June 22, 2023

*) Anti-Muslim record, rights abuses hounds Modi as he makes US state visit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking on a trip to the US, kicking off his visit with a highly-publicised yoga session in New York and capping it off with a state dinner at the White House on Thursday night. But accusations of inciting anti-Muslim violence and other human rights abuses are hounding him. Several US Congress members said they are boycotting his address before a joint session of the US Congress. On Wednesday, Modi’s trip encountered an embarrassing hitch when he arrived 30 minutes late to a planned event with US First Lady Jill Biden. Later on Thursday, Modi and President Joe Biden are expected to announce deals that would deepen geopolitical and technology ties between the US and India. *) Western media under fire for slanted coverage of refugee tragedy and missing Titan sub Netizens are criticising what they described as “biased” media coverage and disparity in emergency response, between the deadly sinking of a fishing trawler carrying hundreds of refugees in the Mediterranean, and the missing Titan submersible, carrying five explorers including at least two billionaires. Some social media users say they are frustrated to see the nonstop media coverage of the missing tourist submersible, which is being searched in the North Atlantic by a multinational response team. In contrast, emergency response came late when scores of nameless refugees escaping wars and famine drowned off the Greek coast last week. *) Blast in China restaurant leaves dozens dead At least 31 people were killed following a gas explosion in northwestern China. The blast tore through a restaurant in Yinchuan, the capital of the traditionally Muslim Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, as people gathered ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival. The explosion left many people unconscious, many needing to be carried out of the shop. Chinese President Xi Jinping has demanded urgent medical care for the injured and a safety overhaul after the inc