Huge surge in measles as Covid hits jab campaigns Measles cases jumped by 79 percent in the first two months of this year compared to 2021, after COVID-19 and lockdowns disrupted child vaccination campaignsaround the world, according to data from UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO). In January and February, there were 17,338 measles cases reported worldwide, up from 9,665 in the same […] April 27, 2022
Lifestyle Turkish court sentences Kavala to life in prison A Turkish court sentenced philanthropist Osman Kavala to life in prison on Monday finding him guilty of attempting to overthrow the government by financing 2013 nationwide protests, in a case that Europe’s top court and Ankara’s Western allies said was politically motivated. Kavala, 64, has been in jail for 4-1/2 years without a conviction and […] April 27, 2022
Tourism Private jets see General Dynamics profit take off Gulfstream jet maker General Dynamics Corp on Wednesday posted a 3.1 percent rise in first-quarter profit, as demand for private air travel during the coronavirus pandemic remained high. Shares were up 3.5 percent in morning trading to $245.16. Cautious passengers who opted for private flights instead of commercial flights due to fears of contracting coronavirus […] April 27, 2022
Tourism Boeing shares plunge on fresh 777X setbacks Boeing said on Wednesday it was halting 777X production through 2023 due to a fresh delay in its entry into service after certification problems and weak demand, with $1.5 billion in added costs for the mini-jumbo program. Shares of the US planemaker fell 11 percent to $146.62 in early trading – a nearly 1-1/2 year […] April 27, 2022
King Abdullah joins Biden to defuse Jerusalem tension Jordan’s King Abdullah agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden on the need to prevent a repeat of recent confrontations in Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites that sparked concerns of wider conflict, state media said. In a phone call on Monday, Abdullah was quoted as saying the cornerstone of peace was a comprehensive Arab Israeli settlement based […] April 27, 2022
Jordan’s king agreed with U.S. Biden on need to defuse Jerusalem tension Jordan’s King Abdullah agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden on the need to prevent a repeat of recent confrontations in Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites that sparked concerns of wider conflict, state media said. In a phone call on Monday, Abdullah was quoted as saying the cornerstone of peace was a comprehensive Arab Israeli settlement based on a two-state solution […] April 27, 2022
Media & Advertising Turkish President Erdogan plans visit to Saudi’s Crown Prince Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday and meet Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as Ankara tries to mend ties with Riyadh after dropping a legal case on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. Relations have been tense since a Saudi hit team killed Khashoggi at the kingdom’s Istanbul […] April 27, 2022
Saudi Arabia, France pledge $30m for Lebanon aid France and Saudi Arabia announced a joint development fund for crisis-hit Lebanon on Tuesday, pledging an initial $30 million to support food security and the country’s crippled health sector, a French embassy statement said. The funds will be routed to humanitarian projects to provide emergency aid, including food, to the most vulnerable populations in Lebanon, […] April 27, 2022
Dollar hits five-year high, growth concerns dent euro The dollar hit a five-year high ahead of the expected rate hike by Federal Reserve, while the euro weakened on growth concerns after Russia cut off gas supplies to parts of the region. The dollar has gained on expectations that the US central bank will be more hawkish than peers. The Fed is expected to increase rates by 50 basis […] April 27, 2022
‘Great Resignation’ sees more companies offer equity to staff Companies in North America and Europe plan to give more employees an equity stake in their businesses to help retain talent amid a pandemic-induced “GreatResignation”, a survey showed on Wednesday. Global Equity Organization (GEO), a not-for-profit body tracking global share plans and executive compensation, said 25 percent of North American companies and 22 percent of European firms surveyed said they […] April 27, 2022
Yemen’s Houthis release crew of seized Emirati cargo vessel The Houthi movement that controls most of northern Yemen has released the crew of the United Arab Emirates cargo ship RWABEE that was seized on January 3, the group’s spokesman said. The release of the crew – 11 in all according to sources familiar with the matter – was agreed with the assistance of Oman, spokesman Mohammed […] April 27, 2022
Sustainability Humanity on ‘spiral of self-destruction’ as disasters rise The world is set to face 1.5 disasters a day – 560 a year – by 2030, as humans put themselves on a “spiral of self-destruction” by heating up the climate and ignoring risk, pushing millions more people into poverty, the United Nations warned on Tuesday. In the past two decades, between 350 and 500 medium-sized to major disasters were […] April 26, 2022
Erdogan ready to lift all coronavirus measures in Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey is ready to lift all measures against the coronavirus, adding that mask wearing will no longer be obligatory indoors. Speaking after the final meeting of the advisory science council, Erdogan said masks will still be mandated on public transport and in medical institutions until daily new cases […] April 26, 2022
Media & Advertising Advertisers unfriend as Facebook owner heads for dismal quarter Facebook-owner Meta Platforms is expected to report its slowest quarterly ad revenue growth in a decade on Wednesday, as businesses pull back on ad spending against the backdrop of soaring inflation worldwide and the war in Ukraine. Global advertising and marketing budgets will be strained further if the Ukraine crisis drags on in the coming […] April 26, 2022
Britain to allow poultry outside as bird flu threat recedes A mandatory housing order for poultry and captive birds in Britain is to be lifted, effective May 2, with the threat of bird flu now decreasing after the country’s worst-ever outbreak. The four chief veterinary officers, with responsibilities for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, announced the move in a joint statement on Monday, opening […] April 25, 2022
Energy US energy secretary says oil, gas output will continue to increase The US Energy Secretary said on Monday US oil and gas production is rising and will continue to rise to make up for the 1 to 1.5 million barrels of oil per day that has been pulled off the market in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jennifer Granholm told CNBC the boost in US oil […] April 25, 2022
Energy Italy’s Enel in talks to sell Brazilian power distributor for $2bn Italy’s Enel SpA is in talks to sell its Brazilian power distributor company Celg-D in a deal that may reach $2 billion, four sources with knowledge of the matter said. Celg-D distributes power in the Brazilian centre-west state of Goias and serves 3.27 million customers. The sources said companies interested in acquiring Celg-D include Brazilian rivals […] April 25, 2022
Banking & Finance Commodity stocks drag FTSE 100 lower Commodity stocks and banks led a near 2 percent drop in London’s FTSE 100 on Monday as fears of a global economic slowdown sapped sentiment at the start of a week loaded with corporate earnings. After falling as much as 2.4 percent, the blue-chip index pared some losses to close down 1.9 percent at its […] April 25, 2022
Turtle Beach explores options to defend against hedge fund Turtle Beach Corp is looking at strategic alternatives including a possible sale, the company said, as it seeks to defend itself against a hedge fund which is seeking to replace all of the gaming equipment company’s six board members. Investment advisory firm Donerail Group and Turtle Beach have both made regulatory filings urging the company’s […] April 25, 2022
UnitedHealth to sell claims business for $2.2bn UnitedHealth Group has agreed to sell Change Healthcare’s claims editing business for $2.2 billion in a move some analysts say could ease regulatoryhurdles in the way of an $8 billion merger between the healthcare companies. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) sued to stop the acquisition for giving UnitedHealth access to competitors’ data, forcing the companies to […] April 25, 2022
U.S. asset freezes worsen Afghan women’s suffering The United States, as well as the Taliban authorities, is contributing to the suffering of women in Afghanistan through asset freezes, U.N. independent experts said on Monday. The United Nations and foreign governments, including Washington, have condemned moves by the Taliban to backtrack on women’s rights commitments such as on girls’ education in the months […] April 25, 2022
Energy Iran Guards ‘seize foreign ship’ in Gulf for smuggling fuel Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have seized a foreign vessel in the Gulf for smuggling 200,000 litres of fuel, a senior Guards commander told the semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday. “The ship was seized in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. Its eight crew have been handed over to legal authorities in the southern […] April 24, 2022
