June 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 June 2022:
- Putin Progress In Donbas Slow But Visible Says Boris Johnson
- Russian Billionaire Shields Assets From European Sanctions
- Meeting With New Australian Foreign Minister Wonderful, Says Fiji PM
- Stampede Kills Dozens During A Church Event In Nigeria
- Singapore's National Dish Affected By The Malaysian Export Ban
- Queen Elizabeth II Celebrates 70 Years On The English Throne
- South Korea Says North Korea Launched 8 Short-Range Ballistic Missiles
- Man Burnt To Death By Nigerian Mob Over Row With Muslim Cleric
- Battle Rages On In Eastern Europe As Explosions Rock Ukraine’s Capital
- Gulf States Sanction And Boycott India After Unwanted Remarks
- Harvey Weinstein Faces Two Counts Of Assault Charges In The UK
- Belgian King On A Royal Visit To The Republic Of Congo
- UK Defense Minister Visits Ukraine Amidst Crisis
- The US Has To Improve Bilateral Relationship, Says China’s Defense Chief
- South Korea To Counter The North Korean Threat By Boosting Defense Capacity
- Canada And Denmark End 50-Year-Long "Whiskey War"
- The UK Government Has Not Changed Its Mind About Return Flights To Rwanda
- Tension In Taiwan Strait From China’s Military Activities
- Russia’s Economy Will Be Hit By Further Sanctions
- Third Aircraft Carrier Launched By China To Boost Military Might
- European Union Executives Back Ukraine’s Membership Bid
- Indians Hit The Street To Protest Against Military Recruitment Plan
- UK Inflation Rate Reaches 40-Year High As Food Prices Surge
- Tension In Drone Crashes Into Russian Oil Refinery In A Possible Attack
- Human Rights Index Of Hong Kong Continues To Decrease
- President Biden Signs New Bipartisan Gun Control Bill Into Law
- Abortion Laws Take A New Turn In The United States As Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade
- Ukraine Engage In Exchange Of Prisoners of War With Separatist Region
- Putin Issues Warning To Finland And Sweden Against NATO Agenda
- The United States Of America Intends To Increase Its Military Presence Throughout Europe
Putin Progress In Donbas Slow But Visible Says Boris Johnson
Photo Source: AP Images/Francisco Seco
Friday, May 27, 2022 - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is making slow but visible progress in the Donbas, Eastern Ukraine.
Johnson expresses his fear that Putin continues to make progress in Donbas at a high cost to himself and the Russian military.
The invasion launched by Russia on February 24 is called a "special military operation" to demoralize and "de-nazify its neighbor", but Ukraine and the West say these are false pretexts for a war of aggression.
Johnson said, "the only way there can be an end is for Putin to accept that the denazification of Ukraine has already been achieved, and withdrawing would be with dignity and honor." However, the prime minister clarified that his statement did not mean he supported Russia's premise that there were Nazis in Ukraine.
Source: Reuters
Russian Billionaire Shields Assets From European Sanctions
Photo Source: AP Images/Kamran Jebreili
Friday, May 27, 2022 - Russian businessman Andrey Melnichenko handed over ownership of two of the world's largest coal and Fertilizer companies to his wife the day before he was sanctioned by the European Union, according to reports.
The legal filings reviewed before March 8 show that Melnichenko was the owner of the two companies through a chain of trusts and corporations stretching from Moscow and the Swiss Town of Zug to Cyprus and Bermuda.
When Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February, Melnichenko was concerned he would be identified under the European Union's Russia sanction regime. Melnichenko notified trustees of his retirement as the beneficiary and made his wife the beneficiary.
Melnichenko, with an estimated fortune of $18 billion, was ranked as Russia's eighth richest man last year by Forbes.
Source: Reuters
Meeting With New Australian Foreign Minister Wonderful, Says Fiji PM
Photo Source: AP Images/Australian Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Saturday, May 28, 2022 - Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama called the meeting with Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who traveled to Fiji days after being sworn in, a "wonderful meeting."
Bainimarama posted a picture of himself and Penny Wong shaking hands-on twitter and said, "Fiji is not anyone's backyard - we are part of a Pacific family."
Labor party leader, Anthony Albanese, was sworn in on Monday as Australia's 31st prime minister and Wong as foreign minister after defeating Morrison's coalition in an election that had climate change as a significant theme.
On her visit to Fiji, Wong warned of regional consequences to a security pact between Solomon Island and China after the Chinese minister said interference in the deal would fail. China is committed to pushing through the 10-nation deal and would not give in to the pressure from the United States and its Allies.
Source: Reuters
Stampede Kills Dozens During A Church Event In Nigeria
Photo Source: AP Images/Rahaman A Yusuf
Saturday, May 28, 2022 - According to police and security officials, a stampede broke out during a church celebration in the southern Nigerian city of Port Harcourt, killing more than 30 people and wounding many more.
Olufemi Ayodele, a regional spokeswoman for Nigeria's Civil Defense Corps, said that the incident occurred at a Kings Assembly Church program where they had organized a gift-giving drive.
Mr. Olufemi said, "During the distribution of the presents, there was a stampede due to overcrowding. The bulk of those killed were children."
According to eyewitness reports, the rush happened before the drive started, as the crowd forced their way inside, even though the gate was closed.
Thirty-one persons have been confirmed deceased, and that seven persons were hospitalized as a result of the event.
Source: CNN
Singapore's National Dish Affected By The Malaysian Export Ban
Photo Source: AP Images/Vincent Thian
Thursday, June 2, 2022 - For decades, Singapore has relied on Malaysia for a third of its poultry imports. About 3.6 million live chickens are exported to Singapore every month.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Malaysian Prime Minister announced that there would be an embargo on the export of live chickens away from the country. This is an effort to tackle local shortages, which resulted in exorbitant prices.
The ban will affect Singapore hard both because chicken, along with rice, is the country's wildly acclaimed national dish. The locals also say that replacing fresh meat with frozen one will not be sufficient.
Following the news from Malaysia, the Singapore government has assured its citizens that there will be an adequate supply of chicken. However, the local traders say the poultry prices are bound to surge.
The shortage is expected to continue for months. It will be another addition to the list of food shortages that have rocked the entire globe in the past few months.
Sources: CNN
Queen Elizabeth II Celebrates 70 Years On The English Throne
Photo Source: AP Images/Humphrey Nemar/Pool Photo
Thursday, June 2, 2022 - The city of London was flooded with crowds and colors as the British Monarch celebrated Platinum Jubilee on the Throne. Local and International tourists gathered at St James Park to witness the first event of the four-day celebration.
Prince Charles represented his mother in the ceremonial horseback ride. The Queen couldn't fulfill the traditional role in a parade involving 1,500 soldiers, 400 musicians, 250 horses, and 70 aircraft.
The event's highlight was the 70-aircraft air parade which featured the Red Arrows and a fly past that spelled ‘70.'
The Queen herself appeared to the cheering crowd at the Buckingham Palace. Her First Appearance was with her cousin, the Duke of Kent. A later appearance occurred alongside working members of the Royal family – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by her three children, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Source: CNN
South Korea Says North Korea Launched 8 Short-Range Ballistic Missiles
Photo Source: AP Images/South Korea Defense Ministry
Sunday, June 5, 2022 - According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) into the waters off its east coast in an unprecedented move.
The missiles were launched in North Korea into waters east of the Korean peninsula from multiple sites between 9:08 a.m. and 9:43 a.m. Seoul local time on Sunday. This is the third missile test by North Korea since the new South Korean president took office on May 10.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, protested the launch, saying it violated UN resolutions.
Japan’s Defense Ministry also reported that six of the missiles reached a maximum altitude of between 50 to 100 kilometers (31 to 62 miles) and traveled a distance of about 300 to 400 kilometers (186 to 249 miles).
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Won In-Choul also held a virtual meeting with the Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, Paul LaCamera. They reaffirmed their defense’s capability to immediately detect and intercept North Korean missiles.
Source: CNN
Man Burnt To Death By Nigerian Mob Over Row With Muslim Cleric
Photo Source: AP Images/Sunday Alamba
Sunday, June 5, 2022 - A 30-year-old man, Ahmad Usman, died in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, after being set ablaze by a mob of about 200 people.
A similar event occurred last month when a female student was beaten to death and set ablaze by students of a College of Education in Sokoto for blasphemy.
Chris Ewokor, BBC Abuja reporter, says there appears to be a rise in mob violence in Nigeria. This is the second incidence of such in weeks.
He was found at the scene with severe burns and was taken to the hospital but couldn't survive the injuries.
Human rights campaigners say frequent cases of mob violence are being fuelled by deep-rooted impunity and a lack of confidence in the country's criminal justice system.
Source: BBC
Battle Rages On In Eastern Europe As Explosions Rock Ukraine’s Capital
Photo Source: AP Images/Andriy Andriyenko
Sunday, June 5, 2022 - Several explosions rocked Kyiv in the early hours of Sunday, a day after officials said its troops recaptured the eastern battlefield city of Sievierodonetsk in a counter-offensive against Russia.
Klitschko said at least one person was hospitalized, but no deaths had been reported early Sunday. Other officials said the railway network appeared to be the target of the Russian bombardment.
On Sunday, the governor of the Luhansk region, including Sievierodonetsk, Serhly, and Gaidai, said that Ukrainian forces controlled about half the city after recapturing a large chunk from Russian troops.
On Saturday, mayor Oleksandr Stryuk told national television that “the situation is tense and complicated. Our military is doing everything to drive the enemy out of the city.”
Source: Reuters
Gulf States Sanction And Boycott India After Unwanted Remarks
Photo Source: AP Images/Dan Rosenbaum/British Royal Navy
Monday, June 6, 2022 - Nupur Sharma, National spokesperson, and Naveen Kumar Jindal, Delhi media head of India's ruling Party, have been suspended after their comments against the Islamic Prophet Muhammed were met with protests in the middle east.
Prominent Gulf countries have described the comments as “insulting,” as many of them summon the respective Indian ambassador to their Nations. Concerns about the dangerous levels of Islamophobic discourse and Islamophobic actions against Indian Muslims were also raised
There was no initial reaction from the ruling Party immediately after the statements were rebuked. However, as boycott and sanctions against India grew momentum, the government tried to dismiss the comments as “fringe elements” within the Party, and do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the government of India.”
Both spokesmen have been fired by the BJP, which stated that “strong action will be taken against individuals who make insulting statements.”
Ardent supporters of the Ruling Party have spoken out against the decision to expel the spokespeople as a cowardly act by the BJP.
Source: The Guardian
Harvey Weinstein Faces Two Counts Of Assault Charges In The UK
Photo Source: AP Images
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 - Harvey Weinstein will be facing a UK prosecution because of indecent assault against a woman in 1996.
The Crown Prosecution Service has authorized the prosecution after evidence gathered against the 70-year-old was reviewed.
Rosemary Ainslie, director of the CPS special crime section, reminds everyone involved that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial. The CPS stated that no internet reporting, commenting, or sharing of material that is crucial and may prejudice the case.
The force reported that the alleged victim of the former Hollywood producer is a woman who is now in her 50s.
Source: BBC
Belgian King On A Royal Visit To The Republic Of Congo
Photo Source: AP Images/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 - King Philippe of Belgium arrived in Congo along with his wife and the Belgian Prime Minister for a week-long royal visit to the former colony.
King Philippe became the first public official of Belgium to express regrets for colonizing and the horrors and humiliation of the era. He further reiterates his regret during the visit saying, “Despite the fact that many Belgians poured their hearts and souls into Congo and its people, the colonial authority was founded on exploitation and dominance. The rule was characterized by paternalism, bigotry, and racism, all of which were indefensible.”
Even though the Monarch has expressed regrets multiple times, no formal apology has been made as some Congolese would have expected. According to some estimates, up to 10 million Congolese died due to assassinations, hunger, and illness during Belgium's first 23 years in power.
Many Congolese voiced their disappointment in the visit. A salesman in Kinshasa said, “They left us isolated, abandoned. They pillaged all our resources, and today you invite the Belgian King again?”
Source: CNN
UK Defense Minister Visits Ukraine Amidst Crisis
Photo Source: AP Images/Alastair Grant
Friday, June 10, 2022 - The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, during talks with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace in the Ukrainian capital on Friday, praised the British leadership and its assistance for Kyiv against the invasion of Russia.
Zelensky expresses his gratitude to Great Britain, the government, and the prime minister. He told Wallace, “The war highlights who is our friend or friends— not just strategic friends, but real friends now. And I believe Great Britain is a friend”.
He also added that Great Britain constantly demonstrates its leadership in “arms, money, and sanctions.
Wallace’s visitation comes a day after two Britons and a Moroccan were sentenced to death by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. The separatist leaders of the latter are backed by Moscow after being captured while fighting for Ukraine.
Source: Reuters
The US Has To Improve Bilateral Relationship, Says China’s Defense Chief
Photo Source: AP Images/Sakchai Lalit
Sunday, June 12, 2022 - Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said that ties were at a critical stage with the US and that it was up to the United States to improve the bilateral relationship. He also added that China firmly rejected “US smearing, accusation and even threats.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that the number of unsafe and unprofessional encounters between Chinese planes and vessels with those of other countries is increasing at an alarming rate. He added that the United States would stand by its allies, including Taiwan.
At the meeting, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine took center stage. Wei said China supported peace talks and opposed “providing, applying maximum pressure.” He added that China had not provided any material support to Russia.
A senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Meia Nouwens, said Wei’s speech was consistent with Beijing’s line on the Russia-Ukraine issue.
Source: Reuters
South Korea To Counter The North Korean Threat By Boosting Defense Capacity
Photo Source: AP Images/Ahn Young-joon
Sunday, June 12, 2022 - South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said that his country will boost its defense capabilities by working closely with the United States and Japan to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat.
Lee urged North Korea to immediately end its nuclear weapon and missile programs while speaking at an Asian security meeting in Singapore.
In his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Lee said, “The South Korean government will strengthen capabilities to better implement the United States’ extended deterrence, and will strengthen the response capabilities of South Korea to deter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.”
He also expressed South Korea’s interest in strengthening security cooperation between the US and Japan to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
Lee said the South Korean government is ready to extend economic support if North Korea could make substantial progress in ending its nuclear program,
Source: Reuters
Canada And Denmark End 50-Year-Long "Whiskey War"
Photo Source: AP Images/Steve Helber
Tuesday, June 14, 2022 - Canada and Denmark have been involved in the Whiskey War over a small unclaimed island in the Arctic, called Hans Island. No one lives on this rocky outcropping of only 1.2 square kilometers and for the past 50 years, the two countries have been waging an interesting war over it.
The name Whiskey War comes from the nature of the conflict, in which Canadian and Danish groups routinely land on the island, leave a bottle of their respective country's liquor (whiskey for the Canadians and schnapps for the Danes), raise their flag, and sometimes set up a cheeky notice of which country now "owns" the land. This has been going on since 1973 in a good-natured, friendly contention between two peaceful countries.
This week, the war has come to a close by splitting Hans Island and offering last bottles of spirits between Canadian and Danish delegates. When concluded, the longest maritime border in the world will now exist between Canada and Denmark.
Source: BBC
The UK Government Has Not Changed Its Mind About Return Flights To Rwanda
Photo Source: AP Images/Alastair Grant
Wednesday, June 15, 2022 - The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, while defending the Rwanda Asylum Plan, has emphasised the government’s resolve to go ahead with the deportation flights to Rwanda.
The UK government announced in April that it intends to send some asylum seekers who cross the Channel to the UK on a one-way ticket back to Rwanda. According to the government, the scheme will discourage others from crossing the Channel.
Seven people were expected to be flown to Rwanda on a Boeing 767, as the move has been sanctioned in a UK court. However, a few minutes before take-off, a late challenge from the European Court of Human Rights prevented the flight.
The Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, described the Rwanda Asylum policy as “shameful,” saying the UK government did not consider that victims of human trafficking and torture were part of those planned for deportation.
Source: BBC
Tension In Taiwan Strait From China’s Military Activities
Photo Source: AP Images/Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
Wednesday, June 15, 2022 - President Xi of the People’s Republic of China has signed a legal order to allow activities in disputed territorial waters. which the State Media as “military activities other than war.”
Chinese foreign ministry officials staked a claim to the Taiwan Strait, and their spokesperson says China has “sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait.” He further accused countries that claim the Strait as international waters of making false claims and attempting to threaten China’s sovereignty and security.
Foreign nations have sailed warships through the Strait on freedom of navigation exercises in recent years, infuriating Beijing.
Ned Price, the US State Department spokesperson, said the Strait is an international waterway with high seas freedoms guaranteed by international law. He expressed that the United States is concerned about China’s aggression in the Strait. However, he emphasized that the US would continue to sail freely in places allowed by international law.
Source: The Guardian
Russia’s Economy Will Be Hit By Further Sanctions
Photo Source: AP Images/Luca Bruno
Wednesday, June 15, 2022 - Russia is now the world’s most sanctioned country, with over 10,500 restrictions imposed on Russian individuals and businesses, 7,500 of which were implemented in the last four months.
The effect of the sanctions can be seen in their newly manufactured cars which lack many security technologies that would have otherwise been imported from other countries. It can be seen in their malls which now have reduced traffic and reduced choice of products.
China, Russia’s most prominent ally yet in the past four months, has stated that it will not supply Russia with sanctioned technology due to fear of secondary Sanctions.
For Russia, sanctions are not new. The trends have ramped up since 2014. In addition, Russia is making huge gains as never before from oil. The revenue can fund its military and prevent a spike in local unemployment.
Source: BBC
Third Aircraft Carrier Launched By China To Boost Military Might
Photo Source: AP Images/Haydn N. Smith/U.S. Navy
Friday, June 17, 2022 – China has launched its third aircraft carrier, the first to be designed and built entirely in the country; the event marked a turn in military advance for the Asian superpower.
The launch happened in a Shanghai shipyard. The "Fujian" is more technically advanced than the other Chinese carriers. State broadcaster CCTV said it is the “first catapult carrier wholly designed and built by China.”
In China, the "Liaoning", commissioned in 2012, and the "Shandong", which entered service in 2019, are the two other aircraft carriers. They use a ski-jump-style platform to launch aircraft, unlike the "Fujian", which uses a catapult launcher system.
The Chinese defense minister, Wei Fenghe, warned his US counterpart last week that if Taiwan declared independence, Beijing would “not hesitate to start a war, no matter the cost.”
Source: The Guardian
European Union Executives Back Ukraine’s Membership Bid
Photo Source: AP Images/Olivier Matthys
Friday, June 17, 2022 – Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union received a major boost on Friday. This came after the bloc’s Executives said it believed the country should be formally considered for candidate status due to Russia’s invasion.
The European Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen, who spoke in Brussels, said the commission recommends “that Ukraine is given candidate status." This is, of course, on the understanding that the country will carry out a number of further reforms.
Another country that the commission recommended for candidate status is Ukraine’s neighbor, Moldova. The leaders of the 27 EU member states are set to meet for a summit next week to discuss their options.
Volodymyr Zelensky said at a joint press conference in Kyiv on Thursday that Russia’s attack on his country amounted to an attack on all of Europe. Among those who were present at the conference were the German Chancellor, French President, and Italian Prime Minister.
Source: CNN
Indians Hit The Street To Protest Against Military Recruitment Plan
Photo Source: AP Images/Rajanish Kakade
Saturday, June 18, 2022 – Protesters have hit the street in India’s eastern state of Bihar to express outrage at a new military recruitment plan, demanding that the government reverse the course.
A new scheme introduced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government introduced a new scheme called Agnipath or “path of fire.” The program was designed to bring more people into the military on four-year contracts to lower the average age of India’s 1.38 million-strong armed forces.
Thousands of young men attacked train coaches. They also burned tires and clashed with officials at a railway station in Bihar, one of India’s poorest states.
Sanjay Singh, a senior police official, overseeing law and order in the state, confirmed that at least 12 protesters were arrested and at least four policemen injured in the clash.
Source: Reuters
UK Inflation Rate Reaches 40-Year High As Food Prices Surge
Photo Source: AP Images/Alberto Pezzali
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 – The pace at which prices grow in the UK increased to 9.1% in May from 9% in April, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The greatest causes of inflation are the cost of fuel and energy. Workers and unions are fighting for pay increases to deal with rising prices.
However, to avoid an “inflationary spiral” akin to the 1970s, where businesses raise wages and subsequently pass the cost on to customers through higher prices, the government has cautioned against employers awarding significant pay raises.
The Bank of England warned that inflation may hit 11 percent this year as it is currently at its highest level since March 1982, when it also stood at 9.1 percent.
According to experts, raising interest rates is one way to slow the rate at which prices rise. The goal is to raise borrowing costs to encourage people to borrow less, spend less, and save more.
Source: BBC
Drone Crashes Into Russian Oil Refinery In A Possible Attack
Photo Source: AP Images/Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 – In what appears to be an attack inside Russia’s borders, dramatic footage of a drone crashing into an oil refinery and causing a fiery explosion has emerged from Russia.
According to social media footage, the drone crashed into the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Rostov in what would be a suspected breach of Russia’s air defense. Despite using drones during the war, Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the alleged attack.
If the refinery attack is confirmed, it will imply that the drone was launched from within Russia or passed over Russian-controlled territory on its way to the refinery, passing through Russian air defense systems along the way.
Although no one was hurt in the incident, the refinery has seized operation as they wait for repairs.
Source: The Guardian
Human Rights Index Of Hong Kong Continues To Decrease
Photo Source: AP Images/Kin Cheung
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 – Hong Kong has dropped further in the human rights ranking. Report, putting it on par with Saudi Arabia in some indicators and getting closer to converging with China as the Communist Party government consolidates its grip on the region.
After a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2019 and the implementation of the national security law in 2020, Hong Kong’s political rights declined dramatically. In 2021, it plummeted even further, falling to second-last place in empowerment rights, trailing only Vietnam and matching Saudi Arabia’s margin of error.
Protesters, political activists, people with “specific political affiliations or beliefs,” and human rights advocates were identified as those most at risk by polling human rights experts. However, the fifth most cited group was “all people,” with respondents specifically mentioning the 60 or so civil society and labor organizations and media outlets that had been closed down.
Source: The Guardian
President Biden Signs New Bipartisan Gun Control Bill Into Law
Photo Source: AP Images/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Saturday, June 25, 2022 – Following a series of mass shootings, Congress approved the legislation this week with bipartisan support. It tightens controls on young buyers and encourages states to remove firearms from people deemed a threat.
Among the reforms are tougher background checks for buyers under the age of 21, Federal funding of $15 billion (£12.2 billion) for mental health programs, school security improvements, and funding to persuade states to pass “red flag” laws requiring the removal of firearms from people deemed a threat.
President Biden and gun-control advocates had advocated for more drastic reforms, such as banning assault weapons used in the Texas and Buffalo shootings or raising the age at which they can be purchased.
The new legislation is also significant because it is the first time in decades that the reforms have received bipartisan support.
Source: BBC
Abortion Laws Take A New Turn In The United States As Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade
Photo Source: AP Images/J. Scott Applewhite
Saturday, June 25, 2022 – “The Supreme Court has made some terrible decisions,” US President Joe Biden said the day after the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion. Crowds have gathered again outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC, to protest.
Pro-choice activists planned dozens of protests across the country. Anti-abortion activists, on the other hand, celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 50-year-old Roe v Wade decision.
The conservative-majority court effectively ended the constitutional right to abortion with its decision. Justices that voted yes are Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
In a separate opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts stated that, while he supported the abortion law of Mississippi which is at the heart of the case, he would not have overturned Roe v. Wade.
Minnesota, California, and many other states have pledged to become “safe havens” for women seeking abortions.
Source: BBC
Ukraine Engage In Exchange Of Prisoners of War With Separatist Region
Photo Source: AP Images
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 – Ukraine secured the release of 144 of its soldiers, including 95 who defended the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, in the largest exchange of the crisis yet. 144 Russian and separatist soldiers were returned to Russia, according to a pro-Russian separatist leader who verified the prisoner swap.
Following the Azov men’s seizure in Mariupol, many Russian politicians advocated for their trial and even death. Several members of the State Duma of Russia have stated that they will introduce new legislation that might disrupt prisoner swaps involving fighters whom Moscow deems “terrorists.”
More than a thousand Azovstal defenders who surrendered to Moscow’s forces at the end of a three-month siege were moved to Russian-held territory in May. The fate of the troops remained a major worry for Kyiv’s leaders, who claimed they would engage in a prisoner swap.
Some Russian military bloggers and pro-war politicians reacted negatively to the plan to exchange detainees; however, Moscow did not react to the prisoner exchange.
Source: The Guardian
Putin Issues Warning To Finland And Sweden Against NATO Agenda
Photo Source: AP Images/Bernat Armangue
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 – Vladimir Putin has threatened that Russia would retaliate if NATO established military facilities in Finland and Sweden after they agreed to the US-led alliance.
The Russian president stated at a press conference in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. “There is no territorial disagreement. Finland and Sweden can join if they so want. That is their choice, and they are free to join whatever organization they like.”
However, he cautioned, “if military contingents and equipment were to be installed there, Russia would be compelled to respond symmetrically.
Russia has frequently cautioned Finland and Sweden against joining NATO, claiming that the “severe military and political repercussions” of such a move would compel it to “establish military balance” by bolstering its defenses in the Baltic Sea area, including the deployment of nuclear weapons.
Swedish and Finish Push to join NATO gained traction in response to Russia’s war with Ukraine, seeking more security assurances from NATO.
Source: The Guardian
The United States Of America Intends To Increase Its Military Presence Throughout Europe
Photo Source: AP Images/Boris Grdanoski
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 – NATO will strengthen its military presence across Europe in reaction to the War between Russia and Ukraine. New US warships will be deployed to Spain, fighters to the UK, and ground soldiers to Romania.
NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg says the organization is undergoing its largest revamp since the Cold War. In reaction to the war, more than 300,000 troops will be on high readiness alert next year, up from the current 40,000.
The US will strengthen its presence across the continent, especially in eastern Europe, where its 5th Army Corps will be headquartered. Biden said NATO is “needed more than ever, and we mean it when we say an attack on one is an attack against all.”
The Russian Federation is the biggest danger to partners’ security and Euro-Atlantic peace and stability, according to NATO.
Source: BBC
If you are interested in familiarizing yourself with more of the international governing bodies that work to keep people around the world safe and maintain human rights, check out our information on selected international organizations.
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