IRS funding cut won’t hurt near-term tax collection, officials say reut.rs/3OPErCx
Day: May 28, 2023
2023-05-28T23:31:33Z
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the 7th enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, North Korea, March 1, 2023 in this photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS
North Korea’s ruling party will hold a key meeting in early June to review the country’s economic plans, state media KCNA reported on Monday.
The meeting will review the implementation of the country’s national economic plans in the first half of 2023 and discuss “policy issues of weighty significance” in the development of its revolution, the report said.
It will mark the 8th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), the country’s ruling party.
The last plenary meeting was held in February to discuss improving the economy and agricultural sector amid fears of food shortages.
North Korea also criticized recent joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea as “dangerous war gambles” in a separate commentary carried by KCNA also on Monday.
“It is no exaggeration to say that the war scenario for aggression on the DPRK has already entered its implementation stage through training stage,” the commentary read.
The criticism comes after the two countries kicked off a series of combined military exercises on Thursday, the first of their kind since 2017.
Dubbed as the Combined Joint Live-Fire Exercise, Thursday’s military drills involved some 2,500 troops from 71 units and around 600 military assets mobilized by the allies just 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the inter-Korean border to demonstrate their military capability amid North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
WATCH: Meta was fined a record $1.3 billion by European Union privacy regulators for transferring user information to the United States beyond a 2020 EU court ruling that invalidated an EU-US data transfer pact reut.rs/3IsMocQ $META
2023-05-28T19:28:23Z
The famously fickle Paris crowd made themselves heard on the opening day of the French Open, booing when Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands after her first-round defeat by Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Sunday.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the runner-up in Paris in 2021, was later dragged into a dogfight by Czech Jiri Vesely before he advanced in four sets and seeds Karen Khachanov and Hubert Hurkacz also battled their way into the second round.
Kostyuk had warned she would not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players due to Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour and she kept her word on a sun-kissed court Philippe Chatrier after losing 6-3 6-2 to world number two Sabalenka.
Sabalenka, who initially thought that the boos were for her, theatrically bowed to supporters before thanking them for their backing and later said she understood Kostyuk’s choice to skip the customary gesture.
She added the Ukrainian did not deserve to leave the main showcourt in the manner she did, but Kostyuk urged Sabalenka to take a stronger and more personal stand against the war.
“She (Sabalenka) never says that she personally doesn’t support this war, and I feel like journalists should change the questions you ask these athletes because the war is already there,” Kostyuk said.
“It’s been 15 months since the war has begun.”
Fifth seed Tsitsipas was made to work hard by Vesely, who is on the comeback trail following a lengthy injury absence, before winning 7-5 6-3 4-6 7-6(7).
“I said to myself there’s no chance this is going to a fifth set,” said Tsitsipas. “Jiri was a difficult obstacle. He gave me a hard time and I’m happy I overcame it in such a fashion.”
Khachanov defeated local favourite Constant Lestienne 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-3 and the 11th seed was joined in the second round by 13th seed Hurkacz who battled past David Goffin 6-3 5-7 6-4 2-6 6-4.
Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis pulled off an upset by downing British 20th seed Dan Evans 6-4 6-4 6-4. Monte Carlo champion Andrey Rublev, the seventh seed, overcame a mid-match wobble to beat Laslo Djere 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Eighth seed Maria Sakkari became an early casualty on Court Suzanne Lenglen as she fell 7-6(5) 7-5 to Karolina Muchova, who also beat the Greek player in straight sets at last year’s tournament.
Leylah Fernandez downed 21st seed Magda Linette 6-3 1-6 6-3 while Magdalena Frech sent 29th seed Zhang Shuai packing after a 6-1 6-1 victory.
Earlier, spectators lined up in huge numbers under panama hats and umbrellas as the year’s second Grand Slam tournament began in bright sunshine.
After a record 50,000 people – compared to 29,000 last year – attended the qualifying event, fashionably late fans queued to get their seats despite temperatures reaching 27 degrees Celsius in the afternoon as water vending stands were busy all day.
There will be an unfamiliar feel to this year’s tournament, with holder and 14-times winner Rafa Nadal out injured.
“Of course, it’s a big miss. My son wanted to see Nadal but now we will be supporting (Carlos) Alcaraz,” said Gerald Furst, who runs a tennis club in the south of France.
“I like (Novak) Djokovic as well, he’s an amazing player. I believe it’ll be a semi-final between Alcaraz and Djokovic. We want to see this match.”
Serbian Djokovic, who is bidding for his third French Open title and a men’s record 23rd major crown, takes on Aleksandar Kovacevic on Monday. Top seed Alcaraz will also be in action against Flavio Cobolli.
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Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – May 28, 2023 The umpire is seen during the coin toss before the first round match between Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – May 28, 2023 Poland’s Magdalena Frech shakes hands with China’s Shuai Zhang after winning her first round match REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne