Author: Trainee Reporter

Philippines: The government of the Philippines has reported that two Chinese coastguard ships recently harassed Filipino fishing vessels operating within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the disputed South China Sea. This incident occurred just before joint military exercises with the Philippines’ allies were scheduled to take place. According to the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard, Jay Tarriela, the Chinese coastguard vessels went as far as pretending to man their water cannon and threatening Filipino fishermen at the Iroquois Reef in April. Tarriela noted in a statement that, “This aggressive action stems from China’s greed and unfounded claim that these…

United States: Nancy Pelosi and 40 House Democrats have called on US President Joe Biden to immediately halt US arms transfers to Israel. This comes after the killing of World Central Kitchen workers in a recent Israeli strike while they were delivering food to Gaza. The Democrats wrote a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, requesting the suspension of weapons transfers to Israel until a full investigation into the airstrike is conducted. The letter, led by Representatives Mark Pocan, Jim McGovern, and Jan Schakowsky, was signed by 40 lawmakers, including Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.…

Australia: The Honourable Julie Bishop, Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), has been appointed as United Nations Special Envoy to Myanmar by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The United Nations said in a statement that, “Throughout her career, Bishop has strengthened engagement with regional partners and led international negotiation efforts, including the first-ever United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea conciliation.” Julie Bishop became the first woman to hold the position of ANU Chancellor in 2020. Before that, she served as the first female foreign minister in Australia from 2013 to 2018. Bishop also held several other high-level positions…

Sudan: The UN World Food Programme (WFP), has announced that two aid convoys carrying life-saving supplies finally reached the Darfur region in Sudan. This is the first time in months that the WFP was able to provide help to the people in the area, who were struggling due to nearly a year of heavy fighting. According to Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer in Sudan, the convoys, which arrived in late March, carried enough food and nutrition supplies to help 250,000 people who are facing acute hunger in North, West, and Central Darfur. This humanitarian effort aims to prevent a ‘hunger…

United Kingdom: National Health Service (NHS) Consultants in England have voted in favour of a revised offer from the government, marking the end of their strike action. The new deal aims to address the gender pay gap in the field of medicine, as well as provide consultants with greater clarity on their pay progression arrangements. Additionally, the deal aims to boost consultants’ confidence in the review body that advises the government on rates of pay for doctors and dentists. The current contract for consultants was not revised for two decades, and this proposal aims to bring in changes that align…

China: Microsoft’s threat intelligence team has warned that China will use artificial intelligence-generated (AI) content to interfere with elections in the US, South Korea and India this year. The US company also believes that Chinese state-backed cyber groups, along with North Korea, will target high-profile elections in 2024. The warning comes after China made a dry run in the presidential poll in Taiwan. Microsoft’s report stated that, “As populations in India, South Korea and the United States head to the polls, we are likely to see Chinese cyber and influence actors, and to some extent, North Korean cyber actors, work toward…

United Kingdom: Scientists from the UK have recently discovered a new possible cause of asthma, which offers hope for the development of life-saving treatments. Current asthma treatments are mainly targeted at reducing inflammation since it is believed to be the main cause of the disease. The most dangerous symptom of asthma is the attack, which is characterised by the constriction of airways, making it difficult to breathe. For the first time, a study conducted on mice suggests that asthma attacks are caused by mechanical constriction, which leads to various features of the condition such as inflammation, mucus secretion, and harm…

United States: Joe Biden’s administration has announced that Israel consented to open another crossing into Gaza to increase aid supplies. This move aimed at assuaging the US president’s rising frustration over the ominous humanitarian crisis in the enclave. The statement regarding the Israeli government’s response to President Biden’s concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation in Gaza came hours after a tense phone call between the President and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the conversation, Biden was intimidated to condition future support for Israel based on how it addresses his concerns. A spokesperson for the National Security Council stated that…

GENEVA: The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has passed a resolution that affirms the rights of intersex people. The passage of this resolution represents the first time such a solution was enacted, but it also signifies a growing international commitment to the protection of the rights of people born with variations in their sex characteristics. The resolution was proposed by the governments of Australia, Chile, Finland, and South Africa, and it is titled ‘Combating discrimination, violence, and harmful practices against intersex persons.’ Many children who are born with variations in their sex characteristics, which are also known as intersex traits,…

United Kingdom: Victoria Prentis, the Attorney General of the UK, has promised to help Ukraine in their pursuit of compensation for the damage caused by Russia’s illegal invasion. Prentis made this statement while attending an event in The Hague. The Attorney General attended the ‘Restoring Justice for Ukraine’ conference, where she represented the UK at a ministerial session of the Conference of Parties of the Register of Damages for Ukraine. The purpose of the Register is to keep a record of the damage, loss or injury that ordinary Ukrainians suffered as a result of Russian aggression. The UK showed support…