Author: News Desk

United States: A new report from the United Nations Children’s Agency, UNICEF, has estimated that around 67 million children globally missed routine vaccinations between 2019 and 2021 due to the disruptions in healthcare caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which have led to lockdowns in various parts of the world. The report, titled ‘State of the World’s Children,’ noted that “more than a decade of hard-earned gains in routine childhood immunisation have been eroded.” Out of the 67 million children, 48 million missed out on routine vaccines entirely. UNICEF has warned of the potential for outbreaks of polio and measles. Vaccine…

United States: The United States government has imposed sanctions on three Nicaraguan judges for taking away the citizenship of more than 300 political dissidents and activists. The move comes as the Nicaraguan government is being accused of suppressing opposition. In a press release, US Secretary of State Mr. Antony Blinken said that the judges had helped facilitate “government repression” and the removal of the citizenship of more than 300 Nicaraguans. “The United States is taking further action to hold accountable perpetrators of the Nicaraguan regime’s repressive actions,” Mr. Blinken remarked in a press statement. “We will continue to use available…

Canada: In what is being hailed as one of Canada’s biggest strikes, around 155,000 federal employees, including 35,000 workers from the country’s tax agency, commenced a strike after midnight on 19th April 2023. Their union has organized the strike in protest of several issues concerning the workers. More than 250 locations will see the setting up of picket lines, as the Public Service Alliance of Canada has called for a strike after talks with the government failed to yield an agreement. The strike has been organized to address various concerns of the workers. Coinciding with the deadline for tax returns,…

Nepal: According to an expedition organiser, there were two separate incidents on Mount Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest mountain, resulting in the death of a renowned Irish climber and the disappearance of an Indian climber who fell into a crevasse. Mr. Thaneswar Guragai, a representative of Kathmandu-based Seven Summit Treks, has reported that Mr. Anurag Maloo, a 34-year-old Indian climber, fell into a crevasse on Mount Annapurna on 17th April 2023. As of 18th April 2023, a search operation is ongoing to find him. Following her descent from the 8,091-metre (26,545 ft) summit, Ms.  Baljeet Kaur, another Indian climber, fell…

United States: A new study found that up to one in 20 new diabetes cases could be related to the COVID infection. The research suggested that the pandemic may be contributing to a rapidly escalating diabetes crisis, with individuals who have experienced more severe COVID at greatest risk. Lifestyle factors such as being overweight or obese continue to be the main driver for the increase, with 4.3 million officially diagnosed cases in the UK alone. Prof. Naveed Janjua at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and his colleagues studied the British Columbia Covid-19 Cohort, a surveillance platform that…

San Francisco, US: The United Nations proposed a shift in focus from the consequences of the world’s rapidly growing population to the promotion of women’s reproductive rights as a means of strengthening “demographic resilience.” The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, acknowledged the prevailing concern regarding the global population’s magnitude, projected to reach a peak of approximately 10.4 billion in the 2080s. According to the UNFPA, the emphasis should be on empowering women to exercise greater control over the timing and circumstances of childbirth. “The question is: ‘Can everyone exercise their fundamental…

Nicaragua: The human rights organisation Amnesty International has warned that the Nicaraguan government is deepening repression in the Central American state. In a recently released report, the organisation stated that the government of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo has engaged in abuses such as arbitrary detention, torture, and stripping dissidents of citizenship. “We’ve shown the continuum of repression to which Nicaraguan society has been subjected and the different patterns of human rights violations inflicted on people who dare to raise their voices,” Mr. Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, stated in a news release. The Ortega…

Japan: The foreign ministers of the G7 have pledged to adopt sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war and criticised China for its actions in the Taiwan Strait, demanding Beijing “act as a responsible member of the international community.” The comments marked the conclusion of a three-day meeting in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa. The G7 communique further criticised North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile program and expressed concern over the violence in Sudan and Myanmar. In addition, the countries called on the Taliban to reverse its ban on women working for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the United…

Mumbai, India: In a move that highlights Apple’s growing interest in the Indian market, the tech giant opened its first-ever retail store in the country. This marks a significant milestone for Apple, as it seeks to tap into India’s vast consumer base and establish itself as a key player in the region’s burgeoning tech industry. With India increasingly viewed as a viable alternative to China for manufacturing and sales, the opening of this store is likely to be closely watched by industry observers and consumers alike. As employees cheered, Apple’s CEO Mr. Tim Cook personally unlocked the doors to greet…

Ukraine: Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to the military headquarters in the eastern regions of Ukraine, which have been partially occupied by Russia, marking his second visit to the area in just two months. The visit is likely to further escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which have been locked in a long-standing conflict. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story. According to the Kremlin, President Mr. Putin participated in a military command meeting in the southern Kherson region, where he was briefed by commanders of the airborne forces and the “Dnieper” army…