NEWS

Global coal consumption is expected to hit a record 8.7 billion tonnes this year, remaining at near-record levels for years due to a gas crisis stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reported yesterday. The International Energy Agency (IEA)…

Cyclone Chido has claimed at least 34 lives in Mozambique, with 174,158 people affected and 319 injured, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, citing Mozambique’s disaster authority. The cyclone made landfall on Sunday, causing widespread destruction along the eastern…

Serious negotiations are underway between Israel, Hamas, and international mediators to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, where ongoing Israeli airstrikes continue to claim lives daily, media outlets reported. The talks, facilitated by Qatar and Egypt in Doha, have been described…

World Arabic Language Day, observed annually on December 18 since 2012, highlights the significance of Arabic as a global language. Spoken by over 450 million people and recognized as an official language in nearly 25 countries, Arabic remains a cornerstone…

Japan announced an additional $27.5 million in humanitarian assistance on Tuesday to support vulnerable Afghans amid the country’s ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis, Afghan Amu news agency said. The Japanese Embassy in Afghanistan stated that the aid will be distributed…

Amnesty International has called on the Taliban to end what it describes as “gender-based harassment and persecution” following the recent ban on women’s medical education. The decision, which took effect on December 4, has closed the last avenue for Afghan…

The UK government has proposed a new copyright exemption allowing artificial intelligence (AI) companies to train their models on copyrighted material unless creators opt out, the Guardian reported. The proposal, currently under consultation, has drawn criticism from creatives and publishers,…

Egypt’s draft asylum law, approved by parliament on November 19, 2024, has sparked criticism from human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), Human Rights Watch said. Critics argue the law could undermine refugee rights, violate international agreements, and hinder…

The United Nations has projected that around one million Syrians could return to their homeland in the first half of 2025, following the collapse of President Bashar Assad’s regime earlier this month. The UNHCR’s Middle East and North Africa director,…

Elon Musk has hinted at the development of “Xmail,” a potential competitor to Gmail and Apple Mail, several online sources have confirmed. The concept emerged during a recent interaction on X, where a user suggested Xmail as a new feature.…