Author: News Desk

United States: A union representing Hollywood actors has chosen to go on strike after negotiations with major studios and streaming services have failed. Ms. Fran Drescher, president of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the union, cited in a statement the studio management’s offers were insulting and disrespectful. The union, which includes about 16,000 actors, said its negotiating committee had unanimously recommended a strike. In the early July of 2023, US Actors’ Union and Hollywood Studios announced the two sides had agreed to extend their current labour deal through 12th July 2023, hours before a…

China: China’s exports fell the most in three years due to a decrease in global demand for Chinese goods. Customs data released on the 12th of July 2023 revealed that Chinese exports recorded a 12.4 percent decline in June 2023 compared to the same period last year. Amidst rising interest rates, the latest data shows the challenging global economic outlook as China, the world’s largest exporter, witnessed a 7.5 percent decline in exports in May 2023, followed by recent figures indicating a continued difficult environment. The strict lockdowns and tests as part of the country’s zero COVID policy have affected…

United States: A United Nation report has stated that approximately 3.3 billion people, which is almost half of humanity, now live in countries that spend more money paying interest on their debts than on education or health. “Half our world is sinking into a development disaster, fuelled by a crushing debt crisis,” UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres told a press conference launching a report on the state of the world’s debt on Wednesday. “In 2022, global public debt reached a record $92 trillion, and developing countries shoulder a disproportionate amount,” the UN chief noted. Financial markets may not seem…

United States: Mr. Elon Musk has announced the launch of his new AI company xAI, an Alternative to ChatGPT to ”understand the true nature of the universe”. The team of the firm includes former employees of OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Tesla, DeepMind and the University of Toronto. The firm will lead by the Tesla CEO, who had concerns over AI’s potential for “civilizational destruction.” As per the website, there will be a Twitter Spaces event on 14th July 2023. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1679164661869182976?s=20 Mr. Musk has expressed constant worry that the development of AI should be paused and that the sector needed regulation, as…

Ukraine: Britain’s Defence Secretary and the US National Security Adviser have stated that Ukraine ought to show more gratitude for the help it has received from the west, in response to Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s complaints that his country has not been issued a firm timetable or set of conditions for joining NATO. The officials’ comments during separate events on the sidelines of the second day of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, seemed to influence a shift in the Ukrainian leader’s stance. On Wednesday, the Ukrainian leader expressed gratitude to all leaders of NATO countries for their support and assistance. Mr.…

Iran: Iranian President Mr. Ebrahim Raisi has arrived in Kenya as part of his tour of three African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The visit is being presented by Tehran as a “new beginning” in relations between Iran and Africa. Mr. Raisi’s arrival in Kenya was met with a warm reception from Kenyan President Mr. William Ruto, including a red carpet welcome. The tour is significant as it marks the first visit by an Iranian president to Africa in over a decade, signalling Iran’s intention to diversify economic ties in the face of US sanctions. Iranian and Kenyan ministers signed…

France: Renowned Czech-French writer Mr. Milan Kundera, best known for his novel “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” has passed away at the age of 94, according to a statement from the Milan Kundera Library on 12th July 2023. Ms. Anna Mrazova, the library’s spokeswoman in Brno, Mr. Kundera’s birthplace, confirmed his death and stated that he had been battling a prolonged illness. Mr. Kundera had been residing in France since his emigration from Communist-ruled Czechoslovakia in 1975. Throughout his career, he was celebrated as a novelist, poet, and essayist, crafting thought-provoking works that delved into the complexities of the human…

Thailand: Thailand’s Election Commission has sought the intervention of the Constitutional Court to determine whether the leader of the progressive Move Forward Party, Mr. Pita Limjaroenrat, should be disqualified from parliament, as reported by media sources. The referral of the case occurred on Wednesday, just a day before the bicameral parliament was scheduled to vote on Mr. Pita’s candidacy for the position of Thailand’s next prime minister. Mr. Pita, a 42-year-old businessman, enjoys the support of eight parties within an alliance aiming to establish a new government. Mr. Pita has encountered several challenges in his political journey, prompting the election…

Russia: Mr. Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Secretary of the Kremlin’s powerful Security Council, has warned that the increased support provided to Ukraine by NATO members brings the risk of a third global conflict closer. Speaking after the conclusion of the first day of the NATO summit in Lithuania, Mr. Medvedev remarked that promises of military assistance from the Western defence alliance to Kyiv would not deter Russia from pursuing its objectives in Ukraine. Russia’s Foreign Minister also issued similar warnings, indicating that Moscow has no intention of ceasing its war. “The completely crazy West could not come up with anything…

North Korea: North Korea has fired a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to reports from Japanese and South Korean officials. The long-range missile was airborne for over an hour before falling short of Japanese waters on the 12th of July 2023 morning. This launch follows Pyongyang’s threats of retaliation against what it claims were recent US spy plane incursions into its territory. Earlier this week, North Korea had warned of shooting down such planes, a claim dismissed by Washington, which maintains that its military patrols adhere to international law. The heightened security tensions on the Korean Peninsula this year…