Botswana begins mpox screening at entry points
Gaborone, Botswana — Health officials in Botswana have started screening travelers for mpox at the country’s entry points. Neighboring South Africa has recorded three deaths as a result of the dangerous strain of mpox, and Botswana is anxious to keep…
Latvia advocates for use of Russian assets to support Ukraine
Germany and other G7 countries are developing ways to support Ukraine through loans financed with the proceeds of frozen Russian assets. The German Finance Ministry announced the effort on Tuesday. Latvia, once a sanctuary for Russian money, is a strong…
Myanmar fighting blocks key trade route with China, impacting economy
Bangkok — Ethnic and resistance forces in Myanmar have completely blocked a key trade route to China, halting cross-border commerce and further damaging Myanmar’s already struggling economy. The Mandalay-Lashio-Muse Road is considered the most strategically important road in the country’s…
Ukraine destroys, damages all 3 bridges over Russian river, Russians say
Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces have either destroyed or damaged all three of the bridges over the Seym River in western Russia, according to Russian sources, as Kyiv’s incursion into western Russia entered its third week Tuesday. Kyiv’s incursion into…
Europe can defeat mpox, must support Africa in getting vaccines: WHO
Briefing journalists in Geneva, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, insisted that the risk from mpox to the general population was “low”. He rejected comparisons between the fast-spreading viral disease which the agency declared an international public health emergency…
Status quo ‘not sustainable’ in increasingly unstable Libya, Security Council hears
Stephanie Koury, Deputy Special Representative and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), said these developments “have increased tension, further entrenched institutional and political divisions and complicated efforts for a negotiated political solution.” UNSMIL is working to promote…
Lebanon: Crisis deepens amid escalating conflict and funding shortfalls
Since the start of the military operation by Israel in Gaza in October 2023, in response to the terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced along the “Blue Line” between southern Lebanon…
WHO: Mpox is not the new COVID
Berlin — The World Health Organization reports that basic public health measures can stop outbreaks of mpox and potentially eliminate transmission of the virus, which has caused 99,176 cases of the disease and 208 deaths globally since 2022. “We know…
Powell may use Jackson Hole speech to hint at how fast and how far the Fed could cut rates
Washington — Federal Reserve officials have said they’re increasingly confident that they’ve nearly tamed inflation. Now, it’s the health of the job market that’s starting to draw their concern. With inflation cooling toward its 2% target, the pace of hiring…
Supermoon viewed from around the globe
Monday’s supermoon, the first of four this year, attracted the attention of photographers around the globe. During a supermoon, the full moon is a little closer to Earth and can appear bigger in the night sky. September’s supermoon will coincide…