Taliban's reclusive supreme leader attends gathering in Kabul: Report
The Taliban's reclusive supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada joined a large gathering of nationwide religious leaders in Kabul on Friday, the state news agency said, adding he would give a speech.
The Taliban's state-run Bakhtar News Agency confirmed the reclusive leader, who is based in the southern city of Kandahar, was attending the meeting of more than 3,000 male participants from around the country, aimed at discussing issues of national unity.
As the Islamist movement unveiled its interim government in September after U.S.-led forces withdrew, the mysterious Akhundzada retained the role he has held since 2016 of supreme leader, the group's ultimate authority, but is rarely seen publicly.
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Salman Rushdie and supporters are to blame for attack: Iran
Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that no one had the right to level accusations against Tehran over Friday's attack on Salman Rushdie, and only he and his supporters were worthy of reproach and condemnation for denigrating the world's Muslims. In Iran's first official reaction to Friday's attack, ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said freedom of speech did not justify Rushdie's insults against religion. Writers and politicians around the world have condemned the attack.
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'Extreme heat belt' to cover middle of US by 2053: Report
An area of intensely warm weather -- a so-called "extreme heat belt" -- with at least one day per year in which the heat index hits 125 Fahrenheit (52C), is expected to cover a US region home to more than 100 million people by the year 2053, according to a new study.
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Ukraine calls on world to 'show strength' after shelling near nuclear plant
Ukraine called for new sanctions on Russia and warned about the consequences of catastrophe at Europe's biggest nuclear plant, where fresh shelling nearby has renewed a blame game between both sides. Ukrainian and Russian-installed officials have traded accusations over who is responsible for attacks close to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine. In Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's late Monday-night address, Zelenskiy sought a tougher world response on the Kremlin. Reuters could not immediately verify battlefield reports.
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Twitter has to give Elon Musk only one bot checker's data, judge rules
Twitter Inc. was ordered to hand over files from its former consumer product head to Elon Musk on spam and bot accounts the billionaire has cited in seeking to abandon his $44 billion purchase of the company. Far Twitter has given up the names of “records custodians,” who aren't as familiar with the data in question. He was pushing Twitter into new product areas, like live audio spaces and newsletters, before he was ousted.
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Putin says Russia ready to offer its most advanced weapons to country's allies
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday vowed to expand military cooperation with the country's allies, noting that Moscow is ready to offer them its most advanced weapons. Putin hailed the Russian military's action in Ukraine, which has triggered massive Western sanctions, and thanked Moscow's allies for their support. “We highly appreciate that we have many allies, partners and people who share our thinking on various continents,” he said.
