The Dominican Republic’s minister of the environment and natural resources was shot and killed in his office on Monday, according to officials. Authorities said Orlando Jorge Mera was shot by an unknown person. No further details were immediately available. “We are troubled by the situation,” Mera's ministry said in a brief statement. Bartolomé Pujals, executive director of the government’s Cabinet of Innovation, wrote that he lamented the killing. “His death is a tragedy,” he said. “We Dominican have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a cliff-hanger vote of no confidence but a rebellion by 148 of his 359 Conservative Party lawmakers signifies that his job security remains in peril. The vote saw 211 votes in favour and 148 votes against him, according to the chairman of the party committee, Graham Brady. The opposition and the members of his own party demanded his resignation over the "Partygate" scandal as they raised concerns over his regime and termed Johnson a liability. Johnson has been facing accusations over lockdown parties at his home and offices. He broke his own govern

The European Council on Friday imposed restrictive measures on an additional 65 individuals and 18 entities in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The European Council said in a statement this decision is an integral element of the comprehensive sixth package of sanctions adopted by the Council. "We are adding today to our sanctions lists those who are responsible for enabling this unjustified war and the war crimes committed in Bucha and Mariupol, adding more people from the military and economic elites and those with close ties with President Putin supporting his illegitimate aggressio

A train derailed in southern Germany on Friday and a number of people have been injured, police said. The train derailed Friday lunchtime in the Burgrain area, near the Alpine resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Police spokesman Stefan Sonntag told news agency dpa that a number of people were injured. Police said on Twitter that four people were killed. They put the number of injured at about 30, 15 of whom were seriously injured and taken to hospitals. The regional train was traveling in the direction of Munich when it derailed near Burgrain, north of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a ski resort

Americans may soon get a new COVID-19 vaccine option _ a more traditional kind of shot known as a protein vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating the vaccine made by Novavax. It's late in the pandemic for a new choice. But with millions still unvaccinated _ or who need a booster _ the Maryland-based company is hoping to find a niche. Its vaccine is made very differently than the widely used Pfizer and Moderna shots. Novavax's COVID-19 shots are authorized in numerous other countries, but U.S. clearance is a key hurdle.

The OPEC oil cartel and allied producing countries including Russia will raise production by 648,000 barrels per day in July and August, offering modest relief for a global economy suffering from soaring energy prices and the resulting inflation. The decision Thursday steps up the pace by the alliance, known as OPEC+, in restoring cuts made during the worst of the pandemic recession. The group had been adding a steady 432,000 barrels per day each month to gradually restore production cuts from 2020. The move to increase production faster than planned comes as rising crude prices have pushed

Amid the ongoing war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that one-fifth of Ukrainian territory is under Moscow's control. Zelenskyy made these remarks while addressing Luxembourg's lawmakers on Thursday. As the Russia-Ukraine war enters the fourth month, the focus has now shifted to the eastern part of the country.Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malyar last week said the fighting has reached its maximum intensity. "As of today, about 20 per cent of our territory is under the control of the occupiers, almost 125 thousand square kilometres. This is muc

Police officials say four people have been killed in a shooting at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus. Tulsa police Deputy Chief Jonathan Brooks confirmed the number of dead Wednesday. He also said the shooter was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for the attack was unclear.St. Francis Health System locked down its campus Wednesday afternoon because of the situation at the Natalie Medical Building. The Natalie building houses an outpatient surgery center and a breast health center.

Ford's chief executive says the global auto industry is headed for a huge price war in the coming years as electric vehicle costs drop and companies sell EVs priced around $25,000. CEO Jim Farley told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on Wednesday that the $25,000 electric vehicle will democratize EVs. Currently it costs way more to build an EV than one with a gas engine. But Farley said big cost reductions are coming with new battery chemistries that use fewer precious metals such as nickel and cobalt. Plus, he said EVs will take less time and labor to build, saving more money. Fo