January Current Events 2023: 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 January 2023.
- Prime Minister Modi’s Mother, Heeraben Modi, Reported Dead
- Former Leader Of The Catholic, Pope Benedict XVI, Dies At The Age Of 95
- Helicopter Collision In Australia Leaves Four People Dead And 3 Others Severely Injured
- Foreigners Are No Longer Allowed To Buy Homes In Canada
- Amazon Lays Of Its Employees To Reduce Running Cost
- Chaos Erupt During The Arrest Of El Chapo’s Son, Leaves At Least 29 Dead
- 32 People were Kidnapped At A Train Station In Southern Nigeria
- Nurses’ Strike Continues After Negotiations With UK Government Failed
- French Government Proposes To Raise Retirement Age From 62-64 Years
- After Days With No Active Cases, Uganda Declares Itself Ebola Free
- Russia Claims Victory After A Long Battle For The Salt Mine Town In Ukraine
- A New Liaison Office Chief Appointed In Hong Kong
- Prosecutors In Saudi Arabia Wants The Academic Handed A Death Penalty Over Use Of Social Media
- Italian Mafia Boss, Matteo Denaro, Arrested In Sicily, After 30 Years On The Run
- A French Nun And Oldest Person In The World Dead At Age 118
- The Prime Minister Of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, Resigns
- New Laws On Women’s Rights Passed By Sierra Leone
- More Than 60 Women And Children That Were Kidnapped In Burkina Faso Have Been Freed
- Chris Hipkins Of the New Zealand Labor Party was Endorsed As The Next Prime Minister
- Estonia's Ambassador In Russia Has Been Asked To Leave The Country By February 7, 2023
- Ukraine To Receive Leopard 2 Tanks From Germany
- Authorities In North Korea Calls For Lockdown In Capital Pyongyang
Prime Minister Modi’s Mother, Heeraben Modi, Reported Dead
Photo Source: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki
Friday, December 30, 2022 – Heeraben Modi, the mother of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, died at the age of 99. After the deterioration of her health, she was admitted to a hospital in the western state of Gujarat, where she lived.
Heeraben turned 99 on June 18. On that day, Modi wrote that his mother’s life and sacrifices had shaped his mind, personality, and self-confidence. He also described his mother as “simple but extraordinary, just like all mothers are.”
They last saw each together on December 4, when the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, paid a visit to her house in his home state, Gujarat, during the assembly election. Haeraben lived with the family of Modi’s younger brother.
Heeraben was born in 1923 in the district of Gujarat Mehsana in Visnagar.
Source: BBC
Former Leader Of The Catholic, Pope Benedict XVI, Dies At The Age Of 95
Photo Source: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia
Saturday, December 31, 2022 – On Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI, the leader of the Catholic from 2005 until he resigned in 2013, died at the age of 95. His successor, Pope Francis, had earlier announced that he was gravely ill.
On Thursday, the Vatican announced at St Peter’s Square that Francis would preside at Benedict’s funeral. His body would also be moved to St Peter’s Basilica as from Monday to allow the faithful to pay respects.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer paid warm tribute to Benedict. They described his visit to the UK in 2010 as a historic moment. Other world leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Ireland’s Michael D Higgins, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, and Germany’s Olaf Scholz, also paid tribute.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, described Benedict as one the greatest theologians of his age.
Source: The Guardian
Helicopter Collision In Australia Leaves Four People Dead And 3 Others Severely Injured
Photo Source: AP Photo/CH9
Monday, January 2, 2023 – Authorities announced that four people had been confirmed dead and three others severely wounded after a mid-air collision between two helicopters in Australia. The collision occurred close to the renowned tourist strip of Main Beach on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane, at around 2 p.m. local time.
Jayney Shearman from the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) said two helicopters were carrying 13 people altogether, out of which 4 were killed, 3 severely injured, and the remaining 6 had minor injuries.
The Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Angus Mitchell, said an investigation into the collision has begun.
Investigators will be sent to the scene to interview witnesses and gather evidence. They asked those who witnessed the collision to contact the investigators. A preliminary report will be released in the next 6-8 weeks.
Source: CNN
Foreigners Are No Longer Allowed To Buy Homes In Canada
Photo Source: iPhoto
Tuesday, January 3, 2023 – Canada has begun the implementation of a two-year ban on some foreigners buying homes in the country. The ban aims to ease one of the most unaffordable housing markets in the world.
The ban prevents those who are not a citizen of Canada or who are not permanent residents from purchasing residential properties. Anyone who breaches the ban will be slammed with a fine of CAD$10,000 Canadian.
11 days before effecting the ban, the Canadian government announced some exemptions to the regulation, including international students who have been in the country for at least five years, refugee claimants, and people with temporary work permits.
The minister of federal housing, Ahmed Hussein, said, “through this legislation, they are taking action to ensure that Canadians own housing for the benefit of everyone who lives in the country.”
Source: BBC
Amazon Lays Of Its Employees To Reduce Running Cost
Photo Source: AP Photo/Michel Spingler
Thursday, January 5, 2023 – Online retail giant Amazon plans to lay off 18,000 employees to cut costs. Amazon has about one and a half million employees worldwide, but those that would likely be affected include those in consumer retail and the HR division.
According to Andy Jassy, a senior Amazon official, the cuts result from an “uncertain economy” coming after rapid hires that Amazon indulged over several years. The drop in sales after the pandemic boom is cited as one of the reasons that necessitate the cuts.
Amazon is not the only commercial giant laying off workers; Twitter and Meta also recently laid off chinks of employees in a bid to cut costs. According to reports, job losses will likely increase as tens of thousands of people are laid off across the tech industry.
Source: BBC
Chaos Erupt During The Arrest Of El Chapo’s Son, Leaves At Least 29 Dead
Photo Source: AP Images
Friday, January 6, 2023 – Not less than 24 people were killed when the Mexican authorities tried to apprehend the son of Mexican drug kingpin “El Chapo.” Ovidio Guzman-Lopez, son of El Chapo and 32 years old and the leader of the father’s former cartel, was flown to Mexico City after being captured in Culiacan.
10 military officers and 19 suspects were killed during his arrest. The Minister for Défense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, said 35 other military officers we wounded and 21 suspects we also arrested.
Mr. Sandoval said the United States was part of the six-month surveillance operation to capture Mr. Guzman-Lopez. The operation sparked a lot of violence from the cartel members, from burning vehicles to hitting at least 2 planes with gunfire.
A Mexico federal Judge, however, blocked any extradition process against him.
Source: BBC
32 People Were Kidnapped In A Train Station In Southern Nigeria By Gunmen
Photo Source: AP Images
Sunday, January 8, 2023 – More than 30 people were abducted from a train station in Nigeria, in southern Edo state, by gunmen armed with AK-47s, said the governor’s office on Sunday.
In a statement from the police, they said armed herdsmen attacked the train station at 4 p.m. local time as passengers were waiting for a train to take them to Warri.
Chris Osa, the commissioner for information in Edo state, said the kidnappers took 32 people, but one person had escaped. Mr. Chris also said that security personnel which comprises the Police, military, and also mean of the vigilante group, have commended a search and rescue operation to rescue the victims that were kidnapped.
The station has been closed by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) until further notice.
Source: Reuters
Nurses’ Strike Continues After Negotiations With UK Government Failed
Photo Source: AP Images
Monday, January 9, 2023 - Nurses and ambulance drivers in the United Kingdom will continue their strike after no breakthrough from the negotiations with the government on Monday. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) described the negotiations with the government as totally disappointing.
Director of RCN, Joanne Galbraith-Marten, said: “there is no resolution on sight to their dispute.” She also added that “the intransigence is letting patients down, and ministers have work to do to avert next week’s nurses' strike.”
After the talks with the minister for health, Steve Barclay, yielded no positive response, 10,000 ambulance staff will strike as planned on Wednesday.
According to the health department, during the meeting, Steve Barclay said the government is open to input from the unions “into the independent pay review process for 2023/2024 and what is affordable.”
Source: CNN
French Government Proposes To Raise Retirement Age From 62-64 Years
Photo Source: Bertrand Guay, Pool via AP
Tuesday, January 10, 2023 - French government has proposed a major reform to the pension system of France by planning to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030. Elisabeth Borne, the prime minister of France, said the changes were necessary to avoid future deficits in the system.
But the PM admitted that the proposed plan would spark fear and bring forth many questions from the citizens. A just concluded poll suggests that 80% of the population is opposed to raising the retirement age to 64.
According to the proposal, starting from September, the retirement age would gradually be raised by 3 months a year. It is expected to reach 63 years and 3 months by 2027 and hit the expected 64 years by 2030.
The government revealed that by 2030, the reforms would balance the pension budget, representing gross savings of €17.7bn a year 2030.
Source: BBC
After Days With No Active Cases, Uganda Declares Itself Ebola Free
Photo Source: AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda, File
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - After nearly four-month the Ebola outbreak, Uganda declared that it had ended. They initially had difficulties containing it, but they could quickly bring it under control despite not having a specific vaccine against the viral strain infection.
During the ceremony to mark the outbreak's end, the minister for Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, said, “they have successfully controlled the spread of Ebola in Uganda.”
According to the health ministry statistics, 55 people out of 143 that were infected died from the most recent outbreak since September. Six of them were health workers.
The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement, said, “Uganda has shown that Ebola can be defeated when infected the whole system works together, from having an alert system in place to finding and caring for people affected and there contact, to gaining full participation of affected communities in the response.”
Source: Reuters
Russia Claims Victory After A Long Battle For The Salt Mine Town In Ukraine
Photo Source: AP Photo
Friday, January 13, 2023 — After a long battle, the military of Russia confirmed that it is now in control of the salt-mine town of Soledar. They referred to it as a very important step for its offensive. The military spokesman said that following their victory, Russia could advance their troops to the nearby city of Bakhmut.
However, military analysts have debated the significance of the town for the Russian Military due to its small size. The US-based think tank Institute for the Study of War confirmed they do not believe it would be a strategic place to enable Russia to bring their troops to encircle Bakhmut.
Russia's capture of the city remains to be verified but will be termed a major victory for President Vladimir Putin if they actually have captured the city. The Russian side has not captured a single town in Ukraine since July 2022.
Source: BBC
A New Liaison Office Chief Appointed In Hong Kong
Photo Source: AP Photo/Pool
Saturday, January 14, 2023 — The state cabinet, in a notice, announced that China had appointed Zheng Yanciong as the head of the national security office in Hong Kong as the director of its Liaison Office in the city.
Zheng, who succeeds 68-year-old Luo Huining as the head of Beijing’s top representative office in Hong Kong, is part of the citizens of China that the government of the United States sanctioned after the pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong in 2019.
At 59 years old, Zheng became popular after being appointed director of the office for Safeguarding National Security in July 2020, following a clampdown on land rights protest in a Chinese village in the south.
The agency was established due to national security law that China imposed on Hong Kong prescribed terms as much as life in prison for crimes such as subversion, terrorism, and collision with foreign forces.
Source: Reuters
Prosecutors In Saudi Arabia Wants The Academic Handed A Death Penalty Over Use Of Social Media
Photo Source: AP Photo/Cliff Owen
Sunday, January 15, 2023 — In Saudi Arabia, a well-known pro-reform law professor has been sentenced to death after allegedly having a Twitter account and using WhatsApp to share news that is considered hostile to the Kingdom.
Awad Al-Qarni, a 65-year-old, was arrested in September 2017, marking the beginning of a crackdown against dissent by Mohammed bin Salman, who was just named the crown prince.
Human rights advocates and citizens of Saudi living in exile gave a crucial warning that the authorities in the kingdom are bearing down on individuals who are seen as critics of the Saudi government.
The prosecution documents shared by Nasser Al-Qarni, the Son of the Law Professor, indicate that, since the beginning of Mohammed’s reign, social media and other communications have been criminalized throughout the kingdom.
Source: The Guardian
Italian Mafia Boss, Matteo Denaro, Arrested In Sicily, After 30 Years On The Run
Photo Source: AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli
Monday, January 16, 2023 — After 30 years on the run, the most wanted mafia boss in Italy, Matteo Messina Denaro, has finally been arrested. He was detained in a clinic in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, where he was said to be receiving treatment for cancer.
He was convicted on several counts of murder, including the 1992 killing of anti-mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, the bomb attacks in Milan, Florence, and Rome in 1993, and the kidnapping, torture, and killing of the 11-year-old son of a mafioso turned state witness.
Italian investigators have on several occasions come close to catching Messina Denaro by observing those who are close to him. These attempts led to the arrest of his sister, Patrizia, and his other associates in 2013.
Having been on the run since 1993, he is believed to still give orders to his subordinates from various secret locations.
Source: BBC
A French Nun And Oldest Person In The World Dead At Age 118
Photo Source: AP Photo/Daniel Cole
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 — The oldest person in the world, a French nun, Sister Andre, died at the age of 118 in the southern city of Toulon.
The news of her death was announced on Twitter by the city's mayor, Hubert Falco, who wrote, "it is with immense sadness and emotion that he learned tonight of the passing of the world’s oldest person.”
She received a handwritten birthday note from the president of France, Emmanuel Macron when she turned 118 in 2022. Macron is the 16th French president of her lifetime. Also, since she was born, there have been 10 different Popes presiding over the Catholic Church.
She was named the world's oldest person after the death of Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman who was previously certified as the world's oldest person.
Source: CNN
The Prime Minister Of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, Resigns
Photo Source: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft
Thursday, January 19, 2023 — The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has announced her intention to resign after announcing that the national election will hold in October. The announcement came at this year’s first caucus meeting, where she said she no longer has what it takes to do the job.
She said during the summer, she thought about whether or not she had the energy to continue in her role, and she concluded that she did not.
In 2017, Ardern became the world's youngest female head of government when she was elected at 37. She has led New Zealand through a turbulent period, the Covid-19 pandemic, a terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, and the White Island volcanic eruption.
Ardern said, “she hopes she leaves New Zealanders with the belief that they can be kind but strong, emphatic but decisive, optimistic but focused.
Source: The Guardian
New Laws On Women’s Rights Passed By Sierra Leone
Photo Source: AP Images/Andrew Harnik
Friday, January 20, 2023 — A law that is set to improve women's rights has been passed in Sierra Leone. Julius Masada, the president of Sierra Leone, apologized to the women for how they have been treated poorly over the past year.
According to the law, 30% of public and private jobs must be reserved for women. Minister for Gender and Children’s Affairs Manty Tarawalli describes the law as one that will make the girls still in school realize that there are employment opportunities for them in Sierra Leone and thus have the chance to contribute to the economy.
Though a final decision is yet to be made, the government said the law would apply to any business with over 25 employees. Ms. Tarawalli also mentioned the need for the women population to be engaged for Sierra Leone to be a middle-income country.
Source: BBC
More Than 60 Women And Children That Were Kidnapped In Burkina Faso Have Been Freed
Photo Source: AP Images/Sam Mednick
Saturday, January 21, 2023 – In Burkina Faso, 66 women and children that were kidnapped in the northern part of the country last week by Armed assailants have been released. The women and children were kidnapped on January 12, 2023, and January 14, 2023, by armed men outside the district of Arbinda.
The security forces launched a rescue operation, and 27 adult women and 39 babies, children, and young girls were found in the northern province. Though the source from the government confirmed the information, no further detail was given.
Jihadists have mainly occupied the country, and hundreds of villagers are being executed and displacing thousand more. Villagers are faced with food shortages due to the blockade of certain areas by terrorists, which makes it very dangerous to get supplies delivered to the villagers.
Source: Reuters
Chris Hipkins Of the New Zealand Labor Party was Endorsed As The Next Prime Minister
Photo Source: AP Images/Nick Perry
Sunday, January 22, 2023 — The Minister for Education has been unanimously endorsed by the Labor Party as the next Prime Minister in New Zealand. The endorsement was only a formality, given that Hipkins was the only nominee for the position.
While speaking at the news conference in Wellington, Hipkins said, “he acknowledged the outgoing prime minister, who is a very good friend of his. She had been one of New Zealand’s great prime ministers.” Though the decision to make Hipkins the Prime Minister is yet to be final given that Ardern is yet to resign to New Zealand’s Governor General.
While speaking with the reporters, Hipkins acknowledged that they were going through an economic crisis. He also said he is looking forward to the job and making New Zealand better again.
Source: CNN
Estonia's Ambassador In Russia Has Been Asked To Leave The Country By February 7, 2023
Photo Source: AP Images/Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service
Monday, January 23, 2023 — After Russia accused Estonia of Russophobia, they asked Estonia's ambassador in Russia, Margus Lauder, to leave the country by February 7. In response, Estonia also asked the Russian ambassador to their country to leave by the same date.
Estonia recently ordered that the number of Russian Embassy in Tallinn be reduced, which led to Russia’s move against Mr. Laidre. Estonia asked Moscow to reduce its embassy from 17 to 8 by the end of January.
According to the Foreign Ministry of Russia's statement, “Estonia leadership in recent years has purposefully destroyed the entire range of relations with Russia.” They also accused Estonia of Total Russophobia and the cultivation of hostility towards their country.
Mr. Laidre, who has previously been appointed to the United Kingdom and Finland, was appointed to the Russian Federation in 2018.
Source: BBC
Ukraine To Receive Leopard 2 Tanks From Germany
Photo Source: AP Images/Markus Schreiber
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 – Recent reports claim that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has decided to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to help them in their war against Russia. There is set to be a debate about the issue in the German parliament on Wednesday morning.
Germany came to a conclusion to send the tanks to Ukraine just after the United States revealed that the administration of Biden is wrapping up plans to send tanks made in the United States to Ukraine.
Ukraine will be able to defend itself better against Russia's offensive with the Leopard 2 tanks that are been sent to them by Germany.
Germany has resisted much pressure to ship some of the tanks to Ukraine. Germany’s Minister for defense, Boris Pistorius on several times, called for more time, insisting that the move would come with pros and cons for Berlin.
Source: CNN
Authorities In North Korea Calls For Lockdown In Capital Pyongyang
Photo Source: AP Images/KRT
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 — North Korean authorities in the capital, Pyongyang, have called for a five-day lockdown because of the rising cases of an unspecified respiratory illness.
It was not specified in the notice whether or not it was Covid-19, but citizens must stay home until the end of Sunday and submit their temperature checks multiple times each day.
In 2022, North Korea acknowledged its first Covid-19, but by August, it declared its victory over the virus. Since North Korea lacks the means to conduct widespread testing, they did not confirm the number of people that caught the virus. They, however, reported the number of patients that came up with fever daily; the tally rose to 4.77 million out of a population of about 25 million.
The state media reports that anti-pandemic structures have been implemented to battle the respiratory disease.
Source: The Guardian
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