From polar bears to groundwater, nature is riddled with ‘forever chemicals’
Paris, France - They didn't exist a century ago but today PFAS "forever chemicals" contaminate the environment from groundwater to Antarctic snow to turtle eggs, and concern over their possible toxicity is growing. Lawsuits and regulations targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are multiplying, with France becoming the latest jurisdiction to...
France condemns Israeli minister’s Gaza emigration remarks
Ben-Gvir on Monday called for promoting "a solution to encourage the emigration of Gaza's residents" and the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. His comments came the day after Smotrich also called for the return of settlers to Gaza, adding that Israel should "encourage" the territory's approximately 2.4 million Palestinians to...
Europe stocks rise, Asia tepid as oil jumps and Bitcoin shines
Following record highs in 2023 for the likes of Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo, investors are predicting more gains as central banks prepare a series of interest-rate cuts as inflation cools. Oil prices rallied 2.5 percent on supply concerns after Iran dispatched a warship to the Red Sea in response to...
Cerberus buys HSBC France retail
The takeover was finalized for an undisclosed amount.
‘Alone’: Afghan women fault West for lack of support
Since 2021, France says it has handed over 15,000 visa to Afghans, "mostly women, rights defenders, journalists and magistrates". But Delphine Rouilleault, the head of the France Terre d'Asile ("France Land of Asylum") association, said that hardly anyone had landed in France over the past year.
French government battles to save flagship immigration bill
Paris, France - The French government of President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday was battling to salvage a flagship immigration reform following deadlock in parliament that risks casting a shadow over his second mandate. After the government bill was rejected by parliament last week, a commission of French lower house MPs and...
IEA boss says COP28 bid farewell to fossil fuels
PARIS, FRANCE - While the UN's COP28 climate summit marked a pivot moment, when the world pledged to say "goodbye" to fossil fuels, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol told AFP on Friday, it needs to now urgently boost finance for the energy transition in developing countries. Birol welcomed the landmark...
France steps up Middle East effort with foreign minister’s Lebanon visit
There have been near-daily cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Hamas ally in Lebanon, and Israel since the Palestinian group's unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel.
Mahsa Amini’s family blocked from leaving Iran for EU rights prize
PARIS, FRANCE - The family of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian Kurdish woman who died in custody, have been banned from traveling to France to collect a top rights prize awarded posthumously, their lawyer said on Saturday. Amini died aged 22 on September 16, 2022, while being held by Iran's religious police...
Fossil fuels usage must end by 2040 to restrict warming to 1.5C
In a note to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Climate Change body, shared with AFP, climate scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Exeter University said there was very little room for anything but a total phase-out of fossil fuels.
Aid pledged to Ukraine down nearly 90 percent from Aug-Oct: Report
Paris, France - Ukraine's allies have dramatically scaled back their pledges of new aid to the country, which have fallen to their lowest level since the start of the war, the Kiel Institute's Ukraine aid tracker showed Thursday. "The dynamics of support to Ukraine have slowed," the German-based institute said, adding...
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 in Europe slipped at a record pace -- and not just because of Covid. However, the report also showed that students in top performing countries were not necessarily happier. The...
Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, says WHO
PARIS, FRANCE - Growing calls for the world to come to grips with the many ways that global warming affects human health have prompted the first day dedicated to the issue at crunch UN climate talks starting next week. Extreme heat, air pollution and the increasing spread of deadly infectious diseases...
Gaza focus as French foreign minister meets China’s PM, FM
Beijing has this year sought to play a greater role in the Middle East, facilitating a historic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and sending an envoy to the region to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Tax havens only half the story, says OECD
Paris, France - Tax havens are blamed for lower public revenues elsewhere as they lure away multinational firms but a study published on Tuesday showed that tax breaks in high-rate countries are also heavily exploited. Half the profits booked by multinationals benefiting from low tax rates were from countries that have...
Earth to warm up to 2.9C even with current climate pledges, says UN
PARIS, FRANCE - Countries' greenhouse gas-cutting pledges put Earth on track for warming far beyond key limits, potentially up to a catastrophic 2.9 degrees Celsius this century, the UN said Monday, warning "we are out of road". The UN Environment Program's annual Emissions Gap report is released just ahead of crucial...
Big tech firms have been fined billions, but not paid them
PARIS, FRANCE - Rarely a month goes by without big tech companies getting fined for price fixing, squashing competitors or misusing data, but it can take years before they pay a penny. Ireland's data regulator confirmed to AFP that Meta has not paid any of the US$2.2 billion (2 billion euros)...
Alstom to cut 1500 jobs
Alstom said it aims to cut debt by 2 billion euros by March 2025.
France rallies for Gaza, demanding ceasefire
Pleading for an end to Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, thousands of pro-Palestine supporters took to streets in Paris under the rallying cry "Stop the massacre in Gaza." The left-wing organisers called for France to "demand an immediate ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas", as the death toll in Gaza...
UAE exhorts UNESCO members to join COP28 ‘climate efforts’
Paris, France-- The UAE has made a fervent appeal to members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to join the country and its group of friends to lead climate efforts on the occasion of the UAE hosting COP28 in Expo City Dubai from 30th November to...
Russia spreading disinformation on Middle East situation, says Microsoft
Paris, France - Russia has been spreading "disinformation" about the situation in the Middle East, the president of Microsoft said on Saturday, as tensions soar in the region due to the Israel-Hamas war. Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chair and president, was asked about the role of the US tech giant in...
Saudi delegation takes part in Riyadh Expo 2030 symposium in Paris
PARIS, FRANCE - A high-level Saudi delegation attended the Riyadh Expo 2030 Symposium, on the outskirts here, hosted by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, responsible for the Kingdom's bid to host the World Expo in 2030. The event took place in Meudon on Monday in the presence of representatives...
Israel not to attend Macron’s humanitarian event for Gaza in France
Macron had spoken on Tuesday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the pair will talk again once the aid conference is over, the Elysee Palace added.
Stocks extend global rally as US jobs data cements rate hopes
Hong Kong, China - Markets rallied again Monday following another strong performance on Wall Street, as below-forecast US jobs data fanned optimism that the Federal Reserve had reached the end of its interest rate hiking cycle. After a tough year for traders, the bank's decision last week to pause on monetary...
$10 trn of ‘hidden costs’ on food and agriculture system per year, says UN
Paris, France - The food and agriculture system adds at least $10 trillion in "hidden costs" to the global economy every year due to unhealthy diets, emissions and undernourishment, a UN agency said on Monday. The Food and Agriculture Organization said it conducted an analysis in 154 countries to determine the...
More than 20,000 wounded people still in Gaza: MSF
The MSF pleaded that the people who plan to leave Gaza must be allowed "without further delay" and should also have the right to return. It called for a ceasefire and greater number of people to be evacuated. Its Gaza staff were still offering care in spite of the Israeli...
Musk says Starlink internet to support Gaza’s ‘recognized’ aid groups
Paris, France - Billionaire Elon Musk said on Saturday that his Starlink satellite service would support internet access for "internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza," which have faced a telecommunications blackout since Friday. Starlink is a network of satellites in low Earth orbit that can provide internet to remote locations, or...
Markets fall as traders wary due to Gaza war, Fed interest rates
Paris, France - Stock markets slid on Monday, extending last week's sell-off n fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East and worries that US interest rates will remain elevated for longer than initially thought. The concerns about US interest rates have also been affecting bond markets, with the yield...
Renault shares fall as sales disappoint
The company's strategy is to sell fewer cars but at higher prices.
Tech summit in disarray after organizer’s Israel comment
Paris, France - Several technology industry leaders have decided to boycott one of the sector's biggest annual events after the organizer criticized Israel's actions following the Hamas attacks. Paddy Cosgrave, an Irish entrepreneur and co-founder of the Web Summit, wrote on social media platform X last week that he was "shocked...
World leaders try to contain Israel-Hamas war
As Israel prepares for a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip, the international community has mobilized to try to protect civilians and prevent the conflict spreading across the region. But Tel Aviv's avowed determination to crush Hamas, the group behind the October 7 attack on Israel, are hampering mediation efforts.
Disasters cause crop losses worth $3.8trn over 30 years, says FAO
PARIS, FRANCE - Natural and man-made disasters have caused $3.8 trillion in crop and livestock loses over 30 years, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said on Friday. Floods, droughts, insect infestations, storms, disease and war have caused about $123 billion per year in lost food production between 1991 and...
Countries evacuate citizens as Israel-Hamas war rages
Thousands of foreigners are stuck in Israel and across the Palestinian territories, where a full-blown war has erupted since Hamas launched their attack. With the violence having already claimed thousands of lives on both sides, several countries have launched operations to repatriate their citizens, while others plan to do so...
Gaza is an impoverished area under Israeli blockade, hit by war
PARIS, FRANCE - The Gaza Strip is an impoverished Palestinian enclave that has been under Israeli blockade since 2007. It is ruled by Hamas (the Arabic acronym for Islamic Resistance Movement), now at war with Israel for the fifth time in 15 years. Here is what you need to know about Gaza:...
El Nino forced sugar price to hit 13-year high in September, says FAO
Paris, France - Global sugar prices soared to their highest level in almost 13 years in September as the El Nino weather phenomenon hit production in India and Thailand, the Food and Agriculture Organization said Friday. While world food prices steadied as a whole last month, the FAO's Sugar Price Index...
UN conference adopts plan to reduce harmful chemicals
PARIS, FRANCE - A new roadmap to reduce the environmental risks from chemicals and waste was adopted at a United Nations conference on Saturday as part of a drive to manage damaging chemical exposure. The Global Framework on Chemicals was adopted by governments, companies, and NGOs at the fifth International Conference...
Rights group urges justice an year after Iran’s ‘Bloody Friday’
Paris, France - Campaign groups on Saturday demanded the perpetrators of the killing of dozens of protesters in southeast Iran one year ago be brought to justice, accusing authorities of using force to quell the latest demonstration in the region. According to activists, Iranian security forces used live fire to suppress...
Cathay Pacific orders A320neo planes
The value of the deal is expected between $3.2 billion to $4.1 billion.
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 industrial power, top policymakers warned on Friday. The plea was made at a conference on the clean energy transition hosted by the International Energy Agency, the European Central Bank and...
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 in a rapidly escalating climate crisis, an expert told AFP. A cascade of extreme weather events have inflicted devastation in 2023, which the European Union's climate monitor says is likely...
Binance selling Russia business
Binance is likely to sell its Russian assets to CommEX.
Rising demand for critical metals pose dilemmas for investors
PARIS, FRANCE - Soaring demand for the raw materials needed for the transition towards renewable energy is creating dilemmas for investors weighing the economic, environmental and human rights risks of such projects. With demand for fossil fuels expected to peak by the end of the decade, the focus is shifting towards...
TotalEnergies, Adani Group set up JV for wind, solar power production in India
PARIS, FRANCE - French firm TotalEnergies and Indian group Adani unveiled plans on Wednesday to create a joint venture to develop wind and solar electricity production in India. The joint venture will include wind and solar assets that Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) already operates and is building and developing in India,...
Europe’s tussle with Big Tech involves dominance, data, disinformation
Paris, France - Irish regulators on Friday handed out a 345-million-euro ($369-million) fine to TikTok over data breaches, part of a battle between the European Union and big tech firms on issues from tax avoidance and hate speech to data privacy and monopolistic practices. Here is a summary of the tussles...
IEA forecasts energy demand to reach record high this decade
The IEA's annual World Energy Outlook, due out next month, will show that "the world is on the cusp of a historic turning point," executive director Fatih Birol wrote in the FT.
Situation in Morocco in the aftermath of quake
PARIS, FRANCE - Rescuers in Morocco were scrambling on Sunday to reach people trapped under the rubble after a powerful earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people and decimated entire villages. Here's what we know so far: Strongest-ever in Morocco A 6.8-magnitude quake, according to the US Geological Survey -...
World falling dangerously short of climate goals: UN report
Paris, France - A world facing catastrophic climate change is perilously off course in meeting goals for slashing carbon pollution and boosting finance for the developing world, according to the UN's first official progress report out Friday. The 2015 Paris treaty has successfully driven climate action, but "much more is needed...
UN urges age restrictions on Artificial Intelligence in schools
Paris, France - The United Nations called on Thursday for strict rules on the use of AI tools such as viral chatbot ChatGPT in classrooms, including limiting their use to older children. In new guidance for governments, the UN's education body UNESCO warned that public authorities were not ready to deal...
2023 likely to be hottest year in human history, says EU climate monitor
"2023 is the year that climate records were not just broken but smashed," said Mark Maslin, a professor of climatology at University College London.
G20 shirking ‘critical’ climate issues: UN climate chief
The G20, which accounts for about 85 percent of the world's economy and greenhouse gas emissions, will meet in New Delhi in the absence of China and Russia's leaders, as the invasion of Ukraine, trade and the future of fossil fuels stir tensions.
World inches step closer towards plastic pollution deal: UN
Some 175 nations are working to reach a landmark agreement by end-2024 that will curb plastic pollution, which ends up in oceans, birds' stomachs and on mountain peaks. Microplastics have even been detected in blood and maternal milk.