OPEC: Al-Ghais Appointed Secretary General, Barkindo Tenure Ends July

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced the appointment of Mr. Haitham Al-Ghais as the organization’s Secretary-General which would take effect from August 1, 2022. Al-Ghais would replace Nigeria’s representative, Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo as OPEC’s Secretary-General when his second term tenure ends by July 2022. This was made known in a statement during a Special Meeting on Monday via video conference.

Thousands Flee As Super Typhoon Rai Hits The Phillippines

At least 98,000 people in the Phillippines have fled their homes on Thursday as Super Typhoon Rai slammed into the Island chain, leaving two people dead on Friday. Super Typhoon Rai, locally called "Odette" is the strongest and 15th Typhoon to hit the Phillippines this year, packing winds of 260 kilometres per hour, with gusts of over 300 kilometres per hour and later moving with heavy rain and flooding.

UAE Shifts To Four-and-Half-Day Working Week

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has declared Monday to Friday midday as the new work week starting from 1st of January 2022 while Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday will form the new weekend. With this development, the UAE will become the first nation in the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week. The UAE on Tuesday stated that its official workweek will move to Monday to Friday, a significant change that brings the Islamic nation home to major financial institutions in line with Western schedules. The decision, which is to take effect next month, will make the Gulf Arab federation join the likes of Lebanon and Turkey who follows a Monday-Friday workweek instead of the Sunday through Thursday week.

Philippines Typhoon: Death Toll Rises To Hundreds, More People Displaced

Hundreds of people were killed and hundreds of thousands more displaced after the strongest typhoon hit Philippine’s central and Southern Provinces. The Super Typhoon Rai, with winds of about 195km/h (120mph) sent about 400,000 people running for safety when it hit the country’s south-eastern islands. The death toll from Typhoon Rai has surpassed 300, with humanitarian workers reporting “complete carnage”, as the disaster left homes, hospitals and schools “ripped to shreds.” Military airplanes and naval vessels were dispatched on Monday to deliver aid to areas devastated by the powerful storm. The death toll is expected to increase further as search and rescue operations continue after they were initially hampered by power and communication outages. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana while speaking to reporters on Monday said, "We are still assessing the damage, but it is huge." "The first thing we are doing is address the food and water (supplies) and medical care of the injured."

India’s Chief Of Defence Staff Dies In Helicopter Crash

India’s top military official was killed Wednesday when an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carrying 14 people crashed in southern India confirmed, with only one survivor. Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife, Madhulika Rawat, and 11 others died in southern state of Tamil Nadu while travelling from an Air Force base to the Defence Services Staff College. The IAF said via Twitter, that the “tragic accident” occurred near the town of Coonoor at noon. The survivor, Group Capt. Varun Singh, is being treated for his injuries at the Military Hospital in Wellington, the IAF said.

Iraqi PM Kadhimi Survives Assassination Attempt

Iraqi Prime Minister (PM) Mustafa Al-Kadhimi escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday after an explosive-laden drone targeted his residence in Baghdad. It was reported that Al-Kadhimi was returning from overseeing security forces engaged in a stand-off with protesters at the southern gate of the Green Zone, a diplomatic residence in Baghdad that also houses the PM's residence and other government buildings.