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July to be hottest month on record as UN warns of ‘global boiling’


July 28, 2023

July is on track to be the hottest month in recorded history, scientists confirmed on Thursday, as UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Earth has moved into an “era of global boiling” Searing heat intensified by global warming has affected tens of millions of people in parts of Europe, Asia and North America this month, combined with fierce wildfires that have …

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Tech giants team up to rival Google, Apple’s map dominance


July 28, 2023

A GROUP of rival tech conglomerates has rele­ased its version of an open-source map to dent the dominance of Google and Apple maps. The Overture Maps Foundation, formed by Meta, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and TomTom, has released at least 59 million “points of interest,” such as restaurants, landmarks, streets and regional borders, according to CNBC.     The dataset was …

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Saudi Arabia summons Danish diplomat to protest desecration of Holy Quran


July 28, 2023

Saudi Arabia summoned a Danish diplomat to protest desecration of the Holy Quran by an extreme-right group in Copenhagen, state media reported early on Friday. During the meeting on Thursday with the Danish charge d’affaires, foreign ministry officials delivered a protest note urging an end to “these disgraceful acts, which violate all religious teachings (and) international laws and norms” and …

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Niger’s military chief backs coup leaders, but president defiant


July 28, 2023

NIAMEY: Niger’s armed forces chief on Thursday declared his support for troops who said they had overthrown the government, despite a defiant stand by the country’s elected president and an outcry from the world community. The latest target of a coup in the deeply troubled Sahel, President Mohamed Bazoum was confined at his residence on Wednesday by members of his …

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Pakistan, Egypt slam fresh act of desecration in Denmark


July 28, 2023

ISLAMABAD / STOCKHOLM: Pakistan and Egypt on Thursday continued to condemn successive acts of sacrilege across Europe, which have prompted widespread anger and condemnation across the Muslim world. Meanwhile, the Swedish government has ordered 15 government agencies to strengthen the country’s ability to prevent terrorism, in response to a worsening security situation following protests involving the desecration of the Holy Quran. …

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US legislators seek pledge on election timeframe


July 28, 2023

WASHINGTON: US lawmakers have suggested neutral monitoring to ensure that the next elections in Pakistan are fair and free, while at least one of them demanded that “the oversight should come from the United Nations”. The Wednesday afternoon briefing at the Rayburn building in the US Congress on ‘Human Rights and Democracy in Pakistan’, jointly sponsored by Demo­crat congressmen Brad …

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Kim oversees North Korea military parade showcasing new drones, ICBMs


July 28, 2023

Flanked by visiting Russian and Chinese officials, Kim Jong Un oversaw a North Korean military parade featuring new drones and Pyongyang’s nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, state media reported on Friday. At least four new North Korean military drones were towed on trailers through Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square at the parade late on Thursday, state media images showed, while another drone appeared …

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Putin pledges free grain for African nations


July 28, 2023

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday told African leaders he would gift them tens of thousands of tonnes of grain within months despite Western sanctions, which he said made it harder for Moscow to export its grain and fertilisers. Speaking at a two-day summit in St Petersburg devoted to Russian-African ties, Mr Putin said Russia was expecting a record …

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Meta plans retention ‘hooks’ for Threads as more than half of users leave app


July 28, 2023

Meta Platforms executives are heavily focused on boosting retention on their new Twitter rival Threads, after the app lost more than half of its users in the weeks following its buzzy launch, CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees on Thursday. Retention of users on the text-based app was better than executives had expected, though it was “not perfect”, said Zuckerberg, speaking at …

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Over 500 opposition supporters held in Dhaka ahead of protest


July 28, 2023

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s main opposition party said on Thursday police had arrested hundreds of supporters in a sweeping crackdown a day before of anti-government protests planned in Dhaka. “Police have arrested at least 538 of our people since Wednesday,” Zahirud­din Swapan, the spokesman for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said, alleging a former councillor had also been beaten. Faruq Ahmed, a …

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