Author: Venkat Narayanan

On Wednesday, the US President Joe Biden called his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and stressed that the ongoing Gaza conflict should be resolved soon with a ceasefire. The call also concerned the continuing talks with an emphasis on these to take place in Cairo. The US administration is intent on finishing the 10 month-long war. In the critical call, Biden said that a ceasefire-for-hostages deal must be reached fast. In addition, he highlighted the importance of next week’s Meeting in Cairo and its vital chance to address these hurdles. The White House in a statement also mentioned that Vice President…

On August 20 2024, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama rallied their support for Kamala Harris. The power couple’s speeches in Democratic National Convention (DNC), Chicago aimed to encourage voters to back Harris in her historic bid for presidency against Republican Donald Trump. Barack Obama’s Call to Action America’s first black president Barack Obama took to the stage calling for change. He appealed to the nation to reject “four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos.” He said, “Unfortunately, we heard that movie before and the sequel is always worse.” Obama sang Harris’ praises, declaring to…

Six high-profile individuals were missing after a 56-meter luxury yacht sank off the Sicilian coast during terrible storms in the early hours of Monday. The British-flagged ‘Bayesian’ was at anchor near the port of Porticello in heavy weather. The sudden coincidental impact of a tornado destroyed the yacht that had 22 people on board. Among the missing are Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International as well as British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch. The missing include Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at Clifford Chance, and the wives of Bloomer and Morvillo complete the list of those missing.…

The political landscape of Thailand changed on Sunday, August 18, 2024, when King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand backed Paetongtarn Shinawatra to be the country’s next prime minister. Paetongtarn, wearing an official uniform knelt before a portrait of the king in Bangkok as a traditional gesture before beginning her term. Historic Appointment Paetongtarn became Thailand’s youngest prime minister at 37. She is also the second female leader of her country (after Yingluck) to secure this position. She was elected with an overwhelming two-thirds majority in parliament on Friday. Family Legacy Paetongtarn and her father, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, arrived at…

Ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar paused on Friday after two days of intense discussions. The mediators plan to reconvene next week in Cairo aiming to end the Israel-Hamas conflict bringing relief to people of Gaza and secure the release of the remaining hostages.   United States Presents New Proposal The United States plans to build on a new proposal to bridge differences between Israel and Hamas. This plan builds on previous agreements and aims for swift implementation. A joint statement issued by US, Qatar and Egypt ascertained that the due course of action would be to save lives of the people…

The US Navy has a new, game-changing weapon for its F/A-18 fighters that can change the balance of power in favour of American forces over modern Russian warplanes or Chinese threats closer to the South China Sea. The potential game-changer is an AIM-174B air-to-air missile with unmatched range to take on China’s aerial dominance over contested terrains. Unprecedented Range Advantage Able to strike at a range of 400 km (250 miles), the AIM-174B trounces China’s best air-to-air missiles. The new missile extends the range from which US jets can track and kill aerial targets. The missile’s range is particularly significant…

Ukraine has launched a serious offensive action on Wednesday launching waves of drone attacks into Russian territory. Ukrainian army now inches closer to Kursk region, captures numerous localities and confiscates over 1 thousand square km. of territory. Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers crossed the border into Russia to launch their attack on August 6. It was the country’s biggest incursion into Russia since World War II. President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that his military continue advancing their positions. They are planning further moves after this initial offensive. The offensive caught Russia napping. But despite President Vladimir Putin’s vow to oust the invaders,…

New Zealand is facing a serious demographic crisis as its population is on the decline due to ongoing economic challenges. Recent government statistics bring to the fore a concerning trend of citizens leaving the country in record numbers. This is driven by a combination of economic factors and better opportunities abroad. Unprecedented Exodus The government statistics bureau reported that 131,200 people left the country in the year till June 2024, marking a record number of departures for one year. Of these, 80,174 were New Zealand citizens, almost twice the level before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. High living costs, soaring interest…

The United States and South Korea are set to commence their annual joint military exercises next week. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises will take place from August 19 to 29th and will focus on countering North Korea’s growing nuclear and cyber threats. The drills take place when tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at an all-time high due to Pyongyang’s ongoing development of advanced weapons programs and its threatening remarks. Exercise Objectives and Scale Colonel Lee Sung-Jun, a spokesman for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), stated that the exercises are designed to improve readiness and capabilities to…

Trump’s presidential campaign was allegedly hacked successfully after an apparent breach of its internal communications. The row has brought serious questions with the campaign pointing its finger at Iran as the main perpetrators. The speculation is based on past hostilities between Trump and the Iranian government. The charge is made without direct evidence but comes on the back of numerous previous cybersecurity worries in United States elections. Key Details of the Hack The statement from Trump’s campaign came after POLITICO received emails from an unknown source in July. The documents that were received seemed genuine and came from within the…