Global trade system ‘at risk of derailment’: UN chief
Geneva, Switzerland -- The rules-based international trade system is in danger, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday, amid spiraling debt,...Geostrategy
Lavrov and Rubio discuss Putin-Trump summit, Zelensky seeks invite to the meeting
Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov and US counterpart Marco Rubio discussed preparations for an upcoming summit between Vladimir Putin and...Geostrategy
Iran FM holds talks with Saudi Crown Prince after Tehran’s ceasefire with Israel
Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his country hoped the truce would contribute to regional stability, and emphasised Riyadh's position...Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his country hoped the truce would contribute to regional stability
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi "expressed his gratitude" to Riyadh for its condemnation of Israel's attacks on Iran last month
UN experts warn of torture risk as US deports migrants to third countries
Geneva, Switzerland -- UN experts decried Tuesday the US resumption of migrant deportations to third countries, including to war-torn South...The experts stressed that assessments of potential dangers faced by deportees "must be individual as well as country-specific".
They highlighted that the United States had agreed to adhere to international obligations to prevent so-called refoulement, including under the Convention Against Torture.
Trump says ‘no extensions’ to Aug 1 tariff deadline
While Trump imposed a sweeping 10 percent tariff on goods from almost all trading partners in April, higher rates customized...On Monday night, Trump had told reporters at a dinner that the August 1 deadline was "firm, but not 100 percent firm."
Pressed on whether the letters were his final offer, Trump replied: "I would say final -- but if they call with a different offer, and I like it, then we'll do it."
AI needs to be smaller, reduce energy footprint: UNESCO study
Paris, France -- The potential of artificial intelligence is immense -- but its equally vast energy consumption needs curbing, with...OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently said that each request sent to ChatGPT consumes on average 0.34 Wh of electricity, which is 10-70 times a Google search.
UNESCO calculated that AI energy demand is doubling every 100 days as generative AI tools become embedded in everyday life.
Five IDF soldiers killed, 14 injured in roadside bombing in Northern Gaza
Five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 others injured late Monday night when a roadside bomb exploded during an ongoing...The incident occurred around 10 p.m. as infantry soldiers on foot patrol were hit by an explosive device planted along a road
The attack took place during an operation led by the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade and the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade
US to send ‘more weapons’ to Ukraine, after last week’s halt to shipments: Trump
US President Donald Trump said Monday the United States will send additional weapons to Ukraine, after the White House announced..."We're going to have to send more weapons -- defensive weapons primarily," Trump told journalists at the White House
"They're getting hit very, very hard," he said of Ukraine, while saying he is "not happy" with President Vladimir Putin
Trump hosts Netanyahu in push for Gaza deal, says Hamas too willing to end the conflict
Netanyahu's third visit since Trump's return to power comes at a crucial time, with the US president hoping to capitalize...Netanyahu's third visit since Trump's return to power comes at a crucial time, with the US president hoping to build on the momentum from a recent truce between Israel and Iran
"I don't think there is a hold up. I think things are going along very well," Trump told reporters at the start of the dinner when asked what was preventing a peace deal
US revoking terrorist designation for Syria’s HTS
An armed coalition led by HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa overthrew then-Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December, ending half a century...The former fighter's rule as interim president has been cautiously welcomed in Washington, Europe and elsewhere, with Israel seeking to build ties with the new government.
US President Donald Trump last week formally dismantled US sanctions against Syria, saying he hoped to reintegrate the war-battered country into the global economy.
Use of eco-friendly rice bricks surges in water-scarce Kyrgyzstan
Rice blocks require less cement, which is responsible for approximately eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to 2023...Nursultan Taabaldyev is one of the pioneers of the technology in Central Asia hailed as an environmentally friendly alternative to water-intensive concrete.
They are "made of 60 percent rice husks. The rest is clay, cement and a chemical-free glue," Taabaldyev told AFP.
Trump warns of 10% additional tariff for countries aligning with BRICS’ policies
BRICS leaders on Sunday described Trump's stop-start tariff wars as "indiscriminate", damaging, and illegal, drawing a quick rebuke from the...The 11-nation grouping -- which also includes US allies Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia -- is concluding a two-day summit in Rio de Janeiro.
BRICS members account for about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output.
