Author: News Desk

Israel: Thousands of people have rallied in Tel Aviv, Israel, asking for the release of Israeli and foreign hostages from Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Most of the people were families and friends of the captives. They also questioned the Israeli government’s approach to handling the situation. “Mr Prime Minister, cabinet members, do not talk to me about conquering, do not talk to me about flattening. Do not talk at all. Just take action … bring them home now,” Mr. Noam Perry, whose father was abducted from the town of Nir Oz, told the crowd at the protest, as per…

Sudan: A UN official has warned that violence against civilians in Sudan is “verging on pure evil.” The statement comes as the humanitarian crisis in the country worsens and ethnic violence surges in the western region of Darfur. The war between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began on April 15 after weeks of rising tension between the two sides. “We continue to receive unrelenting and appalling reports of sexual- and gender-based violence and forced disappearance, arbitrary detentions, and grave violations of human and children’s rights,” Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the top U.N. aid official in Sudan, told…

Iceland: Iceland has declared an emergency due to a series of earthquakes and fear of a volcanic eruption. The country’s authorities have ordered thousands of people living in the southwestern town of Grindavík to evacuate as a precaution. The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) stated that it is concerned that large amounts of magma—molten rock—are spreading underground and could surface there. According to reports, thousands of tremors have been recorded around the nearby Fagradalsfjall volcano in recent weeks. They have been concentrated on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, which experienced no volcanic activity for 800 years until an eruption occurred in 2021. Recently,…

Poland: Poland’s opposition parties have signed a coalition agreement as part of their efforts to form a new government after winning the majority of votes in October elections. Mr. Donald Tusk, the opposition’s candidate for Prime Minister, announced that a deal had been reached. The new group includes parties with various ideologies but is united around strengthening Poland’s ties to the European Union. “We are ready to take responsibility for Poland in the coming years,” Mr. Tusk, a former Prime Minister and head of the liberal Civic Coalition (KO), told reporters. The parties, including the Civic Coalition, the economically liberal…

United States: A new analysis has found that two million species are at risk of extinction, which is double the previous UN estimates. The previous studies were more concentrated on documenting the decline of species of plants and vertebrates. There has always been significant uncertainty over insects. The UN has reported a “tentative estimate” of 10 percent threatened with extinction in 2019. Since then, more data has been collected on insects, showing the proportion at risk of extinction is much higher than previously estimated. “Because there are so many insect species, this doubles the global number of species at risk,”…

Philippines: Philippine authorities have accused Chinese ships of firing water cannons at Filipino boats and taking dangerous actions in the disputed South China Sea. The incident occurred during a Philippine mission to supply a small garrison on Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands and a historical hotspot between the nations. China deploys coast guards and other vessels to patrol the strongly disputed area, reaffirming its assertion of nearly total control over the South China Sea. Manila, the Capital of the Philippines stated that the Chinese coast guard and other vessels “harassed, blocked, executed dangerous manoeuvres” as they tried…

Myanmar: The United Nations (UN) has said that approximately 90,000 people have been forced to be displaced in Myanmar due to escalating conflict between military rulers and an alliance of ethnic armed groups. “As of 9 November, almost 50,000 people in northern Shan were forced into displacement,” the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) remarked. A further 40,000 people have been displaced by disputes between the military and its opponents in the neighbouring Sagaing region and Kachin state since early November, OCHA added. Two weeks ago, the Three Brotherhood Alliance, a prominent ethnic armed coalition in…

Australia: Australia Prime Minister Mr. Anthony Albanese has signed a “groundbreaking” agreement with Tuvalu, offering citizens of the climate change-threatened nation the chance to build lives in Australia. Mr. Albanese made the announcement in the Cook Islands in the presence of Tuvalu Prime Minister Mr. Kausea Natano on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum. Under the treaty, Australia will take in 280 Tuvaluans a year, providing them access to a special visa. “We believe the people of Tuvalu deserve the choice to live, study, and work elsewhere as climate change impacts worsen,” the Australian PM stated. “This reflects Tuvalu’s…

Portugal: Portuguese President Mr. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has dissolved the country’s parliament and called snap elections. The move comes two days after the Portuguese Prime Minister resigned amid a corruption investigation. “I have chosen to dissolve the Assembly of the Republic and hold elections on March 10,” Mr. Rebelo de Sousa stated. The announcement comes after Socialist Prime Minister Mr. Antonio Costa offered his resignation following the arrest of his chief of staff as part of an anti-corruption investigation, including allegations of malfeasance and influence peddling. The 62-year-old Mr. Costa, who first took power in 2015, denied any wrongdoing…

Kazakhstan: The world leaders of Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan are visiting Central Asia amid renewed interest in the region. Mr. Vladimir Putin arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan for a meeting with President Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Just a week ago, French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron visited Kazakhstan to speed up economic cooperation. At the moment, Turkey’s leader, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iran’s President, Mr. Ebrahim Raisi, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Mr. Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, are in Uzbekistan for a regional economic summit. Their involvement indicates that the former Soviet countries are seeking new partnerships as Russia’s influence in the region…