Author: News Desk

Wellington, New Zealand: After a nine-day hīkoi (peaceful protest), over 35,000 people gathered outside New Zealand’s parliament in Wellington to oppose a proposed bill aimed at redefining the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, the foundational document between British settlers and the Māori. The bill, introduced by the Act Party, a junior member of the governing coalition, aims to provide a legal framework for the treaty’s interpretation, arguing it has fostered racial divisions. Act leader David Seymour, who has Māori ancestry, defended the proposal, stating it seeks to ensure equal rights for all New Zealanders. Seymour said that, “My Treaty…

Taiwan: A Hong Kong court has sentenced leading pro-democracy activists to prison, with Benny Tai receiving a 10-year term, marking a significant escalation in the territory’s largest national security case. The sentences follow a controversial trial involving 47 activists and lawmakers accused of subversion under Hong Kong’s stringent national security law (NSL), which was imposed by Beijing in 2020. Tai, a 60-year-old legal scholar who played a prominent role in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors portrayed Tai as the organiser of a conspiracy dating back to July 2020, involving…

Sydney: Australia’s Senate has censured Indigenous lawmaker Lidia Thorpe after she interrupted a visit by King Charles III to Parliament last month. The motion, led by the governing Labor Party, passed with 46 votes in favour and six against. Lidia Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab-Wurrung woman representing Victoria, released a statement before the vote, declaring that she would not be silenced. Thorpe emphasized that the Senate’s censure was symbolic, as it has no legal power to remove senators and that, “I will not be silent. The truth is, this colony is built on stolen land, stolen wealth, and stolen…

New Delhi: Authorities in India’s capital have implemented drastic measures, including school closures, halting construction, and banning non-essential trucks, after air pollution levels reached their worst this season. A toxic smog engulfed much of northern India on November 18, worsened by dense fog, with air quality in parts of Delhi’s National Capital Territory (NCT) reaching a hazardous new high of 1,081, according to IQAir’s live rankings. India’s pollution control authority reported a 24-hour AQI of 484 in Delhi, classified as “severe plus,” marking the highest reading this year. Experts note that Air Quality Index (AQI) scores may vary across countries…

Colombo: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reappointed Harini Amarasuriya as Prime Minister. The significant move signals commitment to continuity in leadership as the island nation begins to recover from a severe economic crisis. Dissanayake, whose leftist coalition won a commanding 159 out of 225 parliamentary seats in the general election, also reappointed veteran lawmaker Vijitha Herath to head the Foreign Affairs ministry. The president’s decision to retain the finance portfolio for himself marks a continuation of leadership approach since September, following his presidential victory. Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today appointed a Prime Minister and Cabinet following…

London: Britain will seek support from United Nations Security Council members on Monday for its call to end hostilities in Sudan and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, the British Foreign Ministry announced. As the UK currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, Foreign Minister David Lammy is set to chair a vote on a draft resolution co-sponsored by the UK and Sierra Leone. The resolution urges an immediate cessation of violence and emphasises the protection of civilians in Sudan, which has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023. The war, sparked by a power struggle between the…

Kyiv, Ukraine: Russia launched one of its largest air attacks on Ukraine overnight, using a combination of missiles and drones. The coordinated assault targeted “peaceful cities, sleeping civilians,” and critical infrastructure, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack, stating that Russia launched around 120 missiles and 90 drones in a “massive combined strike on all regions of Ukraine,” with energy infrastructure as the primary target. The attack has led to widespread power outages, with efforts underway to restore electricity. In Mykolaiv, a southern city among the hardest hit, two women were killed, and six people,…

England: A cold weather alert has been issued for most of England as an Arctic chill is expected to sweep across the UK. The alert, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), takes effect from 9am on November 17th until 9am on November 21st. The Met Office has issued two yellow warnings for snow and ice. The first is for northern Scotland, from 4pm on Sunday to 11am on November 18th, with up to 10cm (4 inches) of snow possible on higher ground. The second warning, covering northern England and southern Scotland, is in effect from 10am November 18th for…

Jhansi: A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded in northern India on Friday night as a devastating fire ripped through the neonatal ward of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, claiming the lives of at least 10 newborns. The blaze has left the community in shock, with anguished parents gathered outside the hospital, searching for answers in the aftermath of their unimaginable loss. The fire broke out in the intensive care unit of the infants’ ward around 10:30 PM local time, trapping vulnerable newborns in their cribs. Despite the quick action of hospital staff, who managed to rescue 44…

The Hague: Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s right-wing government narrowly avoided a political crisis when junior minister Nora Achahbar resigned after alleged racist comments made by cabinet colleagues. Despite this setback, Schoof confirmed that the coalition government would remain intact, quelling fears of a collapse just five months into its tenure. Achahbar, the deputy finance minister of Moroccan descent, handed in her resignation following a tense cabinet meeting regarding the political fallout from last week’s violent attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam. The violence occurred after a match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which sparked widespread condemnation. The…