Author: staff

The Swiss company reported a strong performance and a major boost in sales of its products. One of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Novartis AG, has posted strong quarterly results. It comes on the back of major growth in demand for its flagship medicines. This has led the company to raise its forecast for the full financial year. Total net sales at Novartis AG grew by 10% to $12.8bn (€11.9bn) at constant exchange rates in the three months to 30 September, and the core operating income was also up by 20% at $5.15bn (€4.78bn). The highest-selling medicines of the…

Schröder has faced strong criticism for his continued ties to Russia, which included seats on the boards at Russian state energy companies, and for his bromance with Putin, who he has met at least twice since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. “We must not think in black and white categories,” Miersch told Stern. “I can pay tribute to his life’s work, especially as chairman of the Hanover district, even if I have a fundamentally different view of Putin and the attack on Ukraine.” Schröder — who ran Germany between 1998 and 2005 — “achieved a lot,” including staying…

Banco Santander’s revenue increases, as the bank’s retail, wealth, consumer and payments branches all record strong growth. Banco Santander revealed its third quarter 2024 earnings on Tuesday, recording a revenue of €15.13bn, which was an increase of 2% from the same period last year. This was mainly due to its retail branch reporting strong performance. Net operating income came up to €8.78bn in the third quarter of the year, which was a 5% rise from the same quarter last year. Profit before tax for the period was €4.91bn, an 11% rise on the same period last time.  Net profit was €3.25bn, a…

Green groups say it’s an “okay start” but many more nations need to step up with finance for nature. Six European countries have pledged new money to the world’s foremost biodiversity fund, which gained €200 million yesterday. Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and the UK announced fresh funding at the UN biodiversity summit, COP16, currently taking place in Colombia.The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) was one of the key outcomes of the Kunming-Montreal Agreement struck at the previous COP15 in 2022. The UK, Germany, Spain and Luxembourg previously contributed to the GBFF after it was launched last year. European countries now make…

So far only a handful of countries have accepted Georgian Dream’s claims of victory, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Hungary and China. EU ministers on Monday called for an impartial investigation into complaints raised by international observers. However, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa said Monday that the decision to halt all direct government cooperation with Tbilisi was actually made before Georgia went to the polls. Dousa expressed concerns about recent developments in Georgia, highlighting a recently adopted law on foreign agents, widely believed to be inspired by the Kremlin’s playbook to target government critics. The…

The death toll from more than a year of fighting has passed 43,000, officials in Gaza reported. At least 93 people have been reported killed or missing in a massive Israeli attack on northern Gaza early Tuesday, according to the Gaza health ministry.The airstrike hit a five-story residential building in Beit Lahiya where displaced Palestinians were sheltering. Authorities said that 25 children are among the dead. Gaza’s Government Media Office said the building housed around 200 people.Dr Hossam Abu Safiya, the director of the nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital, said it was overwhelmed by the wave of wounded people from the…

North Korea is ratcheting up security around dictator Kim Jong Un ahead of a possible assassination attempt, South Korean lawmakers said in citing a briefing from Seoul’s spy agency. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told parliament that Kim’s security detail had expanded its efforts to protect him, including by using communication-jamming devices and drone detection equipment, according to South Korea’s state news agency. The spy agency did not cite a specific threat against Kim — but noted that despite threats to his safety, he has been making more frequent public appearances.

Barcelona’s Prohibited Art Museum is hosting a debate that aims to examine the roots of graffiti and its path to being widely hailed now as one of the world’s most important art forms. It has been said that graffiti is the biggest art movement since the Renaissance.Most children will know the works of Banksy, but will they be so well acquainted with the masterpieces of Caravaggio?Young or old may have tried their hand at spraying a wall with a paint gun, but are they so keen to take out the paint and easel?  Perhaps it is the fact graffiti is…

Errejón has not responded at length in public to the allegations, except for an obliquely worded resignation letter in which he admitted to “mistakes” and warned that in front-line politics there was “a toxic subjectivity which in the case of men is amplified by the patriarchy.” However, the affair is seen as damaging to the strident brand of feminism which the Sánchez government has promoted. Errejón, 40, was one of the most prominent figures of the new left that emerged a decade ago to challenge Spain’s traditional political powers. A co-founder of the far-left Podemos, his parliamentary skills and political nous…

Lufthansa Group has announced an increase in revenue for the past quarter, boosted by robust summer travel demand. However, cost surges and delays in aircraft deliveries continued to affect the group. Lufthansa Group has recorded revenue of €10.7bn for its third quarter earnings, an increase of 5% from the same period last year. In terms of revenue, this was also the strongest quarter ever seen by the group and was mainly because of a rising number of flights and robust summer travel demand. Lufthansa Technik, the group’s repair, maintenance, modification and overhaul services provider, also reported strong growth, which contributed to…