Author: News Desk

Spain: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for a “zero tolerance” approach towards racism in football, urging referees at all levels to halt matches if incidents occur. Infantino’s statement came after a meeting with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who has been subjected to sustained racist abuse by fans in Spanish stadiums throughout the season, with little intervention from referees or football authorities. Last month, Real Madrid filed a complaint stating that the racist abuse directed at Vinicius constituted a hate crime. Infantino emphasized the need for action, stating that football authorities must shoulder responsibility and take decisive measures against racism.…

Pakistan: The Asia Cup will be held according to Pakistan’s hybrid proposal after India declined to participate due to strained relations between the two South Asian countries. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has accepted the proposal, which includes four games to be hosted in Pakistan and the remaining nine to be played in Sri Lanka, as stated by the ACC. According to the report, the Asia Cup will be played between August 31 and September 17 this year. The ACC statement did not mention the venues for the tournament or which team will play where, but it is understood that…

London, UK: According to the European Union’s climate monitoring unit, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the average global temperatures at the beginning of June 2023 reached unprecedented levels, surpassing previous records by a significant margin. Ms. Samantha Burgess, the deputy director of C3S, stated that the world has just experienced its warmest early June 2023 ever recorded. The data from C3S, which spans back to 1950, reveals that global surface air temperatures during the initial days of June 2023 were the highest in history for that period. Although temperatures have slightly decreased since then, experts warn that the surge…

Japan: Japan has raised the age of consent from 13 to 16 years old, joining the ranks of countries with higher minimum ages for sexual activity. Lawmakers passed key reforms to sex crime legislation, including provisions to clarify rape prosecution requirements and criminalise voyeurism. The unanimous vote in the parliament’s upper house led to the adoption of a new bill that marks a crucial update to Japan’s outdated laws on sexual offences. Prior to this reform, Japan had maintained an age of consent of 13 since 1907, considering children aged 13 and above capable of giving consent. However, regional ordinances…

London, UK: Spotify has decided to end its partnership with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, for the production of podcasts. The couple’s company, Archewell Audio, and the streaming giant issued a joint statement stating that they have “mutually agreed to part ways.” As a result, Spotify will not be renewing Meghan’s podcast, Archetypes, for a second season. The deal between Spotify and the Sussexes, which was estimated to be worth $25 million when it was signed in late 2020, was one of the significant commercial agreements the couple secured after stepping down from their…

Ukraine: A United Nations expert has stated that reports of the widespread use of torture by Russian forces in Ukraine could indicate that the severe abuse of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians is “state-endorsed” by Moscow. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Ms. Alice Jill Edwards noted that she was alarmed by “reports and testimonies” that appeared to indicate that Russian forces in Ukraine are “consistently and intentionally inflicting severe physical and psychological pain and suffering” on both civilian and military prisoners. “The alleged practises include electric shocks, beatings, hooding, mock executions, and other threats of death,” Ms. Edwards…

Australia: The prestigious Wimbledon tennis tournament is set to offer a staggering $56.6 million in prize money this year, marking an 11.2 percent increase from the previous year, according to an announcement made by the All England Club. The champions of the men’s and women’s singles events will each receive a substantial sum of close to $3 million, while the runners-up will be awarded nearly $1.5 million. Notably, the prize money for reaching the singles finals has been restored to pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019, after being reduced during the global health crisis. Significant increases in prize money have also…

United Kingdom: The immigration watchdog, Mr. David Neal, has raised concerns about the living conditions of asylum seekers at the Manston processing facility in Kent, stating that there is a “real danger” that the facility could once again become inhumane and dangerous. Mr. Neal, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, criticised the Home Office for failing to provide a plan for accommodating the expected 55,000 arrivals by small boats this year. He warned that the facility could become overwhelmed, similar to the overcrowding and disease-ridden situation experienced last year. The report examined the initial processing of individuals arriving in…

New Zealand: New Zealand’s economy has officially entered into a recession as the country’s central bank aggressively raised interest rates to a 14-year high, according to official figures. The gross domestic product (GDP) recorded a contraction of 0.1 percent in the first quarter of the year, following a 0.7 percent decline in the previous quarter, meeting the technical definition of a recession. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has been progressively increasing borrowing costs since October 2021, making it one of the first countries to raise rates in response to the pandemic. It has outpaced the US Federal Reserve…

Canada: Canada has announced that it will suspend its relations with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), led by China, while it conducts an investigation into allegations made by a former senior staff member that the institution is under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. Finance Minister Ms. Chrystia Freeland made the announcement following the resignation of Mr. Bob Pickard, the AIIB’s global communications director, who publicly criticised the bank for being “dominated by the Communist Party.” Ms. Freeland expressed that the investigation could lead to various outcomes, indicating the possibility of Canada withdrawing from the AIIB, which it…