Author: News Desk

United States: The Biden administration has announced that the United States will cancel a number of oil and gas leases in a federal wildlife refuge previously issued under former President Mr. Donald Trump. In a press release, the Department of the Interior (DOI) authorised the cancellation of seven such leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Alaska. The leases were issued to the state’s development agency during the Trump administration but have been suspended since June 2021 due to “legal deficiencies.” “With climate change warming the Arctic more than twice as fast as the rest of…

Sri Lanka: The government of Sri Lanka plans to establish a parliamentary committee to investigate the claims made in a British television report. It alleged the involvement of Sri Lankan intelligence in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which resulted in the deaths of 269 people. Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Mr. Manusha Nanayakkara told the parliament that details on the investigation will be announced soon. A man stated in the Channel 4 videos released that he organized a meeting between a local group inspired by ISIL (ISIS) and a high-ranking state intelligence official. The alleged purpose…

United Kingdom: A new study has found that the number of under-50s worldwide diagnosed with cancer has risen by nearly 80 percent in three decades. The cases of early-onset cancer increased from 1.82 million in 1990 to 3.26 million in 2019 globally, while the cancer deaths of adults in their 40s, 30s, or younger grew by 27 percent. “More than a million under-50s die of cancer every year,” the research found. The authors of the study, published in BMJ Oncology, noted that poor diets, alcohol and tobacco use, physical inactivity, and obesity are likely to be among the factors. “Since…

United States: American singer-songwriter Joe Jonas and actress Sophie Turner are reportedly separating after four years of marriage. The singer has filed a petition for divorce in Florida, as per the reports. The petition says the marriage can’t be fixed and should end. Jonas and Turner, who have two daughters born in 2020 and 2022, are both seeking shared custody. They have a prenuptial agreement, as stated in the filing. They started dating in 2016 and got engaged in 2017. Jonas shared a photo on his official Instagram account, featuring Turner proudly wearing her engagement ring, along with the caption,…

United States: California lawmakers have voted to pass a bill that bans discrimination based on caste. The bill further adds protections for people of South Asian descent who say they have been left out of traditional American safeguards for fairness in employment and housing. The first-of-its-kind bill in the US now heads to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who must decide whether to sign it into law. The move gives added protections to people from countries like Nepal, India, and Bangladesh who weren’t included in pre-existing anti-discrimination laws. The state Senate voted 31-5 to approve the bill that would redefine “ancestry”…

London, UK: The United Nations (UN) warns that approximately six billion tonnes of sand are extracted from the world’s oceans annually, posing threats to marine life and coastal communities. Sand is the second most exploited natural resource globally, following water, and it’s essential for making concrete and glass. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) stated that some vessels were acting as vacuum cleaners, dredging both sand and microorganisms that fish feed on. The release of fresh data coincides with the introduction of a new tool called Marine Sand Watch. This tool employs marine tracking and artificial intelligence to monitor dredging activities.…

United States: A White House official has stated that North Korea will pay “a price” if it sells arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine. The statement comes after Washington warned that Pyongyang was in talks with Moscow about a potential arms deal. US National Security Adviser Mr. Jake Sullivan remarked that the United States believes the negotiations between North Korea and Russia are “actively advancing.” “Providing weapons to Russia for use on the battlefield to attack grain silos and the heating infrastructure of major cities as we head into winter, to try to conquer territory that belongs to…

London, UK: In a new study, scientists suggest that an oral medication approved for treating Multiple Sclerosis (MS) could potentially help to slow down the harmful inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The pharmaceutical drug Ponesimod received approval from both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to treat multiple sclerosis in 2021 after successfully completing clinical trials. Experiments carried out by University of Kentucky researchers have provided evidence that the drug can inhibit excessive immune activity in the nervous system, a process believed to be crucial in the development of dementia. “We are the…

Ethiopia: Amnesty International has accused Eritrean troops allied with Ethiopia’s government of having “committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity” in Tigray. In a report released, the rights group noted how Eritrean soldiers extrajudicially executed civilians and sexually enslaved women for months after the signing of a peace agreement in 2022. The war, which broke out in November 2020, was between regional forces from Tigray and Ethiopia’s federal army, as well as its allies, which included forces from other regions and neighbouring Eritrea. In 2021, Eritrea was sanctioned by the United States for sending troops into Tigray in support…

United States: A UN assessment has found that invasive species are costing the world at least $423 billion every year and have become a threat to biodiversity on Earth. According to reports, at least 3,500 harmful invasive species have been recorded globally in every region, spread by human travel and trade. The impact is destructive for humans and wildlife, as it may lead to extinctions and permanently damage the healthy functioning of an ecosystem. “Invasive alien species are a major threat to biodiversity and can cause irreversible damage to nature, including local and global species extinctions, and also threaten human…