While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, May 18
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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (fifth from left) and China's special envoy Li Hui (fourth from right) attend a meeting in Kyiv.
PHOTO: AFP
Peace cannot mean ceding territory, Ukraine tells China envoy
Ukraine’s foreign minister met China’s special envoy to Kyiv on Wednesday, insisting that the war-torn country would not accept a peace plan that relied on giving up territory after Russia’s invasion.
Their meeting came as Turkey’s president announced a two-month extension of a UN-backed deal to allow Ukraine grain shipments via the Black Sea, which are crucial for ensuring supplies on global grain markets.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked his “precious friend” President Vladimir Putin of Russia, his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for their roles in extending the agreement.
New York bike-path attacker sentenced to life after victims confront him
REUTERS
The mother of a New Yorker killed in 2017 when a man driving a truck mowed down cyclists and pedestrians on a crowded Manhattan bike path told a hushed courtroom on Wednesday that no punishment meted out to the attacker could compare to her pain.
“This evil murderer has destroyed so many lives,” said Monica Missio, the mother of victim Nicholas Cleves, at a hearing before Sayfullo Saipov - convicted in January on murder and terrorism charges - was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Eight people were killed and 12 were injured in the attack.
Missio was among the more than 20 victims and family members who spoke before US District Judge Vernon Broderick formally sentenced the 35-year-old Saipov. The life sentence became automatic after a jury deadlocked on whether Saipov should receive the death penalty.
US Supreme Court declines to block Illinois assault weapons ban
REUTERS
The US Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to block a Democratic-backed ban on assault-style rifles and large capacity magazines enacted in Illinois after a deadly mass shooting in Chicago’s Highland Park suburb in 2022, handing a setback to gun rights advocates.
The court denied a request by the National Association for Gun Rights and a firearms retailer for an injunction blocking enforcement of the state law and a similar ban enacted by another Chicago suburb, Naperville, while a legal challenge to the measures proceeds.
Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker in January signed into law the Protect Illinois Communities Act that banned the sale and distribution of many kinds of high-powered semiautomatic “assault weapons,” including AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, as well as magazines that take more than 10 rounds for long guns and 15 rounds for handguns.
Stories on me ‘horrifically written fiction’: Johnny Depp
AFP
Johnny Depp dismissed years of negative press over his tumultuous marriage to Amber Heard, telling the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday that most of the stories about him were “fantastically, horrifically written fiction”.
Speaking to reporters a day after the premiere of his new film Jeanne du Barry on the festival’s opening night, he insisted he did not care about being boycotted by Hollywood.
“Do I feel boycotted now? No ‘coz I don’t think about Hollywood, I don’t have much need for Hollywood,” said the actor.
Man City hit Real Madrid for four to reach Champions League final
EPA-EFE
Manchester City produced a stunning performance to reach the Champions League final as Bernardo Silva’s double put Real Madrid to the sword in 4-0 thrashing, securing a 5-1 aggregate win for the English champions on Wednesday.
Eder Militao’s own goal and Julian Alvarez’s strike in stoppage time rounded off a memorable night for Pep Guardiola’s men as they moved to within three wins of matching Manchester United’s treble in 1998/99.
A fifth Premier League title in six seasons appears a formality with City needing just three points from their final three games, while United await in the FA Cup final on June 3.
