Author: News Desk

Singapore: The anti-graft body of Singapore has stated that the country’s Minister for Transport Mr. Subramaniam Iswaran has been arrested in connection with a rare top-level corruption investigation that has also trapped a billionaire hotel tycoon. “Mr. Iswaran was arrested and subsequently released on bail,” the Corrupt Practises Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement confirming the arrest for the first time. “Hotel tycoon Mr. Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore’s richest people, was also arrested on the same day and released on bail in connection with the probe,” the bureau further stated. The bureau has not disclosed details of…

Ukraine: Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned his nation that Russia is using its all resources to stop Kyiv’s troops from pressing their counteroffensive in the south and east of the country. Reports have been out stating that Ukraine’s troops were advancing “not so quickly” in a counteroffensive to recapture territory in the east and south of the country from Russian forces. “We must all understand very clearly—as clearly as possible—that the Russian forces on our southern and eastern lands are investing everything they can to stop our warriors. Every thousand metres we advance, every success of each of our…

London, UK: The Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has fined the professional football club Manchester United $337,425 for violating Financial Fair Play regulations during the period between 2019 and 2022. The CFCB found that the United Club failed to meet a balanced financial position in their football-related business, including player transfers, wages, and social taxes. “While disappointed by the outcome, Manchester United accepts this fine for what UEFA acknowledges to be a minor technical breach of its previous Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. This reflected a change in the way that UEFA adjusted for…

United States: The administration of United States President Mr. Joe Biden has announced that it will spend an estimated $39 billion on student debt in its latest attempt to fulfil one of the Democrat’s central campaign promises. The new announcement from the Department of Education is expected to affect nearly 804,000 borrowers enrolled in federal income-driven repayment plans, which adjust the amount owed per month according to salary and family size. However, the department has framed the decision as an effort to correct past wrongs. Under current regulations, a borrower is eligible for student loan forgiveness after completing 240 to…

Russia: Russian lawmakers have adopted a bill that outlaws gender-reassignment procedures. The bill bans medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person as well as changing one’s gender in official documents and public records. The bill was passed unanimously in its third and final reading on 14th July 2023. The bill, which harshly impacts the LGBTQ+ community in Russia, has been approved as part of the Kremlin’s ongoing efforts to protect what it perceives as the nation’s “traditional values.”  Nevertheless, there will be an exception in cases of medical intervention aimed at treating congenital anomalies. In the second…

Japan: The European Union has lifted restrictions on Japanese food imports imposed after the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The move comes weeks before Japan is expected to start pumping wastewater from the facility into the Pacific Ocean. China and other countries have threatened to further restrict Japanese seafood imports if the water discharge goes ahead. The EU announcement came after talks at a summit in Brussels between the European Council President Mr. Charles Michel, the European Commission President Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, and the Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Fumio Kishida. The EU’s decision to lift all…

United States: The United States has banned former Panamanian President Mr. Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez from entering the country due to his involvement in significant corruption while in office. The comments, made by Secretary of State Mr. Antony Blinken, accuse Mr. Varela of accepting bribes in exchange for granting government contracts. “This designation reaffirms the commitment of the United States to combat endemic corruption in Panama. It is our hope that today’s action will prompt Panama’s elected representatives and authorities to tackle entrenched corruption and empower all those who stand up for the rule of law,” Mr. Blinken noted in…

Australia: Australia’s central bank has announced the appointment of the first woman to lead the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Ms. Michele Bullock, currently the RBA’s deputy governor, is breaking the 63-year male-dominated history of the bank. Ms. Bullock will take over after Mr. Philip Lowe, the current governor, on 18th September 2023. Mr. Lowe has been the RBA’s head for seven years. The current Australian economy is struggling with inflation, and the RBA is facing a major shakeup. As per the statement, this situation is going to be tough for Ms. Bullock as the head. “It is a challenging…

India: The Indian Space Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has started the countdown to launch its Chandrayaan-3 moon mission from the southeastern island of Sriharikota. The Chandrayaan, ‘Moon Vehicle’ In Sanskrit, is expected to launch on Indian time at 2:35 PM on 14th July 2023. It’s the second attempt by ISRO, as the first attempt (Chandrayan-2) for the soft landing was a failure. ISRO’s first lunar probe, the Chandrayaan-1, orbited the moon and crash-landed onto the lunar surface in 2008. India will be the fourth country, including the United States, Russia, and China, to soft-land on the moon’s surface…

Russia: Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has stated that foreign-made tanks are a “priority target” for Russian forces in Ukraine, adding that the supply of Western weaponry to Kyiv will not change the course of the war. Mr. Putin further reaffirmed that Ukraine’s membership in NATO would threaten Russia’s security, while the provision of Western arms had only intensified global tensions and prolonged the conflict. When asked about France’s decision to supply Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles, which can travel 250 kilometres (155 miles), Mr. Putin replied that “yes, they cause damage, but nothing critical happens in the war zone…