Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin called Monday for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks to resume, including on Jerusalem, following the controversial US decision to recognise the city as Israel’s capital. Speaking on state television during a visit to Egypt, Putin stressed the importance of “the immediate resumption of …
Read More »Uber’s London licence battle set for May/June
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Uber’s appeal against losing its licence in London will be heard in May or June next year, a court determined Monday. London’s transport authority said in September that it would not renew the ride-hailing company’s licence to operate in the British capital owing to public …
Read More »Cairo, Moscow sign contract for Egypt’s first nuclear plant
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egypt and Russia signed a final contract on Monday for the building of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, during a visit to Cairo by President Vladimir Putin. The contract to build the plant in Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast was signed during a live ceremony shown …
Read More »6,000 IS jihadists could return to Africa, AU warns
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Up to 6,000 Africans who fought for the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Iraq and Syria could return home, the African Union’s top security official warned Sunday, calling on countries to prepare for the threat. Smail Chergui, the AU’s commissioner for peace and security, said …
Read More »IOC ‘confident’ Tokyo 2020 venues will be ready on time
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Tokyo organisers are back on track and will complete their 2020 Olympic venues on schedule, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Monday at the start of a three-day visit. After bungling the rollout of the showpiece Olympic stadium two years ago, local organisers have come under …
Read More »COMMENT: The abnormality of oil
Why inflation and monetary-policy adjustments by central banks might not impact its price COMMENT | JIM O’NEIL | Writing about oil prices is always risky. In a January 2015, I suggested that oil prices would not continue to fall, and even predicted that they would “finish the year higher than they …
Read More »Bitcoin tops $18,000 in debut on major bourse
New York, United States | AFP | Bitcoin surged past $18,000 after it began trading on its first major global exchange Sunday, the latest in a series of highs that have excited some investors while leaving others nervous of a bubble. Trading of the controversial digital currency on a futures contract …
Read More »Golden Globes: Hollywood’s test of the Weinstein effect
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | The nominations will be unveiled Monday for the Golden Globes, kicking off an awards season expected to be overshadowed by the sexual misconduct scandal engulfing the movie industry. The announcements, which come two days before the influential Screen Actors Guild nominations, are the first …
Read More »Palestinians ‘walking away’ from talks with Pence snub: US
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States accused the Palestinian Authority Sunday of “walking away” from a chance to discuss peace in the Middle East by snubbing Vice President Mike Pence on an upcoming visit. A top official in Pence’s office said the vice president was looking forward to …
Read More »Bitcoin futures launch sparks excitement, warnings
New York, United States | AFP | Bitcoin makes its debut on a major exchange Sunday, a milestone for the digital currency that has some investors excited but others nervous. The Cboe Futures Exchange in Chicago will open trading in bitcoin futures at 2300 GMT on Sunday, a move that is …
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