UN starts new bid to forge plastics treaty amid ‘global crisis’
Geneva, Switzerland -- Nations must resolve the global plastics crisis, the head of UN talks told negotiators from 180 countries...
Geostrategy
Tesla approves $29 bn in shares to Musk as court case rumbles on
Washington, United States -- Tesla announced an "interim" compensation award worth about $29 billion for Elon Musk on Monday, asserting...
Business
Geostrategy
Algerian activist returned from Tunisia jailed for 3 years
Slimane Bouhafs "has been sentenced to three years in prison without parole" and a fine of 100,000 dinars ($727), said...
- Bouhafs, a former police officer who converted to Christianity in the 1990s, was sentenced in 2016 to five years in prison for "insulting Islam."
- Bouhafs and two co-defendants were tried at the court in the Algiers suburb of Dar El Beida on charges of belonging to and procuring foreign funds for a "terrorist organisation."
Geostrategy
France and Morocco mend ties after visa spat
RABAT, MOROCCO - France and Morocco announced Friday they were mending fences after months of tensions over visas, and said President...
- Speaking in Rabat alongside her Moroccan counterpart, French Foreign Minister said it was time to "write a new page together".
- French President Emmanuel Macron and Morocco's King Mohammed VI spoke by phone after their countries' dramatic World Cup semi-final clash.
Science
Climate change fuelling cholera surge, says WHO
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Climate change is fueling a global cholera upsurge, the WHO said Friday, warning the situation was compounded by...
- Fatality rates are extremely high for most of the countries for which the UN health agency has data.
- Cholera outbreaks can be prevented by ensuring access to clean water and improving surveillance.
Geostrategy
UN force in Lebanon calls for probe into Irish peacekeeper’s death
The United Nations' peacekeeping force in south Lebanon urged Beirut to ensure a "speedy" investigation into an Irish soldier's shooting...
- Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and army chief Joseph Aoun visited the UNIFIL headquarters in the border town of Naqura.
- It is the first death of a UNIFIL member in a violent incident in Lebanon since January 2015,
Geostrategy
Iranians hit streets again as protests enter fourth month
PARIS, FRANCE - Dozens took to the streets Friday in Iran's restive southeast, footage shared by rights groups showed, as a...
- Images from Zahedan show crowds of men, some raising posters with anti-regime slogans, and a group of black-clad women marching.
- The Islamic republic has seen waves of protests since the September 16 death in custody of Mahsa Amini a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd.
Arts & Culture
Morocco to host Club World Cup in February, expanded event to start in 2025
DOHA, QATAR - Morocco will host the next Club World Cup in February, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Friday, while...
- The Club World Cup will take place from February 1 to 11, 2023.
- The competition is set to continue in its existing format featuring the champions of the six continental federations along with the top team from the host nation.
Ukraine war providing lessons for future conflicts
How the war in Ukraine has played out -- both on the world stage and the battlefield -- serves as...
- The United States and other countries imposed punishing sanctions on Russia, leaving it increasingly isolated
- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the response to Russia's invasion demonstrated the international commitment to the rule of law
$858 bn US defense bill scraps military vaccine mandate
The mandate -- under which the Pentagon says more than 8,000 military personnel have been discharged for refusal to comply...
- The White House supported Austin's opposition to repealing the mandate, but that was not enough to carry the day in Congress
- Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy, who is seeking to become speaker of the House, has argued that the mandate has affected recruiting
Economy
EU adopts global minimum 15% tax on multinationals
Emmanuel Macron said France had been pushing the idea for more than four years. The global minimum tax is only...
- The landmark agreement between nearly 140 countries is intended to stop governments racing to cut taxes to lure the world's richest firms to their territory
- The plan was drawn up under the guidance of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and already had the backing of Washington
Market Report
Stocks sink globally as central banks hike rates, data fan recession fears
Global stocks sank as central banks hiked interest rates again and signaled they needed to go higher to tame inflation....
- ECB president Christine Lagarde warned that inflation in the 19-nation eurozone was still "far too high" and more action needed to be taken.
- The world's major central banks are seeking to dampen red-hot inflation.
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
UN starts new bid to forge plastics treaty amid ‘global crisis’
Geneva, Switzerland -- Nations must resolve the global plastics crisis, the head of UN talks told negotiators from 180 countries...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Huthi missile attack severely injures sailor on cargo ship: US military
Two cruise missiles launched by Yemen's Huthi rebels struck a bulk cargo carrier in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday,...
Geostrategy
Battles rage in Rafah as Biden blames Hamas for truce delay
On Monday, the UN Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution supporting the plan, and on Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz...
Geostrategy
Boeing to check undelivered 787s due to fastener issue
New York, United States - Boeing said Thursday it is examining fasteners on some undelivered 787 jets after discovering problems with...
Business
Most Read
Geostrategy
Former Twitter, now X, makes ‘likes’ private ‘to protect users’
With the change, which includes the removal of the "Likes" tab on a profile page, users will no longer be...
- "We are making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy," the platform said. "Liking more posts will make your 'For You' feed better," X added.
- The "For You" feed is a personalized list of videos or posts recommended for each individual user based on their interests and past engagement.
Geostrategy
Fire at Iraqi oil refinery injures 13
"More than 10 people were injured, mainly men from the Arbil civil defense," said the Iraqi civil defense in a...
- The fire broke out in a major crude oil tank on Wednesday night
- The civil defense agency said the fire "started in one refinery before spreading to another"
Geostrategy
Gaza war rages as US wants to ‘close’ ceasefire agreement
Doha, Qatar - Top US diplomat Antony Blinken said Wednesday that a truce and hostage release deal to end the Gaza...
- Blinken, in Doha for the last stop of a tour to promote President Joe Biden's Gaza ceasefire roadmap, said the United States would work with regional partners to "close the deal."
- Hamas submitted late Tuesday its response to mediators Qatar and Egypt, and Blinken said some of the proposed amendments "are workable and some are not."