Author: Trainee Reporter

Lebanon: Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has condemned a cartoon presented by National Review, which describes a racist attack against Arab and Muslim communities. The cartoon depicted Tlaib holding an igniting pager, with resemblance to recent explosions of communication devices in Lebanon. The attacks, which happened earlier in the week, have been attributed to Israel and resulted in the passing away of at least 37 people, with nearly 3,000 others injured. Tlaib expressed her disgrace in a statement, warning that such depictions incite further hatred and violence against already vulnerable Arab and Muslim populations. Tlaib expressed that, “Our community is already…

Sri Lanka: Sri Lankans have headed to the polls in their debut presidential election since the 2022 mass protests that dropped the government in the wake of the nation’s worst-ever economic crisis. The vote is being considered a poll on the economic reforms introduced to drive Sri Lanka towards recovery, but the cost of living, inflation, and poverty remain significant issues for the voter. Financial distress has intensified due to tax lifts and cuts to subsidies and welfare. There were reforms focused on stabilising the economy, but many Sri Lankans are still struggling to meet needs. Soumya Bhowmick, an associate…

Beijing: The National Bureau of Statistics has reported that China has made remarkable advancements in energy development over the past 75 years. The achievements significantly accelerated its transition towards green, low-carbon energy and improve efficient energy utilisation. The report declared by China Central Television (CCTV) has highlighted that China’s total primary energy output reached 4.83 billion tonnes of standard coal, marking a 202.6-fold increase since 1949. The country has seen an average annual growth rate of 7.4 per cent in energy output over this period. Power production capacity has seen notable improvements, with electricity generation skyrocketing from 4.3 billion kWh…

Taipei: Taiwan has rejected the role of components used in explosive pagers in Lebanon. Taiwan’s Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei has disapproved that components used in thousands of pagers, which exploded in Lebanon earlier this week in a deadly attack linked to Hezbollah, were made in Taiwan. As per the report to the investigators, Kuo stated that, “I can say with certainty they were not manufactured in Taiwan.” The explosions resulted in the killing of 37 people and wounded around 3,000. The pagers, traced back to Budapest-based company BAC, were branded by Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based electronics company. Gold Apollo has…

Washington: Donald Trump has blamed ‘Democrat Curse’ for struggles with Jewish voters at Israeli-American Council national summit held in Washington. Donald Trump raised frustration over ongoing struggles to win support from Jewish voters. Facing the crowd, Trump expressed that Democrats had placed a “curse” on Jewish voters, regretting that his efforts to strengthen ties with Israel had not converted into Jewish support at the ballot box. Trump noted that his Jewish voter backing increased gradually from 25% in 2016 to 29% in 2020, but argued that of his record, “I should be at 100%.” Trump clarified that he had been…

Hong Kong: Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) has investigated whether an engine fire on a Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 was caused by a fuel leak which in turn warned about the aircraft’s safety. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Hong Kong on a flight bound for Zurich, ensuring the airline to ground several planes for further inspection.The fire broke out in the Trent XWB-97 engine, manufactured by British engineering company Rolls-Royce. Investigators reported that the fire resulted from a damaged fuel hose which was found during the inspection of the engine. The aircraft, carrying 348 passengers and…

New York, UN Headquarters: The United Nations General Assembly vote has drawn strong reactions from both Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), showcasing the deep division over the ongoing dispute in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel’s Response Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, damned the vote, calling it “a shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic terrorism.” Danon disapproved of the UN for what he sees as an inappropriate focus, given the current hostilities, particularly the October 7 attack by Hamas. Danny Danon commented that, “Instead of pointing to the anniversary of the October 7 massacre by…

Brazil: Several users in Brazil have regained access to the X platform after the platform ban in the country at the end of August. The X social media became accessible again following an update to servers hosted by Cloudflare, according to Abrint, Brazil’s leading trade group for Internet Service Providers (ISP). The restoration of the X platform in Brazil was unintentional as the platform’s ban came into effect after it failed to comply with a court order to appoint a new legal representative in the country and restrict certain accounts. ABRINT clarified that the platform is now controlled by a…

New Delhi, India: The Union Cabinet has given an agreed indication to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, subsequent by the submission of a report by a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The proposal focuses on synchronizing elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies, potentially transforming India’s electoral process. The Kovind-led panel confirmed its report in March 2024, before the Lok Sabha election announcement. The approval came as part of the Law Ministry’s 100-day agenda, and Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the panel’s findings received widespread support. The first phase would…

Flint, Michigan: Former President Donald Trump has announced his official meeting with  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his upcoming visit to the United States. Trump, who is currently the Republican presidential nominee, recounted Modi as “fantastic” while addressing supporters at a town hall event in Flint, Michigan yesterday. In his remarks, Trump facilitated Modi and other world leaders, emphasizing their strategic acumen. However, he criticized India, along with Brazil, for being “very big abusers” in trade strategic relations with the U.S.  Trump stated that,“They’re at the peak of their game and they use it against us” referring to various…