Stories for you

  • News
    AFP News

    Moody's downgrades outlook on China credit rating over debt fears

    Ratings agency Moody's on Tuesday downgraded the outlook on China's credit rating to "negative" from "stable" on the back of rising debt in the world's second-largest economy, with Beijing saying it was "disappointed" by the move.Beijing's finance ministry said in response it was "disappointed with Moody's decision".

  • News
    AFP News

    Record more than 2,000 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP28 talks: NGOs

    A record almost 2,500 fossil fuel lobbyists have been accredited for UN climate talks in Dubai, as negotiators wrestle with calls to end all new oil, gas and coal projects to curb global warming, campaign groups said Tuesday.The COP28 negotiations, held during what is widely expected to be the hottest year on record, have been mired in controversy since Sultan Al Jaber, head of the UAE state oil firm, was appointed the climate talks' president.

  • News
    AFP News

    Eight dead as cyclone batters India's southeast coast

    Chest-high waters surged down the streets of India's southern city Chennai on Tuesday with eight people killed in intense floods as Cyclone Michaung was set to make landfall on the southeast coast.Police said on Tuesday that eight people have been killed in state capital Chennai.?

  • News
    Reuters

    China issues safety guidelines for autonomous public transport vehicles

    BEIJING (Reuters) -China on Tuesday issued safety guidelines for the use of autonomous vehicles in public transport, the latest in a series of measures preparing for the increased use of driverless cars. The guidelines apply to autonomous vehicles for passengers including taxis as well as for freight, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement. The guidelines cover vehicles of various degrees of automation and mandate they carry at least one driver or security inspector.

  • News
    AFP News

    Green turtles fight to survive against Pakistan's urban sprawl

    Against the backdrop of the mega port city of Karachi, choked with traffic and construction, four green turtles emerge from the frothy Arabian Sea seeking a spot to lay their eggs.Now only the green turtles come to shore to lay their eggs on just two beaches in Karachi and on uninhabited islands in Balochistan province, further down the coast towards Iran.

  • Lifestyle
    AFP News

    Man in a wooden suit: Finnish craftsman turns bark to art

    In his rustic cabin in the forests of southern Finland, 87-year-old Erkki Pekkarinen carves delicate strips of birch bark with his knife, before intricately weaving them into beautiful objects.His art gallery in Asikkala is filled with a myriad of objects constructed of nothing but strips of birch bark woven together without glue or nails.

  • News
    AFP News

    World could breach 1.5C warming threshold in 7 years: study

    The world may cross the crucial 1.5C global warming threshold in seven years as fossil fuel CO2 emissions continue to rise, scientists warned Tuesday, urging countries at the COP28 talks to "act now" on coal, oil and gas pollution.But China, which accounts for almost a third of global emissions, is expected to see a four percent rise in fossil fuel CO2 this year, the research found, with increases in coal, oil and gas as the country continues to rebound from its Covid-19 lockdowns.?

  • Politics
    HuffPost

    Chris Christie's Kids Hate It When Trump Calls Him A 'Fat Pig'

    The former New Jersey governor and now GOP presidential rival said his family has been friends with Trump for over 20 years, and "it just shows you he’s lost it.”

  • News
    AFP News

    Nigerian army drone strike error kills civilians

    An army drone strike accidentally hit a village in northwestern Nigeria killing dozens of civilians celebrating a Muslim festival, local authorities, the military and residents said on Monday.The army did not provide details or a death toll for the strike late Sunday in Tudun Biri village, Kaduna State, but residents said dozens were killed and wounded.

  • Politics
    HuffPost

    George Santos Crowns Himself 'Former Congressional Icon' On Cameo

    The ex-congressman is looking for a new hustle after being booted from the House last week.

  • News
    HuffPost

    Head Of Global Climate Summit Manages To Deny Science In Pro-Science Comment

    Sultan Al Jaber says his statement on fossil fuels was "taken out of context," but a full, unedited video of his comments suggests otherwise.

  • Business
    Reuters

    Singapore to triple AI talent to 15,000 experts, deputy PM says

    Singapore plans to triple its pool of artificial intelligence experts, including machine-learning scientists and engineers, to 15,000, as part of its national AI strategy, deputy prime minister Lawrence Wong said on Monday. Nvidia revenue for the quarter that ended in October included $2.7 billion that originated from Singapore, trailing only the U.S, China, and Taiwan, according to a company filing to the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission. Singapore also pledged under its AI strategy to

  • Lifestyle
    HuffPost

    I'm 70 And I've Lived Alone My Entire Adult Life. Here's What Everyone Gets Wrong About Single People.

    "For people like me who are single at heart, the risk is not what we'll miss if we do not organize our lives around a romantic partner, but what we'll miss if we do."

  • Business
    Reuters

    Crypto stocks surge as bitcoin hits fresh 2023 high

    "The impact of an (ETF) approval is going to be big in terms of investment appetite because it's going to be more easily regulated, more attractive and easier to invest," said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior market analyst at Swissquote Bank. Halving is a process designed to slow the release of bitcoin, and bitcoin prices have typically rallied following halvings. Bitcoin miners such as Riot Platforms, Marathon Digital and CleanSpark jumped between 10.3% and 18.8%, respectively, adding to their doub

  • Business
    AFP News

    Turkey's inflation ticks up to 62%

    Turkey's annual inflation rate ticked up slightly in November, the state statistics agency said on Monday, showing further signs of levelling off following a series of sharp interest rate hikes.The rate moved to 61.98 percent last month from 61.36 percent in October, the TUIK state statistics agency said.

  • News
    AFP News

    'Where is our future': Uganda declares war on used clothing

    For nearly three decades, the chaotic, overcrowded Owino secondhand market in Uganda's capital has been the cornerstone of Hadija Nakimuli's life, helping the widowed shopkeeper build a house and raise 12 children.second-generation shopkeeper Harriet Musoke Kyambadde asked, her voice trembling with indignation.

  • News
    AFP News

    Israel expands offensive in Gaza

    Israel expanded its offensive against Hamas militants in besieged Gaza on Monday, as international concern deepened over the mounting civilian death toll in a war sparked by the October 7 attacks.The mounting death toll in Gaza has sparked growing international concern over Israel's conduct of the war to eradicate Hamas.

  • News
    AFP News

    Volunteer divers guard Oman's 'unique' coral reefs

    On a sailing boat anchored off Oman's pristine Daymaniyat Islands, volunteer divers pull on wetsuits, check their scuba tanks and then take turns plunging into the clear turquoise water."To protect marine ecosystems, we must first preserve coral reefs," said the 45-year-old who oversees the Daymaniyat Islands, Oman's only marine reserve.

  • Business
    Reuters

    Rupee ends down on importers' dollar buys, recovery in greenback

    The Indian rupee fell on Monday as a slight recovery in the U.S. dollar and strong dollar demand from local companies blunted positive cues that boosted equity indexes to record highs. The dollar index was last quoted higher at 103.43. Indian equity indexes rose to fresh record highs following wins for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party in state elections.

  • Business
    AFP News

    What we know about Evergrande's financial future

    A Hong Kong court on Monday gave Chinese property giant Evergrande until the end of January to put together a restructuring plan, offering the embattled firm much-needed breathing room as it teeters on the brink of bankruptcy.Evergrande has until January 29 to come up with a detailed repayment plan, with a Hong Kong judge urging its lawyers to seek "more direct discussion with relevant authorities" to confirm that the company's restructuring proposal was doable.