that Berlin is seeking ways with relevant stakeholders, especially with the Oba, on how to return the Benin artworks.

North Korea: Kim Jong-Un Bans Skinny Jeans, Mullet Hairstyle

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Koko Lawrence

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May 23, 2021

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North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has banned skinny jeans, as well as mullets and other “non-socialist” haircuts, amid fears of ‘decadent’ Western influences among North Koreans youths.

“History teaches us a crucial lesson that a country can become vulnerable and eventually collapse like a damp wall regardless of its economic and defence power if we do not hold on to our own lifestyle.”

According to the new dictate, North Koreans won’t be allowed to sport skinny jeans, ripped jeans, have nose or ear piercings or wear T-shirts with slogans, the Express reported.

Spikey and dyed hair has also been outlawed in the bizarre crackdown.

Under the new laws, men and women must only have one of the 15 alternative haircuts.

The Express also reported that, Pyongyang officials in North Korea are cracking down on pop music following the success of South Korean K-pop bands such as BTS and Blackpink.

According to Yonhap News Agency, North Korea reenacted a law in December that toughened punishment for people who were in possession of videos that were made in South Korea.

The law was reportedly reenacted in a separate attempt to stop any influences of outside culture on the regime and its people.

Israel To Ease Coronavirus Restrictions June 1

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Angel Gimalo

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May 23, 2021

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Israel is set to ease restrictions imposed to combat coronavirus on June 1, but tough rules on travellers to the Jewish state would remain in place, the health ministry said Sunday.

The health ministry proposal must still be approved by the government.

“For the first time since the outbreak of the epidemic, all restrictions inside Israeli territory will be lifted from June 1,” a ministry statement said.

Restrictions on travellers to Israel will remain in place, with the ministry even considering tightening measures to prevent virus variants entering the country.

During the worst period of the pandemic, Israel recorded around 10,000 new cases of Covid-19 per day, but in the past 24 hours, only 12 people tested positive.

Israel launched a rapid vaccination campaign in December, with more than five million people receiving two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

The fall in cases has allowed the authorities to reopen restaurants, bars and sports halls, but only for people with a “green passport”, given to those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.

The new rules will allow the entire population — including unvaccinated people — open access.

Since mid-April, wearing a mask is no longer required in public spaces, but is on public transport and in enclosed places.

The wearing of a mask will initially remain compulsory in enclosed places.

Israel has officially recorded over 839,000 Covid-19 cases, including 6,404 deaths, since the pandemic began.

European Union Leaders Summit To Discuss Tougher Sanctions On Belarus

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Angel Gimalo

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May 23, 2021

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European Union leaders will discuss toughening their sanctions regime against Belarus on Monday at their planned summit, after Minsk diverted a passenger flight and arrested an opposition activist.

European Council president Charles Michel said: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk, Belarus, on 23 May 2021 and the reported detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Protasevich.

“I call on Belarus authorities to immediately release the detained passenger and to fully guarantee his rights. EU leaders will discuss this unprecedented incident tomorrow during the European Council. The incident will not remain without consequences.”

Brussels decided in February to extend until 28 February 2022 the sanctions imposed on President Alexander Lukashenko and regime insiders involved in the crackdown on protests against Belarus’ 2020 presidential election.

Earlier this month, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that these measures could again be tightened, if EU member states could agree, and on Sunday many reacted with fury to Belarus’ decision to divert the jet.

The plane, a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania, has been allowed to continue to Vilnius, but Belarusian opposition activist Roman Protasevich is reported to have been taken off in Minsk and detained.

Monday’s EU summit in Brussels was pre-planned, but Michel’s spokesman Barend Leyts confirmed that the Belarus question would come up and “that possible sanctions will be discussed at this occasion”.