Author: News Desk

United States: The head of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, has warned that further escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict could mean the world is heading towards a “wider war.” Mr. Guterres decried the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a speech to the 193-member UN General Assembly presenting his 2023 priorities, stating that the war was “inflicting untold suffering on the Ukrainian people with profound global implications.” The Secretary General’s priorities were focused on Russia’s invasion, the climate crisis, and extreme poverty. “We have started 2023 staring down the barrel of a confluence of challenges unlike any in our lifetimes,”…

United Kingdom: A new study has found that people who cohabit with a partner have lower blood sugar levels, even if they do not get along with them. The study further warned that social isolation may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. According to the study published in the British Medical Journal’s diabetes journal, living with someone is an important source of social support for adults in mid- to late-life. The researchers further remarked that the effects were the same regardless of whether the relationship was harmonious or acrimonious. The lead author, Ms. Katherine Ford, formerly of the University…

London, UK: The Premier League referred Manchester City to an independent commission over potential financial rule violations, the English top division declared. The alleged violations are believed to have occurred between the 2009–10 season and the 2017–18 season. The defending champions are accused of breaking league rules that provide for the transmission of “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position” in “the utmost good faith.” The accurate financial information needed, according to the Premier League, was related to “revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties, and its operating costs.” The second list of…

United States: Pop icon Beyonce set the record for most career victories at the Grammy Awards, but she was defeated once more by British singer Harry Styles in the prestigious album of the year category. Beyonce acquired four more Grammys, raising her overall total to 32, surpassing the late conductor of classical music, Georg Solti. This year, she received nine nominations for prizes. Despite years of success, the 41-year-old “Break My Soul” singer has never won the best album award despite receiving four nominations. Styles received that award for “Harry’s House.” “I’ve been so inspired by every artist in this…

Hong Kong: Hong Kong’s largest national security trial has started, involving 47 of the city’s most high-profile democracy advocates in a hearing that is widely considered a trial of the territory’s pro-democracy movement itself. A group of former politicians, activists, campaigners, and community workers are accused of “conspiracy to commit subversion” over the holding of unofficial pre-election primaries in July 2020. The case is at the centre of the Hong Kong and Beijing governments’ crackdown on opposition and dissent in the city after the mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. The accused people include legal academic Mr. Benny Tai, former lawmakers…

Ukraine: Mr. David Arakhamia, chief of the Ukranian President’s Servant of the People parliamentary bloc, has announced that the country’s Defence Minister, under pressure from a corruption scandal, will be removed from his position as Russian forces close in on Bakhmut amid heavy fighting. The position of Mr. Oleksii Reznikov, one of Ukraine’s better-known figures internationally, has been under threat after it emerged the defence ministry paid twice or three times the supermarket price of food to supply troops on the frontline. Mr. Arakhamia stated that the defence ministry would be headed up by Mr, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s…

Syria: Turkey and Syria were slammed by a strong 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed numerous people, destroyed homes while people were still sleeping, and caused vibrations to be felt as far away as the island of Cyprus. Although the initial death toll in Turkey was put at 53, it threatened to rise significantly higher because it struck while the majority of people were still asleep at home. According to official media, at least 42 individuals also perished in northern Syria’s areas under government control. https://twitter.com/USGS_Quakes/status/1622424153184948225?s=20&t=gTL8WDRraTSmRX9-OQeL1w The United States agency reported that, the earthquake occurred at 04:17 local time (0117 GMT) at…

Sudan: Pope Francis and the leaders of protestant churches in England and Scotland have denounced the criminalisation of homosexuality. During his return journey from South Sudan, the Pope remarked that such laws were a sin and “an injustice.” “This is not right. Persons with homosexual tendencies are children of God. God loves them. God accompanies them. Condemning a person like this is a sin,” the Pope shared. The Pope’s comments were backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Iian Greenshields, Moderator of the Church of Scotland. “I entirely agree with every word he said there,” Archbishop Justin Welby commented,…

China: The Biden administration applauded the Pentagon for shooting down a purported Chinese surveillance balloon near the US Atlantic coast but China vehemently expressed its “strong dissatisfaction” with the action and threatened to take “necessary responses.” The craft spent many days flying over North America before it was shot down by a missile fired from an F-22 off the coast of South Carolina, according to Pentagon officials. The missile caused the aeroplane to crash into relatively shallow water that was only 47 feet (14 metres) deep. According to US Secretary of Defense Mr. Lloyd Austin, The operation was a  “deliberate…

Dubai: Mr. Pervez Musharraf, a four-star General, who governed Pakistan for almost ten years after taking the throne in a bloodless coup in 1999, passed away in Dubai. The 79-year-old Mr. Musharraf died in a hospital after a long illness and years of self-imposed exile. The Pakistani military released a statement confirming his passing with “heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of General Pervez Musharaf, former President, CJCSC and Chief of Army Staff.” “May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family,” the statement cited. According to a statement from his office, Pakistan’s president Arif Alvi…