August 2022 Current Events: World News
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The world is a very busy place, and it's hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the World news events you need to know so far for August 2022:
- Bank Of England To Get More Aggressive With 50 BPS Hike Later In The Week
- After Losing "Wagatha Christie" Libel Battle, Rebekah Vardy Gives Disappointed Interview
- Taiwan: Pelosi Departs Taipei Due To Sound Of Chinese Fury
- Amid Invasion, Zelenskiy Considering Same-Sex Civil Partnership In Ukraine
- China Sanctions Pelosi, Halts Cooperation With The United States Over Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip
- Ukraine Reports Extensive Damage To Nuclear Plants By Russian Rocket
- More Than 11 People Were Reported Dead After The Israeli Airstrike In Gaza
- Kenyans Anxious As They Await The Outcome Of The Presidential Elections
- Fresh Covid Cases In Tourist Hubs Of Tibet And Hainan As China Battles Outbreak
- The Worst Ever Fire In Cuba Brought Under Control By Firefighters After Five Days
- North Korea Declares Covid Victory And In Turn Lifts Mask Mandate And Distancing Rule
- German And Polish Authorities Put In Work To Search For The Cause Of Fish Die-Off In River Oder
- Population Decline In Hong Kong Accelerates With Mass Emigration
- The United Kingdom To Be The First To Approve Omicron Covid Shot With Moderna Nod
- At Least 41 Were Killed As A Church In Egypt Was Razed By Electric Fire
- Factories Were Forced To Close Down As China Experiences Worst Heatwave In 6 Decades
- South Korea's Aid Offer Rejected By North Korea, Calls President Yoon Simple
- Officials Say That Jihadist Group Has Seized Hotel In Somali Capital, At Least 20 Killed
- A Recent Blast In Moscow Killed Daughter Of Putin Ally, Darya Dugina
- The Pakistani Police Launch An Anti-Terror Investigation Against Imran Khan
- Zelensky Vows Ukraine Will Take Back Crimea When It Chooses
- Prime Minister Of Thailand Suspended By Court, Pending Term Limit Review
- For The First Time In Over 2 Years, Thailand Hikes The Minimum Wage
- Final Draft Of Nuclear Disarmament Treaty At The United Nations Gets Blocked By Russia
- The Death Toll After A Lorry Rolls Into Street Party In The Netherlands Has Risen To Six
- Top Court Has Blocked Purchases With New Cryptocurrency In The Central African Republic
- World Largest Electronic Market Shut Down In China As Shenzhen Imposes Lockdown
- The Last Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dies At The Age Of 91
Bank Of England To Get More Aggressive With 50 BPS Hike Later In The Week
Photo Source: AP Images/Frank Augstein
Monday, August 1, 2022 – According to a Reuters poll taken over the past week, the Bank of England is expected to raise borrowing costs by 50 basis points to 1.75% on Thursday due to rising inflation. Since the Bank of England became independent in 1997, it has never raised bank rates by a half point.
In December, Britain’s central bank, amongst its major peers, was the first to raise interest rates, setting a precedent for its peers to play catch-up. The second consecutive meeting last week saw the US Federal Reserve raise interest rates by 75 basis points, and the Bank of Canada last hiked by 100 basis points.
Fabrice Montagne at Barclays said they “expect the MPC to quicken the pace of tightening to 50 basis points.” We think the bank needs to demonstrate resolution in the face of ever-increasing inflationary risks, or it could lose control of the narrative.”
Source: Reuters
After Losing "Wagatha Christie" Libel Battle, Rebekah Vardy Gives Disappointed Interview
Photo Source: AP Images/Alastair Grant
Wednesday, August 3, 2022 — After a three-year conflict revolving around English media personality and wife of a famous footballer, Rebekah Vardy, and alleged leaked stories, she has lost her libel battle in the courts.
Vardy was accused of leaking personal stories to The Sun newspaper in 2019, after fellow footballer's wife Coleen Rooney "caught" her in the act by posting fallacious Instagram stories that could only be seen by Vardy. These tales were then published by the press, leading to the infamous statement by Rooney that "it's ……….Rebekah Vardy's account" that leaked the information.
In her first interview after losing the libel case that is reported to be worth around £3 million, Vardy commented on the so-called "Wagatha Christie case", expressing her disappointment and innocence.
The UK High Court judge ruled in Rooney's favor, saying that the evidence for Vardy's leaks to the press was "substantially true."
Source: The Guardian
Taiwan: Pelosi Departs Taipei Due To Sound Of Chinese Fury
Photo Source: AP Images/Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Wednesday, August 3, 2022 – The US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years, departed on Wednesday after meeting with leaders in Taipei’s capital.
The Chinese government accused the United States of violating China’s sovereignty under the disguise of democracy. Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China, said, “those who play with fire will not come to a good end, and those who offend China will be punished.”
In a statement following the visit, Nancy Pelosi said that China cannot “prevent world leaders or anyone from traveling to Taiwan to pay respect to its flourishing democracy, highlight its many successes, and reaffirm our commitment to continued collaboration.”
Pelosi’s visit was not approved by her party colleague, President Joe Biden, who had said the American military felt it was “not a good idea right now” considering the high tension between the two countries.
Source: BBC
Amid Invasion, Zelenskiy Considering Same-Sex Civil Partnership In Ukraine
Photo Source: AP Images/Vadim Ghirda
Wednesday, August 3, 2022 – The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has opened the door to legalizing civil partnerships of the same sex in the country. This was his response to a petition that called for equal marriage to be introduced in the war-ravaged nation.
In his reply, Zelenskiy wrote that it would be difficult to legalize same-sex marriage while the country is at war as it would require a change in the constitution. But he said his government had “worked out solutions regarding the legalization of registered civil partnerships in Ukraine as part of the work on establishing and ensuring human rights and freedoms.”
Homosexuality became legal in Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union. Still, anti-LGBTQ attitudes and laws remain in place in the country. There is no legal recognition of same-sex relationships, even though there is a ban on discriminating against sexual orientation in the workplace, and same-sex couples are barred from adopting children and are unprotected by hate crime laws.
Source: CNN
China Sanctions Pelosi, Halts Cooperation With The United States Over Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip
Photo Source: AP Images/Andy Wong
Friday, August 5, 2022 – The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the new countermeasures against Washington, including the suspension of the climate talks following Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
These measures will see the cancellation of future phone calls and messages between Chinese and US defense leaders, for which future dates have not been announced. It will also mean that China will cancel annual naval meetings under the China-US military maritime consultation mechanism.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan in disregard of China’s serious concerns and firm opposition, seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs, undermining China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, trampling on the One-China principle, and seriously threatening the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Beijing took these measures after sanctioning Pelosi and her immediate family members over her visit to Taiwan. China has already stepped-up military drills and warplane incursions around the island.
Source: CNN
Ukraine Reports Extensive Damage To Nuclear Plants By Russian Rocket
Photo Source: AP Images/Efrem Lukatsky
Friday, August 5, 2022 - The nuclear agency in Ukraine says part of a giant nuclear power plant controlled by Russia has been damaged by Russian rockets, but no radiation leak is suspected. Enerhoatom reported that a nitrogen-oxygen unit and a high-voltage power line had been damaged at the Zaporizhzhia plant.
As the local officials appointed by Russia blame Ukraine for shelling earlier, Ukraine also blames Russian forces for launching rockets at civilian-occupied areas from the site.
Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia plant in March, but the Ukrainian employees were kept. It consists of six pressurized water reactors and stores radioactive waste. The plant and surrounding areas close to Ukrainian-held territory are controlled by Russia.
The United Kingdom’s defense ministry said the area had been used by Russia to take advantage of its “protected status” to minimize the risks of attack by Ukrainian forces.
Source: BBC
More Than 11 People Were Reported Dead After The Israeli Airstrike In Gaza
Photo Source: AP Images/Hatem Moussa
Saturday, August 6, 2022 – The military of Israel launched a deadly strike against a stated Islamic Jihad target in Gaza as tension continues rising between Israel and Palestinian militant groups.
The Islamic Jihad group confirmed that one of its senior leaders, Tayseer Al-Jabari, a commander in the Quds Brigade, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, died during the airstrike.
The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that at least 11 people were killed, including a 5-year-old girl and a 23-year-old woman. It also added that another 75 were injured. Israel insisted that most of the people killed were militants.
An Army spokesman on a call with reporters said before the strike was carried out by the Air Force, the two squads had been tracked for several days. The spokesman also added that the two militant units have posed significant threats to Israel, as they have moved very close to the fence separating Gaza from Israel.
Source: CNN
Kenyans Anxious As They Await The Outcome Of The Presidential Elections
Photo Source: AP Images/Ben Curtis
Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Days after the presidential elections, Kenyans have continued to crowd around radios and media outlets, waiting for the announcement of the winner by the country’s electoral commission. The commissions have not given any official tally numbers, nor have they made any plans to announce a winner. So far, all projections have come from unofficial sources.
The election, so far, has been a close race between a veteran political figure, Raila Odinga, and the outgoing Vice President, William Ruto. Despite the low turnout for the election, international observers are confident that the election will sail through smoothly, given the country’s strategic importance in the region.
Although Kenyans believe the electoral commission would give a free and fair result, there are worries that the late announcement of a winner may lead to claims rigging.
Source: Reuters
Fresh Covid Cases In Tourist Hubs Of Tibet And Hainan As China Battles Outbreak
Photo Source: AP Images/Andy Wong
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 – With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the tourist hubs of Tibet and Hainan, China is racing to stamp out the outbreak by closing venues. The move aims to contain the highly transmissible Omicron variant and launch more rounds of mass testing as Beijing presses ahead with its Covid-Zero strategy.
828 new domestically transmitted cases have been reported in Mainland China across over a dozen provinces and regions. From 8 to August 8, more than half the reported cases were reported from Hainan, a highly popular tourist destination; official data showed on Tuesday.
Authorities in Tibet have reported a local patient with confirmed symptoms and another 21 local asymptomatic infections on August 8. Although the case reported was small compared to elsewhere in China, and globally, there is upset among residents due to the rare infection.
In over two years, just a few cases have been reported in Tibet and Hainan. Still, they risk persistent tight restrictions as the economy weakens.
Source: The Guardian
The Worst Ever Fire In Cuba Brought Under Control By Firefighters After Five Days
Photo Source: AP Images/Ishmael Francisco
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 – Firefighters have overcome what officials described as the worst fire in the history of Cuba that destroyed 40% of the Caribbean island’s main fuel storage facility and caused a massive blackout in the space of five days.
Cuba’s largest port is Matanzas. It receives crude oil and fuel imports. Matanzas stores Cuban heavy crude, fuel, and diesel in 10 huge tanks, mainly used to generate electricity on the island.
One of the fuel storage tanks was struck by lightning. The fire spread to a second and later engulfed the four-tank system. Huge explosions accompanied the fire despite efforts by local firefighters supported by more than 100 Mexican and Venezuelan reinforcements.
Rafael Perez Garriga told reporters that he worried the fire would impact the power situation in the county. He said, “The situation is going to be more difficult.” It is electricity, and it affects everything. If the thermoelectric plants are supplied with that oil, we will have the whole world affected.
Source: CNN
North Korea Declares Covid Victory And In Turn Lifts Mask Mandate And Distancing Rule
Photo Source: AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon
Friday, August 12, 2022 - Three months after the first acknowledged COVID-19 virus outbreak in North Korea, the face mask mandate and other social distancing rules have been dropped, as the leader, Kim Jong Un, declared victory over COVID-19 this week. State media said.
At a COVID meeting on Wednesday, which Kim presided over, he ordered the lifting of maximum anti-epidemic measures imposed since May. He also added that North Korea must maintain a "steel-strong anti-epidemic barrier."
The North Korean government recommended that those experiencing respiratory symptoms keep wearing masks and urged people to be vigilant against things Pyongyang has cited as the cause of infections.
North Korea passed the blame for its COVID outbreak on the "alien things" near its border with the South, with Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, vowing to retaliate for causing the outbreak.
Source: Reuters
German And Polish Authorities Put In Work To Search For The Cause Of Fish Die-Off In River Oder
Photo Source: AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Friday, August 12, 2022 - The authorities of Germany and Poland are working "flat-out" to find the cause of a mass fish die-off in the river Oder. The Minister for Environment in Germany, Steffi Lemke, warned of an environmental catastrophe on Friday.
Since late July, tons of dead fish have died in the river Oder, which runs through Germany and Poland. Even though they are yet to identify the cause, both authorities believe a toxic substance is to be blamed. While speaking to the RND newspaper, Lemke told them that "an environmental catastrophe is in the offing."
He added that "all sides are working flat out to find the reasons for this mass die-out and minimize potential further damage."
The Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, said that the pollution is so harmful that it would take many years before the waterway returns to normal.
Source: Reuters
Population Decline In Hong Kong Accelerates With Mass Emigration
Photo Source: AP Photo/Kin Cheung
Friday, August 12, 2022 - Hong Kong has reported the sharpest annual drop in population. Experts blame the reduction in strict COVID control measures and a political crackdown that has taken the shine off a financial hub advertised as "Asia's world city."
They recorded a reduction of 16% as the population reduced from 7.41 million to 7.29 million, the Census and Statistics Department said. That is the steepest decline since the government began tracking figures in 1961.
Authorities, however, attributed some of the deaths to a natural decrease, more deaths than births. Experts say the accelerated exodus may have affected the figures in the past few years.
Hong Kong continued to close its border even though the rest of the world opened theirs. They also suspended air routes and imposed mandatory quarantined and social distancing measures, such as caps on public gatherings and limits on restaurant service.
Source: CNN
The United Kingdom To Be The First To Approve Omicron Covid Shot With Moderna Nod
Photo Source: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool
Monday, August 15, 2022 - Britain, the first country to approve a Coronavirus vaccine in late 2020, has given the go-ahead to a variant-adapted shot that targets both the original and Omicron versions of the virus.
The medicines regulator in the United Kingdom (MHRA) gave conditional approval to the so-called bivalent vaccine made by the US drug company Moderna (MRNA.O) as a booster for adults on Monday.
The MHRA's decision on Moderna was based on the data after the clinical trial. The data showed that the booster triggered "a string immune response" against Omicron and the original virus.
According to Moderna, trial data showed a virus-neutralizing antibody level was developed against the variant-adapted booster's sub-variants, which is 1.69 times higher than those given the original booster. But there is no clarity in the correlation between neutralizing antibody levels and vaccine effectiveness against diseases.
Source: Reuters
At Least 41 Were Killed As A Church In Egypt Was Razed By Electric Fire
Photo Source: AP Photo/Amr Nabil
Monday, August 15, 2022 - In an Egyptian Coptic Christian Church during Mass, an electric fire that broke out swept through the church, causing a stampede and killing at least 41 people. Many of those killed were children, and many others suffered from smoke inhalation.
Yasir Munir, a worshiper in the church, said, "People were gathering on the third and fourth floors, and we saw smoke coming from the second floor." People rushed down the stairs and started falling on top of each other. He also added that he and his daughter were able to escape because they were on the ground floor.
The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that a forensic examination showed that the fire began in the second-floor air conditioning due to an electrical malfunction.
The president of Egypt tweeted to offer his condolences to the families of innocent victims that died in the House of worship.
Source: Reuters
Factories Are Being Forced To Close Down As China Experiences Worst Heatwave In 6 Decades
Photo Source: AP Photo/Greg Baker
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 - In the Sichuan province of China, all factories were forced to shut down for six days to ease a power shortage in the region due to a scorching heat wave that swept across the country.
Sichuan is one of the key manufacturing locations for the semiconductor and solar panel industries. Some of the world's biggest electronic companies would be affected by the current situation in China, including Apple supplier Foxconn and Intel.
With temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), China is facing what appears to be its worst heat wave in 60 years. Due to extreme heat, there has been an increase in the demand for Air conditioning in offices and homes, which puts a lot of pressure on the power grid.
In a note to the client, Daiwa Capital analyst said that shutting down factories for the week could tighten the supply of polysilicon and lithium and push prices higher.
Source: CNN
South Korea's Aid Offer Rejected By North Korea, Calls President Yoon Simple
Photo Source: AP Images/Lee Jin-man
Friday, August 19, 2022 - South Korea's offer of economic support to North Korea has been rejected. They made this offer in exchange for denuclearization. North Korea said the proposal suggests President Yoon Suk Yeol is "really simple," state media KCNA reported Friday.
A proposal to swap economic cooperation for an end to North Korea's nuclear program was first made by Yoon in May, during his inauguration speech.
Yoon's offer was rejected by Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of Kim Jong Un. She further leveled attacks at Yoon. She said, "to think that the plan to barter 'economic cooperation' for our honor, nukes, is the great dream, hope, and plan of Yoon, and we come to realize that he is really simple." She also said North Korea would not be sitting face to face with South Korea.
The Unification Ministry in South Korea responded that North Korea has distorted South Korea's idea and stated its intention to continue nuclear development instead of responding to the bold initiative.
Source: CNN
Officials Say That Jihadist Group Has Seized Hotel In Somali Capital, At Least 20 Killed
Photo Source: AP Images/Farah Abdi Warsameh
Saturday, August 20, 2022 – In the Somali capital of Mogadishu, at least 20 people are believed to have been killed and 40 injured during an attack by militants on a hotel, officials reported. Security forces continue to battle shooters inside the hotel.
The security commander at the scene, Mohamed Abdikadir, said: "the security forces continued to neutralize terrorists who have been confined inside a room in the hotel building." He also said dozens of civilians, including children trapped in the building, had been rescued.
Since Hassan Sheikh Mohamud became the President of Somalia in May after many months of political instability, the attack has been the biggest in Somalia. It comes after there is an increase in military operations against al-Shabaab.
Many people have gathered outside the Hayat hotel, a popular spot frequented by government officials and ordinary Somalis, hoping to know the fate of loved ones held up inside.
Source: The Guardian
A Recent Blast In Moscow Killed Daughter Of Putin Ally, Darya Dugina
Photo Source: AP Images/Investigative Committee of Russia
Sunday, August 21, 2022 – A close ally of Vladimir Putin lost his daughter in a suspected car bombing. Russia's investigative committee confirmed that Darya Dugina, 29, died after an explosion on a road outside Moscow.
Her father, Alexander Dugin, known as "Putin's brain," is thought to have been the attack's intended target. Mr. Dugin is a prominent ultra-nationalist ideologue who is believed to have a close relationship with the Russian President.
An explosive device is said to have been planted under the car, it went off, and the vehicle caught fire. Forensic and explosive experts are still carrying out investigations.
Ukrainian official has dismissed accusations of Ukraine being involved in the incident. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said, "Ukraine has nothing to do with this because we are not a criminal state."
Source: BBC
The Pakistani Police Launch An Anti-Terror Investigation Against Imran Khan
Photo Source: AP Images/Anjum Naveed
Monday, August 22, 2022 - The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, is being investigated for the alleged violation of anti-terror laws. The move may inflame tensions between Khan and the coalition government. They have banned him from having live sessions on television.
According to the police document, an investigation was opened by the Police after Khan, during a speech in Islamabad, vowed to "take action" against the head of Police and a female magistrate.
During a rally held in support of his former chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill, Khan told hundreds of his supporters that a case would be filed against the Director Inspector General of Police as he would not be allowed to go scot-free. He also vowed to take action against "Madam Magistrate." Gill was arrested earlier this month on sedition charges after he urged soldiers to disobey orders from a military leader.
Khan has not made any public comment on the investigation.
Source: CNN
Zelenskiy Vows Ukraine Will Take Back Crimea When It Chooses
Photo Source: AP Images/Andrew Kravchenko
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 - The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, on Tuesday vowed that Ukraine would recapture its annexed peninsula of Crimea from Russia when it chooses and that Kyiv will not make a consultation with other countries before it does.
Zelenskiy made the comments at a news conference in Kyiv after mass participation by country leaders and international organizations, most of them by video on the Crimea platform, a forum hosted by Ukraine focused on the peninsula.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 before a full-scale invasion was launched in February 2022, seizing chunks of Ukraine's Southern Kherson and regions of Zaporizhzhia.
In Zelenskiy's comment on Tuesday, he addressed the crisis at the Russian-held nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia that has been hit by shelling in recent weeks, calling for a mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency to the site.
Source: Reuters
Prime Minister Of Thailand Suspended By Court, Pending Term Limit Review
Photo Source: AP Images/Sakchai Lalit
Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - Thailand's constitutional court has suspended Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha from official duties after deciding to hear a petition seeking a review of his legally mandated eight-year term limit.
The main opposition party filed the petition, arguing that Prayuth's time as head of a military junta after the coup he staged in 2014 when he was army chief should count towards the eight-year term stipulated by the constitution.
The court said, "it has considered the petition and related documents and sees that the facts from the petition are cause for questioning as demanded."
The court gave Prayuth 15 days to respond. It also added that a panel of judges had ruled five to four in favor of his suspension, starting from Wednesday. The deputy Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, is expected to serve as interim leader, pending the time the court will give its final ruling on the petition.
Source: The Guardian
For The First Time In Over 2 Years, Thailand Hikes The Minimum Wage
Photo Source: AP Images/Thailand Government Spokesman's Office
Friday, August 26, 2022 - For the first time in more than 2 years, Thailand increased its daily minimum wage, said the labor ministry, to help workers cope with rising costs and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement by the ministry's permanent secretary, he said a committee agreed to raise the wages of government representatives, companies, and labor groups. They agreed to raise the wages by an average of 5.02% from October 1. The last time the minimum wage was hiked was January 2020, by 1.6%-1.8%
There is a slight difference in the exact rate between regions with the three most industrialized provinces - Chonburi, Rayong, and Phuket, and the capital Bangkok, at the top end of a 328 baht and 354-baht ($9.11-$9.84) range.
Source: Reuters
Final Draft Of Nuclear Disarmament Treaty At The United Nations Gets Blocked By Russia
Photo Source: AP Images/Yuki Iwamura
Saturday, August 27, 2022 - A meeting on nuclear disarmament that has been going on for the past 1 month failed the United Nations when Russia refused to accept the final draft of the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
As part of the effort to reduce nuclear risks and stop the expansion of nuclear arsenals around the world, there is a review of the treaty every five years.
United Nations Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen said there had been attempts from Russia to amend the treaty, which would have "produced chaos" at this late stage in the negotiations.
Beatrice Fihn, the group's Executive Director, said, "This result is terminally insertions and a total abdication of responsibility in the face of an unacceptably dangerous global situation." He also added that the nuclear-armed state has failed to make progress on their disarmament, and they have spent over $82 billion on maintaining their arsenal.
Source: CNN
The Death Toll After A Lorry Rolls Into Street Party In The Netherlands Has Risen To 6
Photo Source: AP Images/Media TV
Sunday, August 28, 2022 - The death toll from an accident in a village south of Rotterdam has increased to six, with seven other people in the hospital, including one in critical condition. The accident happened when a lorry drove off a Dyke into a barbecue party.
Police suspect the driver, a 46-year-old Spanish man, to have caused the crash in the village of Nieuw-Beijerland.
The driver was not under the influence of alcohol at the time the crash happened, "we are investigating what could have happened," Mirjam Boers, a police spokesperson, said.
After visiting the scene, Charlie Aptroot, the local Mayor, said his "condolences go out to the victims, their families, eyewitness, and first responders." He also added that he had spoken to many people at the scene and expressed his gratitude for how people are there for each other."
Source: The Guardian
Top Court Has Blocked Purchases With New Cryptocurrency In The Central African Republic
Photo Source: AP Images/Phil Nijhuis
Monday, August 29, 2022 – On Monday, the constitutional court of the Central African Republic ruled that using a cryptocurrency that the government launched last week for the purchase of citizenship, "e-residency," and the land was unconstitutional.
According to the Sango website, foreign investors would have the opportunity to purchase citizenship for $60,000 worth of crypto, with the equivalent Sango Coins held as collateral for five years and "e-residency" for $6,000 held for three years. A decree showed that residency required a physical stay in the Central African Republic (CAR). Still, the purchase was deemed unconstitutional by the country's top court, arguing, among other reasons, that the country's nationality does not have a market value.
CAR, one of the poorest countries in the world, became the first country in Africa to legalize bitcoin as its legal tender in April, raising eyebrows among cryptocurrency experts and prompting the International Monetary Fund to warn it was not a “panacea” for the challenge the continent is facing.
Source: Reuters
World Largest Electronic Market Shut Down In China As Shenzhen Imposes Lockdown
Photo Source: AP Images/Andy Wong
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 – In the southern part of China, Shenzhen shut down the most prominent electronic market in the world and had public transport suspended nearby as authorities enforced neighborhood-wide lockdowns in response to a small number of Covid cases.
According to the district government, Huaqianbei, a busy shopping area home to thousands of stalls selling computer components, mobile phones parts, and microchips, is among three neighborhoods placed under a mandatory four-day lockdown in the Futian district.
China is one of the places in the world still enforcing stringent zero-Covid measures. Except for supermarkets, pharmacies, and hospitals in the affected area, all businesses are shut down through Thursday. Restaurant dining is also suspended, with only takeaways allowed.
Due to the heavy-handed approach, dozens of neighborhoods across Shenzhen have been identified as "high-risk areas" and placed under strict lockdown orders.
Source: CNN
The Last Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dies At The Age Of 91
Photo Source: AP Images/via Russian Pool
Mr. Gorbachev took power in 1985, introduced reforms, and opened up the Soviet Union. But he could not prevent the slow collapse of the union, and many Russians blamed him for the years of turmoil that followed.
Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, described Mikhail Gorbachev as a one-of-a-kind statesman. He also said, "the world has lost a towering global leader, committed multilateralist, and tireless advocate for peace."
He has recently been in and out of the hospital as his health has declined. International media reported that he had been admitted after suffering from a kidney ailment in June. However, his cause of death was not stated. He will be buried where many prominent Russians were buried in Moscow's Novodevichy cemetery. However, it is not clear whether he would receive a state funeral or not.
Source: BBC
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