Timeframe: January 22nd to January 28th, 2022
Contributors: Adiba Tahsin, Anika Bushra, Redwan Reham and Farhan Uddin Ahmed.
To read the Bangla version, click here.
1. Politics
UN chief urges major Afghan aid increase, unfreezing assets
The U.N. chief urged nations Wednesday to greatly boost humanitarian aid for millions of Afghans living in a frozen hell and release nearly $9 billion in frozen assets to pull Afghanistan’s economy back from the brink of a collapse that could set off a mass exodus of people fleeing the country.
Source: Business Standard
Modi uses state medals as a political tool to create division in the Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a step further to break Congress by honoring Ghulam Nabi Azad with the Padma Bhushan, which he started by praising the Rajya Sabha of India. A new upheaval has begun in the Congress since last Tuesday night – making the division has become more apparent.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, a veteran Kashmiri politician, is already known in Congress as a part of the G-23 group. In August 2020, 23 top leaders of this century-old party made a fuss by writing a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi demanding the appointment of a full-time president and an elected representative at all levels. Since then, they have been known as ‘G-23’. Ghulam Nabi Azad is one of those 23 people.
Source: Prothom Alo
Biden’s picks: Nusrat Choudhury 1st Bangladeshi American to be federal judge
Nusrat Choudhury is a civil rights lawyer and legal director of American Civil Liberties. She is one of eight judges nominated by Biden for the federal bench. If selected, she would be the first Bangladeshi American to serve as a federal judge. Biden has pushed to choose judges of diverse professional backgrounds and has chosen more public defenders than past US presidents.
Source: Daily Star
2. Economics & Business
Omicron pushes UK business growth to 11-month low
The UK economy grew at its slowest pace in almost a year in January as hospitality, leisure, and travel businesses felt the impact of the Omicron variant.
Source: Guardian
From market’s best friend to enemy’: Asian shares plunge as US Fed nails on rate rise
Stock markets in Asia have tumbled to their lowest in nearly 15 months after America’s central bank chief confirmed widely expected plans to tackle higher inflation with an increase in interest rates this year, beginning in March.
With investors also concerned about political tensions between Russia and Ukraine, supply chain problems and rising oil prices, the prospect of sustained increases in the cost of borrowing by the world’s most powerful economy sent a spasm of anxiety through financial markets.
Source: Guardian
3. Science & Technology
Meta’s awareness campaigns strengthened Bangladesh govt’s Covid response
Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, Meta has connected two billion people to resources from health authorities and carried out awareness campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.
The company also supported the Bangladesh government and national health agencies in their Covid-19 response and helped with vaccination roll-out in the country. Over the past two years, Meta has been partnering closely with the ICT Division and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh to launch nationwide social media campaigns and make it easier for people to access authoritative health information.
Source: The Daily Star
4. Environment
2021 among seven hottest years on record: UN
Even after two consecutive La Nina weather phenomena, 2021 experienced the warmest weather yet, stated UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Source: The Daily Star
5. COVID News
Moderna starts clinical trial of booster shot targeting omicron Covid variant
After Pfizer and BioNTech, now Moderna is beginning a study of a booster shot to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. In a small laboratory study, they found the effectiveness of the booster falls after six months.
Source: Prothom Alo
Disclaimer: The information provided here is obtained solely from the third parties mentioned above. Youth Policy Forum (YPF) is not responsible for any misinformation or misrepresentation.