Author: News Desk

Bengaluru, India: India’s Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has urged that policymakers of the Group of 20 (G20) major nations should concentrate on assisting the most disadvantaged people in the globe as high-level finance talks get underway close to Bengaluru, India’s technology capital. “You represent the leadership of global finance and economy at a time when the world is facing serious economic difficulties,” Mr. Modi stated in a video address to the finance ministers, central bank governors and other leaders attending the two-day meeting at the Nandi Hills resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru. “It is up to you, the…

Washington, D.C., US: Mr. Ajay Banga, a former executive at MasterCard, has been named as President Mr. Joe Biden’s nominee for the World Bank. Mr. Banga is “uniquely equipped to lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history,” according to a statement from Mr. Biden, who also noted that Mr. Banga has a “proven track record managing people and systems, and partnering with global leaders around the world to deliver results.” Since 2022, Mr. Banga has served as vice chairman of General Atlantic, an investment company with headquarters in New York. The 63-year-old had previously served as MasterCard’s…

United States: The United States Republican Party has announced that its first presidential debate will take place in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Republican National Committee (RNC) decided to begin its debates in August 2023 in the midwestern swing state, which voted in favour of Democrat Mr. Joe Biden in the last presidential election. “At this time, no other debates have been sanctioned, nor have the final criteria for the first debate been decided. We have a long way to go, but I am confident we will be able to showcase our eventual nominee in a world-class fashion,” RNC…

China: China has called for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia and a gradual de-escalation of the situation, which may lead to peace talks as part of a 12-point proposal to end the conflict. The plan by China, which was released by the foreign ministry and coincides with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, demands an end to Western sanctions against Russia, the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians, and steps to ensure the export of grains. “Conflict and war benefit no one. All parties must stay rational and exercise restraint, avoid fanning the flames…

United States: With the signing of a contract by Warner Bros and New Line to produce additional adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Middle-Earth is returning to the big screen. Warner Bros Discovery’s CEO, David Zaslav, disclosed that a contract had been negotiated to produce “several” movies based on JRR Tolkien’s works. The price of the agreement with the Swedish game business Embracer Group, which holds the rights to most of Tolkien’s realm, has not yet been made public. The movies will be created by the Warner Bros. production business New Line Cinema, which also worked…

Moldova: The government of Moldova has dismissed an accusation by Russia’s Defence Ministry that Ukraine is planning to invade the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria after staging a false-flag operation. “We call for calm and for information to be received [by the public] from official and credible sources of the Republic of Moldova,” the government remarked in a statement. The statement further added that “our institutions cooperate with foreign partners, and in the case of threats to the country, the public will be promptly informed,” and that the government “does not confirm” the Russian defence ministry’s allegations. On a visit…

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe has deployed new technology to enhance diagnostic tests aiming at combating the growing burden of antibiotic resistance. Over-reliance on antibiotics has also led to the growing silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) over the years. AMR happens when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve and stop responding to antimicrobials over time. The Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Escherichia coli (ESBL Ec) Tricycle study’s preliminary findings indicated that multidrug-resistant bacteria were widely distributed in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the 2015 AMR situation analysis in Zimbabwe revealed that only 25 percent of public health laboratories have the manpower, resources, and supplies required to perform…

China: Search and rescue efforts continued in northern China following the collapse of a coal mine, which left at least four people dead and scores missing. As of February 23rd 2023 afternoon, 49 persons were still unaccounted for, as per Chinese state media. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the disaster happened on February 22nd 2023 in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia, when a 180-metre (590-foot) steep slope gave way above the open-pit mine. A significant landslide close to the scene on February 22nd 2023 night caused the rescue effort to be suspended overnight. As of early February 23rd 2023 morning, efforts…

Switzerland: The latest data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that one woman dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth, with too few countries in the world managing to substantially reduce maternal death rates since 2016. According to the WHO report, Trends in Maternal Mortality, while there was significant progress in reducing maternal deaths between 2000 and 2015, those gains stalled or were even reversed in the five years to 2020. “While pregnancy should be a time of immense hope and a positive experience for all women, it is tragically still a shockingly dangerous experience for…

Mexico: In advance of significant elections next year, Mexican senators have approved a contentious electoral reform supported by President Mr. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The Senate voted 72 to 50 in favour of the plan to cut the independent organisation responsible for overseeing elections and its funding. After passing the lower house with a number of amendments, the bill now goes to the president for enactment. The bill is a scaled-back version of the more radical reforms that Mr. Lopez Obrador had originally proposed, which had sparked large-scale street demonstrations in response to what was seen as an attack on…