World News in Brief: May 19

The World Bank on Wednesday announced actions it plans to take as part of a comprehensive, global response to the ongoing food security crisis, with up to 30 billion USD financing in existing and new projects.

US crude oil production averaged 11.9 million barrels per day (b/d) during the week ending May 13, up by 100,000 b/d from the previous week, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Wednesday.
US crude oil production averaged 11.9 million barrels per day (b/d) during the week ending May 13, up by 100,000 b/d from the previous week, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Wednesday.

* Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged more efforts to coordinate COVID-19 control with economic and social development in an efficient way and strengthen support for market entities in difficulty.

* India has supplied COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia and Thailand under an initiative of the Quad group of countries that also includes the United States, Japan and Australia, New Delhi said on Thursday.

* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed to the parliament extending the current martial law and general mobilization in the country, the state-run Ukrinform news agency reported Wednesday.

* The United States reopened its embassy in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday, three months after it ceased operation in anticipation that Russia would launch a military operation in the country.

* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday he had discussed the European Union (EU) aid for Kiev with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

* US President Joe Biden met the leaders of Sweden and Finland on Thursday after the nations set aside their long-standing neutrality and moved to join the NATO alliance in response to Russia's “special military operation” in Ukraine.

* Turkey would say "no" to Finland and Sweden's NATO membership bid, as the country would not make the same "mistake" again, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

* US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman could meet for the first time as soon as next month, CNN reported on Thursday, citing multiple sources.

* Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has discussed by phone with European Council President Charles Michel bilateral relations, the situation in Afghanistan and the conflict in Ukraine.

* International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday that global finance leaders may need to become more comfortable with fighting multiple bouts of inflationary pressures.

* Indonesia will lift an export ban on crude palm oil, cooking oil, refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm oil, and RBD palm olein starting May 23, as the country has brought domestic cooking oil prices and supply under control.

* An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck the Macquarie Island region in the southern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. The US Tsunami Warning System said there was no tsunami warning after the quake.

* The World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alert Wednesday night warning that more cases of the monkeypox virus could be reported in Britain.

* China’s Shanghai will steadily promote the restoration of the city's public transport system step by step, and it will likely resume cross-district public transport starting from May 22, said a press conference on epidemic prevention and control held Thursday.

* COVID-19 is rising in the Americas as many countries have abandoned measures such as masking and social distancing and many lag in vaccination rates, the Pan American Health Organization said.

* US Health officials are considering extending the eligibility for a second vaccine booster dose to people under 50 amid a steady rise in cases, with the United States seeing a threefold increase over the last month.

* Only 17% of Africa's 1.3 billion population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in part because richer nations hoarded supply last year to the chagrin of African nations desperate for international supplies. Now though, as doses finally arrive in force in the continent, inoculation rates are falling.