Author: News Desk

United States: The US Supreme Court has issued a temporary block on a lower court ruling that had imposed stringent limitations on the use of the abortion drug, mifepristone. The decision comes as a relief to advocates of reproductive rights who had expressed concerns about the impact of the earlier ruling on access to abortion services. This temporary reprieve offers a glimmer of hope for those hoping to overturn the earlier decision and marks an important milestone in the ongoing debate around women’s health and reproductive rights. Emergency requests by the Justice Department and Danco Laboratories, the manufacturer of the…

India: The Indian military reported that suspected rebels attacked an army truck in the disputed Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of five soldiers. The attackers fired at the vehicle and threw explosives at it. On 20th April 2023 in the southern Rajouri sector near the heavily fortified Line of Control separating the disputed Himalayan region of India and Pakistan, unidentified attackers reportedly threw grenades that caused a vehicle to catch fire. The army stated that the cause of the fire was probably the use of these grenades. “Five personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles Unit deployed for Counter Terrorist operations…

United States: Twitter has commenced the removal of its well-known blue checkmark from verified users who have not subscribed to its paid service, Twitter Blue, after experiencing several months of delays. The launch of Twitter Blue took place last year after Mr. Elon Musk purchased the social media platform for $44 billion. It introduced various features, including the option to obtain a blue tick for $8 per month. Accounts that were already verified with blue checkmarks before Mr. Musk acquired Twitter, known as “legacy accounts,” were presented with a choice to either subscribe to the new Twitter Blue service or…

London, UK: Mr. James Cleverly, the British Foreign Secretary, has cancelled his scheduled meetings in New Zealand and Samoa in order to concentrate on the UK’s efforts to address the ongoing crisis in Sudan. Cleverly’s decision to prioritize Sudan comes amid growing concerns over the situation in the country, which has seen a military coup and subsequent violence in recent months. Scheduled trilateral meetings with New Zealand and Samoa disrupted as UK Foreign Secretary cancels trip to focus on Sudan crisis response. Mr. Cleverly was set to join Ms. Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand’s foreign minister, for the meetings in Samoa…

Pakistan: The Pakistani Ministry reports that Mr. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, is slated to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) gathering of foreign ministers in India next month. Comprising member nations such as Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, the SCO is a regional political and security alliance. Reports suggest that the two-day meeting is scheduled to commence on May 4th 2023 in the coastal state of Goa in western India. According to a report on Pakistan’s Dawn website, Ms. Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch, the spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign office, has stated that Mr. Bhutto-Zardari will be participating in the…

Europe: An European Union report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has revealed that the climate crisis had “frightening” impacts in Europe in 2022, with heatwaves killing more than 20,000 people and drought withering crops. The authors of the report warned that drought is already inescapable for many farmers in 2023, and the only way to limit the rising damages of global warming is by rapidly cutting carbon emissions. According to the analysis, the widespread heatwaves were the leading cause of Europe experiencing its hottest summer on record in 2022 by a considerable margin. Such an outcome would have…

Australia: Under a clear sky, approximately 20,000 individuals congregated in the coastal town of Exmouth in northwestern Australia to witness a unique total solar eclipse, which lasted for 58 seconds as the moon obstructed the sun and enveloped the area in darkness. With a population of less than 3,000, the isolated town was among the finest observation spots in Australia for witnessing the eclipse, which also passed through Indonesia and East Timor. A multinational audience had been converging in Exmouth for several days, pitching tents and trailers on a red and dusty plain at the town’s outskirts, aiming cameras and…

Mexico: The football federations of the United States and Mexico announced their joint bid to co-host the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The US Soccer and Mexican Football Federation (MFF) made their announcement regarding the co-hosting bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup a month ahead of the May 19th 2023 deadline set by FIFA, which requires interested host countries to submit their bids formally. The Women’s World Cup has been hosted twice before by the United States, in 1999 and 2003. On the other hand, Mexico has never had the opportunity to host the tournament. In the event of a…

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…