Beijing could resort to military conflict with self-ruled Taiwan to divert domestic pressure if a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy amid trade war threatens the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party, the island’s foreign minister has said. As Taiwan’s presidential elections approach in January, China has stepped up ... Read More »
Ukraine crisis put on ice by Trump staff busy working out how to buy Greenland
State and defence departments wanted military aid restored, but the Greenland issue ‘took up a lot of energy’, new testimony reveals After the White House cut off military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump’s top officials scrambled to get it restored but were unable to organise a meeting with the ... Read More »
Climate crisis: 11,000 scientists warn of ‘untold suffering’
Statement sets out ‘vital signs’ as indicators of magnitude of the climate emergency The world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society, according to a stark warning from more than 11,000 scientists. “We declare clearly and unequivocally that planet ... Read More »
Dumped fishing gear is biggest plastic polluter in ocean, finds report
Greenpeace calls for global action over nets, lines and traps that are deadly for marine life Lost and abandoned fishing gear which is deadly to marine life makes up the majority of large plastic pollution in the oceans, according to a report by Greenpeace. More than 640,000 tonnes of ... Read More »
Iran’s production of enriched uranium rises tenfold in two months
Experts warn of dangerous consequences as nuclear deal continues to unravel Iran has announced a tenfold increase in enriched uranium production as Tehran backs away from its nuclear deal with the west. Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s atomic energy organisation, said enriched uranium production was now at ... Read More »
Aoun: Next govt’s 1st task to fight corruption
President Michel Aoun said any new government’s first task will be to follow up on combating corruption, during a meeting Monday with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis. “The investigation will include all officials in all levels of public administrations,” Aoun said, according to a statement from the ... Read More »
Any amount of running reduces risk of early death, study finds
Previous research suggested health benefits increased with greater volume of running Any amount of running is good for you, according to research suggesting it is linked to a similar reduction in the risk of early death no matter how many hours you clock up a week or how fast ... Read More »
Lines but no panic as Lebanese banks re-open after two-week hiatus
Lebanese banks opened on Friday for the first time in two weeks following a wave of protests that prompted the prime minister’s resignation, with lines building at some branches where customers encountered new curbs on transfers abroad. An hour after doors opened, lines of several dozen people had formed ... Read More »
Fears of street violence dim Barcelona’s beautiful sight to behold
Hard confrontations between protesters and the police have returned to central Barcelona over the weekend. At least three were detained and 44 injured during the pro-independence protests in the city in the Catalonia region of northeast Spain, according to local securities. Although the situation was calmer than last weekend’s riots, ... Read More »
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri Resigns
Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Tuesday that he would submit his resignation to President Michel Aoun at Baabda Palace. “I am going to Baabda Palace to submit the resignation of this government, in response to the Lebanese who took to the streets,” Hariri said, addressing the Lebanese. “To all ... Read More »