WORLD

New York, USA | THE INDEPENDENT | Catherine Russell took office this week as UNICEF’s new Executive Director, becoming the fourth woman to lead the organization in its 75-year history. “It is an honor and a privilege to join UNICEF and help lead its remarkable work for children at such …

Brazzaville, Congo | Xinhua | Republic of Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, current chairman of the ministerial conference of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), announced Wednesday that OPEC will increase oil production to 400,000 barrels per day. According to Itoua, this decision is aimed at …

  Jerusalem, Israel | Xinhua | Israeli researchers have found that smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of long-term ocular morbidity in newborns, the Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel said on Tuesday. According to a comprehensive study conducted by the center and Ben Gurion University, smoking during pregnancy increases …

Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | The U.S. national debt has surpassed 30 trillion U.S. dollars for the first time, raising concerns about future fiscal sustainability, as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates to tame inflation. The total public debt outstanding exceeded 30 trillion dollars on Monday, which included 23.5 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …