Debt, trade barriers drag Asian economies in 2024, says World Bank report   Â
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Asian economies are not doing as well as they could and growth in the region is forecast...
Economy
US census to include Middle Eastern or North African category
The next US census and federal government forms will include new options for race and ethnicity including a category for...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Russian oil price cap partially successful
LONDON, UK - A Western price cap imposed a year ago on Russia's oil has had limited success with Moscow increasingly...
- The cap was jointly imposed on December 5, 2022 by the European Union, Australia and the Group of Seven rich countries.
- Initially successful, it lost its impact once President Vladimir Putin's Russia found new buyers for its oil and new tankers to deliver it.
Geostrategy
Asian countries score high in keenly watched PISA education survey
Paris, France - Asian countries dominated the top spots in a keenly watched survey of education capabilities published Tuesday, while levels...
- Singapore took top ranking in the latest assessment, which was carried out in 2022 and involved 690,000 students in 81 participating countries and economies
- Five other Asian education systems -- in Macao, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea -- came next in mathematics, and also scored near the top in reading and science
COP28 UAE
We respect climate science, says COP28 head
DUBAI, UAE - The Emirati president of the UN's COP28 talks said on Monday he respects climate science, after a leaked...
- Sultan Al Jaber also repeated his past statements that a phase out of fossil fuels was "inevitable".
- He acknowledged that global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut by 43 percent by 2030.
COP28 UAE
MENA region can create 10m jobs by 2050 via climate action, says ILO
DUBAI, UAE - International Labor Organization (ILO) Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States Peter Rademaker has confirmed that the...
- The trend towards renewable energy has helped to create 13.7 million jobs in the sector worldwide.
- The ILO is participating in COP28 to ensure that climate change efforts include to monitor the impact on jobs.
COP28 UAE
50 oil and gas companies pledge to cut operational emission in COP28 meet
DUBAI, UAE - Fifty oil and gas companies representing 40 percent of global production pledged to decarbonize their operations by 2050...
- The charter is part of a set of initiatives designed to accelerate the decarbonization of the global energy industry.
- They are voluntary commitments unlike the decisions of COP28, which are taken by consensus between nearly 200 countries.
COP28 UAE
US pledges $3bn to a global climate fund at COP28 meet
Developing countries least responsible for climate change are seeking support from richer polluting nations to adapt to the increasingly ferocious...
- The amount, which must be approved by the US Congress, will go into the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which was created in 2010
- The last US contribution to the fund for developing countries was made under then President Barack Obama, who committed $3 billion in 2014
Geostrategy
UAE President attends Group of 77 and China meeting at COP28
DUBAI, UAE – At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) here, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended...
- The UAE President expressed the country's commitment to enhancing global cooperation to achieve the ambitious goals set for COP28.
- These include accelerating the shift to a sustainable, low-carbon and economically robust model to deal with climate change.
Business
Mumtalakat, Investcorp ink pact
The firms have jointly launched a climate investment platform.
- The platform will make investments in businesses where they have matured past many of the risks that face earlier stage ventures.
- They must manage and minimize the execution risks associated with expansion in middle-market investments.
Geostrategy
UAE President announces $30bn Global Climate Fund at COP28 meet
In a groundbreaking announcement at the World Climate Action Summit during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), UAE President Sheikh...
- The fund, designed to address the critical gap in climate financing, aims to enable affordable access to climate finance.
- The UAE President highlighted the global urgency of addressing climate change and its pervasive impacts on life.
COP28 puts spotlight on state oil giants
Western energy firms are the usual suspects when it comes to criticism about the sector's role in climate change, but...
- National oil companies, or NOCs, "account for more than half of global production and close to 60 percent of the world's oil and gas reserves," the IEA said
- NOCs and the oil majors - which include BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies - will all be "critical to efforts to achieve net zero" emissions by 2050
Debt, trade barriers drag Asian economies in 2024, says World Bank report   Â
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Asian economies are not doing as well as they could and growth in the region is forecast...
Economy
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UN agency exhorts Israel to allow port for Gaza aid transfer
Rome, Italy - The UN's food agency on Thursday said it was pressing Israel to allow it to use the Ashdod...
Geostrategy
Hamas expresses dissatisfaction over Israel’s stance on Gaza truce
A senior Hamas official confirmed that the group's delegation in talks seeking a Gaza truce left Cairo for consultations in...
Geostrategy
Scientists launch hub to channel quantum power for good
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Scientists will work to channel the huge emerging power of quantum computers for the common good at a...
Science
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Geostrategy
Western countries shelve plans to censure Iran at UN nuclear meet
Western powers will not censure Iran over its lack of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog at its Board of...
- The issues include expanding its nuclear work, deactivating agency surveillance devices for monitoring Iran's nuclear program and barring senior inspectors.
- The so-called E3 group -- France, Germany and the United Kingdom -- initially planned to censure Iran for its lack of cooperation with the agency.
Geostrategy
UNRWA head seeks General Assembly support after backlash
The head of the UNRWA is set to defend his organization's work at the General Assembly, after crippling backlash over...
- The UNRWA's ability to carry out its mandate is "seriously threatened," Lazzarini said.
- The agency has been at the center of controversy since Israel accused about a dozen of its employees of involvement in the October 7 attack.
Business
Dubai International Boat Show helps in marine business
DUBAI, UAE – Dubai International Boat Show has wrapped up following a hugely successful week of high-value boat sales, important...
- The exhibition is recognized as one of the most influential boat shows in the world.
- The exhibition has wrapped up following a hugely successful week of boat sales.