International news update

Here's an international news update:

Global

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the COVID-19 pandemic a "global health emergency" for the first time in 18 months, citing a surge in cases and hospitalizations worldwide. (Source: BBC News)
• The United Nations has warned that the world is facing a "perfect storm" of climate change, conflict, and economic instability, which could lead to widespread humanitarian crises. (Source: Al Jazeera)

Asia

• China has reported a record number of COVID-19 cases in a single day, with over 29,000 new infections. The country is facing a surge in cases due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. (Source: CNN)
• North Korea has launched a ballistic missile into the sea, in a move that has been condemned by the United States and other countries. (Source: Reuters)

Europe

• The European Union has imposed sanctions on Belarus over its human rights record, including the arrest and imprisonment of opposition activists. (Source: The Guardian)
• The UK has announced plans to send troops to Eastern Europe to bolster NATO's defenses in response to Russia's military buildup along the Ukrainian border. (Source: The Telegraph)

Africa

• The African Union has launched a new initiative to vaccinate 60% of the continent's population against COVID-19 by the end of 2022. (Source: Africanews)
• The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared an end to its latest Ebola outbreak, which killed over 300 people. (Source: AP News)

Americas

• The United States has announced plans to send an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to support the country's security forces. (Source: The New York Times)
• Brazil has reported a record number of COVID-19 cases in a single day, with over 100,000 new infections. (Source: BBC News)

Middle East

• Iran has announced that it will begin enriching uranium to 20% purity, a move that is likely to increase tensions with the United States and other countries. (Source: The Washington Post)
• The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to build a new nuclear power plant, which will be the first in the Middle East. (Source: Bloomberg)

These are just a few of the latest international news updates. Stay informed and stay safe!