Oil prices surge as Trump hits Russian crude with sanctions
The international benchmark contract, Brent North Sea crude, jumped 4.8 percent while West Texas Intermediate was up 5.1 percent. Trump on Wednesday announced...
Geostrategy
Norway’s wealth fund to enlist AI for managing climate risks
Oslo, Norway -- Norway's sovereign wealth fund said Wednesday that it would incorporate artificial intelligence tools into its investment analysis...
Geostrategy
Publishers fight back against US book bans
Geostrategy
Economy
Nobel economist warns of AI dangers amid “amazing possibilities”
Washington, United States - A winner of this year’s Nobel prize in economics warned Monday that artificial intelligence offers "amazing...
- The remarks from Canadian Peter Howitt, professor emeritus at Brown University in the United States, came amid growing concerns about how AI will impact society and labor market
- Howitt was one of three economists honored Monday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for work on how technology drives and affects growth
Economy
As Trump mulls imposing additional 100% tariff, China says will ‘fight to the end’ in trade war
China said on Tuesday it was ready to "fight to the end" in a trade war with the United States...
- "On the matter of tariff wars and trade wars, China's position remains consistent," an unnamed commerce ministry spokesperson said
- Concerns spiked over the weekend that the trade war between the world's top two economies will worsen after Trump announced extra 100 percent tariffs on all Chinese goods
Arts & Culture
Qatar revealed as owner of famed Courbet self-portrait
Paris, France -- Qatar has revealed itself as the owner of a famous self-portrait by French realist master Gustave Courbet...
- "The Desperate Man" depicts Courbet with a wild-eyed stare looking out of the canvas in a work that is one of his best known alongside "The Stone Breakers".
- Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, head of Qatar Museums and sister of the Gulf state's ruler, said the painting was destined for the Art Mill Museum.
Geostrategy
Trump hails ‘tremendous day for Middle East’ as leaders sign Gaza declaration
As part of Trump's plan to end the Gaza war, Hamas on Monday freed the last 20 surviving hostages it...
- In exchange, Israel released 1,968 mostly Palestinians held in its jails, its prison service said.
- In the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, huge crowds gathered to welcome home the first buses carrying the released Palestinians.
Economy
AI or inequality tipped for economics Nobel
Stockholm, Sweden - The Nobel economics prize wraps up the 2025 season when it is announced on Monday, as experts...
- Last year it went to Turkish-American Daron Acemoglu and British-Americans Simon Johnson and James Robinson for research into wealth inequality between nations
- For Micael Dahlen, a professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, it is important to look at the disciplines recognised in previous years
Geostrategy
Trump says may warn Putin Ukraine could get Tomahawks if Russia doesn’t end invasion
US President Donald Trump said Sunday he may warn Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Ukraine could get Tomahawk cruise missiles...
- Trump has been mulling potential supplies of the long-range missiles to Kyiv via European allies since his meeting with Putin in Alaska in August failed to produce a peace deal
- The US leader said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had asked for Tomahawks when they were discussing a fresh supply of weapons for Kyiv in a call on Saturday
Geostrategy
As Trump heads to the region for peace summit, Hamas, Israel set for hostage and prisoner exchanges
Trump's lightning visit to Israel and Egypt aims to celebrate his role in brokering last week's ceasefire and hostage release...
- Trump's lightning visit to Israel and Egypt aims to celebrate his role in brokering last week's ceasefire and hostage release deal
- Speaking to reporters on Air Force One at the start of the "very special" visit, Trump brushed off concerns about whether the ceasefire would endure
Geostrategy
Hamas will not govern post-war Gaza: Hamas source close to negotiating committee
Doha, Qatar -- A Hamas source close to the group's negotiating committee told AFP on Sunday that it will not...
- Hamas' leadership has in the past been divided on key issues, including on the future administration of Gaza.
- But where there appears to be no division among top members is on the question of disarmament, which the group has long described as a red line.
Geostrategy
China accuses US of ‘double standards’ over new tariffs threat
Beijing, China -- China accused the United States of "double standards" on Sunday, after President Donald Trump threatened an additional...
- China said on Friday that it would impose "special port fees" on ships operated by and built in the US, calling it a "defensive action."
- The US leader also threatened to pull out of a mooted meeting with Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.
Geostrategy
Tunisian activists urge closure of factory units after poisonings
Tunis, Tunisia -- Activists in Tunisia on Sunday called for the closure of facilities at a chemical factory in Gabes,...
- The emissions from the state-run fertilizer factory have caused dozens of poisoning cases, primarily affecting local children, sparking local protests.
- Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Saturday he had dispatched an emergency team from the energy and environment ministries to monitor the situation closely.
Oil prices surge as Trump hits Russian crude with sanctions
The international benchmark contract, Brent North Sea crude, jumped 4.8 percent while West Texas Intermediate was up 5.1 percent. Trump on Wednesday announced...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Trial opens in Klarna’s $8.3 billion lawsuit against Google
Stockholm, Sweden -- A Swedish court began hearing arguments Monday in a lawsuit brought by Swedish price comparison site Pricerunner,...
Geostrategy
US soliciting new bids for Moon mission amid SpaceX delays: NASA chief
The US space agency's Artemis program hopes to return humans to the Moon as China forges ahead with a rival...
Geostrategy
OpenAI big chip orders dwarf its revenues – for now
New York, United States - OpenAI is ordering hundreds of billions of dollars worth of chips in the artificial intelligence...
Business
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Geostrategy
Cash-strapped Gazans left disappointed as first banks reopen
Deir el-Balah, Palestinian Territories -- The Palestinians trying to rebuild their lives in the ruins of Gaza are short of...
- Food is purchased with cash or through bank transfers, which are often complicated due to power and communication outages.
- Gazans have lost a lot of savings and commissions on transfers can reach 40 percent.
Geostrategy
Publishers fight back against US book bans
Frankfurt, Germany -- Escalating attempts to remove works featuring themes such as LGBTQ lifestyles and race relations from US bookshelves...
- In 2020 just under 300 titles faced "challenges" -- demands to restrict access to them or remove them entirely -- across the United States.
- That number began surging the following year, and reached over 9,000 in 2023, said the NGO, whose office for intellectual freedom has been tracking challenges since 1990.
Geostrategy
13 killed in Gaza as Hamas says Israel devising pretexts to resume attacks
Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas's political bureau, reaffirmed the group's commitment to the ceasefire and said Israel "continues to...
- Palestinian witnesses told AFP clashes erupted in the southern city of Rafah in an area still held by Israel.
- Hamas had been fighting a local Palestinian gang known as Abu Shabab but the militants were "surprised by the presence of army tanks".