Former British PM Boris Johnson is facing a second investigation for alleged breaches of COVID-19 lockdown rules. The Times reported that the new allegations were revealed during an inquiry into the government’s COVID-19 response, wherein it was revealed that the PM had hosted illegal gatherings at his Downing Street and country house residences.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday applauded China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey for boycotting India’s G20 tourism meet in Srinagar. He added that other countries in the meet had “downgraded their participation,” contradicting New Delhi’s narrative of normalcy during the G20 discussions.
The 2023 Global Slavery Index published on Wednesday revealed that North Korea, Eritrea, and Mauritania have the highest prevalence of modern slavery internationally. It added that the global situation had worsened from the last survey five years earlier.
The White House on Tuesday slammed China’s recent ban on US chipmaker Micron Technology over security concerns, saying that the decision is “not based in fact.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the action was “inconsistent” with Beijing’s “assertions that it is opening its markets and committed to a transparent regulator framework.”
Saudi research scientist Rayyanah Barnawi arrived at the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule, along with a Saudi fighter pilot and two American astronauts, on Monday. Barnawi created history by becoming the first Arab woman ever to travel to space and one of the first Saudi citizens to do so since 1985, when Prince Sultan Bin Salman undertook a week-long trip on NASA’s space shuttle.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now the Russian Security Council’s deputy chairman, remarked on Tuesday, “the more weapons that are supplied (to Ukraine), the more dangerous the world will be […] and the more destructive these weapons are, the more likely the scenario becomes of what is commonly called a nuclear apocalypse.” Russia, which has the most nuclear weapons of any country, has frequently stated that the West is involved in a proxy war over Ukraine, which might expand into an even bigger conflict.
On Tuesday, a Russian court extended the pre-trial custody of American citizen and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) writer Evan Gershkovich for three months until 30 August. Gershkovich was detained by the FSB security service in March in Yekaterinburg, located in the Urals, on suspicion of collecting information regarding Russia’s military-industrial complex. White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby said in response, “[Gershkovich] shouldn’t be detained at all. Journalism is not a crime. He needs to be released immediately.”
In response to the signing of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Asking the US to fulfil its commitment of not supporting Taiwan’s independence, China declared that the “One-China principle” is a prerequisite for Taiwan to participate in foreign economic cooperation.
Pakistan has ruled out the possibility of negotiations with India until it reverses the 2019 move by which it revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370. Additionally, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Dr Asad Maseed said that the decision by friendly countries to boycott the G20 meeting held in Srinagar vindicated Islamabad’s position and showed that the world recognises the disputed status of the valley.