Prince William honoured for supporting LGBT community
London, May 13 (IANS): Prince William was honoured for supporting the LGBT– lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender — community and said “nobody should be bullied for their sexuality”, the media reported. The Duke of Cambridge was named “straight ally of the year” at the British LGBT Awards on Friday evening, the BBC reported. “It’s so important to be proud of the person you are” he said via a video message. Prince William, who appeared on the cover of gay magazine Attitude last year, made the video message ahead of the ceremony in London’s Grand Connaught Rooms. In the video, he said: “In recent years I’ve become passionate about what we can do to protect people from bullying, particularly online.
White House movie theatre to open for public
Washington, May 13 (IANS): The White House will be opening its East Wing movie theatre to the public for the first time in history, the media reported. “The White House belongs to the people of this country,” First Lady Melania Trump said in a statement on Friday. “I believe everyone who takes the time to visit the White House should have as much access to its rich history and wonderful traditions as possible,” The Hill magazine quoted Trump as saying “It is my hope that our visitors truly enjoy the newest piece of the tour.” The theatre was built in 1942 under former President Franklin Roosevelt, and was renovated between 1982 and 1983. The space is sometimes used by the President to rehearse major speeches, like the State of the Union address, but is more frequently used as a functioning theatre for the first family.
11 killed in Syria bombings
Cairo, May 13 (IANS): At least 11 civilians were killed in bombings by the US-led international coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in two provinces in northeastern Syria, a British war monitor reported on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) detailed that six people were killed on Friday in bombings by the coalition and SDF on the town of Yaareb, west of al-Raqqa. Meanwhile, five others were killed and several were wounded in bombings from planes, believed to belong to the coalition over the village of al-Quriya in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor, Efe news reported.
2 Taliban leaders killed in Afghanistan airstrike
Kabul, May 13 (IANS): Two local Taliban leaders were killed when the Afghan air force struck a militants’ hideout in restive southern Helmand province, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday. “The strike was conducted on specific intelligence inputs in Musa Qala district, killing Ustad Toor Jan and Fidda Mohammad and three militants’ vehicles were also destroyed following the raid,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page. In addition, the army personnel conducted a cordon and search operation in neighbouring Marja district, capturing 10 Taliban militants and destroying three vehicles, it said. Furthermore, three militants were killed and eight injured in a separate operation in surrounding areas of Tirin Kot, capital of neighbouring Uruzgan province, Xinhua news agency reported.
19 killed in Kenya road accident
Nairobi, May 13 (IANS/MAP): At least 19 people were killed in a road accident involving a passenger bus and two trucks on the Nairobi-Nakuru stretch on Saturday morning, police said. The accident took place on early Saturday morning at Gilgil, about 120 km northwest of Nairobi, when a bus collided with two trucks, said a police official. “… We lost 18 people on the spot while another passenger succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Several other passengers and drivers of both trucks are still hospitalised,” the official said. A survivor said the 52 seater bus was carrying more than its capacity.
