Author: News Desk

President-Elect Donald Trump announced former Florida attorney general and fervent ally Pam Bondi as his pick for US attorney general on Thursday after Matt Gaetz withdrew his bid to head the Department of Justice just hours earlier. Bondi, a former leader against Trump’s impeachment, replaced the controversial Gaetz after his nomination faced strong resistance due to previous sexual conduct allegations. Trump picks Pam Bondi as US attorney general after Gaetz withdrawal

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a censure motion against Iran on Thursday, ordering it to immprove its cooperation with the agency and requesting a “comprehensive report”  into Tehran’s efforts early next year. Iran and the IAEA have been at loggerheads on a range of issues including Tehran’s failure to explain traces of uranium at two undeclared locations, the barring of some of the agency’s leading uranium-enrichment experts and its refusal to facilitate expanded IAEA monitoring. What does the resolution ask of Iran? Like previous iterations from November 2022 and June 2024, the latest resolution repeats the “essential and urgent” need for…

The announcement, which Boris Pistorius made in a video posted to SDP social media channels, clears the way for incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz to run for a second term. Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said he is “not available” to run as a candidate for chancellor in February’s snap election, saying he would instead support Olaf Scholz’s re-election bid. The announcement, which Pistorius made in a video posted to social media channels belonging to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ends days of speculation about him replacing Scholz. “I have emphasized this over and over in recent weeks and I’m…

On 23 September 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) declared that they had “neutralized an operational combat group of the Russian GRU” (Military intelligence service of Russia’s armed forces). The alleged plot was attributed to Dr. Oleg Maltsev, an internationally recognized Ukrainian scientist, as his list of publications shows. The SBU presented him as a traitor to Ukraine, a saboteur, a ‘gypsy,’ a cult leader and a pseudoscientist but Maltsev who is known as a staunch defender of Ukraine denied any involvement in any pro-Russian activity. Oleg Maltsev was arrested on 14 September 2024 and has been held since then…

Strange Massachusetts laws including pigeons, haunted houses, milk cartons and more Laws on pigeon frightening, milk cart vandalization and belting the national anthem are all present in the state of Massachusetts.  The 1780 Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the oldest functioning written constitution in the world, according to Mass.gov. The historical document was drafted by John Adams. Scanning through laws in Massachusetts, you are sure to find some head scratchers, but the state is far from the only one that has bizarre laws still technically on the books. Below are a few strange laws present in the state…

The 2023 wildfire season ranks among the EU’s worst in over two decades, fuelled by climate change. Fires devastated vast areas, threatening ecosystems and lives. As fire risks rise, Europe must prevent and prepare for intensifying wildfire seasons. The Rescue fleet provided assistance to fight wildfires in Portugal in July 2022. Italian Civil Protection, 2022 The latest JRC report on Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa 2023 shows that last year was one of the worst five years for wildfires in EMEA since 2000. Wildfires affected over 500 000 hectares of natural lands, roughly half the size of the…

Stocks making the biggest moves today Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Alibaba, Applied Materials, Ulta Beauty and more Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Applied Materials — Shares tumbled more than 8% after the semiconductor equipment manufacturer offered weak revenue guidance for the current quarter. Applied Materials said it forecasts $7.15 billion in the first fiscal quarter, under the estimate of $7.224 billion from analysts polled by LSEG. The company also reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results and provided a strong outlook for adjusted earnings per share. Alibaba — S hares jumped more than 3% after the…

Asia-Pacific markets Live Updates shows the Asian markets mostly rose Friday on morning, tracking a rally on Wall Street that saw the S&P log gains for a fourth straight day. Asia-Pacific markets Live Updates Investors in Asia assessed Japan’s October consumer price index data. The core inflation, excluding volatile fresh food prices, rose 2.3% from a year ago, slightly above the estimated 2.2%, according to analysts polled by Reuters. That’s cooler than 2.4% in the previous month. The overall CPI came in at 2.3%, versus 2.5% in September. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 0.79% Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 0.79% while the…

The United States reacts to ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu but so far nothing from President Biden or Trump. The EU’s reaction to the ICC arrest warrant has been dominated by its favourbale support for Netanyahu’s arrest. The United States reacts to ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu The United States fundamentally rejects the kangaroo court and its decision by the ICC to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders, a National Security Council spokesperson said Thursday. However, most of its western and NATO allies disagree. “We remain deeply concerned by the Prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling…

The EU reacts to ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, with responses that has put even Israel’s most staunchest of allies under immense pressure leading to mostly circumspect acceptance. ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu The EU reacts to ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu – ‘binding’ The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said the warrants were not political, and that the court decision should be respected and implemented. All 27 EU countries are signatories to the International Criminal Court, and the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has reminded them of their duty to abide by the court’s ruling. Borrell…