RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/May 2023

May 2023[edit]

16

Latvian foreign minister Edgers Rinkēvičs has been chosen by the county's parliament the Saeima, to the country's next mostly symbolic president. This would make him the first openly gay head of state in Europe.

19

Minnesota legalizes recreational cannabis, becoming the 23rd state to do so

42

A Japanese court has ruled that not allowing same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

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Under Uganda's new laws, gay sex will get you life in prison (execution if you transmit HIV/AIDS), "promotion of homosexuality" will get you 20 years in prison, and attempting to engage in any homosexual acts will get you 10 years in prison.

11

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have flared up again as Kosovo's police raided Serb-dominated areas and seized municipality buildings.

19

Sex Abuse in Catholic Church: Over 1,900 Minors Abused in Illinois, State Says – A new report by the attorney general of Illinois covering decades names more than 450 credibly accused sexual abusers, including priests and lay religious brothers.

27

Ukraine has opened a new 114 MW windfarm in Mykolaiv region of Southern Ukraine generating clean renewable energy, despite being only 100km from the conflict frontline. The fact that this windfarm has opened in warzone, and the lack of progress by the British government in developing wind power hasn't gone unnoticed by the Shadow Climate Change Secretary.

30

Jessica Watkins, Oath Keeper organizer and Army veteran, is sentenced to eight and half years for her actions in the January 6 debacle. Kenneth Harrelson, another Oath Keeper, whined that he “got in the wrong car at the wrong time and went to the wrong place with the wrong people” when being sentenced to four years in prison for his actions. Yeah, right.

17

Charles III has appointed an alternative medicine enthusiast to head the British royal family's medical affairs. Charles's stances on science and medicine have been known for a long time now, so that is perhaps not much of a shocker.

32

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was unanimously recommended for impeachment by the Texas House General Investigating Committee, on the basis of multiple criminal allegations, some of them dating to the beginning of his first term in the AG office. Update: Paxton has been impeached by the Texas House of Representatives by a vote of 121-23. This is just the third impeachment in Texas history and the first in 50 years. Paxton now awaits a trial in the Senate.

39

Founder of Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, sentenced to 18 years for his part of the Jan 6th putsch attempt. Update: "And your little dog, too!" Another Oath Keeper gets a separate sentence of 8 and a half years. Over 500 J6ers have now received sentences.

11

Armenia's Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has stated that Armenia intends to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, sparking backlash from the de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh and many Armenians who have long advocated for the region's independence or incorporation into Armenia. Negotiations for a peace agreement continue, and a meeting between Pashinyan, Aliyev, and Putin is expected.

21

Boris Johnson has now been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office, after his personal diaries revealed that he allowed friends to visit him at the prime ministerial estate of Chequers during lockdown.

27

France has formally banned domestic flights on short routes that can be covered by train in less than two-and-a-half hours. This means there are no more flights between Paris, Lyon, Nantes and Bordeaux.

29

In a stopped clock moment, speaker Kevin McCarthy states that he supports aid to Ukraine, a stark constrast to what other right wing republicans believe.

0

Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso has dissolved the country's National Assembly, triggering snap elections within 90 days. Lasso invoked a constitutional clause known as "mutual death," allowing him to rule by decree until the elections are held. The move comes amidst calls for Lasso's resignation due to a cost-of-living crisis and high rates of violence. Opposition groups and Indigenous organizations had threatened mass protests in response to the dissolution. Lasso's decision has halted ongoing impeachment proceedings against him but has been criticized as reckless by his opponents. The armed forces and police have expressed support for the constitutional order.

8

Florida lawmakers send bill to Governor DeSantis to pave roads in the state with radioactive waste. Update: The bill has been signed. This leads to a study to test its use, with it having to be finished by April of 2024.

7

In a rather small but still satisfying defeat for Keir Starmer, 98% of the Islington North Branch backs Corbyn remaining their Local Member of Parliment

37

Same-sex marriages legally concluded outside the Southern African nation of Namibia must be recognised by the country's government, its Supreme Court has ruled.

43

The Estonian government is tabling a bill in parliament to legalise same-sex marriage and to allow same sex partners to adopt each others children. If passed, this would make the country the first ex-Soviet nation to legalise equal marriage.

22

A spokesperson from the Russian Duma has confirmed said that Belarusian autocrat Aleksandr Lukashenko is very unwell.

23

Vice Media files for bankruptcy.

26

Saying the quiet bits out loud; Edwardian cosplayer Jacob Rees-Mogg admits recent Voter ID law to be a pro-Tory gerrymandering attempt which backfired while ermine-caped influence peddler Peter Cruddas goes further by complaining that a Labour government could "[make] it impossible for the Conservative party to win an outright majority in the future" through electoral reforms including allowing 16 year-olds and foreign residents to vote.

54

Southern Baptist Convention membership continues to decline at record pace. Perhaps helped along by the sex abuse scandal.

52

France's National Assembly has voted unanimously by all of its deputies, a resolution on the calling on the European Union to formally label Russian mercenary force Wagner a "terrorist group". In response to the call, the head of Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin, has responded by threatening to pull all the teeth out of French president Emmanuel Macron.

26

In the background of Charles III's coronation, a number of Caribbean dominions including Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Kitts and Nevis, have reconfirmed and accelerated their plans to become Commonwealth republics.

23

Oh, yeah, the coronation of King Charles III happened. No one here remembered, 'cause, like, who cares. But the British Government (or more correctly, the Conservative Party) cared enough to allow the police to 'preemptively detain' anti-monarchist protestors.

35

Many doctors are feeling less than chuffed about their career choice these days. COVID has impacted these numbers significantly with, as an American Medical Association writer lists: "staffing shortages, anti-science aggression, incivility and new dimensions of moral distress."

45

Smarmy New York Rep. George Santos is charged by the Justice Department in federal probe Update: He's been arrested and charged with 13 counts, including seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.

45

Trump found liable by a jury for sexual abuse in civil case, jury awards $5 million to E. Jean Carroll. Trump was also found liable for defamation.

41

The Canadian broadcasting regulator the CRTC has opened a public consultation on whether Fox News should be pulled from the air in Canada, after receiving complaints saying the network has aired hateful content about LGBT+ people.

27

After at least seven million dead and forty months, the WHO declares the Covid 'global health emergency' over.

42

Four Proud Boys members found guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 trial The jury remains split on whether a fifth member of the group is guilty of seditious conspiracy and will continue to deliberate.

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