Author: News Desk

Russia: Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has met with China’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu, discussing Beijing’s strengthening engagement with Moscow. The move is part of its foreign policy and an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies. Mr. Putin and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met with General Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow. During the meeting, Mr. Putin praised the general development of Russia-China relations. “We are also working actively through the military departments, regularly exchanging information that is useful…

Japan: Japan’s Prime Minister Mr. Fumio Kishida has vowed to boost security as several foreign ministers visit the country, after an apparent smoke bomb was thrown at him. The Japanese PM was evacuated unharmed recently from a public event, with witnesses describing a person throwing an object, followed by smoke and a loud bang. A tighter security plan will be implemented for the climate ministers gathering in Sapporo, where Japan will host delegates from the world’s seven richest nations. Mr. Kishida remarked that the country must maximise its efforts” on security. “At a time when high-ranking officials from all over…

United Kingdom: A new study has found that remnants of ancient viruses passed down over thousands or even millions of years in human DNA could help fight cancer. Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute were studying lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, to understand why some patients respond better than others to immunotherapy. The research, published in Nature, found the dormant relics of old cells can be activated by cancerous cells. This can then inadvertently help the immune system target and attack the tumour. Scientists said the “fascinating” findings could be used to help more people survive…

Poland: Poland’s government stated that it will temporarily prohibit grain and other food imports from Ukraine as it seeks to address the rising anger of Polish farmers, who say they are losing huge amounts of money to a glut of Ukrainian grain on the market. The leader of Poland’s governing party Mr. Jarosław Kaczynski remarked that the Polish countryside is facing a “moment of crisis” and that while Poland supported Ukraine, it was forced to act to protect its farmers. The government has decided on a regulation that prohibits the importation of grain, but also dozens of other types of…

Montana, United States: Montana lawmakers have passed a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that is bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers have envisioned. The bill will go to the Republican Governor Mr. Greg Gianforte for his consideration. The state house voted 54–43 to pass the bill. Montana already bans the app on state-owned devices. The bill, known as SB 419, would prohibit mobile app stores from offering TikTok for download to users in Montana. A TikTok spokesperson Mr.…

United States: US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has temporarily blocked lower court rulings that imposed temporary restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone. Mr. Alito imposed a five-day stay after a ruling by a conservative federal judge in Texas, parts of which were then upheld by a conservative appellate court based in New Orleans. For now, access to medication abortion remains unchanged until April 19. The pause gives the high court more time to deliberate on the restrictions imposed by the lower court. The Department of Justice and the drug’s manufacturer, Danco, had asked the Supreme Court to intervene to…

France: France’s constitutional court has approved President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms, leading to new nationwide protests against the plan. The nine-member Constitutional Council ruled in favour of key provisions, including raising the retirement age to 64 from 62, judging the legislation to be in accordance with the law. Six minor proposals were rejected, including collecting data from large companies to publish data on how many people over 55 they employ as well as a separate idea to create a special contract for older workers. The ruling paves the way for the President to implement controversial changes that have sparked months…

Florida, United States: The Republican-dominated Florida legislature has approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a proposal supported by the state’s governor, Mr. Ron DeSantis, as he prepares for an expected presidential run. Mr. DeSantis, who signed the bill into law, commented that “we are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida.” Florida currently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. A six-week ban would give Mr. DeSantis a key political victory among Republican primary voters as he prepares to launch a presidential campaign built on his national brand as a conservative standard bearer. “We…

United States: The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a 21-year-old air national guardsman Mr. Jack Teixeira in Massachusetts, suspected of being responsible for the leak of US classified defence documents that laid bare military secrets and upset Washington’s relations with key allies. Mr. Teixeira was arrested at his home in the town of North Dighton by FBI agents. According to the helicopter news footage, a young man with shorn dark hair, an olive green T-shirt, and red shorts was made to walk backwards towards a team of agents standing by an armoured vehicle dressed in camouflage…

China: The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) will bring its events back to China later in 2023, ending a boycott instituted in late 2021 over concerns about the safety of former player Ms. Peng Shuai, who had accused a high-ranking government official there of sexual assault. According to a statement from the WTA, it would lift its suspension of tournaments in China in September 2023, despite making little progress on the situation that sparked the boycott. The WTA was widely praised for suspending its tournaments in China after Ms. Peng, in a social media post in November 2021, said former Vice…