Author: Scott Davidson

London (15/11 – 67) Colombo Supreme Court rules that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, former Prime Minister Mahinda, were among several government officials whose conduct contributed to Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis in decades. The court was ruling on a petition filed against 13 former officials by rights group Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) which said the Rajapaksa brothers and others were responsible for the crisis. “Their actions, omissions and conduct contributed to the crisis,” the ruling said. The court did not order any punishment, according to a statement by TISL. The two Rajapaksa brothers, two former central…

The US Supreme Court, in a split decision, issued a brief statement on Thursday refusing to reinstate a Florida law that targets drag shows. A lower court order previously prohibited the law from coming into effect. The justices refused to intervene in that decision, meaning the law will not come into effect anywhere in the state while a Florida restaurant that regularly hosts drag shows continues to challenge the law at the Supreme Court. While the order refusing to reinstate the ban was unsigned, several of the court’s justices signaled differences in reasoning or disagreement. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito…

SpaceX successfully launched Starship’s second test flight on Saturday. The US space shuttle and rocket manufacturer conducted the unmanned test flight for its largest rocket, Starship, in the state of Texas. Starship, a 121-meter (397-foot) long spacecraft with 33 “Raptor Vacuum” engines built for carrying humans and cargo into space, smoothly completed takeoff. The rocket successfully passed the maximum dynamic pressure threshold, known as MaxQ, but the connection between the core and the rocket was lost in minute eight of the launch. During the live broadcast, SpaceX announced that the “flight termination system” had been activated, preventing the rocket from…

Halal Burgers has opened its doors at 767 Lyons Road in Washington Twp. near J. Alexander’s and Chappys Social House. The fast-casual restaurant serves burgers, wings and chicken tenders using halal meat; in addition, the eatery also offers fries, shakes and soft drinks. And don’t forget to try their special sauce, which is similar to a chipotle aioli. Abbad Tahir, who operates the restaurant with his two brothers, said it’s rare to find halal burgers in Ohio. “Halal meat is meat that is permissible for Muslims to consume,” Tahir said. “For our beef or our chicken, the animal is slaughtered…

This month, U.S. Embassy Jakarta celebrated the issuance of more than 100,000 visas to Indonesian applicants in 2023. The Embassy has seen an increase in both visa applications and approvals this year, with issuances up over 40 percent compared to the period prior to the pandemic. In 2022, the Embassy issued over 57,000 visitor visas. “The number of visa applications and approvals shows that the United States continues to be a popular choice for Indonesian travelers with visas in high demand,” said U.S. Embassy Spokesperson Michael D. Quinlan. “We are happy to facilitate travel and see more Indonesians traveling to…

Rumors about a slimmer PS5 have turned into reality as Sony officially introduces the PlayStation 5 Slim, available now for purchase on PlayStation Direct at the price of $499.99. Aptly named “Slim,” this latest addition comes after previous revisions were simply marketed as PlayStation 5. When it comes to performance, the PS5 Slim maintains the technological excellence of its predecessor. The latest PS5 Slim introduces enhancements in design, showcasing a remarkable reduction in volume by over 30%, weight by 18%, and 24% when compared to its predecessors. This results in a more sleek gaming console without any compromise in performance.…

The nation might not have the same reputation as its Southeast Asian neighbours when it comes to leaning palms and turquoise waters, but its 3400km of coast hides its fair share of resplendent beaches, many of which are spots suitable for families, as well as quiet coves to escape the crowds. The globally-renowned travel guide dubbed An Bang in Hoi An city as one of the nation’s most happening and enjoyable beaches with a wonderful stretch of fine sand and an enormous horizon. Fringed with white-sand beaches and with large tracts of the interior which are still cloaked in dense…

A US official said an MQ9 drone was shot down off the Yemeni coast by Houthi forces. This was confirmed by a Houthi military spokesman. It comes as Washington is on alert for activity by Iran-backed groups in the Middle East as its close ally Israel – Iran’s main adversary – battles Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Last month, a US navy warship intercepted cruise missiles and several drones launched by the Houthis from Yemen towards Israel. The US has moved military assets, including aircraft carriers, Marines and support ships, to the Middle East in the wake of regional tensions…

The United States urged Pakistan on Tuesday to fulfil its obligations toward asylum seekers let Afghan nationals seeking international protection enter its territory amid a deportation drive launched by the administration in Islamabad since the beginning of this month. Last month, the Pakistani government warned all illegal immigrants, mostly Afghans, to voluntarily leave the country or face forced expulsion after the November 1 deadline. Subsequently, tens of thousands of unregistered Afghans returned to their homeland amid criticism leveled by rights organizations who said many of them faced danger to their lives. According to official estimates, nearly 1.73 million Afghans have…

Bala Sivaraman drives an electric car around the US capital Washington, buys used clothes and furniture and cooks his vegan meals on an induction stove he bought after parting ways with his gas oven. Sim Bilal relies exclusively on public transit — no easy feat in car-centric Los Angeles — uses refurbished tech and lives in an apartment with solar panels. As world leaders prepare to meet for crunch COP28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates next month, some environmentally-conscious Americans are demonstrating it’s possible to rein in their carbon emissions, aligning their actions with their values in a…