MOGADISHU, June 28 (Xinhua) -- African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said on Wednesday that its troops have handed over two more military bases, bringing to four the number of bases that have so far been taken over by the Somali security forces.

ATMIS said the bases handed over on Tuesday include Adale in Hirshabelle State which was occupied by the Burundi National Defence Forces (BNDF) and Albao in Southwest State, which was under the responsibility of the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF).

MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/: Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) has passed a bill in the first reading imposing a windfall tax on large companies. The document was proposed by the Russian government.

The bill suggests imposing a windfall tax on entities whose average profit for 2021 and 2022 exceeded 1 bln rubles ($11.5 mln), defining that the tax base for this tariff is calculated as the increase of the arithmetic mean value of profit for 2021 and profit for 2022 over the arithmetic mean value of profit for 2018 and profit for 2019, while the tax rate is set at 10%

MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/: Russia is calling on responsible countries not to participate in the so-called global peace summit proposed by Kiev due to the provocative nature of this initiative, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday.

"We are urging responsible countries who truly strive for peace, and what’s more, express desire and readiness to play a constructive role in seeking a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict, not to participate in this enterprise. It is provocative," the diplomat said.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway announced Wednesday it approved 19 oil and gas projects on the Norwegian continental shelf, saying the total investments are worth over 200 billion kroner ($19 billion).

“The projects are also an important contribution to Europe’s energy security,” said Terje Aasland, Norway’s minister for petroleum and energy.

Norway was the only net exporter of oil and gas in Europe, he said, adding, “By carrying out these projects we ensure new production from the latter half of the 2020s, so that we can maintain high Norwegian deliveries.”

UNITED NATIONS, June 28 (NNN-XINHUA) — The United Nations verified 27,180 grave violations against children in armed conflict in 2022, affecting 18,890 children in 24 situations and one regional arrangement it monitored, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Of the 27,180 grave violations, 24,300 were committed in 2022 and 2,880 were committed earlier but verified in 2022. Of the 18,890 children affected, 13,469 were boys, 4,638 were girls, and 783 were sex unknown, shows the UN secretary-general’s annual report on children and armed conflict.

NEW DELHI, June 28 (Reuters) - The Indian manufacturer of cough syrups that Uzbekistan said last year had poisoned 19 children used a toxic industrial-grade ingredient rather than the legitimate pharmaceutical version, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

TASS, June 28: Polish President Andrzej Duda has arrived on an unannounced visit to Kiev on Wednesday, the Polish leader’s website reported.

"A visit to Kiev and talks with [Ukrainian] President Vladimir Zelensky are due to Constitution Day in Ukraine, as well as consultations on the current actions on the front," the statement said. It also pointed out that the talks "will also tackle preparations for the NATO summit in Vilnius," as well as "threats of a Russian attack on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant."

REPRESA, California (AP) — The graduates lined up, brushing off their gowns and adjusting classmates’ tassels and stoles. As the graduation march played, the 85 men appeared to hoots and cheers from their families. They marched to the stage – one surrounded by barbed wire fence and constructed by fellow prisoners.

For these were no ordinary graduates. Their black commencement garb almost hid their aqua and navy-blue prison uniforms as they received college degrees, high school diplomas and vocational certificates earned while they served time.

ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland (AP) — A ship that had been searching for the ill-fated Titan submersible is back in port in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Wednesday, with debris from the destroyed vessel.

The Canadian-flagged Horizon Arctic carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, that searched the ocean floor not far from the wreck of the Titanic, about 700 kilometers (435 miles) south of Newfoundland.

The owners of the ROV, U.S.-based Pelagic Research Services, confirmed that its team has successfully completed offshore operations.

STOCKHOLM, June 28 (Reuters) - A man tore up and burned a Koran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, an event that risks angering Turkey as Sweden bids to join NATO, after Swedish police granted permission for the protest to take place.

Police later charged the man with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

A series of demonstrations in Sweden against Islam and for Kurdish rights have offended Ankara, whose backing Sweden needs to gain entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

MIAMI (AP) — A valet for Donald Trump is set to be arraigned Tuesday on charges that he helped the former president hide classified documents that the Justice Department wanted back.

Walt Nauta was charged earlier this month alongside Trump in a 38-count indictment filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. Though Trump has already entered a not guilty plea to the charges, a judge postponed the arraignment for Nauta to give him time to find a Florida-based lawyer.

27 June 2023; MEMO: Signalling its support to "indirect talks" between Iran and the US over the 2015 nuclear deal, China on Monday said the "effective way" to resolve the issue was to hold dialogue, state media reported.