Category: World

By K Raveendran[caption id="attachment_109100" align="alignleft" width="374"] Sushil Kutty[/caption]Sushil Kutty, who passed away on Sunday night, lived and wrote like a man apart — a loner in every sense, and yet deeply connected to the world through the force of his words. A regular columnist for the India Press Agency for the last ten years, Sushil was that rare journalist whose writing transcended political lines, winning admiration from across the ideological spectrum. He belonged to no camp, pledged loyalty to no

The United Arab Emirates has asserted that open, rules-based trade is vital to sustainable development, while unveiling strategic moves to strengthen its global trade footprint at the G20 Trade & Investment Ministerial Meeting in Gqeberha, South Africa.At the opening sessions, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, emphasised that trade frameworks anchored in transparency and fairness are the cornerstone for inclusive growth and resilience. He urged member nations to modernise supply chains, deepen cooperation across institutions,

A team from the International Monetary Fund has secured a staff-level agreement with Somali authorities to complete the fourth review under the Extended Credit Facility arrangement. The agreement, pending approval by the IMF’s Executive Board, unlocks a portion of additional funding and reaffirms commitments to macroeconomic reform.The mission, led by IMF representative Ran Bi, conducted talks with Somali officials between 16 September and 8 October, resulting in concurrence on key policy measures and an augmentation request under the ECF

The French presidency announced that President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, tasking him with forming a viable government and shepherding a 2026 budget through a fragmented parliament. The move follows the abrupt collapse of Lecornu’s earlier cabinet, which lasted scarcely hours.Lecornu’s renewed mandate comes after he resigned on 6 October, mere hours after unveiling a cabinet, citing opposition across ideological lines to its composition. Under intense pressure, Macron began consultations and settled on reinstating Lecornu, who

Washington pressed Beijing to adopt a more conciliatory stance in an intensifying trade dispute over rare earths, as Vice President JD Vance asserted that President Donald Trump holds superior leverage in any escalating confrontation. Speaking on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures, Vance warned that China’s reaction will largely decide whether the standoff becomes a full-blown trade war or returns to negotiation.China responded with defiance. Its Ministry of Commerce demanded the U. S. cease threatening additional tariffs and reiterated that it

Massachusetts Institute of Technology has outright rejected a federal proposal from the Trump administration that would grant preferential funding to universities in exchange for adopting ideological and policy constraints. The university’s leadership argues the offer undermines academic freedom and institutional autonomy.MIT President Sally Kornbluth issued a letter addressed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon in which she affirmed the institution’s commitment to merit-based scientific funding and independent governance. She noted that while MIT already adheres to many principles cited in the

Metra will implement fare hikes ranging from 13 % to 15 % starting February 2026 to counter a projected $200 million funding shortfall — a move that aims to prevent service cuts in the immediate term.The commuter rail system’s proposed 2026 budget, set at about $1.1 billion, depends heavily on that increase to stem deficits, while maintaining its existing service levels. The Regional Transportation Authority has mandated that Metra, CTA and Pace must raise fares by at least 10

Dubai’s GITEX GLOBAL 2025 is turning the spotlight on East Africa as a rising force in the artificial intelligence landscape, with regional governments and private players leveraging the event to signal ambition across infrastructure, AI research and startup ecosystems.More than 6,800 tech enterprises and 2,000 startups from 180 countries will convene in Dubai from 13 to 17 October under the GITEX banner, showcasing breakthroughs in biotech, robotics, quantum, semiconductors and sustainable data infrastructure. Alongside is Expand North Star, a startup

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has entered into force, with the Israel Defence Forces confirming a suspension of major offensive operations and stepping back from parts of Gaza. The armistice supports a mediated exchange: Hamas will release 20 living hostages within 72 hours, and Israel will free a broad list of Palestinian detainees.The ceasefire commenced at midday local time, with Israeli troops withdrawing to a predetermined “yellow line.” Israeli military statements confirm that while many hostilities have halted, forces

Cameroonian fintech startup REasy has secured a $1.8 million pre-seed investment to expand its cross-border payment and trade infrastructure for small and medium enterprises.The funding was led by Ingressive Capital, Launch Africa, 54 Collective and Digital Africa, alongside fintech angels including Christophe Chausson, Mathias Léopoldie and Joël Nana Kontchou. REasy intends to deploy the capital toward technology development, regulatory licensing across new markets and accelerated customer acquisition.At the heart of REasy’s proposition is a platform that links African payment rails—such as

Ethiopia’s central bank has held its benchmark rate at 15 per cent while expanding the cap on credit growth to 24 per cent for the 2025/26 fiscal year, balancing a cautious monetary stance with support for economic expansion. The move coincided with the country’s inaugural export shipments under the African Continental Free Trade Area, marking a defining moment in Ethiopia’s trade and financial policy strategy.The National Bank of Ethiopia’s Monetary Policy Committee, meeting on 25 September, opted to maintain the

A wave of AI-generated protest videos created using OpenAI's Sora 2 technology has sent shockwaves through the online community, fuelling confusion and sparking debates about the integrity of digital media. The rise of these deepfake videos, often portraying political unrest and protests, has raised concerns about the blurring of the line between reality and manipulation in the digital age.The videos, designed to look incredibly realistic, feature prominent figures and ordinary citizens in politically charged scenarios. Many of the videos depict

Sub-Saharan Africa’s gross domestic product is now projected to grow by about 3.8 percent in 2025, up from 3.5 percent in 2024, as inflation moderates and foreign exchange markets stabilise across many nations.The updated outlook emerges from the latest “Africa’s Pulse” report by the World Bank, which highlights a more favourable macroeconomic backdrop enabling central banks to ease policy constraints and stimulating consumption and investment.The revised forecast elevates expectations for the region over the medium term, with growth anticipated to

Violent protests have forced the University of Fort Hare in Alice, Eastern Cape, to suspend all operations, as buildings were set ablaze and mounting demands for institutional accountability intensified.Officials estimate damage to campus infrastructure could reach between R 250 million and R 500 million after fires consumed the main administration building, the student affairs block, an agriculture facility and a new clinic under construction.Police have arrested at least seven students for public violence, and reports indicate that law enforcement

Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have acquiesced to the first phase of a U. S.-brokered Gaza peace plan, under which hostages would be released “very soon” and Israeli troops would withdraw to a predetermined line. He described the agreement as an opening step toward “a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”The accord, reportedly brokered in Egypt, calls for the immediate release of all living hostages—with 20 expected to be freed over the coming days—and a simultaneous pullback of Israeli

The Internal Revenue Service announced plans to furlough almost half its employees as the U. S. government shutdown extends past its initial contingency period. The move signals a drastic scaling back of tax-collection operations and invites legal scrutiny over potential permanent layoffs.Under the updated contingency plan, around 39,870 IRS staffers—roughly 53.6 per cent of its workforce—will continue to work, while the remainder will be placed on furlough. The agency has already begun sending mass furlough notices and shutting down most

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang dismissed assertions that the artificial intelligence boom is mirroring the dot-com bubble, saying the current momentum rests on strong fundamentals rather than speculation. He defended Nvidia’s recent investments in AI startups and pitched infrastructure build-out as the engine sustaining growth.During a wide-ranging interview on CNBC, Huang stated that what differentiates today’s environment from the dot-com era is the depth of demand: global hyperscale cloud firms already manage more than $2.5 trillion in business, he argued, and are

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by Blykalla, evroc and Studsvik to assess the viability of co-locating small modular reactors and data centres at Studsvik’s licensed nuclear site in Nyköping, Sweden. The agreement marks a significant step in Europe’s efforts to power digital infrastructure with clean baseload energy.Under the MoU, the three organisations will form a joint steering committee to examine technical, commercial and regulatory feasibility, engage with municipalities and landowners, and draft possible power-purchase agreement frameworks. Formal

The World Bank has warned of a looming cycle of poverty in Gaza, in which child malnutrition, psychological trauma and institutional collapse could entrench deprivation across generations.The economist issuing the warning, speaking in an internal briefing that has been seen by multiple international analysts, observed that Gaza’s humanitarian emergency is evolving into structural impoverishment — a process that cannot be reversed simply by aid injections. He pointed to escalating child stunting, widespread food insecurity and a mental-health burden that will

Ethiopia has introduced its first malaria vaccine programme in Turmi, South Omo Zone, delivering the vaccine in tandem with a large-scale distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets across 58 high-burden districts. The dual approach aims to strengthen protection for children against malaria in areas of intense transmission.At the launch on 18 September 2025, the federal Ministry of Health, regional health bureaus, the Malaria Consortium, WHO and other partners were present to witness Ethiopia become the 23rd African country to adopt malaria

The Central Bank of Kenya reduced its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points today, bringing it down to 9.25 per cent, in its eighth consecutive cut as consumer inflation remains firmly within allowable limits.The move comes as Kenya’s inflation for September stood at 4.6 per cent year-on-year, slightly up from 4.5 per cent in August, but still well inside the central bank’s target band of 2.5 to 7.5 per cent. The Monetary Policy Committee said there remains room to

Turkish authorities reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining energy ties with Russia, dismissing US appeals to cut off Moscow from the country’s gas supply network. The Turkish Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, emphasised that existing contracts and technical dependencies render any abrupt withdrawal impractical.Bayraktar told CNNTurk that “we cannot tell our citizens: We have run out of gas,” adding that Turkey must ensure continuous supply from Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and other sources during the winter. He insisted Turkey would not abandon its

Port Louis: MCB Capital Markets has advised CIEL Limited in issuing a MUR 1.45 billion sustainability-linked bond, marking a milestone in African sustainable finance as the first time a diversified investment holding company has tapped this structure on the continent. The issuance was oversubscribed by 1.5 times and is credited with bringing foreign investors into the Mauritian local currency debt market for the first time through the Africa Local Currency Bond Fund.The bond ties its cost of capital to

Over 200 trekkers are currently being evacuated after a fierce snowstorm struck the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibetan region, leaving them trapped at high-altitude campsites, Chinese state media reports. Earlier, around 350 hikers had made it to relative safety in a local township, while rescue teams maintained contact with those still stranded.The affected area is the Karma Valley, which leads to the Kangshung face of Everest, and lies at an average altitude of about 4,200