Author: News Desk

Uganda: Uganda’s Parliament has passed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill that would make homosexual acts punishable by death, invoking strong opposition from rights campaigners. About 389 legislators voted in favour of the anti-homosexuality bill, which imposes capital and life imprisonment sentences for gay sex and “recruitment, promotion, and funding” of same-sex “activities”. The bill presented by Ms. Robina Rwakoojo, the chairperson for legal and parliamentary affairs, stated that “a person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality is liable, on conviction, to suffer death.” Only two MPs from the ruling party, Mr. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo and Mr. Paul Kwizera Bucyana, opposed the…

London, UK: In a report’s foreword, United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres warned that the world is “blindly travelling a dangerous path” as “unsustainable water use, pollution, and unchecked global warming are draining humanity’s lifeblood.” The report was released hours before the first significant UN meeting on water resources in nearly 50 years. The UN warned in the report released hours before a major summit on the issue was scheduled to start on 22nd March 2023  that water, the “lifeblood” of humanity, is increasingly in danger owing to “vampiric overconsumption and overdevelopment.” The UN Water Conference, which is being co-hosted…

Taiwan: The office of Taiwan President Ms. Tsai Ing-wen has announced that the country’s head will make unofficial stops in the United States as she travels to visit two Central American allies, Guatemala and Belize. In the wake of the new announcement, the administration of US President Joe Biden has tried to underscore the “personal” nature of the stops in order to avoid escalating tensions with China. “These are called transits. Not uncommon. President Tsai has done it six times. Every single Taiwan president in recent memory has done this,” US National Security Council spokesperson Mr. John Kirby commented on…

Israel: The Israeli government has passed a bill that would allow Israelis to resettle four illegal settlements in the northern occupied West Bank that were evacuated in 2005. The second and third readings of the legislation were passed  in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, with a majority of 31 votes in support and 18 who voted against. The development could see Israelis resettle in the evacuated settlements of Homesh, Sa-Nur, Kadim, and Ganim, all of which are located around the Palestinian cities of Jenin and Nablus. While the government has passed the amendment, the Israeli military must still issue a military…

France: Following Hugo Lloris’ retirement, Didier Deschamps has appointed Kylian Mbappe as France’s new captain. As his country’s 2024 European Championship qualifying campaign gets underway this week, Mbappe, 24, will carry the armband. The Tottenham goalie, who announced his retirement from international football following their World Cup final loss to Argentina, is succeeded by the star goalkeeper of Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappe will wear the captain’s armband when his nation’s qualifying campaign for the 2024 European Championships gets underway this week. Following their World Cup final loss to Argentina, the Tottenham goalie declared his retirement from international football. The great goalkeeper…

Sri Lanka: The IMF has approved Sri Lanka’s request for a $2.9 billion bailout, according to the country’s President, who also stated that the program will allow Sri Lanka to access up to $7 billion in total cash. The IMF’s board stated that it had approved the loan, paving the path for its release and launching a four-year program to support the nation’s economy. The IMF stated that the decision would provide an immediate transfer of around $333 million and would encourage additional financial support from partners, perhaps assisting Sri Lanka in overcoming its worst financial crisis in decades. IMF…

Switzerland: A new United Nations report has stated that the world has the tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and secure a sustainable future if more ambitious actions are taken. The report noted that actions taken so far are not enough to deal with the growing threats of climate change. A UN panel of scientists stated in a synthesis report that there are multiple, feasible, and effective options to adapt to climate change. “Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits,” Mr. Hoesung Lee, chair…

Ukraine: Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Fumio Kishida will meet with Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky to express “solidarity and unwavering support,” according to Japan’s foreign ministry. As Japan will be hosting the G7 summit in May 2023, Mr. Kishida, the last G7 leader to visit the war-torn nation, has come under increasing pressure to go. The Japanese PM has stated repeatedly that a trip to Kyiv was “under consideration,” despite the fact that logistical and security issues were allegedly a significant barrier. Mr. Kishida was in India and was supposed to fly back to Tokyo, but instead, he went to Poland,…

United States: The US President Joe Biden has signed a bill, requiring the release of intelligence reports of COVID origin, into law. The law demands the release of a report on potential links between the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Congress passed and sent the bill to Mr. Biden earlier in March 2023. “We need to get to the bottom of COVID-19’s origins, including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. In implementing this legislation, my administration will declassify and share as much of that information as possible,” Mr. Biden…

Thailand: According to an announcement in the Royal Gazette, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed a decree to dissolve parliament for elections in May 2023. If the house is dissolute, which takes place right away, an election needs to be held 45 to 60 days later. “This is a return of political decision-making power to the people swiftly to continue democratic government with the King as head of state,” cited in the decree published. However a date for the election has not yet been set, Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Wissanu Krea-ngam earlier in the day stated that if the house…