#Biden

Labour Party Scores Big Win Over Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party In Bypoll
Voters in Blackpool South have overwhelmingly handed over the seat to the Labour Party in a bypoll. Chris Webb won with a 26% swing. The election was necessitated after the incumbent Conservative candidate had to step down following a lobbying scandal. That's not the only setback for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party.
Labour has won local elections in many councils and crucial mayoral poll results for cities like London will be declared on Saturday. This is the last set of polls where political parties can gauge the mood of the voter and in this case, the results are likely to severely bruise the Tories. Opinion polls have given a 20 percentage point lead for Keir Starmer-led Labour Party over Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party. Elections are expected to be held later this year.
A quick side story from polling day - Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister, who introduced the voter ID rule in 2022 to crack down on voter fraud, was turned away from a polling station because he forgot to bring his photo ID.
Heavy Rains Batter Saudi Arabia
Heavy rainfall in Saudi Arabia has led to flooding in various areas, among them is capital Riyadh with flash floods inundating roads. Heavy rain has disrupted daily life, prompting authorities to close schools in multiple regions where classes have moved online. The National Meteorological Centre has issued red alerts for the central region of Qassim and other regions, as well as for the capital Riyadh and the Medina province bordering the Red Sea.
The warnings highlight the potential for "heavy rain accompanied by strong winds, reduced visibility, hail, torrential downpours, and thunderstorms."
This recent bout of heavy rainfall in the desert kingdom comes after a period of intense rain in mid-April, which resulted in the loss of 21 lives in Oman and four in the UAE. The UAE, experiencing its most significant rainfall in 75 years, bore the brunt of the heavy rains and floods.
Biden Puts Allies India, Japan In same Boat As China And Russia
US President Joe Biden clubbed allies Japan and India in the same group as adversaries China and Russia when he said all these nations are 'xenophobic' as they are not welcoming of migrants. He was speaking at a campaign fund-raising event. His remarks come just 3 weeks after the White House hosted Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, celebrating their 'unbreakable alliance'. PM Modi was a state guest last year.
Here's what the US President said - "Think about it. Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants."
When asked to explain his remarks, this is what Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre had to say:
"It is important for us to remember that we are a country of immigrants. I'm explaining what he was talking about, what he was focusing on in those comments."
Russian Troops Enter Niger Air Base Hosting US Soldiers
Niger has permitted Russian military personnel to enter an air base that hosts US troops. The junta seized power in a coup in Niger last year, and has now decided to expel all US forces from Niger. It has asked the US to withdraw its nearly 1000 military personnel from the nation.
There have been protests in Niger against the US troops and in support of the military junta's decision to expel US forces.
On May 1st, Russian military personnel arrived with equipment to train Niger forces in a signal that the junta is not shy of exploring closer cooperation with Moscow.
The Russians Are In A Separate Compound And Don't Have Access To U.S. forces or access to our equipment. And this is something that, you know, again, I'm always focused on the safety and the protection of our troops, something that we'll continue to watch. But right now, I don't see a significant issue here in terms of our force protection.
Surprising Side-Effect Of Severe Heat: Hidden Town Rediscovered In The Philippines
The diminishing water levels of a dam in the rice-rich Philippine province of Nueva Ecija, located in the north, have unveiled the remains of an ancient town, making it a major attraction for the locals there.
Recent weeks have seen portions of the church and the foundational remnants of ancient structures from the former Pantabangan town emerge. This has been attributed to the extended absence of rain and the dry season. According to the local government of Pantabangan, the old town was relocated in the 1970s when the dam was constructed. The dam serves as the main source of water and irrigation for Nueva Ecija and the surrounding provinces.
#biden #phillipines #niger
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No need to be that sensitive about the US. Like India it has an election coming up and any leader’s first priority is to get elected and what they say to their electorate's should not be taken too seriously. Also consider Pres Biden’s age and occasional gaffes. Modi and BJP are much respected here though what they sometimes say is not very pleasant.