US will pay Moderna to develop pandemic flu vaccine
The U.S. government will pay the vaccine maker Moderna $176 million to accelerate development of a pandemic influenza vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people, as concern grows about cases in dairy cows across the country,…
Hungary’s Orban visits Ukraine for first time since Russia’s 2022 invasion
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has leaned toward Moscow during Russia’s two-year invasion of Ukraine, visited Kyiv on Tuesday, and declared the war “the most important issue for Europe.” Orban met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but in a…
US Supreme Court to weigh in on flavored e-cigarette products
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court took up an e-cigarette case Tuesday, weighing whether the Food and Drug Administration wrongly blocked the marketing of sweet, flavored products amid a surge in vaping by young people. Vaping companies argue the FDA…
UN urges international solidarity as Hurricane Beryl devastates Caribbean islands
A Category 5 storm, Hurricane Beryl has claimed at least six lives as it barrels through the Caribbean Sea. Initial reports indicate severe damage to homes, infrastructure and power and communications. UN Spokesperson Stephané Dujarric told journalists at the regular…
Tens of thousands displaced in fresh violence in DR Congo
The situation is particularly concerning in the restive province of North Kivu, home to 2.8 million displaced people. In the last one week, more than 150,000 were displaced due to continued fighting in the town of Lubero and the strategically…
Sudan’s cocktail of war and flooding leaves people trapped, unable to flee
To provide lifesaving aid to those forced out of Sudan, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), revised its original $1.4 billion appeal to $1.5 billion. Ewan Watson, Head of Global Communications at the UN agency, said…
Gaza: 250,000 set to be displaced by new Khan Younis escalation
In an alert detailing another night of heavy bombardment across the enclave, the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said that Gazans fleeing the southern city have had to erect shelters at the water’s edge because displacement camps are already packed at the…
Gaza is a ‘maelstrom of human misery’
Public services have collapsed and over 1.9 million have now been displaced, she told ambassadors at the Security Council, underscoring the critical need for a full, immediate and complete ceasefire, release of all hostages and unhindered aid across the enclave….
Sri Lanka to save $5bn from bilateral debt deal
Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka will save $5 billion following the restructure of its bilateral debt, much of which is owed to China, through slashed interest rates and longer repayment schedules, the president said Tuesday. The island nation defaulted…
Austin hosts Ukraine’s defense chief ahead of NATO summit
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to host talks Tuesday with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in a session the Pentagon says will show U.S. support for Ukraine’s security. The talks come a week before the United States hosts…