Biden cancels $4.28 bn more in student debt before leaving office
Washington, United States -- US President Joe Biden said Friday he was canceling student loans for an additional 55,000 Americans, which...
Geostrategy
UN urges ‘free and fair’ elections in Syria post-Assad ouster amid ongoing challenges
Turkey's Foreign Minister warned Syria's new government to address Kurdish militancy, signaling potential intervention if unresolved with tensions rising with...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Israel launches deadly Gaza strikes, says ready for new truce talks
Palestinian Territories - Israel launched devastating air strikes on Gaza Thursday, while also expressing readiness to resume stalled talks on...
- The Gaza Strip's civil defence agency said two pre-dawn air strikes had killed 26 people, including 15 children, in Gaza City
- Israel has angrily rejected those moves, voicing "disgust" over the ICC request and labelling any recognition of Palestinian statehood a "reward for terrorism."
Business
Algeria signs gas field deal with oil giant ExxonMobil
Algiers, Algeria - Algeria's state oil company announced Thursday it signed a memorandum with ExxonMobil to develop two gas fields, a...
- The two companies plan to "study the existing opportunities to develop the hydrocarbon resources in the Ahnet basin and the Gourara basin" in southern Algeria
- The agreement was signed in Algiers by Sonatrach's chief executive Rachid Hachichi and the head of exploration at ExxonMobil, John Ardill
Geostrategy
Medic says Gaza hospital under Israeli siege for fifth day
Soldiers are present in the hospital's courtyard and in nearby houses," said hospital's acting director, Dr Mohammad Saleh, adding that...
- "The hospital was stormed and staff were forced to leave. At the moment I have only 13 staff, 11 patients and two women accompanying wounded children," Saleh said.
- WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media platform X that 140 staff, patients and accompanying adults were inside the hospital when troops stormed it.
Economy
One out of three Lebanese poverty-stricken: World Bank
Beirut, Lebanon -- A third of Lebanese people are impoverished with poverty rates tripling in a decade, the World Bank said...
- The poverty rate reached as high as 70 percent in the northern region of Akkar which borders Syria.
- The poor were also "nearly four times as likely to have an adult member restrict their food intake to feed their children," the WB report said.
Geostrategy
Tens of thousands bid farewell to Iran’s Raisi ahead of burial
Men and women thronged the main boulevard of Mashhad, Iran's second city in the northeast where Raisi was born, bidding...
- Posters of Raisi were raised along the streets of Mashhad, particularly around Raisi's final resting place
- Massive crowds had gathered for a funeral procession in the Iranian capital on Wednesday to pay their final respects to the president
Economy
Asian shares mixed after Fed minutes, while Nvidia provides support
Asian markets diverged Thursday after minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting indicated officials would keep interest rates...
- Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting indicated officials would keep interest rates elevated
- Nvidia showed it turned a profit of $14.9 billion in the first quarter
Business
Amazon to invest $17bn in Spain Â
The investment will be made in data centers in Aragon region.
- The investment will create around 17,500 indirect jobs in local companies and contribute 21.6 billion euros to Spain's gross domestic product during the period.
- A pioneer of e-commerce, Amazon's AWS also dominates cloud computing with 31 percent of the market at the end of 2023, according to Stocklytics.
Business
Palestinians optimistic but wary after recognition moves
The agreement signed with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, managing director of the Abu Dhabi government-controlled fund Mubadala, opens "a new era...
- The Palestinian Authority says that 142 of the 193 UN member countries already recognize a Palestinian state.
- In the West Bank and Jerusalem, people AFP spoke to were optimistic but wanted more tangible acts towards Palestinian sovereignty.
Norway, Ireland, Spain to recognize Palestinian state
The announcement is the second diplomatic blow this week after the International Criminal Court prosecutor said he would seek arrest...
- Norway, Ireland and Spain announced that they will recognize a Palestinian state
- The three nations hope other countries will follow but Europe remains split over the issue
Geostrategy
Israel furious as 3 European countries recognize Palestinian state
Israel reacted with fury after three European countries said Wednesday they would recognize a Palestinian state, more than seven months...
- Ireland, Norway and Spain said they would formally recognize the State of Palestine on May 28.
- Israel strongly opposes the move, arguing that it amounts to "rewarding terrorism"
Biden cancels $4.28 bn more in student debt before leaving office
Washington, United States -- US President Joe Biden said Friday he was canceling student loans for an additional 55,000 Americans, which...
Geostrategy
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Pro-Palestinian protesters take Israel sculptures from UK university
London, United Kingdom -- A pro-Palestinian group took two sculptures of Israel's first president from a UK university in a protest marking...
Geostrategy
Lebanon accuses Israel of truce rejection after deadly Beirut strikes and growing Gaza crisis
A US-brokered plan reportedly under consideration would see Hezbollah pull back 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, north of...
Geostrategy
Israel, US envoys discuss possible ceasefire amid rising casualties in Lebanon conflict
With US mediation, a ceasefire proposal emerges for both Gaza and Lebanon, balancing Israel's security demands and Lebanon’s need for...
Geostrategy
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New Hezbollah leader signals ceasefire openness, but Israel demands Hezbollah withdrawal, border security
Israel’s security cabinet discussed terms, including Hezbollah’s withdrawal north of the Litani River and Lebanese army deployment along the border...
- Naim Qassem's statement came as Israel's security cabinet met to discuss a possible truce, but also as Israel attacked the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek
- According to Israel's Channel 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met ministers late Tuesday to discuss Israel's demands in return for a 60-day truce
Geostrategy
New Hezbollah leader says will accept ceasefire with Israel if terms ‘suitable’
Qassem replaces Hasan Nasrallah who was assassinated by Israel on September 27 after more than 30 years at the helm...
- 'If the Israelis decide that they want to stop the aggression, we say we accept, but under the conditions', Qassem said
- But Hezbollah "will not beg for a ceasefire", clarified the new new leader of the Lebanese group
Bitcoin close to record as cautious markets eye US election
The surge in the price of bitcoin is seen as a bet on a Republican victory, as Donald Trump has...
- The leading digital currency was trading around US$72,400 at 0300 GMT, after climbing as high as US$73,563.63 in late US trade.
- The surge in the price of bitcoin is seen as a bet on a Republican victory, as Donald Trump has emerged as the pro-crypto candidate.