Canadian lake ground-zero for Anthropocene epoch
PARIS: Scientists on Tuesday designated a small body of water near Toronto, Canada as ground-zero for the Anthropocene, the proposed geological epoch defined by humanity’s massive and destabilising impact on the planet. Layered sediment at the bottom of Lake Crawford — laced with microplastics, fly-ash spread by burning oil and coal, and the detritus of […]
Beijing sees boost in relations as talks with Washington begin
BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang told US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday that Beijing “can see a rainbow” after a period of fraught ties, as the two sat down for talks aimed at stabilising their countries’ relationship. Yellen told Li that the United States is not seeking “winner-take-all” competition. Her four-day trip is her […]
Taliban administration orders beauty salons in Afghanistan to close
The Taliban administration in Afghanistan has ordered beauty salons to close within a month, the morality ministry said, in the latest shrinking of access to public places for Afghan women. “The deadline for the closing of beauty parlours for women is one month,” Mohammad Sadiq Akif, a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Prevention of […]
Russia drops charges against Prigozhin after his forces halt march to Moscow
Moscow: After Wagner mercenary force chief Yevgeny Prigozhin decided to halt his forces’ march to Moscow under deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kremlin spokesperson on Saturday said the charges against the Wagner leader who led armed mutiny against the country’s military leadership would be dropped, The New York Times reported The Kremlin spokesman […]
Beijing sizzles with hot weather alert at highest level
Beijing on Friday upgraded its warning for hot weather to “red” — the highest in a colour-coded alert system — with many parts of the Chinese capital roasting in temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius. The official temperature for the capital, which is measured from its southern suburbs observatory, hit 40C just after 1:30pm […]
Vice President of India addresses the Special Convocation Ceremony of University of Jammu
A multinational mission to find a missing submersible near the Titanic wreck is still focused on rescuing the five-member crew alive, the US coast guard insisted on Thursday, despite fears that the vessel’s oxygen may already have run out. Two more unmanned subs were deployed today as the massive hunt for the Titan, lost somewhere […]
Air strikes hit Sudanese capital, killing 17
Air strikes killed civilians and pummeled multiple parts of the Sudanese capital on Saturday, residents said, as mediators pushed the warring factions towards a new ceasefire. Fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is entering its third month with neither side gaining a clear advantage. The war has displaced 2.2 million […]
Arab countries account for quarter of Israeli arms exports
JERUSALEM: Israeli defence exports hit an all-time high of $12.5 billion last year, with Arab countries that recently established ties accounting for nearly a quarter of purchase contracts, officials said on Wednesday. The defence ministry, which oversees and approves the exports of Israel’s defence industries, said one quarter of deals were for drone systems, with […]
‘Nothing wrong’ with nuclear deal with West, says Khamenei
DUBAI: Iran’s supreme leader on Sunday said a deal with the West over Tehran’s nuclear work was possible if the country’s nuclear infrastructure remained intact, amid a stalemate between Tehran and Washington to revive a 2015 nuclear pact. Months of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to salvage the nuclear accord with six major powers […]
Saudi Arabia to cut oil output in July as Opec extends deal into 2024
Saudi Arabia will make deep production cuts in July as part of a broader output-limiting Opec+ deal as the group faces flagging oil prices and a looming supply glut. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz said the cut of one million barrels per day (bpd) by Riyadh could be extended beyond July if needed. “This is […]
