Author: Nehla Shameer

Following departing president Rodrigo Duterte, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was sworn in as president of the Philippines during a ceremony in Manila.

The US Senate easily approved a bipartisan gun violence bill that seemed unthinkable just a month ago, paving the way for final congressional approval of what will be lawmakers’ most far-reaching response in decades to the country’s string of heinous mass shootings. Following last month’s rampages in New York and Texas, Democrats and some  Republicans decided    that congressional inaction was untenable after years of GOP procedural delays that derailed                Democratic efforts to curb firearms.  It took weeks of close-door negotiations, but a bipartisan group of senators came up with a compromise that represents incremental but significant progress toward ending the bloodshed that has come to regularly shock — but no longer surprise — the nation. In an unexpected move, 15 Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the bill, which was passed by a vote of 65 to 33. The bill will now be sent to the House for a vote before being signed into law by President Joe Biden. Measures approved The $13 billion bill would toughen background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keep firearms out of the hands of more domestic violence offenders, and assist states in  enacting red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to seize weapons from  dangerous people. It would also fund  programmed for school safety, mental  health, and violence prevention The  election-year package fell far short of the more  robust gun restrictions Democrats have  sought for years, such as  bans on  assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines used in  the killings in Buffalo, New York, and  Uvalde, Texas. Republicans who voted against the bill Potential 2024 presidential candidates such as Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Tim Scott of South Carolina voted “no.” Some of the party’s most conservative members voted “no,” including Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Utah Senator Mike Lee. While the US Senate bill was a significant  step forward, the prospects for continued congressional            action on gun control are bleak. Less than one-third of the US Senate’s 50 Republican  senators supported the bill, and strong  Republican opposition is expected in the  House.  In an email, the No. 2 Republican leader, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, urged a “no” vote, calling the bill “an effort to gradually chip away at law-abiding citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights.” Both chambers, which are now narrowly controlled by Democrats, could very well be run by the GOP after the midterm elections in November. Why do Americans own guns? Americans buy guns for personal security, hunting, and recreation. According to a Gallup poll conducted in 2021, 88 percent of gun owners purchased firearms for self-defense, up from 67 percent in 2005. According to a Gallup poll conducted in 2019, a smaller percentage of people kept guns for hunting (40 percent), nonspecific recreation or sport (11 percent), as an antique or family heirloom (6 percent), or was related to their line of work (5 percent). The percentage of gun owners who kept firearms for hunting fell from nearly 60% in 2000 to 40% in 2019. The proportion of people who kept firearms for “sport” fell even further Biden’s retort President Joe Biden said in a statement that when he visited Uvalde, residents told him that Washington needed to act. “This legislation will make our schools and communities safer for our children.” “I urge Congress to complete the job and get this bill to my desk,” Biden said. The Senate action came one month after a gunman in Uvalde killed 19 students and two teachers. Just days earlier, a white man was accused of being motivated by racism when he murdered ten Black grocery shoppers Buffalo. Both shooters were 18 years old, a profile shared by many mass shooters, and the close timing of the two massacres and victims with whom many could identify sparked a demand for action from …

Hundreds of thousands of people in China have been evacuated in several southern China and eastern provinces after heavy rains caused floods and landslides. On Tuesday, two provinces raised flood warnings as rivers overflowed and floodwater levels reached a 50-year high. Videos on state media show cars being washed down streets and people being rescued by ropes across swollen rivers. According to weather officials, the area is experiencing its heaviest rainfall since 1961. Residents of communities living along river banks and in low-lying areas have been urged to relocate to higher ground. Shao guan, in Guangdong province, has been one of the worst affected, prompting officials to raise the city’s flood alert to the highest level as the city has seen record rainfall since…

The International Day of Yoga in 2022 will feature a unique fusion of ancient Indian practice and traditional healing methods of Canada’s indigenous First Nations. The event recognizes June 21 as both International Day of Yoga and National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. The International Yoga Day programme is back in action after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Recognizing the numerous benefits of the ancient Indian practice of Yoga, the international community declared June 21 to be International Yoga Day. In 2022, International Yoga Day will be observed for the eighth time. event, titled Yoga Day –Indigenous Way, will take place in Toronto on Tuesday and is being organized in collaboration by the Consulate General of India in Toronto and the Canada India Foundation (CIF). It is supported by the Vedic Spiritual Heritage Foundation and Anishnawbe Health Toronto. According to the CIF, the event will “showcase and celebrate yoga, India’s gift of holistic health to the world, and traditional healing as Canada’s Indigenous way for overall wellness.” It also recognizes June 21 as International Day of Yoga and National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. The theme for this year is “Yoga for Humanity,” which translates to yoga for everyone’s health. “Yoga brings people and cultures together.” Along with the asanas that are essential to yoga, it will also include indigenous healing practices such as smudging, which involves the burning of traditional medicinal plants to create a sacred, healing smoke. “Access to health care practitioners from many disciplines, including Traditions l Healers, Elders, and Medicine People,” according to Anishnawbe Health Toronto. According to its website, “ancient ceremonies and traditions that are intrinsic to our health care model are available.” This will also be the first time in over two years that the International Day of Yoga will be celebrated in person by practitioners and enthusiasts, as the Covid-19 pandemic forced the day to be observed virtually, with the exception of very small and physically distant gatherings. This event is one of many taking place across Canada to commemorate International Day of Yoga. Another event will take place at the iconic Niagara Falls, while EdgeWalk Yoga took place on Saturday at Toronto’s CN Tower, a city landmark. The CN Tower is home to the EdgeWalk which involves walking 116 storeys above Toronto with nothing but a harness to keep the person safe. Along with the essential asanas of yoga, it will also include indigenous healing practises such as smudging, which involves the burning of traditional medicinal plants to create a sacred, healing smoke. According to Anishnawbe Health Toronto, “access to health care practitioners from many disciplines, including Traditional Healers, Elders, and Medicine People.” According to the organization’s website, ancient ceremonies and traditions that are intrinsic to our health care model are available.” The International Day of Yoga will be observed in person by practitioners and enthusiasts, as the Covid 19 pandemic forced the day to be observed virtually, with the exception of very small and physically distant gatherings.…

At least one person was killed in a fire at a large chemical plant in the Chinese city of Shanghai They erupted at one of the country’s largest refining and petrochemical plants around 04:00 on Saturday (20:00 GMT Friday). The fire broke out around 4 a.m. at an ethylene glycol processing unit owned by Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical, a state ]owned oil company with headquarters in the Jinshan district’s industrial park. According to Shanghai’s fire department, rescue teams from Jinshan and Fengxian districts, as well as the city’s chemical industrial park, were dispatched to the scene. Rescue efforts are currently underway, according to the statement. The fire had been brought “under control” by 9 a.m. local time, according to the company. The blaze was brought under control by firefighters according to a statement posted on the  company’s Chinese social media account. Sinopec said a “third-party driver” died in the accident and one of its employees was hurt. The specific cause is being investigated,” the company said. In recent years, China has seen a rash of  industrial accidents that have killed dozens of people, raising concerns about public safety. At least 173 people were killed in 2015 after a series of explosions at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin, China’s northern port city. Last October, a powerful explosion at a restaurant in the north-eastern city of    Shenyang killed at least three people and  injured more than 30 others. The gas       explosion occurred in a mixed use residential and commercial structure. Social media videos from the scene  showed raging fires and massive plumes of dark  smoke rising from what appeared to be a Sinopec facility separated from the district’s residential area. According to a local media report, some residents living near the facility fled their  buildings after hearing loud bangs from the explosion and describing a pungent  smell from a few miles away. The fire had been “effectively controlled,” but the company was carrying out “protective burning.” Sinopec stated that it was monitoring the area for volatile organic compounds but  had not found any that were harmful to  local water supplies. According to the company, the deceased was a “third party transport vehicle driver,” and an  employee suffered minor injuries.  A resident shared aerial drone footage with AFP of thick clouds of smoke hanging overa vast industrial zone as three fires blazed in separate locations, turning the sky black “At the moment, on-site disposal work is being carried out in an   orderly manner, and protective combustion is taking place,” the Shanghai government said on social media, adding that “safety  risks” were “controllable.”  “Monitoring data… indicate that air quality has largely returned to normal.” According to local media, an early morning explosion at the petrochemical plant was heard by residents up to 6 kilometres  away. According to one witness, the tremors from the explosion caused their apartment door to shake violently. “Half the sky was filled with red fire and thick black smoke, and there was dust  and cotton-like particles floating in the air.” “According to the Chongqing-based newspaper Upstream News, the  anonymous resident.  “A huge roar like a plane in flight could be heard – the sound of burning.””

The European Commission has backed Ukraine’s bid for a joining EU candidacy, bringing it one step closer to the bloc. Ukraine has done “good work,” but more is needed, according to European  Commission President Ursula  von der Leyen. Ukraine must implement “significant” reforms in the areas of rule of law, oligarchs, human rights, and anti-corruption, she added. The European Commission’s recommendation still needs to be approved by the EU’s 27 member states who will meet next week to discuss it. The leaders of France, Germany, and Italy have already backed Ukraine’s bid, but the decision must be unanimous. “We want them to share the European dream with us,” she said, adding that Ukraine had demonstrated a “aspiration and determination to live up to European values and standards.” But it is conditional, as Ukraine has work to do to ensure international law is followed, she said. Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said the “historic decision” would bring “victory closer.” The announcement by EU President Ursula von der Leyen, who was dressed in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, came a day after representatives from the organization’s most powerful member states, France, Germany, and Italy, visited Kyiv for the first time and backed Ukraine’s bid to join the bloc “We all know that Ukrainians are willing to die for the sake of Europe,” Ursula von der Leyen said. “We want them to share the European dream with us.” What is Ukraine’s current relationship with the EU? On February 28, four days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Zelenskyy requested that his country be admitted to the EU through a special procedure immediately, after which he officially signed an application for Ukraine’s membership. Ukraine is currently part of the Eastern Partnership, which includes Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Moldova. This joint policy partnership aims to strengthen and deepen ties between EU member states and the six ” partner countries.” What are the prerequisites for joining the EU? According to Article 49 of the EU Treaties, any European nation seeking to join the bloc must be committed tore respecting and promoting the EU’s fundamental values outlined in Article 2. These include freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and so on. Following receipt of the application, EU members assess the nation’s suitability based on these terms. More specific criteria were established at the European Council meeting in Copenhagen in 1993. The Copenhagen Criteria are essential conditions that all candidate countries must meet. What is the procedure for applying to join the EU? The process of gaining EU membership is divided into three stages. The country is designated as an official candidate in the first stage. In the second stage, formal membership negotiations with the candidate begin, which includes the incorporation of EU law into national law as well as the implementation of the accession criteria, which include judicial, administrative, economic, and other reforms. The candidate can join the EU once the negotiations are completed and they have met all of the accession criteria Becoming a member of the bloc is a lengthy and complicated process. Even after candidate status is granted, the remainder of the process can take years. …

Makki is active in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territories, where he has played an active role in radicalising the youth. Both India and the United States have already designated Makki as a terrorist under domestic law China today vetoed a joint proposal in the United Nations by India Makki is active in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territories, where he has played an active role in radicalisin the youth. Makki has already been designated as a terrorist under domestic law in both India and the United States. He planned attacks on both Jammu and Kashmir residents and residents of neighbouring states. The United States to designate Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki as a ‘Global Terrorist’ under the UN Security Council’s…

Researchers believe they have  discovered the origins of the Black Death, which  killed tens of millions in Europe, Asia, and North Africa more than 600 years ago. Africa more than 600 years ago. One of the most significant disease  episodes in human history occurred in the mid-14th century. Despite years of research, scientists were unable to pinpoint the origin of the  bubonic plague. According to new evidence, it happened in Kyrgyzstan, central Asia, in the 1330s. 675 Years Later… This Is the Answer  to the Mystery of the Black Death’s  Origin. According to estimates, it killed up to 60% of Europe, the Middle East, and  Africa’s population in just eight years, from 1346 to 1353. It may sound like a mode headline, but scientists have spent centuries trying to figure out what caused the Black Death, which devastated the mediaeval world. After analysing DNA from remains at an ancient burial site, researchers claim to have traced the source of the plague to a region of Kyrgyzstan. “We actually managed to put to rest all  those centuries old controversies about the origins of the  Black Death,” said Philip Slavin, a historian who was part of the  team           “We have basically located the origin in  time and space,” said Prof Johannes  Krause of the Max  Planck Institute for Evolutionary  Anthropology in Leipzig.  “We discovered not only the ancestor of  the Black Death, but also the ancestor of  the vast majority of the plague strains that are currently   circulating in the world.” Humans, not rats, spread the Black  Death. “Our study puts to rest of history’s biggest and most fascinating  questions, determining when     and where the single most notorious and infamous killer of humans began,” said Dr. Philip Slavin, a  historian at the University of Stirling, of  the discovery. The research does have some limitations – including the small sample size. What exactly is bubonic plague? Plague is a potentially fatal  infectious  disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which lives in  some animals, primarily rodents, and  their fleas. most common form of the disease that people can contract is bubonic plague. The name  is derived from the symptoms it causes,  which are  painful, swollen lymph nodes or ‘buboes’  in the groyne or armpit. From 2010 to 2015, 3,248 cases were reported worldwide, with 584 deaths. It was also known as the Black Death  because of the gangrenous blackening  and death of body  parts such as the fingers and toes that can occur as a result of the illness. Read more- NMC plans for relief for Indian medical students affected by China, Ukraine

UAE wheat ban: According to the statement, companies that imported Indian wheat into the UAE prior to May 13, when the suspension began, must first apply to the ministry. According to state news agency WAM, the UAE’s economy ministry has ordered a four-month suspension of wheat and wheat flour exports and re-exports from India. The UAE and India signed a broad trade and investment agreement in February with the goal of lowering all tariffs on each other’s goods and increasing their annual trade to $100 billion within five years. On May 1, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Trade Agreement (CEPA) went into effect. In the meantime, bilateral trade between India and the UAE has increased from USD 180 million (Rs 1373 crore) per year in the 1970s to USD 60 billion (Rs 4.57 lakh crore) in 2019 20, making the UAE India’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. Furthermore, with an export value of USD 29 billion (Rs 2.21 lakh crore) for fiscal year 2019-2020, the UAE is India’s second-largest export destination (after the US). The Ministry also stated that companies wishing to export/re-export non-Indian wheat and wheat flour products may do so after obtaining export permission from the Ministry. This application must also include all documents and files that help verify the origin of the shipment being exported/re-exported. The export permit issued to companies is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and must be submitted to the relevant customs department to complete the procedures for exporting the shipment out of the UAE, according to the statement.

According to a university study clergy in the western, German diocese abused at Least 610 minors. Because many cases go unreported, researchers believe the actual number of victims could be ten times higher.