Author: News Desk

China: China’s Ministry of State Security has revealed a suspected spy for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The individual, a Chinese national employed by a military-industrial organisation, allegedly received monetary incentives and the promise of US immigration in return for sharing sensitive military data. On 11th August 2023, the Ministry of State Security reported that a 52-year-old individual named Mr. Zeng had been sent to Italy for educational purposes. During his time there, he developed a friendship with a CIA agent working at the US embassy in Rome. The Ministry also revealed that an embassy official convinced Mr. Zeng…

India: Mr. Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, has won a no-confidence vote in parliament after a three-day debate. The Modi government was expected to win the vote as his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have a majority. This is the second time that Mr. Modi’s government has defeated a no-confidence motion since it came to power in 2014. The Indian PM criticised the vote as an attempt by opposition parties to “defame India.” According to the opposition leaders, the vote was moved to force him to speak on the ethnic clashes in Manipur state. More than 150 people…

United States: Virginia Tech University researchers have discovered a new method to convert old plastic into soap. The research was published in the academic journal Science. Plastics can now be transformed into high-value chemicals known as surfactants, which are used to create soap, detergent, and more. Mr. Guoliang Liu, an associate professor of chemistry at Virginia Tech and author of the paper, has suggested that it should be possible to convert polyethylene into fatty acids and then into soap. The challenge was how to break a long polyethylene chain into many short chains and how to do it efficiently, as…

Russia: Russia has launched Luna 25, its first mission to the moon in nearly 50 years. The move is widely viewed as part of Russia’s space race with India, which is also aiming to land a lunar craft this month. The launch of the new lunar lander was Russia’s first since 1976, when it was part of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, it was conducted without assistance from the European Space Agency, which ended cooperation with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the Russian space agency Roscosmos, the launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Far East took place…

Ecuador: Ecuadorian President Mr. Guillermo Lasso has declared a nationwide state of emergency for 60 days following the killing of presidential candidate Mr. Fernando Villavicencio at a campaign rally in the capital, Quito. The 59-year-old Mr. Villavicencio was killed at the campaign event amid a surge in violence, reportedly caused by drug traffickers. “The armed forces as of this moment are mobilised throughout the national territory to guarantee the security of citizens, the tranquilly of the country, and the free and democratic elections of August 20,” Mr. Lasso stated. According to reports, some 30 shots had been fired at an…

United States: America and the United Nations (UN) have expressed concerns over the health and safety of Niger’s democratically elected President, Mr. Mohamed Bazoum. The President has been under house arrest for more than two weeks. A military official has been in charge of Niger, and Mr. Bazoum has been held at the presidential palace. The junta members haven’t provided any information about the condition of the deposed leader. We are greatly worried about his health, his personal safety, and the personal safety of his family. US state department spokesman stated. Mr. Bazoum was removed from the position on 26th…

United States: A new study has stated that the number of people killed or disabled by certain heart problems caused by exposure to air pollution, particularly particle pollution, has risen by 21 percent since 1990. Particle pollution, also known as PM2.5 or particulate matter pollution, consists of tiny solid and liquid droplets in the air, originating from sources like coal plants, vehicles, agriculture, and wildfires. Despite its invisible nature (1/20th of a human hair’s width), PM2.5 can bypass the body’s defences, entering the lungs or bloodstream. It causes irritation, inflammation, and various health issues, including respiratory problems, heart problems, cancer,…

Russia: According to the Russian defence ministry, the country’s forces have destroyed over a dozen Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow and Sevastopol in Crimea. It is the latest attack, which occurred on 10th August 2023, in Moscow by Ukrainian drones. The defence ministry said that two drones “flying in the direction of the city of Moscow were destroyed”, while 11 others were brought down near the city of Sevastopol. Ukraine has not given any comment on the attack. Two of the Ukrainian drones were hit by on-duty anti-aircraft defence equipment; another nine were suppressed by means of electronic warfare and…

Kuwait: Kuwaiti authorities have banned the Barbie movie, reportedly to protect “public ethics and social traditions.” It comes shortly after a Lebanese Minister asked authorities in his country to bar the movie from cinemas for “promoting homosexuality.” According to the official KUNA news agency, a spokesman for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information said late on 9th August 2023, that the film by Warner Brothers, which has topped $1 billion in box office ticket sales worldwide since its debut, “promulgates ideas and beliefs that are alien to Kuwaiti society and public order.” The Ministry has also banned Talk to Me, an…

United States: The United States President Mr. Joe Biden has signed an executive order that will narrowly prevent certain US investments in sensitive technology in China. The order will further require government notification of funding in other tech sectors. Mr. Biden stated in a letter to Congress that he was declaring a national emergency to deal with the threat from countries like China “in sensitive technologies and products critical to the military, intelligence, surveillance, or cyber-enabled capabilities.” The long-awaited order authorises the US Treasury Secretary to prohibit or restrict US investments in Chinese entities in three sectors, including semiconductors and…