WORLD
UN launches $47.2M SOS for Sri Lanka, warns of threat to 'social cohesion
Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the UN's Resident Coordinator for Sri Lanka, on Thursday said, "The enjoyment of basic human rights to food (and) to adequate health is at stake to many and this could ultimately, knowing the history of Sri Lanka, impact the social cohesion." Emerging from years of ethnic conflict that saw tens of thousands killed, Sri Lanka is now "facing its worst economic crisis since independence," she added.
Russia supports normalisation of Armenia-Azerbaijan ties: Lavrov
During a joint press conference on Thursday with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan after their meeting, Lavrov emphasised the need to further push forward the process of normalising Armenia-Azerbaijan ties, Xinhua news agency reported. He hailed the endeavour of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Border Commissions on border delimitation, saying Russia is ready to provide consulting support in this respect.
3 dead, 1 injured after shooting in US' Maryland state
The incident took place on Thursday afternoon, Xinhua news agency reported. Officers responded to the Columbia Machine Inc. at around 2:30 p.m, where they found the four victims, the Washington County Sheriff's Office wrote in the latest press release. The suspect fled the scene prior to law enforcement's arrival. The suspect's vehicle was later encountered by Maryland State Police.
Japan elected to UNSC to succeed India next year
Japan was one of the five countries that were elected on Thursday through secret ballots. The seats are allocated by region and Japan was the unopposed choice of the Asia Pacific group with no formal rivals. However, it received 184 votes out of the 192 cast, with three going to Mongolia -- which was not a candidate -- as a passive-aggressive sign of opposition to Japan, and the other five were presumably blanks.
Plans afoot to merge Moldova and Romania in the face of Russian threat
Earlier, the ex-president of Moldova, Igor Dodon, warned that the authorities of the republic were preparing its military and political accession to Romania. This will be done contrary to the opinion of citizens, the politician believes. According to experts, such a scenario is indeed being considered in Chisinau, RT reported.
Radio station owned by Russian oligarch hacked and starts playing Ukrainian anthem
Kommersant FM was broadcasting their lunchtime news bulletin before suddenly being cut off by the Ukrainian military anthem 'Oh the red viburnum in the meadow'. The radio station, which is another string of the Kommersant national newspaper in Russia, is owned by 68-year-old Russian businessman and oligarch Alisher Usmanov, Daily Mail reported.
Opposition grows in Pakistan against impending deal with Tehrik-e Taliban
On December 16, 2014, a group of TTP militants had stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, massacring more than 130 students. Fifteen teachers and staff were also killed in the attack, remembered as the worst terrorist atrocity in Pakistan's 74-year history, . A deal between Islamabad and the TTP now appears to be in sight after the group declared an indefinite cease-fire this month following months of parleys brokered by the Afghan Taliban.
Japan's lower house votes down no-confidence motion against Speaker
The ruling coalition, which controls the more powerful lower house of Japan's bicameral Parliament, rejected the motion, but will also have to vote on another no-confidence motion submitted by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) against the cabinet, as an upper house election looms next month, reports Xinhua news agency. According to the CDPJ, the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had done "nothing in response to soaring prices in Japan".
World's most vulnerable paying more for less food: FAO
The global food import bill is projected to rise by $51 billion from 2021, of which $49 billion reflects higher prices. Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are anticipated to undergo a five-per cent contraction in their food import bill this year, while sub-Saharan Africa and the group of Net Food-Importing Developing Countries are both expected to register an increase in total costs, despite a reduction in imported volumes.
US-hosted Summit of Americas opens with absence of several key leaders
The official opening ceremony for the summit, running from Wednesday through Friday, was hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, reports Xinhua news agency. The President will lead the summit, which is being hosted by the US for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994, with leaders from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.
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