Category Archives: WORLD NEWS

As the war enters its 995th day, these are the main developments. Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of combat medic Maria-Khrystyna Dvoinik, who was killed during an evacuation of wounded soldiers from the front line in Donetsk, November 15, 2024 [Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA] Here is the situation on Saturday, November 16: Fighting Russia’s Ministry of Defence said air defences downed 15 drones in the Kursk region on the Ukrainian border. The ministry said one drone each was downed in the Bryansk region, also on the border, and in Lipetsk, further north, as well as in the central Oryol region. The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, a frequent target on the Ukrainian border, said a series of attacks had smashed windows in an apartment building and caused other damage, but no casualties

Representatives from Amazon.com were called to Capitol Hill for a closed-door meeting with a key House committee earlier this fall to answer questions about the retail giant’s deepening relationship with the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok . The House Select Committee on China summoned Amazon in September to discuss with staffers a high-profile shopping partnership the two companies announced in August, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The meeting has not been previously reported. The Committee, which seeks to address perceived threats posed by China’s government, was concerned that a leading American company central to the economy had partnered with a Chinese-owned company on the verge of being banned over national security concerns. “The Select Committee conveyed to Amazon that it is dangerous and unwise for Amazon to partner

Southeast Asian claimants to the South China Sea should retrain their focus on forging a common stance on rival ambitions by China , experts say, after Malaysia vowed to protest Philippine laws which it says overlap on maritime claims held by Sabah State. Malaysia on Thursday said it will issue a formal protest to the Philippines , in response to two new laws signed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jnr on November 8, which it believes violate Sabah’s maritime boundaries near Malaysian Borneo. The complaint was to “demonstrate our commitment to defending Sabah’s sovereign rights and the sovereignty of our country”, Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin told parliament. Malaysia did the “correct thing” by sending a protest note, but it should not let this dispute obstruct progress in South China

Murang’a County Departments of Health, Agriculture, and Environment in collaboration with key stakeholders have launched and disseminated the updated and costed County Antimicrobial Stewardship Interagency Committee (CASIC) Work plan for 2024-2026. This comprehensive “One Health” approach launched sets out targeted actions to advance the county’s strategic goals in combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Speaking during the launch, Dr Loise Kariuki, a clinical pharmacist and an AMR vocal person in the county, explained that AMR occurs when medicines such as antibiotics that are used to treat infections stop working as well as they used to. She said the CASIC work plan provides a common framework for action by all stakeholders from the different departments, in managing and implementing appropriate AMR control activities. “AMR occurs due to overuse or misuse of antibiotics such

Surging bitcoin prices following the election of Donald Trump as the next US president have finally given Hong Kong’s spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) a boost this week, with trading volume surging to a three-month high. Hong Kong’s three ETFs that invest directly in bitcoin this week became active trading targets with about HK$135 million (US$17.3 million) changing hands on Tuesday. On most days since the ETFs launched in April, their total daily trading volume lingered below US$4 million. The Asian financial centre’s ambition to turn into a virtual asset hub is facing increased competition with Trump’s return to the White House, as the former president pledged to make the US the “crypto capital” of the world. “Historically, the crypto ETFs in Hong Kong were less in the spotlight as

Another dangerous storm is barrelling towards the Philippines, threatening an area where dozens of people were killed by flash floods and landslides just weeks ago, the weather service said. Typhoon Usagi blew out of the archipelago nation on Friday as rescuers worked to reach residents stranded on rooftops in northern Luzon island, where herds of livestock were devastated. Thousands of people were displaced by Usagi, the fifth major storm to hit the country in less than a month. It weakened as it headed towards Taiwan, after blowing away houses in its path. The recent wave of disasters has killed at least 159 people and prompted the United Nations to request $32.9m in aid for the worst-affected regions. On Thursday, flash floods caused by Usagi struck 10 largely evacuated villages around

President Akufo-Addo honoured with France’s Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur Featured GraphicOnline Nov – 14 – 2024 , 17:17 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been awarded the distinguished title of Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by French President Emmanuel Macron.  The award, conferred during an official state visit to France on November 14, 2024, celebrates President Akufo-Addo’s notable contributions to diplomacy, democratic governance, and international cooperation. The Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur is one of the most prestigious honours within France’s Légion d’Honneur, an order established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to recognise individuals who demonstrate exceptional service to France and the global community.  The award acknowledges achievements in fields ranging from public service and international diplomacy to arts, science, and humanitarian efforts.

Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader of Bangladesh’s government, is expected to “bury the hatchet” with US President-elect Donald Trump and start afresh in working with the new American administration. Analysts say while Yunus’ strained relationship with Trump is an open secret, Bangladesh’s “strategic appeal” as a country with close ties to India and China means the US government is likely to reciprocate Dhaka’s overtures. “I suspect Yunus will be ready to bury the hatchet,” said Michael Kugelman, director of Washington-based South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center think tank, noting that Trump’s election win came at a time when Bangladesh was trying to rebuild and stabilise in the post-Sheikh Hasina era. “I don’t expect much criticism from Yunus now, and his warm congratulatory note to Trump sent an important signal

A sit-down between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his outgoing US counterpart Joe Biden is widely anticipated to take place on the sidelines of multilateral talks in South America this week. Overshadowed by the re-election of former president Donald Trump , it would be the pair’s third and most likely final face-to-face before Biden steps down in January, a meeting that, according to pundits, will help manage and stabilise frosty US-China ties during the transition period. The fact that Xi was willing to meet a lame-duck US president from a defeated party during the transition was telling in that despite the cold war-style confrontation, Beijing desires steady bilateral ties amid spiralling domestic and external challenges. The meeting could help ease concerns about the US-China feud, according to Philippe Le Corre

A surge in malaria is reported in several states and is overwhelming the health system, according to a UN agency. Flooding in South Sudan has displaced more than 379,000 people, according to a United Nations update that warned about a surge in malaria. Aid agencies have said the world’s youngest country, highly vulnerable to climate change, is in the grip of its worst flooding in decades, mainly in the north. The floods have affected about 1.4 million people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday, across 43 counties and the disputed Abyei region, which is claimed by both South Sudan and Sudan. It added in a statement that more than 379,000 people were displaced in 22 counties and in Abyei. “A surge in malaria

Discussions surrounding India – Pakistan relations often revolve around two questions: can they manage their rivalry? And what will it take to foster goodwill in bilateral ties? While important, these queries obfuscate a critical reality: despite their long-standing animosity, India and Pakistan have occasionally engaged constructively. These periods of cooperation, often overlooked and underemphasised, provide insight into how these nuclear-armed rivals might work together, even amid significant tensions. This duality of conflict and engagement characterises their postcolonial history, presenting a complex narrative of rivalry interspersed with attempts at collaboration. The year 2019 serves as a poignant illustration of this conflict-engagement dynamic. In February, a terrorist attack in Pulwama, Kashmir, led to a retaliatory Indian air strike into Pakistani territory, which escalated into an aerial dogfight that resulted in the capture

While it’s essential for Israel to develop an alternative strategic plan for Palestinians to prevent regional instability and security concerns, Israel has every right to proceed with this decision. By ZINA RAKHAMILOVA NOVEMBER 9, 2024 10:41 AN UNRWA healthcare clinic in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip: Although UNRWA is technically an offshoot of the United Nations, it functions largely as a Palestinian organization, one that has been infiltrated and compromised by Hamas, the writer argues. (photo credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90) In 1967, after the Six Day War, Israel expressed willingness to cooperate with the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) and did so for 60 years. But now, Israel has finally had enough. In the early days following the Six Day War, UNRWA and Israel exchanged letters agreeing

 Three Ghanaian-owned companies on Wednesday emerged as winners of the Ghana National Kaizen Awards 2024 for their excellence in opera­tional efficiency and innovation. KAIZEN is a Japanese philos­ophy and methods of quality and productivity which are key for Japanese industrial development and applied techniques. The awardees included Solution Oasis Limited, Yedent Agro Group of Companies, and Asheba Com­pany Limited. Solution Oasis Ltd, an agro-pro­cessing company known for pro­ducing premium natural skincare products, was named the overall winner and also received the Micro Small Enterprise Award. Yedent Agro Group of Compa­nies, based in Sunyani, took home the Medium Enterprise of the Year Award for its contributions to agro-processing while Asheba Company Limited, a company that specialises in the process­ing of shea nuts into shea butter and shea-based products, won the Large

Featured Premiumtimesng.com Nov – 09 – 2024 , 07:51 Nigeria has announced that free emergency Caesarean sections will be made available to “poor and vulnerable” women in an ambitious plan to bring down the high number of mothers dying in childbirth. At 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Africa’s most populous nation has the fourth highest maternal mortality rate in the world and the lack of access to Caesareans is thought to be one of the reasons. Many pregnant women, particularly in rural Nigeria are unable to receive emergency medical care partly due to the cost. “No woman should lose her life simply because she can’t afford a C-section,” Health Minister Muhammad Pate said while announcing the “powerful move”. While the price may vary across Nigeria’s different states, on average