Author: staff

With half of the world’s population already facing water scarcity, countries are joining forces to tackle the global crisis. We visited Jordan and Cyprus, two countries facing water challenges, where various solutions are being implemented. Half the world’s population is facing water scarcity, and this proportion is set to increase as a result of climate change. Risks include environmental damage, food insecurity, forced migration and conflict.Jordan has become one of the three most water-poor countries in the world, with an estimated available capacity of 61m3 of water per capita per year, well below the 500m3 threshold that characterises water scarcity.The…

Sixty-two percent of the French say they broadly support the idea of a boycott. As transatlantic relations keep deteriorating following U.S. President Donald Trump’s ascension to office, the French appetite for economic patriotism is only growing. Supporting French companies and punishing American tycoons who are endorsing Trump are the main reasons for the boycott, the survey shows. Almost one-third of surveyed people (32 percent) said they were already boycotting American brands, especially Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. But more consumers could soon join the club: Twenty-six percent of the French said they would “certainly” boycott American products in the coming months, while…

The Indonesian naval chief of staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, said the project would address various maritime security challenges, including piracy, terrorism and other illegal activities. Top diplomats from France and Indonesia have agreed to a new maritime security project which aims to “to ensure peace and safety” at sea in the Indo-Pacific region.French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot’s visit to Jakarta, his second stop on his four-day Asia tour, comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the European Union and Beijing.He told reporters on Wednesday that the Indo-Pacific Port Security Project “is close to my heart,” promising France’s support.Neither he nor his…

Slam it to the left / If you’re havin’ a good time / Shake it to the right / If ya know that you feel… well not so fine now, as the song ‘Spice Up Your Life’ is being censored. Here’s why. British national treasures Spice Girls are being censored by radio stations in the UK.  You read that correctly. The popular 90s group now joins the likes of Rage Against The Machine – whose ‘Killing In The Name Of’ refrain “Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me” was unbroadcastable by many – and the Sex Pistols and…

While Yerevan is now working to reach a historic peace treaty with Azerbaijan, it is also keen to strengthen ties with Brussels.  However, the process of joining the EU can take decades, as it includes assessments of a country’s compliance with the bloc’s criteria in a wide range of policy areas, such as the functioning of democratic institutions, the judiciary and fundamental rights — and countries could even backtrack during the process. This is now the case with one of Armenia’s other neighbors, Georgia, which was accepted by the EU as a candidate in 2023, but Brussels halted the accession…

As a condition to restore the Black Sea Initiative, Russia has demanded that Rosselkhozbank be re-connected to SWIFT, which falls under EU jurisdiction. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spent recent weeks telling Europeans, vexed at their exclusion from the ongoing negotiations to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, that they would be invited to the table when the time came to discuss the future of sanctions.That invitation might arrive sooner than Brussels had expected.After a new round of talks in Saudi Arabia, the US announced that Russia and Ukraine had committed to implementing a partial ceasefire on “energy facilities”,…

Two UK brothers and a co-conspirator attempted to kill a convicted armed robber just weeks after stealing Ming Dynasty artefacts worth millions of Euros. Three men in the UK have been found guilty of conspiracy to murder in the case of a cage fighter and career criminal who narrowly escaped death after being shot and injured in his own home in 2019.The three men, Daniel Kelly and brothers Louis and Stewart Ahearne, were convicted at the Old Bailey in London two days ago after a trial that drew on evidence from the SIM card of an iPad recovered from the…

Last week, POLITICO reported that United States President Donald Trump sees control of the ZNPP as a crucial energy source for the proposed minerals mining deal with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the ZNPP is Ukraine’s state property. Still, he was open to cooperation with the American side on its restoration if Ukraine takes back control over the plant and the city of Enerhodar. The White House said the U.S. is discussing ZNPP control with Russia. But the Kremlin claims the plant is now Russian after sham referendums it conducted illegally and at gunpoint in four Ukrainian regions in 2022. Putin…

Almost half of Brits would support the creation of a European army that included the UK, apart from Reform UK voters who are sticking close to the US. As talks about bolstering the European Union’s defensive capabilities and production loom, a recent YouGov survey found that around 46% of British people would support the idea of the creation of a European army that includes the UK.  Of the 7,300 adults in Great Britain who were questioned, 28% do not support the idea. The individuals who ‘strongly support’ the idea are mainly located in Scotland and Wales, while those who ‘somewhat support’…

Spain’s economy grew 3.2% in 2024, one of the fastest in the eurozone, driven by strong domestic demand, robust tourism, and EU recovery funds, outperforming Germany, France and Italy. Economists say Spain remains a ‘bright spot’ in Europe, expecting this outperformance to continue through 2025. Powered by strong household spending, resilient investment and a tourism sector showing no signs of fatigue, Spain delivered one of the eurozone’s strongest growth performances in 2024, outshining larger economies and ushering in a new era of economic dynamism for Madrid. Spain’s gross domestic product expanded by 0.8% on quarterly basis during the fourth quarter of…