UK Labour chair sacked
ITV reports UK Labour’s Angela Rayner has been sacked from her roles as party chair and campaign coordinator. The move follows poor results in the English local elections where the Conservatives have gained more than 200 councillors across England, won control of 11 councils and held on to the West Midlands mayoralty. Sadiq Khan was re-elected as London mayor with 55.2% of the vote, while Andy Burnham secured 67.3% of the vote in an impressive re-election as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Sturgeon wins fourth term
Meanwhile, The Scotsman says Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have won a historic fourth term in the Scottish Parliament – but miss out on an outright majority. She vowed to press ahead for a second vote on Scottish independence, which Premier Boris Johnson opposes. He has called for a summit with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Palestinian demonstrations continue
Al Ayyam reports renewed violent clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police, at the Damascus Gate, not far from the Temple Mount. According to Palestinian sources, some 90 people have been injured. The incidents, over possible evictions of Palestinians from land claimed by Jewish settlers, were also reported along the border with Gaza.
Blast in Kabul kills students
According to Kabul Times, blasts close to a secondary school in the Afghan capital Kabul have left at least 55 people dead and dozens more injured. Most of the victims were girls. The explosions took place as students were leaving the building on Saturday. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack in Dasht-e-Barchi – an area often hit by Sunni Islamist militants. Taliban militants denied any involvement.
Chinese rocket falls in Indian Ocean
Asia Today quotes Chinese authorities saying that one of their space rockets that had been hurling towards Earth, has disintegrated over the Irian sea and crashed over the Indian Ocean.
Neanderthal remains in Rome
Ansa reports Italian archaeologists have uncovered the fossilized remains of nine Neanderthals in a cave near Rome. The fossilized bones include skulls, skull fragments, two teeth and other bone fragments. The oldest remains date from between 100,000 and 90,000 years ago, while the other eight Neanderthals are believed to date from 50,000 to 68,000 years ago. A Neanderthal skull was discovered in the cave in 1939.
Obama laments loss of “true friend” Bo
Former US President Barack Obama’s dog Bo died after a battle with cancer. News of Bo’s death was shared by Obama and his wife Michelle on Instagram, where both expressed sorrow at the passing of a dog the former president described as a “true friend and loyal companion”.
