Putin expects Türkiye’s Erdogan to attend BRICS summit in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he expected his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend a BRICS summit in...Economy Geostrategy
What a Fed rate cut could mean for the world
The U.S. Federal Reserve is on Wednesday heading for its first interest rate cut since the onset of the COVID-19...Economy
Europe should move faster on energy transition, say IEA, ECB
PARIS, FRANCE - Europe must invest more quickly and massively in its energy transition if it wants to remain a global...Europe must invest more quickly in its energy transition if it wants to remain a global industrial power, top policymakers said.
Private sector investment faces barriers including policy uncertainty, bureaucratic red tape and higher energy costs, they said.
GCC, Pakistan ink preliminary free trade agreement
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said that preliminary free trade agreement...The agreement was signed by GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi and Pakistani Commerce Minister Dr. Gohar Ejaz.
The Secretary-General stressed that the GCC countries are proceeding with free-trade negotiations with other countries.
Politicians fail to understand scientific facts of climate, says expert
PARIS, FRANCE - Wavering ambition by governments and a growing belief that science is politically subjective are great causes for concern...Several extreme weather events have occurred in 2023, which the European Union's climate monitor says is likely to be the hottest in human history.
These underscores the urgency of slashing planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions to avert the catastrophic impacts of greater global warming.
First migrants in a week land on Italy’s Lampedusa
Bad weather over the past week had prevented those fleeing North Africa to venture the risky Mediterranean crossing. The earlier...Seventeen Tunisians were admitted to the island's migrant reception center, which earlier this month was overrun after 8,500 arrived in just three days
A little later, 38 migrants from Bangladesh arrived after their nine-metre boat was picked up off the coast by Italian authorities
More than 2,500 migrants dead or missing in Mediterranean in 2023: UN
The land journey from sub-Saharan African countries, where many of the migrants hail from, to departure points on the Tunisian...In total, some 186,000 people arrived by sea in southern Europe from January to September 24, landing in Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta
Between January and August of this year it is estimated that more than 102,000 refugees and migrants tried to cross the Mediterranean from Tunisia and 45,000 from Libya
Lebanese children ‘miss out’ on education as crisis takes toll
Lack of funding for the school system has precipitated repeated teachers' strikes and school closures, resulting in children being increasingly...Public sector teachers earn the equivalent of $150 to $300 per month, while the education ministry has sounded the alarm over lack of funding
At least 15 percent of households have pulled their children out of schools, UNICEF found in a June report, up from 10 percent a year ago
Saudi Arabia eyes global EV role following Lucid’s plant setup
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia aims to become a global player in manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs) and related products,...“The EV industry is one of 12 strategic industrial sectors covered by the National Industrial Strategy to boost the growth of industry across the Kingdom,” the minister added
Lucid Group’s choice of Saudi Arabia as the headquarters of its plant in the Middle East reflects the importance of kingdom’s unique geographical location, he added
China wants to be world’s strongest nation, says Blinken
WASHINGTON, US - China is seeking to surpass the United States as the top power in the world, US Secretary of...Asked at a forum about China's intentions, Blinken said, "I think that what it seeks is to be the dominant power in the world -- militarily, economically, diplomatically".
President Joe Biden's administration, while saying it is clear-eyed on China and stepping up pressure, has also been increasing dialogue in hopes of managing tensions.
UAE, Egypt central banks ink currency swap deal
ABU DHABI, UAE - The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) on Thursday...The CBUAE is keen to deepen its cooperation with the CBE to positively impact the trade and investment, said the Governor of UAE’s central bank.
This step will bolster cooperation between the financial sectors in both the currencies, said the Governor of Egypt’s central bank.
Israel sells Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany for US$3.5bn
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - Israel's US$3.5-billion sale of its Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany, sparked by security fears after...Israeli arms exports reached a new record of $12.5 billion dollars last year, double the amount from three years earlier, says its defense ministry.
Israel, together with its top ally the United States, has developed hi-tech systems designed to knock incoming rockets and missiles out of the sky.
