Morning brief: Quad summit cancelled, North Korea to launch spy satellite, and more

New Delhi, India

The Quad summit slated to be held in Australia's Sydney next week has been cancelled after Biden cut short his foreign trip due to the debt-ceiling crisis back home. The leaders of four nations will instead meet in Japan's G7 summit. Meanwhile, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has again shocked the world with his plans to launch the country's first spy satellite into space. He is believed to have inspected a secret military site on Tuesday. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is back in the news after police questioned him over alleged forgery of Covid vaccination certificates. 

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No Biden, no Quad: Australian PM cancels meeting in Sydney after US president postpones trip

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday (May 17) that the Quad meeting in Sydney next week will not take place without US President Joe Biden, who cancelled his trip to Australia due to debt limit talks in Washington.

US debt crisis forces Joe Biden to shorten upcoming Asia tour

The White House said on Tuesday (May 16) that President Joe Biden may skip a visit to Australia on an upcoming Asia trip because of the US debt ceiling crisis. 

Covid vaccination forgery case: Ex-Brazil prez Bolsonaro questioned by cops, denies tampering records

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was questioned by the police on Tuesday (May 16) as part of the investigation into alleged forgery of Covid vaccination certificates for himself and his inner circle.

Kuwaiti, Jordanian embassies attacked in Sudan; Saudi Arabia condemns the act

The embassies of Kuwait and Jordan were reportedly attacked in Sudan over Monday and Tuesday, as the fighting between the Sudanese Army and Paramilitary forces continued a month after the start of the tensions.

North Korea is about to launch its 1st spy satellite as Kim Jong Un seen on site

North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim Jong Un inspected a military satellite facility on Tuesday from where the military reconnaissance satellite No. 1 will be launched. 

ChatGPT's Sam Altman urges US lawmakers to regulate artificial intelligence

Sam Altman, who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, urged lawmakers in the United States on Tuesday to regulate artificial intelligence (AI).

Biden 'optimistic', Kevin McCarthy says 'a lot of work to do' on debt ceiling talks

United States President Joe Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy held talks to discuss the "catastrophic" debt crisis, but the negotiations ended on Tuesday (May 16) after less than an hour, without any breakthrough. 

'Motivated and biased': India slams US report on religious freedom

India on Tuesday slammed the US State Department's 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom, calling the commentary 'motivated and biased' that criticised the country for not upholding the rights of minorities. 

NBA: San Antonio Spurs win Draft lottery 2023, poised to pick Victor Wembanyama

The San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday were awarded the top pick in next month's NBA draft, leaving them in pole position to land French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.

Martin Scorsese defends Killers of the Flower Moon's hefty runtime: 'It’s a commitment'

Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese faces criticism for the length of his movies, including his latest work, The Irishman, which ran for 209 minutes. Despite their extended duration, Scorsese's films have earned acclaim and solidified his status in Hollywood.