Author: Solomon Alaka

WHO EMRO | Remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean on the certification of Healthy Governorates in Bahrain

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06 August 2025 His Excellency Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior Her Excellency Dr Jalila bint El-Sayed Jawad Hassan, Minister of Health The Honourable Shaikh Khalid bin Humood bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Governor of the Capital Governorate The Honourable Hassan Abdullah Mohammed Al Madani, Governor of the Northern Governorate The […]

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What is Evil? Exploring Evil Through Science, Storytelling, and Philosophy: A Salon on Moral Reckoning

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LOS ANGELES — In her article Evil on Trial: Science, Storytelling, and the Search for Good, journalist Alene Dawson captures a compelling evening of dialogue hosted by the Science & Entertainment Exchange, where Hollywood creatives and scholars gathered to confront one of humanity’s oldest questions: what is evil, and how do we respond to it? […]

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ByteDance Valued at $330 Billion in New Employee Share Buyback Following Strong Revenue Growth

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HONG KONG — ByteDance, the Chinese technology firm behind TikTok, is preparing to launch a new employee share buyback program that will value the company at over $330 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. The buyback, expected to begin in the autumn, will offer current employees $200.41 per share—an increase of 5.5% from […]

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CPJ Calls on Hong Kong to Renew Bloomberg Reporter’s Visa and Uphold Media Rights

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HONG KONG — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Hong Kong authorities to uphold press freedoms following the denial of a work visa to Bloomberg reporter Rebecca Choong Wilkins, who had spent six years reporting from the city. The CPJ urged officials to renew her visa and ensure that journalists can operate […]

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World News in Brief: More deaths in Ukraine, lengthy detentions in Egypt, AI governance, US postal tariffs

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Since Friday, 11 civilians have been killed and more than 90 wounded, according to the authorities. Schools and energy infrastructure also were damaged. The Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine was the most affected, with the town of Kostiantynivka particularly hard hit.  Six other regions – Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia – were also […]

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Hope for Borrowers as US Student Loan Forgiveness Approvals Surge

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WASHINGTON — A recent wave of student loan forgiveness approval notices—dubbed “golden letters”—has brought renewed optimism to borrowers navigating the troubled federal student loan system. These letters confirm final discharge under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which forgives remaining federal student loan balances after 120 qualifying monthly payments made by individuals working full-time […]

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Japan Delays $550 Billion Trade Talks with U.S. Due To Unresolved Technicalities

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TOKYO — Japan’s top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa abruptly canceled a scheduled visit to Washington on Thursday, citing unresolved technical issues related to the implementation of the U.S.-Japan trade agreement. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed the decision, stating that “certain points required further technical discussion” during coordination with U.S. officials. The trip was intended […]

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Rights Groups Condemn Public Flogging of Two Men in Indonesia’s Aceh Province

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BANDA ACEH — Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have condemned the public flogging of two men in Indonesia’s Aceh province after they were convicted of engaging in consensual same-sex relations under Islamic criminal law. The men, aged 20 and 21, were each flogged 76 times in Banda Aceh on Tuesday, following a ruling […]

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Justice Department Opens Investigation into California Environmental Protection Agency for Discriminatory Employment Practices | Office of Public Affairs

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The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the California Environmental Protection Agency (CAL EPA), including the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to determine whether it may be engaged in employment practices that discriminate based on race, sex, color, and national origin. In publicly available guidance documents, CAL EPA highlights “hiring, promotion […]

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Ireland: Government Expands Youth Support with €1.2M Funding for Ten New UBU Services

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DUBLIN — Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD has announced the launch of ten new UBU Your Place Your Space services, backed by an additional €1.2 million allocated in Budget 2025. The expansion aims to deliver targeted, youth worker-led supports to up to 1,000 young people across Ireland. UBU – Your Place Your […]

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