(2022-05-18). China Eastern crash probe eyes intentional action – sources. tribune.com.pk 
Investigators looking into the crash of a China Eastern Airlines jet are examining whether it was due to intentional action on the flight deck, with no evidence found of a technical malfunction, two people briefed on the matter said. | The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that flight data from one of the Boeing 737-800's black boxes indicated that someone in the cockpit intentionally crashed the plane, citing people familiar with the preliminary assessment of U.S. officials. | Boeing Co, the maker of the jet, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) declined to comment and referred quest…
(2022-05-18). US-Taliban deal biggest factor in collapse of Afghan forces, watchdog says. tribune.com.pk 
The biggest factor that led to the collapse of the Afghan military in August last year was the U.S. decision to withdraw forces and contractors from Afghanistan through an agreement with the Taliban signed by the Trump administration and executed by the Biden administration, a U.S. watchdog report concluded. | The withdrawal "destroyed" the morale of the Afghan military as it was dependent on U.S. military support, according to an assessment by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which was made public late Tuesday. | "SIGAR found that the single most important factor in the…
(2022-05-18). Sri Lanka to default on debt, no money for fuel, minister says. tribune.com.pk Sri Lanka is expected to be placed into default by rating agencies on Wednesday after the non-payment of coupons on two of its sovereign bonds, while the energy minister said the country had run out of money to pay for fuel. | An economic crisis unprecedented in the country's history since independence in 1948 has led to a critical shortage of foreign exchange, that saw it miss two coupon payments on sovereign bonds on April 18. | Sri Lanka has already said it is unable to make the coupon payments, and a 30-day grace period ends on Wednesday. | S&P has said the ratings on the bonds, maturing in 2023 and 2028,…
(2022-05-18). 'We Have to Flip This Seat': After Senate Primary Win, Fetterman Shifts Focus to Beating GOP. commondreams.org "This is the most important race in the country," said Democratic U.S. Senate nominee John Fetterman. "Control of the Senate is going to come down to Pennsylvania."