Timeframe: 22nd-28th January 2021
Contributors:
Oishee Eerada Maudud, Sabyasachi Karamker, Shanjida Hossain and Farhan Uddin Ahmed.
1. Economics & Business
Google could be leaving Australia because of the new law being introduced
The Australian government is introducing a law that would make it compulsory for Google to have commercial agreements with every news organization. In response to this, Google’s regional director Mel Silva said, “If this version of the code were to become law, it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google Search available in Australia”. Google has about 90 to 95 percent of the search engine market share in Australia.
Source: BBC
2. Politics
China toughens language, warns Taiwan that independence ‘means war’
China toughened its language towards Taiwan on Thursday, warning after recent stepped up military activities near the island that “independence means war” and that their armed forces were taking action to respond to provocation and foreign interference.
Source: Reuters
3. Significant Corona Update
EU demands UK-made AstraZeneca vaccine doses
The EU has urged pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca to supply it with more doses of its Covid-19 vaccine from UK plants, amid a row over shortages.
Source: Axios
4. Science & Technology
Twitter pilots feature allowing users to add context to misleading tweets
Twitter on Monday announced a new feature, called Birdwatch, aimed at combating misinformation and disinformation with a “community-driven approach” that allows users to add context to tweets they believe are misleading. The new feature, which is being piloted in the U.S., “allows people to identify information in tweets they believe is misleading and write notes that provide informative context,” Twitter’s vice president for product Keith Coleman wrote in a blog post.
Source: Axios
5. RMG/ Agriculture
Asian garment makers fashion united front to pressure Western brands
Manufacturers from the six nations that make most of the world’s clothes have forged a common front to negotiate better terms with Western fashion brands, whose cancelled orders devastated Asian garment workers early in the pandemic. “We want to come together to tackle the common problems we face. This is not about setting a minimum price for orders.
Source: RMG BD
6. Social & Education
Poor white teens in ‘left behind’ towns not going to uni
Poor white teenagers in England’s former industrial towns and those living on the coast are among the least likely to go to university, warns the watchdog for fair access.
Source: BBC
7. Environment
Fury as long-awaited UK environment bill is delayed for the third time
The UK government has delayed the long-awaited environment bill, which redraws rules after the country’s departure from the EU, provoking fury from campaigners who said it would harm action on air pollution and water quality, as well as other key issues. The proposed legislation would be the biggest shake-up of green regulation in decades. Ministers said the delay, which means the flagship bill is unlikely to pass before the autumn, was necessary because dealing with the Covid-19 crisis left too little parliamentary time for debate.
Source: The Guardian
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.