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Pink Floyd have written their first new song in almost 30 years to support Ukrainians, the band announced on Thursday. "Hey, Hey, Rise-Up!" will be released on Friday, and be used to raise funds for humanitarian causes linked to the war.

Source: france24.com

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tested positive for COVID-19, a day after appearing unmasked at a White House event with President Joe Biden. Pelosi received a positive test result for COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic, her spokesman Drew Hammill said Thursday in a tweet. He said she had tested negative earlier in the week. “The Speaker is fully vaccinated and boosted, and is thankful for the robust protection the vaccine has provided,” Hammill said.

Source: apnews.com

Greece's government said Thursday it plans to double production of lignite, or brown coal, in the coming two years despite the pollution it causes as Athens aims to reduce its dependence upon Russian gas. Greece depends upon Russia for 40 percent of its natural gas and since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February it has been searching for alternatives to ensure normal supplies.

Source: france24.com

A cast of "The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin will be auctioned in Paris on June 30, expected to reach between 9 and 14 million euros, Christie's said Thursday. Around 40 copies are in existence -- many of them made after the artist's death in 1917. The copy on sale in Paris, with black and brown patina, was part of a private Parisian collection and was made in 1928 by the Alexis Rudier foundry that cast several of Rodin's most famous bronzes.

Source: france24.com

The rupee hit 188.14 to the US dollar as the country’s top court prepared to deliver a verdict on the case of the National Assembly deputy speaker’s obstruction of an opposition bid to remove Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Source: aljazeera.com

Up to eight more nuclear reactors could be approved on existing sites as part of the UK's new energy strategy. The strategy, which aims to boost UK energy independence and tackle rising prices, also includes plans to increase wind, hydrogen and solar production. But experts have called for a bigger focus on energy efficiency and improving home insulation.

Source: bbc.com

Jimmy Wang Yu, who was once one of the biggest stars of martial arts cinema, died Tuesday in a Taipei hospital from an undisclosed illness he battled for six years. He was 79 and his death was announced on Instagram by his daughter, Linda Wang. Born in Shanghai, China, Wang moved to Hong Kong and made his name as an action star at Shaw Brothers Studio during the 1960s. His best-known film was One-Armed Swordsman, which, as the title suggests, was about swordplay, a hallmark of his combat skills.

Source: deadline.com

Rooney discussed Ronaldo's impact at United on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, suggesting his return to Old Trafford has not been a success. The Derby boss also advised his former club to change approach and play with young, hungry players rather than Ronaldo. In response to Rooney sharing a photo from MNF on Instagram Ronaldo commented "Two jealous" alongside an eyes emoji. It's possible CR7's comment may have been tongue in cheek and simply poking fun at his friend.

Source: thesun.co.uk

Zoos across North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and potentially deadly avian influenza. Penguins may be the only birds visitors to many zoos can see right now, because they already are kept inside and usually protected behind glass in their exhibits, making it harder for the bird flu to reach them. Nearly 23 million chickens and turkeys have already been killed across the United States to limit the spread of the virus.

Source: apnews.com

Some residents under lockdown in Shanghai say they are running out of food, amid the city's biggest-ever Covid outbreak. Residents are confined to their homes, banned from leaving for even essential reasons such as grocery shopping. Nearly 20,000 cases were reported on Thursday in China's biggest city - another near-record high. Officials have admitted the city is facing "difficulties" but say they are trying to improve this.

Source: bbc.com

Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate because of floods in and around Sydney, Australia’s biggest city, after more than a month’s worth of rain fell overnight. The downpour – with forecasters warning of more rain – turned streets into rivers and filled reservoirs to the brim. Residents of a nursing home were evacuated as emergency crews urged the harbour city’s 5 million people to avoid unnecessary travel.

Source: aljazeera.com

TV companies will need to radically adapt themselves to the fast-evolving world of online entertainment if they hope to survive, experts have warned. "Young people have evolved from passive spectators of TV to active players, and they've turned away from screens to smartphones," said Frederic Cavazza, co-founder of Sysk, a French firm specialising in digital transformation. "TV channels are going to die with their audiences,"- he added.

Source: france24.com

Selena Gomez was dubbed the "queen of Instagram" as the most-followed celebrity on the social media platform back in 2016. Now, Gomez says she's not been on the internet for four and a half years. "It has changed my life completely, Gomez told "Good Morning America." "I am happier, I am more present, I connect more with people," Gomez said. "I understand how powerful the internet is, and in so many ways it's done the best things for the world. But for me, I get to my news that is actually important I get through people in my life."

Source: cnn.com

While the future of Chelsea football club remains in turmoil off the field, the team suffered a torrid night on the pitch in its Champions League quarterfinal first leg tie against Real Madrid on Wednesday. A hat trick for Karim Benzema inspired his side to a 3-1 win on a wet and windy night in west London, putting the Spanish side in firm control of the matchup ahead of the return leg.

Source: cnn.com

Personal items that once belonged to the iconic comedic actress Betty White, including a gold watch from her mother, are set to go up for auction. Awards, paintings, scripts, jewelry and red carpet outfits from the homes of "The Golden Girls" actress were put on display at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills on Tuesday. The entire collection is valued at $1 million to $2 million. The auction will take place Sept. 23-25.

Source: reuters.com

China on Wednesday said images of civilian deaths in the Ukrainian town of Bucha are “deeply disturbing” but that no blame should be apportioned until all facts are known. China supports all initiatives and measures “conducive to alleviating the humanitarian crisis” in the country, and is “ready to continue to work together with the international community to prevent any harm to civilians,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing.

Source: apnews.com

Burkina Faso's former president Blaise Compaoré has received a life sentence in absentia for his role in the assassination of his revolutionary predecessor, Thomas Sankara. Sankara, 37, was gunned down along with 12 others during the 1987 coup d'état that brought Compaoré to power. The pair had been close friends and had jointly seized power in 1983. Sankara remains a hero for many across Africa because of his anti-imperialist stance and austere lifestyle.

Source: bbc.com

A drawing by Michelangelo, discovered in 2019, will be offered for sale next month by Christie's and could fetch 30 million euros ($33 million), the British auction house said on Tuesday. The drawing is thought to be one of the artist's early works, from around the end of the 15th century. The work is scheduled to be exhibited in Hong Kong and New York before it is auctioned in Paris on May 18.

Source: reuters.com