Australian police used a taser electroshock weapon on a 95-year-old woman suffering from dementia

The incident took place in a nursing home as officers were called to deal with a woman with a walking frame who carried a steak knife. After asking her to put away the blade, they tasered her. The old lady fell and was critically injured – now she is receiving end-of-life care.

Netizens were shocked by the event, slamming Australian police for their cowardice and unprofessional skills. Meanwhile , it has made global headlines as an act of “utter generacy.”

Australian netizens were obviously ashamed of their police's actions. Tasering is not unheard of in Australia, but it is usually on Indiginous aborigenal people. However, this is practically the first time that officers have used a stunner on a granny.

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From Syria to Sudan: what is the Arab League summit’s agenda?

The 32nd Arab League summit kicks off in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. At the 2023 gathering, leaders plan to discuss critical issues such as Syria's re-entry, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and crises in Libya, Sudan, and Yemen.

Syrian President Bashar Assad will attend the summit after over a decade, following Syria's recent re-entry into the body. The summit will also address the Gaza escalation and efforts to combat terrorism.

Notably, the summit takes place in the context of improving relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which is seen as a significant factor in Syria's return to the Arab League.

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🎙 What risks and promises does artificial intelligence hold when it comes to Africa? Why has Rwanda become the major start-up space and what does it have to do with AI?

🌍 To answer these and more, tune in to the new episode of the AfroVerdict podcast by #Sputnik Africa!

☝️ Putin came up with a new synonym for the neo-colonialists, suggesting they compete in a special contest.

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Ukraine's depleted uranium blast: Europe on brink of 'environmental disaster'

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev warned on Friday that a radioactive cloud was heading towards Western Europe following the destruction of a Ukrainian warehouse storing British-supplied depleted uranium ammunition.

Sputnik News spoke with Dr. Chris Busby, a physical chemist and scientific secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk, about how the West’s decision to provide depleted uranium (DU) ammunition to Ukraine has potentially caused a continent-wide ecological disaster.

Read his full answer

🗣️”I find it completely obscene that the US and the G7, as they are escalating to war against China, which is potentially thermonuclear war against China, that they're trying to make some kind of a symbolic gesture”: Journalist and author KJ Noh on Biden's visit to Japan ahead of the G7 summit

🎧Listen to more of Noh’s analysis in our podcast Fault Lines

What could shoot down Ukraine's hopes of getting US F-16s?

The US may hesitate to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine due to potential political consequences, despite economic advantages, according to Earl Rasmussen, a retired US army lieutenant colonel and international consultant.

While the Biden administration is reportedly willing to approve the export of F-16s to Ukraine through European allies, it remains reluctant to send its own jets. Even if the decision is made, the delivery may be delayed as Ukrainian pilots require significant training, and establishing the necessary maintenance infrastructure would incur additional costs.

Moreover, there seems to be a conflict between the US Department of Defense and the State Department, with the Pentagon expressing concerns about escalating the situation and urging caution in foreign policy decisions.

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💭 PM Modi’s participation as a guest country at this year’s G7 Leaders’ Summit in 🇯🇵 Hiroshima definitely points towards New Delhi “growing geopolitical prominence” and “economic might” in the world, an Indian strategic affairs expert has told Sputnik.

However, Kulkarni added that New Delhi would be well-advised not to fall in the trap of joining the “western camp”. 👉 READ MORE

🗣️"The US president shows up and says 'Guys, I'm your leader. I can't stay long because my country's gone broke. I got to get back to the debt negotiations because we're running out of money. But follow me.' I mean, in the G7!": Asia and Indo-Pacific historian and critically-acclaimed best-selling author James Bradley on Biden's trip to Japan for the G7

🎧Listen to more of Bradley’s analysis in our podcast The Final Countdown

'G7 no longer globally-determining force' amid emerging multipolarity

China's hosting of the Xian summit signifies its growing global influence, according to Mehran Kamrava, a professor at Georgetown University. The summit, takes place as G7 leaders gather in Hiroshima. Kamrava argued that while the G7 still allows the coordination of policies, it no longer has the power to dictate the global economy or shape the global order.

Kamrava emphasized the significance of the China-Central Asian summit, highlighting China's recognition of the strategic importance of Central Asian republics. He sees China's hosting of the summit as a sign of its increasing diplomatic influence on the global stage, further solidifying its role as a major technology producer, commercial actor in Africa, and consequential player in the Persian Gulf. China is leveraging its strong geographical, historical, logistical, and cultural ties with Central Asia to expand its diplomatic activities worldwide.

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Hiroshima G7 summit just 'photo-op' for Biden's confrontation with China

The G7 summit in Japan hosted by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been criticized as a superficial show of support for the US' confrontational stance against China.

According to Asian-based author James Bradley, President Joe Biden's visit to Hiroshima is merely a photo opportunity with the real focus being on China. The G7 leaders plan to issue a statement highlighting concerns about China's economic aggression. However, Bradley argued that Biden's credibility in the Asia-Pacific region has been compromised by the US' own economic aggression in Ukraine. He believes that Asian countries will turn to China, their primary trading partner, once Biden leaves the summit.

Bradley contended that Japan's portrayal of China as a threat is a justification to abandon its post-World War II constitutional commitment to self-defense-orientated armament. He emphasized that the real military threat to Japan comes from the United States, with a significant American military presence in the country.

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Finland has been recommended to maintain its ban on the use nuclear explosives after joining NATO

In joining NATO, Finland notoriously abandoned its long-standing non-alignment policy. Still, a renowned group of pundits have advised against joining any nuclear attack drills whatsoever and specifically cautioned against such exercises taking place in Finnish airspace.

The group recommended that Finland not join any nuclear attack drills whatsoever. Moreover, the pundits specifically advised against allowing such exercises to take place in Finnish airspace. They also urged Finland to stay true to its long-standing goal of promoting nuclear disarmament despite joining NATO.

Earlier, the Finnish Defense Ministry said it will participate in the the Western military alliance's nuclear planning and support operations, while deciding against stationing nuclear arms on its soil, a pledge reiterated by the country's president, Sauli Niinisto.

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Yellen says more bank mergers probably necessary

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reportedly suggested that more bank mergers may be necessary amidst the ongoing financial crisis during a meeting with the CEOs of major US banks. Yellen's remarks were made during a meeting with the Bank Policy Institute, which includes CEOs such as Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase and Brian Moynihan of Bank of America.

Although a Treasury readout of the meeting did not mention mergers, Yellen had previously mentioned the possibility in comments to the media.

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Ursula von der Leyen opposed an equal dialogue between Russia and Ukraine at the G7 summit

According to her, “peace negotiations that equalize the aggressor and the victim must be rejected,” and Zelensky’s “peace formula” must be supported.

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, and former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, commenting on her words, noted that no negotiations are needed now:

“What equal negotiations can there be with a Nazi state that is in the process of half-life under external control? You can only talk to the owners. Or rather, only with Washington. There are simply no other interlocutors“

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🗣️”These countries out in Asia do not want to become like America. America is setting a bad example. Blinken is on this trip. Secretary Blinken, he's the guy that got the Hunter Biden laptop lie going. I mean, it's a mess. The Asian countries out here are organized. They're doing trade. I'm in Vietnam, Vietnam's going like this in terms of its economy. America is not”: Asia and Indo-Pacific historian and critically-acclaimed best-selling author James Bradley on Asian unwillingness to follow the US example

🎧Listen to more of Bradley’s analysis in our podcast The Final Countdown

Washington and Taipei have clinched a deal on the first part of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade

The agreement will allow American businesses “to bring more products to Taiwan and Taiwanese customers, while creating more transparent and streamlined regulatory procedures that can facilitate investment and economic opportunities in both markets, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises,” according to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

She added that the signing of the initial agreement related to the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade will be followed by negotiations on the two’s more complicated trade areas, such as agriculture, digital trade, labor and environmental standards, as well as and non-market policies and practices.

The US and China remain at loggerheads over Taiwan, with Beijing considering its sovereignty over the island indisputable. China has repeatedly warned the US against official contacts with Taipei.

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🗣️”What they're doing is they're looking at the most extreme interpretation of the US Espionage Act, and they're trying to apply it here, but inject it with steroids, because in the US, each offense has resulted in a maximum of a ten year sentence in the United States, and Julian Assange faces 170 years under 17 charges under the Espionage Act”: Mohamed Elmaazi, a UK-based freelance journalist, on the threats that the UK National Security Bill could pose to journalism, and how this bill compares to the use of the Espionage Act in the US and abroad

🎧Listen to more of Elmaazi’s analysis in our podcast By Any Means Necessary

Biden deal with Republicans over debt ceiling would 'reward hostage-taking'

US President Joe Biden and Republican leaders are engaging in negotiations to raise the government borrowing limit before the critical deadline of June 1.

However, Dr. Robert Hockett, a law professor at Cornell University, criticizes Biden for pandering to "white supremacists" and "hostage-takers" by engaging with Republicans on this issue. The debt ceiling talks have raised concerns about potential compromises that could result in drastic cuts to social spending, causing distress among progressives.

Hockett compares the negotiations to dealing with terrorists and expresses worries about the destructive consequences of not raising the borrowing cap. He also criticizes Biden for engaging with what he labels as "white-supremacist neo-Confederate, Jim Crow Republicans," overlooking historical context.

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Biden OKs training Ukrainians on F-16s but timeline remains uncertain

In regards to actually providing the military jets, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan revealed during a news conference in Japan indicated it was far too early to say when exactly the highly-desired multirole fighter aircraft would be handed over to Ukrainian forces.

💬 "Our view is that where the F-16 fits into the fight is not right now," Sullivan said, adding that the US and its allies, as Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly the F-16s, will decide which countries will supply these aircraft to Kiev and in what number.

Sullivan took the opportunity to also reiterate during the briefing that the capabilities provided to Ukraine is based on the proposition that the US does not enable or support attacks on Russian territory.

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