Category: World

Hungary has threatened to block the European Union’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia, escalating tensions within the bloc as Budapest links its support to the resumption of Russian oil deliveries. The warning underscores deep divisions in Brussels over how far to push punitive measures against Moscow while safeguarding member states’ energy security.Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government has indicated it could withhold approval for fresh restrictions unless oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline are restored. Hungary relies heavily on Russian

Greenland’s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen publicly declined U. S. President Donald Trump’s offer to dispatch a hospital ship to the Arctic territory, saying the autonomous Danish island has an established public healthcare system that provides free treatment to its citizens. Nielsen’s response, posted on social media, underscored both the sufficiency of Greenland’s existing medical infrastructure and the expectation that international dialogue be carried out through formal diplomatic channels rather than informal declarations.Trump’s announcement on his Truth Social platform framed

Urban smog and industrial emissions are amplifying the intensity of fire tornadoes in major wildfire zones, with scientists warning that polluted air is contributing to atmospheric conditions that favour the formation of violent, spinning columns of flame.Fire tornadoes, or “fire whirls”, arise when intense heat from large blazes interacts with unstable air, generating rotating updrafts that can stretch hundreds of metres high. While such phenomena have been documented for decades, researchers say their frequency and scale are increasing in tandem

Copper prices edged higher on Friday but remained on course for a third consecutive weekly decline, as a firmer US dollar and persistent concerns over global demand continued to weigh on sentiment across industrial metals markets.Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange climbed during morning trade, recovering from earlier losses as short-covering set in ahead of the weekend. Despite the rebound, prices have retreated over the week, pressured by currency movements and cautious positioning by investors assessing the outlook

United States import tariffs have largely been paid by domestic businesses and households rather than foreign exporters, according to a growing body of economic research, sharpening debate in Washington over the long-term costs of trade protection.Studies by Federal Reserve economists and leading academic institutions show that the bulk of duties imposed during the trade disputes of the past decade were passed through to American importers in the form of higher prices. While the political argument has often framed tariffs as

The United Kingdom has moved to impose legally binding obligations on technology companies to take down abusive or non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of them being flagged, aiming to strengthen protections against online harms that disproportionately affect women and girls. Under amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, firms that do not comply could face fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue or have their services blocked in the UK, in what the government describes

The United Kingdom has moved to impose legally binding obligations on technology companies to take down abusive or non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of them being flagged, aiming to strengthen protections against online harms that disproportionately affect women and girls. Under amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, firms that do not comply could face fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue or have their services blocked in the UK, in what the government describes

Washington has begun withdrawing military forces from Syria, marking a strategic recalibration as the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa asserts control over security operations and the campaign against extremist groups.Officials in the Trump administration confirmed that the reduction in troop levels reflects a reassessment of the United States’ role in a country where American forces have operated for nearly a decade. The deployment, initially aimed at dismantling the so-called Islamic State, evolved into a broader mission involving support for Kurdish-led

Traces of hazardous metals have been identified in bananas and other staple crops grown in areas affected by Brazil’s 2015 mining disaster, raising concerns about long-term food safety and the exposure of young children to lead and cadmium.Researchers examining farmland along the Rio Doce basin, where tailings from the collapse of a Samarco dam spread across hundreds of kilometres, found that toxic elements embedded in contaminated soil are being absorbed by edible plants. Bananas showed levels that could pose a

Iran has signalled progress in indirect negotiations with the United States over its nuclear programme, days after heightened tensions in the Gulf led to a partial disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies.Officials in Tehran said discussions aimed at easing sanctions and placing constraints on uranium enrichment had moved forward, describing the latest round of contacts as “constructive”. The talks, conducted through intermediaries in the Gulf region and Europe, follow months of

Cucumber prices across Russia have climbed sharply, prompting public frustration and drawing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators as households grapple with food inflation during the conflict in Ukraine.Data published by the federal statistics agency show that the retail cost of cucumbers has risen markedly since the start of the year, outpacing overall food inflation. In several regions, consumers have reported prices doubling compared with the same period last year, with winter supplies particularly affected. The spike has turned a common

Europe has strengthened its push for technological sovereignty with the launch of the Euro Q Exa quantum computing system in Munich, marking a significant addition to the continent’s developing high-performance computing network.Unveiled on 12 February at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre, part of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Euro Q Exa is designed to integrate quantum processors into Europe’s broader supercomputing ecosystem. The system forms part of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking’s strategy to establish a pan-European infrastructure capable of

Brussels has thrust the European Union’s carbon market into a fresh political battle, as leaders weigh changes to the bloc’s Emissions Trading System amid economic headwinds and mounting pressure from industry.Debate intensified at a summit of EU heads of state and government last week, where divisions surfaced over how far to adjust the Emissions Trading System, widely regarded as the centrepiece of Europe’s climate policy. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the integrity of the system while signalling

Leading British boarding schools are set to deepen educational engagement with Nigerian parents and students this March through a series of exhibitions and interactive events in Abuja and Lagos, as part of UK Boarding Schools Week 2026. The initiative, driven by Mark Brooks Education, aims to provide a platform for direct dialogue between families and school leaders about admissions, academic pathways and boarding life. The programme is designed to offer a comprehensive forum where families can explore education options abroad

China is set to eliminate import tariffs on goods from 53 African nations from 1 May 2026, a sweeping policy shift that extends duty-free access to almost the entire continent and aims to deepen trade ties and economic cooperation between Beijing and Africa. The government announcement confirms that the move will apply to all tariff lines for countries with which China has formal diplomatic relations, excluding only Eswatini due to its continued ties with Taiwan. This expansion of preferential market

Nigeria has launched a sweeping industrial policy aimed at restarting idle factories, boosting domestic manufacturing and positioning Africa’s largest economy as a competitive production hub in global supply chains.Federal authorities say the framework is designed to tackle long-standing structural weaknesses that have undermined output, including erratic power supply, limited access to long-term finance, foreign exchange volatility and infrastructure gaps. Manufacturing accounts for less than 10 per cent of gross domestic product, a level economists argue is insufficient for a country

African Development Bank Group has approved a $200 million loan to support Nigeria’s efforts to expand agricultural production and curb reliance on food imports, reinforcing Abuja’s push to tackle food inflation and strengthen rural incomes.Board members of the AfDB cleared the financing to scale up priority investments across key value chains, targeting improved productivity, better access to inputs and enhanced storage and processing capacity. The funding is expected to complement federal initiatives aimed at boosting domestic output of staples such

Mercedes-Benz USA has recalled nearly 12,000 electric sport utility vehicles in the United States after identifying a defect in high-voltage battery cells that could trigger a fire, either while driving or when parked.The recall covers 11,895 EQB vehicles across three variants: 1,708 EQB 350 4Matic models from the 2022 to 2024 model years, 3,674 EQB 250+ units from 2023 and 2024, and 6,513 EQB 300 4Matic vehicles spanning 2022 to 2024. The action was disclosed in a safety filing with

Turkey has withdrawn from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, citing what it describes as the unacceptable elevation of a Syrian Kurdish commander it regards as a national security threat.Ankara’s decision follows the participation and high-level meetings of Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, at the annual security gathering in Germany. Turkish officials objected to Abdi’s engagement with senior Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and representatives of the United States administration, arguing that such interactions amount to