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Germany's parliament on Friday commemorated the 70th anniversary of a popular uprising in the Communist east that was brutally crushed by its Soviet-backed dictatorship. Worsening economic conditions and political repression in East Germany had prompted months of protests, starting in rural areas, that culminated in a call on June 16, 1953, for a general strike. The following day more than half a million people took to the streets across East Germany, including the capital, Berlin. About 50 people were killed and thousands were arrested by Communist secret police with the help of Soviet troops. Dozens of Soviet soldiers who refused to shoot protesters were executed. The East German regime branded the uprising a “fascist putsch” instigated by the West, a claim for which there was no evidence. It was the first revolt against Soviet rule in eastern Europe. Others would follow in Hungary and what was then Czechoslovakia. “The uprising of June 17 was not only directed against the increasing demand on workers, against low wages, high prices, empty shelves," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a speech to lawmakers. “It was directed against the standardization of an entire society, against planned rule and forced collectivization, against state surveillance, propaganda and censorship, against the suppression of Christians, opposition members and non-conformists, against the dictatorship of a single party, which claimed that it was always right.” Following the crackdown, hundreds of thousands of people fled to West Germany until the so-called Iron Curtain was cemented by the Communist regime with a vast border fence and the Berlin Wall. Steinmeier noted that the striving for freedom eventually prevailed, when protesters took to the streets again in 1989, eventually toppling the dictatorship and leading to German reunification a year later. He also drew a parallel to the situation in Ukraine, saying the country was defending itself against a Russian attack driven by Moscow's efforts to restore former imperial glory. “(Ukrainians) are also defending what brave people in Europe have stood up for time and again since 1953, achieved in 1989 and never want to lose again,” Steinmeier said. “On this anniversary of June 17 we're also thinking of the Ukrainian men and women who are fighting against unfreedom and repression today,” he said. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

Bill Gates met with Xi Jinping on Friday, marking the Chinese leader's first known one-on-one meeting with a Western business figure in years after a new pledge from the Gates Foundation.

Far-right Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert was scolded by Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin for her attitude towards a witness during a hearing of the House Oversight Committee. New York University professor Sally Katzen appeared at the hearing entitled “Death by a Thousand Regulations: The Biden Administration’s Campaign to Bury America in Red Tape” on Wednesday. The lawyer and legal scholar was called to the Republican-led hearing by the minority, Newsweek noted. Ms Boebert spent her time during the hearing berating Ms Katzen, interrupting her as she attempted to answer. The Colorado congresswoman asked Ms Katzen if she thought changes to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) not put forward by Congress were appropriate. As Ms Katzen started to speak, Ms Boebert instead began laying out her thoughts on the matter. Ms Katzen was later interrupted again and when she attempted to respond for the third time, Ms Boebert said, “No ma’am it’s my time. Thank you”. “Oh, I’m sorry, so you are not interested in my views?” Ms Katzen replied to which Ms Boebert once again said it was her turn to speak. As the hearing went on, Ms Katzen appeared to stop trying to answer questions from Ms Boebert. At one point, she suggested that Ms Katzen had a “$2.5 million home” which appeared to be intended as criticism. “Excuse me, I really take that as a personal ... I disagree that you’re casting aspersions on me,” the scholar responded, at which point Ms Boebert said her time was up. After several minutes of verbal jousting, Mr Raskin asked for a moment to criticise Ms Boebert’s behaviour, saying that “an insult is not a substitute for an argument”. “The chair would advise members to adhere to the House standard of decorum and proceed in order,” the chairman of the committee, Kentucky Republican James Comer of Kentucky, said. Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett then apologized to Ms Katzen, saying that Ms Boebert’s line of questioning was “uncalled for”. “Let me do what [Ms Boebert] would never do, which is to be an adult in this room, or in this chamber,” Ms Crockett said. Twitter users also criticised Ms Boebert. “Truly, I believe if Boebert and [Marjorie Taylor Greene] weren’t there, things would calm down in Congress. Those two are instigators of chaos, and just plain meanness,” one Twitter user said. “The fact that Congressman Raskin has to battle cancer and this utter nonsense while maintaining his top-tier level of dignity is a travesty,” another account holder said. After announcing his diagnosis late last year, Mr Raskin revealed in an open letter in late April that his cancer was in remission with a 90 per cent chance of no relapse. Read More Lauren Boebert claims Pentagon considers her a ‘security threat’ GOP Congressman’s ‘scary as hell’ tweet seemingly calls for insurrection after Trump indictment Far-right members of Congress rebel against McCarthy and hold up House votes Lauren Boebert called out over treatment of witness: ‘An insult is not an argument’ Lauren Boebert claims Pentagon considers her a ‘security threat’ GOP lawmaker’s tweet seemingly calls for ‘war’ after Trump indictment

The Microsoft co-founder is the latest high-profile US business leader to visit China in recent months.

Relief could be on the horizon for Britain’s shoppers — and the supermarkets. Tesco said this morning it

Abu Dhabi artificial intelligence firm G42 and Israeli technology investment firm Viola Group said they have set up

Pope Francis was set to be discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital Friday where the 86-year-old was recovering from abdominal surgery.

A fan remarked, 'When the only reason that you are on tv is because you are a complete mess, does it matter if you are #1?'

By David Milliken LONDON The Bank of England looks set to raise interest rates by a quarter point

An executive order designed to protect people providing and receiving gender-affirming care was signed by New York City mayor Eric Adams on Monday. Executive Order 32, signed in celebration of Pride, prevents the use of city resources to investigate, detain or prosecute anyone providing or receiving care. It’s a measure similar to one cities have taken to try to protect abortion rights after the reversal of Roe v Wade. New York as a state has not passed any restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, which remains legal across the Northeast. But Mr Adams’s measure comes at a time when the transgender community has been under a sustained attack from Republican party officials who have introduced more than 400 bills in state legislatures targeting LGBT+ people so far this year. Twenty states have already passed laws limiting or banning gender-affirming care for minors, with more states actively considering bans. “As states across the nation continue their onslaught of attacks on our LGBT+ neighbors, New York City is doing what we have always done — standing up for justice and against discrimination,” Mr Adams said in a statement on the executive action. “This executive order reaffirms the fact that hate has no place in our city and that all people deserve the right to gender-affirming care and protection against prosecution for being who they are.” The spirit of Mr Adams’s order is aligned with advisories from a number of major medical associations like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which have said that gender-affirming care is safe and can be lifesaving. The number of people who transition and express regret about it later is believed to be at or less than one percent. For some of them, the regret was temporary. Some see attacks on gender-affirming care for children as part of a broader assault on the bodily autonomy of people who are not cisgender men. A number of the states that have passed bans on gender-affirming care have also passed limits or effective bans on abortion care. Some people in such states have been forced to move to other areas without such restrictions. New York is a place of particular import for the LGBT+ movement, as it is the site of the Stonewall riot and one of the country’s largest and most visible LGBT+ communities. It’s annual Pride parade is set to take place on 25 June. Read More Republicans in Oregon Senate end six-week walkout that blocked bills on abortion, trans health care Texas family moves so trans teen can escape anti-LGTBQ laws: ‘I’d rather be out than dead’ US prepares for potential end of Roe v Wade - live When will there be a Roe v Wade decision? Why these prosecutors are refusing to enforce anti-abortion laws

Donald Trump repeatedly rejected his attorneys’ efforts to settle the classified documents case ahead of a looming indictment, according to a bombshell new report. Insiders told The Washington Post that the former president’s attorney Christopher Kise advised him multiple times to return all classified documents to the correct authorities and then tried to persuade him to try to reach a deal with Attorney General Merrick Garland in late 2022. Mr Trump reportedly dismissed the advice. As a result, on Tuesday, the former president was arrested and arraigned on 37 charges over his handling of classified national security documents after leaving the White House to which he pleaded not guilty, claiming he was a victim of political persecution. He marked his 77th birthday as the first current or former president arrested on federal criminal charges in American history. Bush administration veteran Karl Rove slammed the former president for his “reckless petulance” over the classified documents in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal. Mr Rove said both the country and Mr Trump will pay a high price for his actions. Meanwhile, a two-year criminal investigation into Mr Trump’s Westchester County golf course has been dropped to his delight. Read More Trump declared ‘food for all’ in post-arrest stop at Miami cafe – but reportedly skipped bill Donald Trump scores rare legal win as DA drops golf course tax probe Trump's promise of payback for prosecution follows years of attacking democratic traditions Is Donald Trump going to prison?

By Brenda Goh SHANGHAI (Reuters) -U.S. memory chipmaker Micron said on Friday it was committed to China and would invest