Author: News Desk

Vietnam: The rubber stamp National Assembly of Vietnam elect a new president, who promptly vowed to fight corruption after his predecessor resigned in an anti-corruption drive. Mr. Vo Van Thuong’s appointment occurs during a time of political unrest in Vietnam, where several ministers have been ousted as a result of the all-powerful Communist Party’s anti-corruption sweep and factional strife. Following Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s retirement in January 2023, members of the National Assembly chose 52-year-old Mr. Thuong as their representative for a term that lasts until 2026. Mr. Thuong was the only contender. Mr. Thuong pledged to be “determined in…

China: The Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping and Belarusian leader Mr. Alexander Lukashenko have called for a ceasefire and negotiations to bring about a political settlement to the Ukraine conflict. In the meeting held in Beijing, the two leaders issued a joint statement in which they expressed “deep concern about the development of the armed conflict in the European region and extreme interest in the soonest possible establishment of peace in Ukraine.” “Belarus and China are interested in averting an escalation of the crisis and ready to make efforts to restore regional peace and order,” the statement remarked. The meeting…

Russia: The Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to tighten control of the border with Ukraine after the drone attacks, which created a new challenge for Moscow a year after it invaded its neighbour. According to the Russian Defence Miinistry, one drone recently crashed just 100 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of Moscow, while two others were brought down in southern Russia. The Defense Ministry noted that Ukraine used drones to attack facilities in the Krasnodar region and neighboring Adygea. The Ministry remarked that the drones were brought down by electronic warfare assets, adding that one of them crashed into…

New Delhi, India: The Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers conference will focus heavily on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but host India is sure that the economic issues brought on by the conflict will receive equal attention, according to the country’s foreign secretary. “Yes, given the nature and the developing situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it will be an important point of discussion,” Mr. Vinay Kwatra, India’s top diplomat, told as foreign ministers arrived in New Delhi for the meeting. “Questions relating to food, energy and fertiliser security, the impact that the conflict has on these economic challenges that we face”,…

London, UK: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are being evicted from their Frogmore Cottage residence by King Charles, who is also offering the disgraced Prince Andrew the royal quarters. The monarch started the eviction procedure in January 2023, the day after Prince Harry’s shocking autobiography “Spare,” as per the statement. Harry’s book contains a plethora of startling charges, including that Prince William brutally slammed him to the floor and that Queen Consort Camilla leaked tales about the brothers to the press. They have not been granted a different residence on the vast estate owned by the royal family. The Windsor…

Nigeria: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has declared ruling party candidate Mr. Bola Tinubu the winner of the presidential election after defeating two of his closest rivals. Mr. Tinubu’s victory extends the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party’s grip on power in Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, though he inherits a litany of problems from President Muhammadu Buhari, also of the APC. “I am very happy to have been elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is a serious mandate. I hereby accept it.” Mr. Tinubu shared while addressing his supporters in…

Qatar: Concern over fighting near a disputed town in Somalia’s northern breakaway region of Somaliland, where at least 34 people were killed in hostilities, has been raised by Qatar, Somalia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Since the end of last year, tensions have increased in Lascanood between Somaliland and the local clan troops, and fierce violence has broken out all around the town, which sits on a major commerce route. “The partners expressed concern about the ongoing conflict in and around Lascanood and called on all parties to adhere to the ceasefire, de-escalate,…

China: The Chinese foreign ministry has stated that US government bans on Chinese-owned video sharing app TikTok reveal Washington’s own insecurities and are an abuse of state power. “The US government has been stretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress other countries’ companies. We firmly oppose those wrong actions. The US government should respect market economy and fair competition principles, stop suppressing companies, and provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies in the US,” Ms. Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese government, commented. “How unsure of itself can the world’s top…

Canada: TikTok will no longer be accessible on any devices provided by the Canadian government. The app “presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security,” a government spokesperson declared in a statement following a review by Canada’s top information officer. A representative for TikTok expressed the company’s disappointment with the choice. It was announced just a few days after the European Commission did. The modification was necessary, according to Prime Minister Mr. Justin Trudeau, because of the level of security concerns around the app. TikTok has drawn flak for its usage of user data and connections to the…

Hong Kong, China: Hongkongers will finally be able to leave the house without a face mask starting after almost a thousand days since the pandemic mandate was put in place. The government declared that face coverings are no longer necessary indoors, outdoors, or on public transit, eliminating a rule that has been abandoned worldwide as people learn to coexist with the coronavirus. One of the last places on Earth to mandate mask use outside was Hong Kong, where offenders faced steep fines. The government’s attempt to attract visitors and foreign talent home to rebuild the recession-hit economy coincides with the…