Kive, Ukraine | Xinhua | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met in Kiev on Tuesday to discuss security issues, in particular Russian military buildup on the Ukrainian border, the presidential press service said. In a joint statement after their talks, Zelensky and Johnson warned …
Read More »Israeli army to build laser-based shield against missiles
Jerusalem, Israel | Xinhua | Israel will start using a laser-based system to intercept missiles within a year, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Tuesday. “Within about a year, the IDF (Israel Defense Force) will bring into action a laser-based interception system, first experimentally, and later operationally,” Bennett told …
Read More »Rafael Nadal claims 21st Grand Slam title in epic Australian Open final
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rafael Nadal made history once again as he roared back from two-sets-to-love down to capture his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Under the lights on Rod Laver Arena, the legendary Spaniard looked down and out against Daniil Medvedev. However, the sixth …
Read More »Toyota group leads global auto sales for 2nd straight year in 2021
Tokyo, Japan | Xinhua | Toyota Motor Corp. topped the rankings in global auto sales in 2021, accelerating past Germany’s Volkswagen AG for a second straight year, data from the Japanese automaker showed on Friday. According to the figures, Toyota Motor Corp.’s top ranking was supported by solid sales in China …
Read More »More U.S. sanctions against Russia could cause cutoff of ties: Lavrov
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | If the United States were to impose more sanctions against Russia, the country would risk severing relations with Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. “Regarding the threat of (new) sanctions, the Americans were told during the contacts of the presidents that the package …
Read More »Will Russia’s anti-NATO gambit succeed?
COMMENT | HILARY APPEL & JENNIFER TAW | Recent talks in Geneva between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the crisis over Ukraine achieved little. Russia asked for a written response to its demands, which include a halt to NATO enlargement. For now, Russian President Vladimir Putin might …
Read More »Ukraine backs U.S. response to Russia’s security guarantees: FM
Kiev, Ukraine | Xinhua | Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Wednesday that Kiev supports the U.S. response to Moscow’s proposal on security guarantees regarding Ukraine. “It (Ukraine’s position) has been taken into account, and the proposals that the United States will send to Russia in the part concerning Ukraine do …
Read More »U.S. sees gun violence surge in Biden’s first year as president: report
Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a U.S. gun violence monitoring group, said the United States saw 44,868 gun-related deaths during incumbent President Joe Biden’s first year in office. The total number of murders, justifiable self-defense homicides and accidental homicides involving firearms were 20,783 in 2021, compared to …
Read More »UK PM refuses to resign as nation awaits key report on lockdown parties
London, UK | Xinhua | Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defiantly fended off calls for his resignation ahead of the expected release of the findings of an official inquiry into parties that allegedly took place in Whitehall and Downing Street in the past two years in breach of the …
Read More »Pfizer, BioNTech start clinical trial of Omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine
Berlin, Germany | Xinhua | German biotechnology company BioNTech and U.S. company Pfizer have started clinical trials of an Omicron-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate in healthy adults 18 through 55 years of age, the companies said on Tuesday. The trials would evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate, according …
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