Author: Trainee Reporter

Paris: The United Nations (UN) has warned that global water scarcity is fuelling conflicts and instigating instability. According to the UN, access to clean water is necessary to elevate peace. The UN World Water Development Report 2024, published by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) highlights that tensions over water are exacerbating conflicts worldwide. According to the report, 2.2 billion people worldwide hold no permit to clean drinking water and 3.5 billion people lack access to safely contained sanitation. The UN goal of ensuring this access for all by 2030 is thus far from being achieved, and there…

United Kingdom: Australia-UK relations have been strengthened after a successful defence and foreign policy summit, held in Canberra. In addition to laying the foundations for even closer collaboration, a new Defence and Security Cooperation Agreement has been signed between the UK and Australia. During the two-day meeting, Australia-UK ministerial consultations (AUKMIN) held annually, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Foreign Secretary David Cameron discussed shared priorities, challenges, and cooperation on various issues with their counterparts. These included Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. Grant Shapps and Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, were functioning jointly at…

Tennessee: Bill Lee, the Tennessee Governor, has signed legislation to protect songwriters, artists and other music industry experts from artificial intelligence. In the United States, Tennessee became the first state to enact such measures. Tennessee is long been known as the birthplace of country music and the launchpad of musical legends. After signing the bill, Lee stated that, “We employ more people in Tennessee in the music industry than in any other state. Artists have intellectual property. They have gifts. They have a uniqueness that is theirs and theirs alone, certainly not artificial intelligence.” The state of Tennessee is one…

New York: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is expected to vote soon on a United States-drafted resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Also, the European Union called for a ‘humanitarian pause,’ pressuring Israel to stop its five-month bombardment of the Palestinian territory. Due to the growing violence and crucial situations, Washington changed its approach to Israel. Being a most persistent ally, it gradually hardened its tone following its early solid support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war in Gaza. The new draft resolution draws a toughening of Washington’s strategy amid international condemnation of a war…

United States: The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a new antitrust lawsuit accusing Apple of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market. According to the DOJ and 16 state and district attorneys general, Apple raises prices for consumers and developers while increasing their dependence on Apple products. As per the statements of the officials, the parties claim that Apple ‘selectively’ restricts developers’ access to the phone and withholds critical features to prevent competition. The Department of Justice noted that, “Apple exercises its monopoly power to extract more money from consumers, developers, content creators, artists, publishers, small businesses, and merchants, among…

United States:  The government of the US has introduced a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. According to the reports the latest peace proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages in the Gaza strip. Amid challenging conflict in the region, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a Middle Eastern tour, including a visit to Israel. In Saudi Arabia, Blinken stated that, “Well, in fact, we actually have a resolution that we put forward right now that’s before the United Nations Security Council that does call for an…

California: Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, has live-streamed its first patient implanted with a chip playing online chess using his mind. Noland Arbaugh was the first person to receive a brain implant from Neuralink. He was paralysed below the shoulder after a diving accident. Arbaugh displayed technology’s capability by playing video games and chess using his thoughts. Musk’s firm first hosted a nine-minute video revealing the patient playing video games. The self-proclaimed fan of the X-Men Charles Xavier, is grateful for Neuralink’s technology, which revived his passion for gaming. In the video shown on social media X, Arbaugh stated that, “The…

United States: President Joe Biden has declared the toughest rules on vehicle exhaust emissions ever introduced in the United States to accelerate the auto industry’s evolution to electric cars. The new regulations include a goal to make 56 percent of new vehicles sold in the US electric by 2032. If this is implemented, it will be huge growth over the current level. Car makers were given a reprieve and the target was softened from last year’s draft. However, Biden’s administration still plans to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the latest laws will preclude 7…

Portugal: President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has appointed Luis Montenegro, leader of the centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD), as Portuguese new PM. The AD chief was invited to form a minority government. The Democratic Alliance won the snap general election against the incumbent Socialists. Montenegro constantly said that the party is ready to rule on its own and will not negotiate a wider formal contract to work together with the far-right Chega party. For the first time since the fall of a fascist dictatorship 50 years ago, Chega arose as a political force after a far-right party quadrupled its parliamentary representation. An…

Vietnam: The Communist Party has announced that Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong resigned after a year in office. This makes him the latest senior official to leave after being embroiled in an anti-corruption campaign. After the ruling party meeting, the government clarified that he violated party rules, which affected its reputation. Thuong’s resignation appears to be linked to corruption in his home province. Vo Van Thuong was appointed as president after another president was forced to resign due to corruption. The party leadership prioritised corruption as a severe issue that needs to be addressed. Changes in Vietnam’s administration are usually carefully…