A 20-year-old Panamax bulk carrier, Star Bulk’s Star Iris, became the latest target of Houthi militants on Monday. The carrier, owned by NASDAQ-listed Star Bulk, was fired upon twice within a span of 20 minutes by missiles while passing through the Bab al Mandab strait in a southeast direction. AIS data obtained from MarineTraffic indicates…
The Government of Pakistan must guarantee the right to peaceful protest across the country, Amnesty International said Wednesday as the Baloch Long March protesters were forced to end their month-long sit-in protest in Islamabad following repeated harassment by the authorities. Hundreds of women in the Baloch Long March journeyed about a thousand miles from Turbat…
The state-run Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) on Monday declared the discovery of crude oil at the SONO-9 well, according to an official statement released on Monday. Sono-9 is noteworthy as the first well to be directly completed with an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) following thorough well logging and pressure testing. The company’s…
In the first major union contract battle of 2024, approximately 5,000 workers responsible for crafting popular beers like Bud Light are threatening to strike, this will create a beer shortage in the market in the coming months. They demand substantial wage increases, enhanced job security, and improvements to retirement and benefits. The workers, represented by…
Researchers assert that this innovative material can slash lithium consumption by up to 70 percent. Following its identification, the substance has already been employed to power a lightbulb, as per the BBC report. Utilizing AI and supercomputing, Microsoft researchers efficiently narrowed down a staggering 32 million potential inorganic materials to 18 promising candidates in less…
In a groundbreaking move, South Korea has enacted a “Dog Meat Ban,” prohibiting the slaughter and sale of dogs for meat, signaling a significant departure from the centuries-old tradition of consuming dog meat. Scheduled to be enforced by 2027, the legislation does not criminalize the act of consuming dog meat but specifically targets the dog…
An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza on Sunday resulted in the death of two Palestinian journalists, as reported by the Associated Press. Among the victims was Hamza Dahdouh, an Al Jazeera journalist who had previously lost four close relatives in the ongoing conflict. Hamza Dahdouh, the son of veteran Al Jazeera correspondent Wael Dahdouh, was…
BYD surpassed Tesla to claim the title of the world’s largest electric car company in the final quarter of 2023, as per a stock exchange filing. The Chinese company achieved this milestone by selling a record-breaking number of cars last year, including 525,409 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the three months ending December 31. In…
China’s Shipbuilding Dominance to continue in 2024, as market observers and shipbuilders anticipate sustained leadership in the global shipbuilding market. It is expected to maintain the lead in the global market throughout 2024. Chinese shipyards have shown robust growth in new orders and output, outperforming foreign rivals in innovation, productivity, and supply chain advantages. In…
Mass Food Poisoning has struck Airbus Atlantic in France, with over 700 employees falling ill with symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea following a Christmas dinner event near the northwestern city of Nantes last week. The ARS health agency in France has initiated an investigation into this widespread case of mass food poisoning, reporting that more…
Amid the Israeli-Hamas conflict, a new dimension has emerged in the form of a Red Sea security crisis. The southern Red Sea region is currently experiencing escalating turmoil as Houthi forces from Yemen, with backing from Iran, have become entangled in the ongoing conflict about a month ago. Global diplomatic efforts are underway to address…
As a part of the Team Europe Initiative ‘Building Back Better through Green Jobs Creation,’ combining support from the European Union (EU), Germany, France, and Italy, the EU and the Agence Française de Développement (AfD) today have signed an agreement to spearhead a new climate initiative in the urban centers of Punjab. The joint effort…
Exercise may not hold the key to a longer life; in fact, excessive physical activity could expedite the aging process, according to Scandinavian experts and a recent yet-to-be-peer-reviewed study. The intricate study, conducted over 45 years in Finland and recently honored with a national sports medicine prize, challenges established beliefs that regular exercise contributes to…
As the world marks the 82nd anniversary of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, we revisit the solemn events that unfolded on that fateful day. In a mere 75 minutes, the attack claimed the lives of 2,400 individuals, an annual commemoration that is observed with deep reverence for the fallen. Delving into the historical tapestry…
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for urgent high-stakes discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on oil, Gaza, and Ukraine. The meeting, characterized by its urgency, underscores the critical nature of the issues at hand and the need for swift diplomatic resolution. As global attention focuses on Putin’s Saudi…
US Light Vehicle (LV) sales experienced an 8.5% year-on-year (YoY) growth in November, reaching 1.22 million units, preliminary estimates reveal. The YoY surge, attributed to weak sales a year prior, fell slightly below expectations, although the selling rate remained consistent with recent months. Despite the improvement in inventory, customers seem to require higher incentives, marking…
Moody’s, the ratings agency, downgraded China’s credit rating outlook from “stable” to “negative” on Tuesday, citing escalating debt in the world’s second-largest economy. Beijing expressed its disappointment with the decision. According to the U.S. agency’s note, the downgrade is a response to mounting indications that the government and broader public sector will extend financial support…
A parliamentary panel on Monday proposed a crucial amendment, advocating for an adjustment that would allow disabled individuals to import used cars featuring engine capacities up to 1500cc once every five years. This proposal has been forwarded to the Senate Finance Committee for comprehensive deliberation, particularly concerning the potential exemption of sales tax. Officials from…
(Reuters): Afghanistan’s Taliban administration has appointed a former spokesperson as ambassador to China, the foreign affairs ministry said on Friday, its first officially accredited envoy to any country since taking over in 2021. Former administration spokesman Bilal Karimi arrived in China late in November to take up the role, the Taliban-run foreign ministry said in…
(Reuters): Shares of crypto miners and Bitcoin tracking companies climbed in premarket trading on Friday as the world’s largest cryptocurrency extended a recent rally to touch a near 19-month high on improving risk appetite. Bitcoin, up 2% at $38,410, has been gaining since October on optimism that a potential approval of a spot exchange-traded fund is…