BERLIN, May 31. /TASS/: The German government made the decision to close by this November its consulates general in the Russian cities of Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad and Novosibirsk, after Moscow’s earlier decision to cap Germany’s diplomatic staff stationed in Russia at no more than 350 people, a German diplomat said on Wednesday.

31 May 2023; MEMO: Real Madrid captain, French-Algerian star Karim Benzema has received a $214.5 million offer to join Saudi's Al-Ittihad Club.

The Spanish radio station, Cadena COPE, revealed that Benzema had agreed to join the Saudi club, which won the league title this year, starting next season.  Benzema is contracted with Real Madrid until 2024 but there are reports that the club would allow him to leave should he choose to accept the offer.

BERLIN, May 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany saw a 28 percent increase in the number of people gaining its citizenship last year, with people from Syria accounting for more than a quarter of those who were naturalized, official data showed Tuesday.

Preliminary figures show that about 168,500 people were granted German citizenship in 2022, the Federal Statistical Office said. That was the highest number since 2002.

31 May 2023; MEMO: The city of Geneva has decided to ban a Palestinian exhibition that highlights the suffering of Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails, Israeli media reported yesterday.

According to Ynet News, this came following pressure from the Israeli Embassy in Switzerland and several pro-Israel organisations.

Secours Rouge Geneva, in collaboration with Samidoun Geneva, prepared for the exhibition, which should have lasted from 25-27 May.

30 May 2023; MEMO: The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Israeli forces assassinated a Palestinian Authority officer yesterday during an Israeli raid on the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Ashraf Sheikh Ibrahim was an officer in the Palestinian Authority's intelligence services.

The Fatah movement said Ibrahim was killed while confronting the Israeli occupation's aggression as it stormed the city of Jenin, according to Reuters.

30 May 2023; MEMO: A Libyan Court in the north-western city of Misrata has sentenced 23 people to death for membership in the Daesh terrorist group, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Court also slapped 14 others with life sentences on the same charges, the Attorney-General's office said in a statement.

WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - A U.S. special counsel investigating former President Donald Trump and efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss are examining his firing of a cybersecurity official whose office said the vote was secure, the New York Times said on Wednesday.

Kanpur: Attentively listening to different complaints from the public in her office, the Mayor directed all the zonal officers to redress all those civic issues earlier.

Municipal Commissioner, Additional Municipal Commissioner and others were present at this important meeting.

The Mayor said in a stern tone that a sum of Rs 2,500 will be charged against any person who throws garbage on the road after the removal of the garbage in the morning hours.

The households should be alert in giving garbage to door-to-door agency workers turning up to collect the garbage.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The federal jury trial of the suspect in the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack is scheduled to get underway Tuesday morning, four and a half years after the shooting deaths of 11 worshipers at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Twelve jurors and six alternates — chosen Thursday after a month of questioning of more than 200 jury candidates — will hear the case against Robert Bowers. The jurors include 11 women and seven men.

WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) - Former U.S. State Department and nuclear regulatory officials on Tuesday urged the U.S. Energy Department to reconsider a plan to use bomb-grade uranium in a nuclear power experiment, saying that its use could encourage such tests in other countries.

The Energy Department and two companies aim to share costs on the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) at the Idaho National Laboratory and use more than 1,322 pounds (600 kg) fuel containing 93% enriched uranium.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says he “feels good” about the debt ceiling and budget deal negotiated with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as the White House and congressional leaders work to ensure its passage this week in time to lift the nation’s borrowing limit and prevent a disastrous U.S. default.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A historic impeachment trial in Texas to determine whether Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton should be permanently removed from office will begin no later than August in the state Senate, where the jury that would determine his future could include his wife, Sen. Angela Paxton.