Author: News Desk

Sudan: A new report by Amnesty International has stated that Sudan has witnessed extensive war crimes during the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The report documented attacks by both the General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan-led Sudanese army and Mr. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo’s RSF. The conflict has resulted in the killing of thousands of people since the civil war broke out in April. The four-month conflict has also displaced at least 3.3 million others from their homes. “Civilians throughout Sudan are suffering unimaginable horror every single day as the RSF and Sudanese Army recklessly…

Peru: Researchers in Peru have discovered the heaviest animal in Earth’s history. The blue whale was said to be the largest, but on 3rd August 2023, scientists announced that they had identified a fossil of a creature that may weigh up to 200 tonnes. The research was published in Nature. The study took place in Lima (the capital of Peru). The fossils were discovered 13 years ago in southern Peru. But it took three years to get it there in the Capital. The creature’s fossilised bones were dug up in the desert, so it’s been called Perucetus colossus, meaning colossal…

Australia: The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) will return three 9th and 10th Century bronze sculptures to Cambodia after a decade-long investigation conducted by both countries to determine the origin of the works. Cambodia’s government called the landmark move “an important step towards rectifying past injustices.” The NGA’s return of the artefacts comes amid a global push to return looted cultural goods. The three artworks originally came from the Champa Kingdom, which once inhabited Vietnam and parts of Cambodia. The NGA stated that it purchased the sculptures in 2011 for $1.5 million from British artefact smuggler Mr. Douglas Latchford, who…

Brazil: Brazil’s President, Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will attend the ‘Amazon Summit’ next week in the world’s biggest rainforest, which is a key protector against climate change. Mr. Lula stated ahead of the Summit that private businesses will be asked to help with the reforestation of 30 million hectares of degraded land. The Summit is organised by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO). The eight countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, of the ACTO will be in Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River, from 7th to 8th August 2023. ACTO was…

United States: Former US President Mr. Donald Trump is expected to face court charges on 3rd August 2023 at 4 PM (US standard time) for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. Mr. Trump and six individuals, who have not been identified, are facing accusations of plotting to disrupt the 2020 election. This marks the third criminal indictment against the former president since March 2023, and it is considered the most severe among the cases that could potentially impact his 2024 White House election. The arrest and arraignment will occur at a federal courthouse situated near the US Capitol. The former…

United States: The United States has ordered the evacuation of some staff and families from its embassy in Niger amid the repercussions of the July coup. The US State Department spokesperson Mr. Matthew Miller explained in a statement that the measure was taken “out of an abundance of caution” and that the embassy itself would remain open, though only for “limited emergency services.” “The United States remains committed to our relationship with the people of Niger and to Nigerien democracy. We remain diplomatically engaged at the highest levels,” Mr. Miller noted. The announcement follows similar moves by European countries to…

Tunisia: The Tunisian President Mr. Kais Saied has dismissed the Prime Minister Ms. Najla Bouden from the position, according to the Tunisian Presidency. The President appointed former central bank executive Mr. Ahmed al-Hachani as the new Prime Minister of the country. Ms. Bouden was the first woman to head a government in Tunisia. No official explanation was given for Ms. Bouden’s dismissal, but several Tunisian media outlets highlighted Mr. Saied’s displeasure over shortages, particularly of bread in state-subsidised bakeries. According to reports, Ms. Bouden’s government is seen as having been unable to fix the economic and social crisis that Tunisia…

France: The first trip of military planes carrying mostly European nationals evacuated from Niger safely arrived at Paris and Rome airports. Following last week’s coup, France and other countries are preparing to conduct further evacuation operations to bring their citizens out of the West African country. Niger’s President, Mr. Mohamed Bazoum, and his government were removed by members of his presidential guard on 26th July 2023. This was the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa. The countries, including France, Italy, and Spain, said they would evacuate citizens by air amid the escalating conflict.…

United Kingdom: A new study has suggested that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in breast cancer screening is safe and can almost halve the workload of radiologists. According to the World Health Organisation, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer globally, with more than 2.3 million women developing the disease every year. Early detection of breast cancer through screening can enhance the chances of a better prognosis and lower mortality rates. The new findings indicate that AI screening is comparable to the accuracy of two radiologists working together without increasing false positives and significantly reducing the workload. The interim…

United States: Popular American musician Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known as Lizzo, is facing accusations from her former tour dancers of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment between 2021 and 2023. The lawsuit, filed on 1st August 2023, includes accusations of sexual, religious, and racial harassment, discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment. As per the statement, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez are the former dancers bringing the lawsuit. Davis and Williams were fired from the dance team, and Rodriguez later resigned due to their colleagues’ alleged mistreatment. The dancers also reportedly allege that the musician criticised a dancer’s recent…