Author: Editorial Desk

Indonesia: Chinese social media app TikTok has announced a deal with Indonesian tech giant GoTo group to restart its online shop in the country. The firm, owned by China’s Bytedance, plans to invest over $1.5 billion in the GoTo. TikTok Shop closed its doors in Indonesia in October to comply with new rules in South East Asia’s largest economy. Under the deal, TikTok Shop will be merged into GoTo’s Tokopedia, and it will own a majority stake in that entity. GoTo stated that, “TikTok has committed to invest over US $1.5 billion in the enlarged entity over time, to provide…

Geneva, Switzerland: The World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed on a resolution calling for immediate access to vital humanitarian aid and an end to the fighting in Gaza. Following the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) declined to demand a truce between Israel and Hamas, the 34 countries on the WHO’s executive board adopted the resolution by consensus. According to the statement, the resolution calling for the “immediate, sustained and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief, including the access of medical personnel.” WHO also called on “all parties to fulfill their obligations under international law and reaffirmed that all parties to armed…

London, UK: A new findings from the largest UK community research project showed that consuming meals within a 10-hour time frame improves mood, energy, and hunger. Results from the trial are presented by researchers from King’s College London at the European Nutrition Conference. Intermittent fasting (IF), or restricting your food consumption to a set time frame, is a popular weight loss approach. Adopting a ten-hour window means limiting your daily eating schedule to ten hours and fasting for the remaining 14 hours. For example, if your first meal is at 9 am, you should finish eating at 7 pm. While…

Netherlands: The European Union (EU) has reached a landmark agreement on the laws to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Following nearly 38 hours of intense talks, negotiators agreed to rules around AI in systems like ChatGPT and facial recognition. The AI Act proposals will be put to a vote in the European Parliament early in the next year, but no laws will be passed until at least 2025. EU chief, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, remarked that, “The AI Act is a global first. A unique legal framework for the development of AI you can trust.” “And for…

United States: The US Soccer Federation (USSF) and Mexico Football Federation have submitted a joint bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The two federations unveiled their joint bid on the last day, competing with proposals from other potential hosts such as Brazil and a trio of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. US Soccer President, Ms. Parlow Cone, commented that, “This is a pivotal time for women’s soccer. The US and Mexico are in a unique position to host a World Cup that will leverage the same venues, infrastructure, and protocols used for the Men’s World Cup just…

Thailand: China will open its Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATARC) in Thailand, marking its fourth such facility globally. The move aims to facilitate Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in Thailand, which has become a regional hub for automaking. Chinese automakers, such as BYD and Great Wall Motor, have expressed their interest in setting up facilities in the booming market of Thailand due to its business-friendly tax incentives and subsidies. These automakers have agreed to make an investment of $1.44 billion in new production facilities in the country. CATARC, with centres in Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, chose Thailand as its…

United States: American tech giant Google is reportedly working on a ‘Smart Search’ feature that will make it easier to find files on your phone. Currently, the only way to find a file on your phone is to remember the file name by which it was saved. This frequently causes problems if you cannot remember the file name. The contents in the file are not searchable. According to sources, the search giant is about to change that. As per the reports, Google’s Smart Search feature is currently under testing, and it allows users to search for files like images and…

London, UK: Mr. David Cameron, British Foreign Secretary, has urged US Congress to approve a military aid package for Ukraine during his visit to Washington. Mr. Cameron intervened the day after Republicans in the Senate blocked foreign aid from moving forward in protest over the lack of changes to border and immigration policy. Speaking to an Aspen Security Forum in Washington, Mr. Cameron stated that, “I’m not worried about the strength and unity and consensus and bravery of the Ukrainian people. I’m worried that we’re not going to do what we need to do.” “We’ve got to make sure we…

Seychelles: Mr. Wavel Ramkalwan, Seychelles President, has declared a state of emergency after a massive explosion at an industrial zone on the main island, Mahe, and heavy rains. Authorities stated that the explosion rocked the island as heavy rains triggered flooding which killed at least two people. The President has ordered all citizens, except workers for essential services, to stay at home. The explosion occurred at a construction and quarrying company that stored explosives, causing widespread destruction in Providence’s industrial area. “Following an explosion at the CCCL explosives store that has caused massive damage to the Providence Industrial area and…

Peru: Mr. Alberto Fujimori, Peru’s former President, was released from prison, who had been jailed for corruption and human rights violations while in office. The country’s highest court granted him a humanitarian pardon, despite a request from the regional Inter-American Court of Human Rights to delay his release. The son of Japanese immigrants, Mr. Fujimori was a highly controversial figure before and after his hard-line tenure, which ran from 1990 to 2000, when he resigned following a bribery scandal. During Mr. Fujimori’s tenure, an estimated 69,000 people were killed in his authoritarian government’s crackdown on two brutal insurgencies. However, the…