Author: Trainee Reporter

Hong Kong: Legislative Council members of Hong Kong have begun debating a draft of a new national security law after Chief Executive John Lee said the legislation should be passed rapidly. A 212-page (PDF) draft bill, published online just hours before the session, includes new laws on sedition, espionage, foreign interference, state secrets and treason. Treason is punishable by 10 years and 20 years in prison for breaching state secrets and life in prison for espionage, respectively. Collaborating with foreign powers will also result in stiffer penalties, especially if people appear to be cooperating rather than acting independently. The penalty…

United Kingdom: On International Women’s Day, the British High Commission (BHC) Singapore has launched ‘The Gender Pledge 2024,’ renewing its gender equality commitments. The BHC Gender Pledge 2024 signifies the company’s renewed dedication to gender equality, both within and beyond the workplace. BHC Singapore renewed its Gender Pledge, which was initially adopted in 2019, to better integrate gender equality and inclusion objectives into business planning and corporate culture. The Board of Management at BHC is committed to monitoring and frequently reviewing the pledge. The Gender Pledge will continue to outline the key actions, measures, and best practices for BHC and its staff.…

United States: Lawmakers in the United States are pushing ahead with proposals to ban TikTok unless it cuts ties with its Chinese parent company. The move comes amid claims the platform could be used to spy on Americans and manipulate public opinion. On a certain day, Steve Scalise, the House Majority Leader, announced that he plans to present a ‘critical national security bill’ to the House floor. This bill, originally proposed by Republican Mike Gallagher, would give ByteDance, a Chinese internet technology company, which is headquartered in Beijing, six months to divest or face a ban. The latest attempt to…

BUCHAREST: The European People’s Party (EPP), the major force in the EU parliament, is expected to formally endorse the re-election bid of EU commissioner Ursula von der Leyen. Since 2019, the current head of the European Commission has dealt with various crises, including COVID-19 and the Ukraine war, and it is seeking a new mandate that would last until 2029. To be re-appointed to the post, the 65-year-old German needs the endorsement of the EU parliament, which makes the support of the EPP crucial. At the congress in Bucharest, Von der Leyen said that, “Our peaceful and united Europe is being…

United Kingdom: The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the medicine Rozanolixizumab (Rystiggo) to treat adults with generalised myasthenia gravis. Generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) is a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness affecting multiple muscle groups throughout the body. It typically affects the muscles that control eye movement, facial expressions, and the ability to chew, swallow, and speak. In some cases, it can also affect other muscle groups in the body. Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access, stated that, “Patient safety is always our priority, which means enabling their access to high quality,…

San Francisco: Elon Musk, the CEO of X, has stated that the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, will soon undergo a major overhaul of its interface. According to Musk, X will soon clear reposts, likes, and replies metrics from the timeline to enhance its appearance. This change will be another noteworthy structure adjustment for the social media platform, following last year’s modification of how X displays links to news articles. Elon Musk confirmed that view counts will continue to be displayed on social media platform X. This feature was added by Musk after he took over the platform. However, he…

Queensland: The government of Queensland has passed legislation to improve safety in public hospitals for expectant mothers and babies and boost access to termination of pregnancy services. The Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No.2) of 2023 will enable Queensland to adopt a midwife-to-patient ratio system, similar to the current nurse-to-patient ratios. This amendment will count newborns as separate patients, ensuring that they receive the attention they need. The implementation of midwife-to-patient ratios will be done in stages, starting in 2024. Public maternity wards that offer high-level services and provide complex care and referral services will have a midwife-to-patient ratio of…

Beijing: Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, has stated that despite Moscow’s Ukraine invasion and close relations with Russia, China sees itself as a force for peace. At a press conference on the sidelines of parliament’s annual meeting, Wang commented that, “In the face of complex turmoil in the international environment, China will persist in being a force for peace, a force for stability, and a force for progress in the world.” At the meeting, the relationship between China and Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, was also discussed. During Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing and…

Europe: According to scientists, last month was the warmest February ever recorded worldwide, marking the ninth consecutive month of the year with record temperatures. Data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reveals that global sea surface temperatures have also reached their highest level ever recorded. Based on the available data, the global temperature in February 2024 was 1.77 degrees Celsius warmer than the pre-industrial average temperature for the same month from 1850 to 1900. This is 0.81 degrees Celsius above the average temperature recorded between 1991 and 2020. It is concerning to note that the global average temperature for…

Russia: Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has urged Russians to protest against President Vladimir Putin. During election day, Navalnaya suggested that people should form a long queue at polling stations as part of the protest. Following the death of Alexei Navalny in prison, his supporters are responding through social media and other communication platforms to raise their voices for him. Navalnaya posted a video on social media blaming Putin for her husband’s death. In the recent post, Navalnaya said that, “We need to use the election day to show that we exist and there are many…