https://youtu.be/fGsCY5xwt2U The monkeypox outbreak that has been reported in 16 countries and several regions of the world can still be contained and the overall risk of transmission is low, the UN health agency said on Tuesday (24 May). “What we know from this virus and these modes of transmission, this outbreak can still be contained, it is the objective of the World Health Organization and Member States to contain this outbreak and to stop […]
International
Japan says China, Russia jets flew nearby as Quad met
Chinese and Russian fighter jets carried out joint flights near Japan on Tuesday as leaders of the Quad bloc met in Tokyo, the Japanese defence minister said. Nobuo Kishi said the government had expressed “grave concerns” to Russia and China over the flights, which took place while leaders from the United States, India, Australia and Japan held talks on regional security. The planes did not breach territorial airspace, the defence ministry told […]
Quad nations warn against ‘change by force’ with eyes on China
by Sara HUSSEIN / Sebastian Smith Leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States warned Tuesday against attempts to “change the status quo by force” as concerns grow about whether China could invade self-ruled Taiwan. A joint statement by the so-called Quad bloc avoided any direct mention of China’s growing military power in the region, but left little doubt about where its concerns lie. The carefully worded document also made reference to the […]
British retailer Marks and Spencer exits Russia
British clothing-to-food retailer Marks and Spencer on Wednesday announced a full exit from Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. After halting product shipments to Russia at the start of March, Marks and Spencer said it had decided “to fully exit” its Russian franchise run by Turkish conglomerate Fiba Group. The exit, plus disruption to M&S operations in Ukraine run also by franchisee Fiba, is costing the British company £31 million ($39 million, 36 million […]
Canada says 15 cases of monkeypox in Quebec, more expected
Montreal, CANADA (AFP) — Health authorities in Canada said Tuesday they had identified 10 new cases of monkeypox in Quebec, bringing the total number to 15, with additional cases expected in other provinces. Monkeypox, detected in recent weeks in Europe and North America, is a rare disease originating in Africa which usually clears up on its own. “We expect more cases to be confirmed in the coming days,” said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, who said […]
Gunman kills 19 children at Texas elementary school
by Allison Dinner © Agence France-Presse Uvalde, UNITED STATES (AFP) — A teenage gunman killed at least 19 young children and two adults at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday, prompting a furious President Joe Biden to denounce the US gun lobby and vow to end the nation’s cycle of mass shootings. The attack in Uvalde — a small community about an hour from the Mexican border — was the deadliest US school […]
Australia urges China to drop trade tariffs
Sydney, AUSTRALIA (AFP) — Australia’s economy minister called on China Wednesday to drop punishing trade tariffs if it wants to thaw frozen relations, after Beijing sent a message signalling it is ready to improve ties. China — Australia’s biggest trading partner — imposed tariffs and disrupted more than a dozen key industries, including wine, barley and coal, as relations deteriorated sharply in the past two years. Canberra had irked Beijing by calling for an independent […]
North Korea fires three ballistic missiles, Seoul military says
by Kang Jin-kyu North Korea fired three ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan early Wednesday, Seoul’s military said, just one day after President Joe Biden wrapped up his first Asia visit as US leader. South Korea‘s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it had “detected at around 0600 (2100 GMT), 0637 and 0642 the firings of ballistic missiles launched from Sunan area.” Japan’s coastguard warned of a “possible ballistic missile” launch […]
Biden to speak Tuesday night on Texas school shooting
Washington, UNITED STATES (AFP) — President Joe Biden will speak this evening on the latest school shooting in the United States after 14 students and a teacher were killed in Texas, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. “His prayers are with the families impacted by this awful event, and he will speak this evening when he arrives back at the White House,” she wrote on Twitter as Biden flew back from a visit to […]
US warns Turkey against new Syria offensive
Washington, UNITED STATES (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday warned Turkey against launching a new military operation in northern Syria, saying the uneasy NATO ally would be putting US troops at risk. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that Turkey would soon launch a new military operation into northern Syria to create a 30-kilometer (19-mile) “security zone” along the border. “We are deeply concerned about reports and discussions of potential increased military […]
Gunman kills 15 at Texas elementary school
An 18-year-old gunman killed 14 children and a teacher at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday, according to the state’s governor, in the nation’s deadliest school shooting in years. The attack in Uvalde, Texas — a small community about an hour from the Mexican border — is the latest in a spree of deadly shootings in the United States, where widespread horror at gun violence has failed to spur action to head off future […]
US unveils Asia-Pacific trade framework
https://youtu.be/9bx5onRYzx0 US President Joe Biden launched a new Asia-Pacific trade initiative Monday in Tokyo, with 13 countries including India and Japan signed up. Biden formally unveiled the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, or IPEF, on his second day in Japan, where he held talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ahead of a regional Quad summit on Tuesday. Unlike traditional trade blocs, there is no plan for IPEF members to negotiate tariffs and ease market […]





