Ukraine reacts to Zelenskyy’s government shakeup
Ukraine has a new foreign minister, one of the latest moves as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy embarks on the largest overhaul of his administration since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze reports on the appointment of nine…
China’s new pledges reflect concern over its competition in Africa
Johannesburg — After pledging $51 billion in financial support for Africa over the next three years and positioning China as a fellow developing country in contrast to the West’s colonialist past, President Xi Jinping told dozens of African leaders gathered…
Earth hits hottest summer on record, EU climate monitor says
The Earth has just experienced its hottest summer on record, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Friday. It says the new record surpasses last year’s, driven by human-caused climate change and a temporary boost from the El Niño…
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy emphasizes to allies the need to maintain military strength
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told military allies meeting Friday in Germany that his country needs the long-range capability to strike deep inside Russian territory “so that Russia is motivated to seek peace.” “We need to make Russian cities, and even…
US IRS enforcement efforts recover $1.3 bln in unpaid taxes, Treasury says
Washington — The U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service said on Friday that they have recovered $1.3 billion in unpaid taxes from wealthy individuals under new enforcement initiatives funded by $60 billion in IRS modernization spending from the climate-focused Inflation…
US job growth misses expectations in August; unemployment rate slips to 4.2%
Washington — U.S. employment increased less than expected in August, but a drop in the jobless rate to 4.2% suggested an orderly labor market slowdown continued and probably did not warrant a big interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve…
Gaza: 160,000 more children vaccinated against polio in southern Gaza
UN agencies and partners in the Strip will continue to vaccinate “as many Gazan children as possible” during the agreed humanitarian pauses, before moving to the north of the war-shattered enclave, UNRWA added. Thousands of families visited health centers to…
Millions impacted by ‘catastrophic and massive floods’ in Bangladesh
The destruction has prompted the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to rush humanitarian relief items from its stockpiles in the country to help those in need. Over 18 million people in Bangladesh have been affected by these severe monsoon conditions, with more…
UNICEF renews school protection call in Ukraine amid ‘deadly reality’ of attacks
John Marks, interim UNICEF Representative in Ukraine, issued a renewed appeal for schools to be protected as war rages on. “During the first week of the new academic year, educational facilities in areas including Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kyiv, Lviv and…
Sudan war: Rights probe demands wider arms embargo to end ‘rampant’ abuse
“Since mid-April 2023, the conflict in Sudan has spread to 14 out of the 18 states impacting the entire country and the region, leaving eight million Sudanese internally displaced as a result of the conflict, with two million – over…