China Announces 3 Child Policy As Future Labour Shortage Looms

The Chinese government has announced that each couple would be permitted to have up to three children after recent data showed a dramatic decline in birth rate and also a looming future labour shortage which will put the economy under strain in the near future. The change was approved and made public on Monday during a politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping. According to the country's economic data, the labour pool is shrinking and the population is greying, threatening the industrial strategy that China has used for decades to emerge from poverty to become an economic powerhouse.

Breaking: Israel and Hamas Agree To Cease-fire After 11 Days Of Bloody Confrontation

Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed to a cease-fire, putting an end to a bruising 11-day war that occasioned widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill, and left more than 200 people dead. At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting “Allahu Akbar” or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively.

Dozens Killed In Baghdad Hospital Fire

At least 82 people have died and over 100 injured in a hospital fire in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad on Saturday, in the Coronavirus intensive care unit of the hospital. The fire broke out at the Ibn al-Khatib Hospital after oxygen tanks in the COVID-19 unit exploded.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire: Biden Pledges To Help Rebuild Gaza, Urging A Two-State Solution

United States President Joe Biden has Friday pledged to assist in the rebuilding of Gaza, saying the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is the “only answer” in resolving the conflict. “There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel, period, no shift, not at all,” he said.

Ramadan Fast Continues Till Wednesday As Saudi Arabia Agency Declares No Sight Of Crescent Moon

Haramain Sharifain, an Islamic agency in Saudi Arabia, has declared that fasting in the month of Ramadan continues on Wednesday while eid-il-fitr will be held on Thursday. As this year’s Ramadan nears its end, astronomers have been engaging in careful observation for a new moon to determine the day of eid-il-fitr. In a tweet on Tuesday, Haramain Sharifain announced that Ramadan will last for 30 days. It said the conclusion was derived from the findings of astronomers positioned at different locations in Saudi Arabia, including Sumair and Tumair.

Biden To Withdraw U.S Troops From Afghanistan by Sept 11

United States’ President Joe Biden plans to withdraw the remaining U.S troops from Afghanistan by Sept 11, 2021, ending the 20 years presence of American forces in the Middle Eastern country since the 9/11 attack by al Qaeda. According to Reuters, U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and U.S Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin are expected to brief NATO allies on Wednesday in Brussels, while the president may also make a public announcement on the decision. Also, a senior Biden administration official said “The president has judged that a conditions-based approach, which has been the approach of the past two decades, is a recipe in staying in Afghanistan forever.”