Author: News Desk

North Korea: North Korea has reportedly ordered a five-day lockdown in the capital due to “respiratory disease” in what appears to be the first citywide restrictions since the government declared victory over COVID-19 in August 2022. Residents of Pyongyang have been ordered to stay in their homes from January 25th to 29th 2023 and must submit to multiple temperature checks each day, as per the report. The report stated that while the notice made no mention of COVID, it did list the common cold as one of the illnesses that were currently circulating in the capital. The extent of any…

United States: Mr. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has informed the US jury that he could have taken Tesla private using funds from existing shareholders such as Oracle Corp. co-founder Mr. Larry Ellison, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, or his own fortune. “Funding was absolutely not an issue. It was quite the opposite,” the Tesla CEO stated. Mr. Musk, however, acknowledged he did not have binding agreements with investors, leaving it to the jury to decide if he misled shareholders. A jury of nine will decide whether the CEO artificially inflated the company’s share price by touting the buyout’s prospects.…

United States: Nuclear-powered rockets that may transport astronauts to Mars in an instant have been proposed for testing by NASA. The agency said it has teamed up with the US government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) to showcase a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space as early as 2027. The project aims to create an innovative propulsion system for space travel that is very different from the chemical systems that have been used since the commencement of the modern era of rocketry approximately a century ago. As part of its Moon to Mars mission, NASA plans to set foot…

New Zealand: Mr. Chris Hipkins has been sworn in as the 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand by the country’s governor general during a ceremony in the capital, Wellington. “This is the biggest privilege and responsibility of my life. I’m energised and excited by the challenges ahead,” Mr. Hipkins shared after taking the oath of office. The New Zealand Governor-General Ms. Cindy Kiro officiated the brief swearing in ceremony in front of his friends and colleagues. Ms. Carmel Sepuloni was also sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister, making it the first time a person with Pacific Island heritage took on…

Australia: Carp are being swept out to sea by waters from last year’s floods in Australia’s southeast, but the salinity of the water is killing the invasive species, and now dead fish are showing up on South Australian beaches. Pictures from Middleton, Port Elliot, and Goolwa depict groups of young carp strewn across the coastlines of these well-known summer vacation destinations. It is typical for carp to spawn at this time of year, according to the state’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions’ lead biosecurity officer for weeds and pests, but the strong flows are flushing them out of the freshwater…

Belgium: A new report stated that Europe could end its reliance on China for electric car batteries by 2030, but only if it keeps pace with Mr. Joe Biden’s $369 billion (£298 billion) green subsidy spree. According to a report released by the renewable energy advocacy group Transport and Environment, the EU was on track to produce enough lithium-ion battery cells by 2027 to meet demand while cutting China out of supply chains. “Li-ion” batteries are rechargeable and used in consumer electronics and electric cars. The study discovered that Europe’s reliance on China for battery metal refining and processing will…

United States: The Oscar nominations for a year in which the big-screen box office finally returned from the pandemic. Academy members are anticipated to honour blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” for their role in saving movie theatres. The most likely nominee for best picture, Hollywood’s most coveted prize, is Tom Cruise’s much-anticipated follow-up to his big 1986 smash, but other well-liked sequels like “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” may also receive a nod. They will have competition from a wide spectrum of films, including the buzz-generating sci-fi hit “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and Steven…

United States: The United States President Joe Biden has nominated a special envoy for human rights in North Korea. The position has been vacant since January 2017, when the envoy under Barack Obama, Robert King, stepped down as part of the presidential transition. According to the White House statement, Mr. Biden nominated Ms. Julie Turner, a Korean-speaking career diplomat who currently heads the Asia section of the State Department’s human rights bureau. Ms. Turner previously worked on North Korean human rights as a special assistant in the envoy’s office, the statement added. The appointment needs further confirmation from the Senate.…

Morocco: Moroccan Lawmakers unanimously agreed to review their ties with the European Parliament, accusing it of meddling after a resolution urging the kingdom to protect press freedom. In response to the non-binding European legislation adopted members of both chambers of Morocco’s parliament convened in the capital city of Rabat for a joint session. The Moroccan lawmakers described the European resolution as “an unacceptable attack against the sovereignty, dignity, and independence of judicial institutions in the kingdom” in a statement following their meeting. They claimed it badly damaged their relationship’s foundational trust. According to Mr. Rachid Talbi Alami, as a result…

Switzerland: The World Health Organization has called for “immediate and concerted action” to protect children from contaminated medicines after a large number of child deaths linked to cough syrups in 2022. According to the WHO statement, more than 300 children deaths, mainly under the age of 5, in the Gambia, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan died of acute kidney injury, that were associated with contaminated medicines. The medicines, over-the-counter cough syrups, had high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. WHO noted that these contaminants are toxic chemicals used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents that can be fatal in even small…