Author: News Desk

Brazil: The South American countries belonging to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) have agreed to initiate an alliance to protect the Amazon at a summit in Brazil. The summit was aimed at stopping the world’s biggest rainforest from reaching “a point of no return.” The leaders from the eight countries urged developed countries to do more to prevent the destruction of the world’s largest rainforest, calling it a task that cannot fall to just a few countries. The closely-watched summit of ACTO adopted what host country Brazil called a “new and ambitious shared agenda to save the rainforest.” The…

United States: A new study suggests that menstrual discs may be better at dealing with heavy monthly blood flow compared to traditional pads or tampons. This is reportedly the first study to compare the absorption of period products using human blood. Manufacturers of traditional products typically use saline or water to estimate their product’s absorption, but menstrual blood contains blood cells, secretions, and tissue from the shed endometrial lining, which are factors that impact its absorption. Except for tampons, there are no regulations for labelling period products. This lack of regulation complicates the ability to determine if one product is…

Australia: Western Australia’s Premier Mr. Roger Cook has stated that the state will overturn recently enforced laws to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage sites following widespread opposition by farmers and small landowners. The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act came into force on July 1 and was designed to prevent a repeat of the destruction witnessed at the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelter, which was demolished by the Anglo-Australian mining firm Rio Tinto during the expansion of an iron ore mine. The ancient rock shelter was one of the earliest known locations inhabited by Australia’s Indigenous people and contained some of the oldest…

United States: Zoom, a communications technology company that became popular for its remote job opportunities during COVID lockdowns, has asked its employees to travel to the office at least twice a week. This is part of the company’s “structured hybrid approach,” which affects its 8,000 employees at 12 offices worldwide, including in the UK, where it has about 200 staff and offices in central London. The employees who live a commutable distance within 50 miles of the office will need to follow the new rule. Many companies have lifted the work-from-home mandate rules after pandemic restrictions, but Zoom hasn’t moved…

China: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has called on the Philippines to remove a grounded World War II warship. The renewed demand comes after the Philippines accused China’s coastguard of firing water cannon at boats on a mission to resupply the Philippine garrison stationed on the grounded vessel. The BRP Sierra Madre, deliberately grounded in the late 1990s in an effort to check the advance of China in the hotly contested waters, has long been a source of tension between the two countries. “China once again urges the Philippine side to immediately remove the warship from Second Thomas…

South Korea: 36,000 scouts attending the World Scout Jamboree, the world’s largest youth camp, have been evacuating from their campsite on South Korea’s coast to inland locations ahead of a tropical storm, Typhoon Khanun. More than 1,000 buses are deployed to transport the attendees, who come from 156 countries. Their alternative accommodation is in Seoul and the surrounding areas. Members of Korea’s Special Forces were on hand to help with the evacuation, as per the statement. https://twitter.com/worldscouting/status/1688430278119976961?s=20 The evacuation, announced on 8th August 2023, comes after the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) said it contacted South Korea to…

Niger: A senior United States diplomat has held official talks with Niger’s coup authorities to restore democratic rule after their overthrow of President Mr. Mohamed Bazoum. Ms. Victoria Nuland, the US’s acting deputy secretary of state, stated that she held “frank and difficult” talks with military leader Mr. Moussa Salaou Barmou and three of his colonels in Niger’s capital, Niamey. It was the first trip by a US official to the country since the July 26 coup. According to reports, Ms. Nuland’s requests to meet with Mr. Bazoum and Mr. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the self-proclaimed head of the military government, were…

Philippines: The President of the Philippines, Mr. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said that the country’s secretary of foreign affairs has summoned the Chinese Ambassador, Mr. Huang Xilian. This comes after Chinese coastguards blocked and used water cannon on Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea. “Our secretary of foreign affairs summoned Ambassador Huang today and gave him a note verbale, including pictures, video, about what happened, and we are awaiting their reply,” Mr. Marcos stated. The Philippines accused China’s coastguard on 5th August 2023, of using water cannon to block its vessels carrying food, water, fuel, and other supplies for…

India: India’s parliament has reinstated the membership of opposition Congress Party leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi following the Supreme Court’s suspension of his defamation conviction. “Mr. Gandhi’s suspension has ceased to operate subject to further judicial pronouncements,” Mr. Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary General of the lower parliament house, said in a statement. The Congress leader was convicted in March in a case brought by a legislator from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over 2019 comments that were deemed insulting to Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and others with the same name. The case was filed by Mr. Purnesh Modi, who…

Cambodia: Cambodia’s King has officially appointed Mr. Hun Manet as the country’s next Prime Minister. The appointment comes in line with a transition plan formulated by Mr. Manet’s father, Mr. Hun Sen. Mr. Sen, the current PM, announced that he would step down just three days after the election. In the royal decree, which followed a request from the Cambodian leader, King Norodom Sihamoni wrote that he “appoints Dr. Manet as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th mandate of the parliament.” “The designated Prime Minister is tasked with forming a new government pending a vote…