Author: News Desk

Gabon: Gabonese army officers have reportedly taken power over the nation. They have appeared on national television to announce it. It comes after the state election body announced that President Mr. Ali Bongo had won a third term. But the opposition argued it was fraudulent. These officers claimed to represent all security and defence forces in the Central African nation during the announcement. They declared the cancellation of election results, the immediate closure of all borders, and the dissolution of state institutions. “We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,” one of the soldiers…

United States: The social media platform ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter, said it would now allow political advertising in the US from candidates and political parties. It will still prohibit the promotion of false information, as per the report. In a recent blog post, X detailed its strategy for handling “political discussions” as the election approaches. Prior to billionaire Mr. Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company in October 2022, X had enforced a global ban on all political advertisements since 2019. However, in January 2023, the platform lifted this ban and started permitting “cause-related ads” in the US, particularly those…

United Kingdom: The United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Mr. James Cleverly will visit Beijing amid criticism from some of the MPs regarding the government’s approach to China. Mr. Cleverly, the first senior UK minister to travel to China since 2018, commented that China’s global significance meant it could not be ignored. But MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee stated that the government’s strategy on China was incoherent. During the visit, Mr. Cleverly will hold talks with China’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Wang Yi and Vice-President Mr. Han Zheng. The Foreign Secretary has promised to raise concerns over human rights issues, including…

Saudi Arabia: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to host the National STEM Education Summit (Saudi STEM Education Conference) from September 19 to 20, 2023. The Summit is aimed at advancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, fostering innovation, and preparing Saudi youth for the challenges of the future. The Saudi STEM Education Summit, organized by IBEFORUM, will bring together renowned educators, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the world. The conference, with a focus on promoting collaboration and sharing best practices, further seeks to enhance the quality of STEM education across Saudi Arabia and inspire a…

Russia: Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has informed Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi that he will not attend the G20 Summit in Delhi next month. India is hosting the 2023 summit, which will be held in the capital, Delhi, from September 9 to 10. Mr. Putin called Mr. Modi and told him that his Foreign Minister Mr. Sergei Lavrov would attend the summit on his behalf. The two leaders also discussed several “regional and global issues of mutual concern,” India said in a statement. A Russian government spokesperson recently stated that Mr. Putin would not attend the summit as…

United States: The United States has accused Russia of attempting to intimidate and harass Washington’s employees. The statement comes after reports that a former US consulate worker was charged with collecting information on the war in Ukraine on behalf of Washington. The charge of “cooperation on a confidential basis with a foreign state” carries a maximum prison sentence of eight years. Earlier, Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) said that Mr. Robert Shonov, a Russian national, had supplied information to US embassy staff in Moscow. The information was related to how Russia’s conscription for the war in Ukraine…

Guatemala: The top electoral tribunal of Guatemala has declared Mr. Bernardo Arevalo the winner of the country’s presidential elections. But his chances of taking charge on January 14, 2024, were uncertain due to the suspension of all activities by his Seed Movement party by another government body. Mr. Arevalo, the center-left son of a former president, won the second-round run-off against former First Lady Ms. Sandra Torres. According to reports, the 64-year-old former diplomat secured 60.9 percent of the valid votes cast against 37.2 percent for Ms. Torres. Officials from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal confirmed Mr. Arevalo as the winner…

Libya: Libya has suspended its Foreign Minister Ms. Najla al-Mangoush after her Israeli counterpart announced he had held talks with her in Rome. Prime Minister Mr. Abdul Hamid Dbeibah stated that Ms. Mangoush has been “temporarily suspended” and would be subject to an “administrative investigation by a commission chaired by the justice minister.” Protests erupted in the streets of Tripoli and its suburbs as a sign of their refusal to normalize relations with Israel. The protests spread to other cities, where young people blocked roads, burned tires, and waved the Palestinian flag. The Libyan Foreign Ministry described the meeting with…

United States: A tropical storm called Idalia could strengthen into a hurricane and strike Florida’s Gulf Coast making landfall this week. The storm currently has 60 mph (95 kph) sustained winds and is expected to potentially strengthen to Category 2, with sustained winds ranging from 96 to 110 mph as it approaches Florida, said Governor Mr. Ron DeSantis. The storm is presently positioned approximately 100 miles east of Cozumel, Mexico. It’s moving at a speed of about 3 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, according to the national hurricane centre. Forecasters anticipate that Idalia will gradually move…

Taiwan: Foxconn’s founder, Mr. Terry Gou, will run for president of Taiwan as an independent candidate. Foxconn is the world’s largest consumer electronics company, based in Taiwan. The election is scheduled for January 2024. Mr. Gou, the wealthiest man in Taiwan, has wanted to be in politics for a while. In the last election, he left Foxconn in 2019 to try and become the candidate for the main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT). Mr. Gou didn’t succeed in that try. This year, the KMT, which is viewed as having a favorable stance towards Beijing, picked Mr. Hou Yu-ih, the mayor of…