Author: Kushagra Bansal

On June 11, six tribes from the isolated Javari Valley in Brazil gathered in an assembly hall to mourn the loss of Bruno Pereira, a collective advisor, and Dom Phillips, a British journalist covering his work. On an Amazon tributary that passes through their reservation, native patrolmen formed by Pereira, a former top official for indigenous relations agency Funai, were still looking for traces of the missing men. The assembly, on the other hand, had little uncertainty about their fate. “Bruno died as our shield, guarding us and our territory,” said Manoel Chorimpa, a Marubo tribesman and organizer for the…

Hundreds of people gathered in Tunisia on Sunday for the second day in a row against President Kais Saied’s push for a constitutional referendum, which his critics claim will solidify his grip on power. The Salvation Front, a coalition that includes the moderate Islamist Ennahda, the biggest party in a parliament that Saied disbanded in March, organized the protest. It came after a similar demonstration held by the Free Constitutional Party on Saturday over the referendum, as well as a strike called by a prominent labor union on Thursday over the government’s economic reform plans, which brought most of the…

The Danish Armed Forces of Denmark reported a Russian destroyer repeatedly breached Danish territorial seas north of the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm, where a democracy festival with high officials and businessmen was taking place. The move was deemed an unacceptable provocation by Denmark. The Danes, according to the Russian embassy in Copenhagen, presented no evidence. According to the armed forces, the Russian cruiser entered Danish waters without authority around 0030 GMT on Friday and again a few hours later. According to the report, the cruiser left when radio communication was established with the Danish navy. “A highly reckless, gross,…

At a joint press conference with the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Moldova’s desire to join the European Union was “absolutely genuine.” Moldova, which is sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, an EU member itself, is one of three former Soviet republics, along with Georgia and Ukraine, that applied to join the EU within days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 24. It has pursued its application despite concerns that it would be drawn into the conflict as a result of instability in its Transdniestria region, which is occupied by Russian peacekeeping…

Thailand’s lawmakers passed four legislations on same-sex unions in the first reading on Wednesday, putting the country one step closer to becoming Asia’s second country to recognize same-gender marriages. Thailand boasts one of Asia’s most visible and open lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) groups, adding to the country’s reputation of tolerance and appeal as a liberal tourism destination. However, campaigners claim that Thai legal institutions have yet to represent shifting social attitudes and that LGBTQ individuals and same-sex couples continue to face discrimination. Each of the four proposals accepted on Wednesday aims to give same-sex couples nearly the same…

According to the Cuba attorney general’s office, nearly 300 of those sanctioned received sentences ranging from five to 25 years in prison. 381 people have been sanctioned by the Cuban government for taking part in last year’s rare anti-government protests on the island. In July 2021, tens of thousands of Cubans marched through the streets of Havana and other cities in protest of rising food prices, medical shortages, and poor socioeconomic conditions exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The attorney general’s office said in a statement given to state media that of the 381 persons sanctioned on Monday, 297 were convicted…

Critics believe the Turkey government is launching a “cultural war” ahead of elections by canceling musical events in AK Party-run cities and districts. Turkey is in the midst of spring, which means a slew of performances and outdoor festivals to complement the fantastic weather. However, in recent weeks, the organized events have been canceled by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), prompting critics and observers to accuse the government of waging a “cultural war” in the run-up to next year’s general elections. The first widely publicized cancellation began on May 9, when the governor of the Central Anatolian…

Iran and Venezuela signed a 20-year cooperation agreement on Saturday in Tehran, as the two countries, which are among the world’s top oil producers, battle US sanctions that are damaging their exports. Iranian and Venezuelan Presidents Ebrahim Raisi and Nicolas Maduro presided over the signing event, which was broadcast live on Iranian state television and took place in the Saadabad Palace in north Tehran. Foreign ministers Hossein Amirabdollahian and Carlos Faria of Venezuela inked the plan, which includes cooperation in the domains of energy, petrochemicals, defense, agriculture, tourism, and culture. It also covers refinery repairs and the export of technical and engineering services…

The Head of an evangelical church in Mexico which has over 5 million followers around the world was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison for sexually abusing three girls on Wednesday. Last Friday, Naason Joaquin Garcia, the self-styled apostle and leader of the church La Luz del Mundo, (Light of the World) which is a Guadalajara-based church in Mexico, pled guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving children and performing an indecent act on a child. Garcia, 53, pleaded guilty three days before his trial on 23 felony counts of sex crimes against children, including…

Lebanon president Michel Aon says any activity in the disputed waters by Israeli forces amounts to provocation and an act of aggression against the State. After a ship arrived off the coast to produce gas for Israel, Lebanon warned Israel against any “aggressive action” in disputed waters where both countries aim to explore offshore energy. Following the arrival of the natural gas storage and production ship run by London-based Energean, President Michel Aoun declared that any operation in the disputed territory would be considered an act of aggression and a provocation. The area in question, according to Israel, is located…