Category: World

Alan Faena has unveiled his third namesake hotel in Manhattan, injecting bold theatricality and exuberance into the Chelsea skyline. Faena New York officially opened on 9 September 2025 at 500 West 18th Street, adjacent to the High Line. The lobby—described by the hotelier as “a cathedral”—features a vast mural by Diego Gravinese depicting a mythical Colossal Woman emerging from an ocean vortex, alongside a glowing gold-leaf spiral staircase, setting the tone for an exuberant stay that embraces both 1980s flair

DAKAR — Senegal now anticipates production from the Sangomar offshore oil field to reach 34.5 million barrels in 2025, up from an earlier projection of 30.53 million, the energy ministry announced. The upgraded outlook reflects stronger-than-expected performance through August, with more than 24 million barrels already produced. Senegal elevates Sangomar output forecast for 2025 marks a significant upward adjustment for the project’s full-year trajectory.Following the start of oil extraction in June 2024, Senegal secured its status as an oil-producing

Kenya Tourism Board has entered a strategic alliance with Visa that marks a bold new chapter for the nation’s tourism sector. The agreement gives the board access to Visa’s Government Insights Hub—a data analytics platform offering detailed information on travel patterns, spending behaviour, peak seasons and regional preferences. This will support sharper marketing efforts, more efficient payment systems and increased cross-border and domestic travel expenditure.The campaign’s backbone lies in smart data. By leveraging Visa’s analytics, the tourism board can tailor

The United States and European Union are ramping up economic pressure, yet sceptics say even tougher measures may fail to push Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signalled that imposing secondary tariffs on countries continuing to purchase Russian oil—coupled with coordinated sanctions—could trigger a collapse in Russia’s economy and potentially compel the president to consider diplomacy. Sanctions fall short in forcing Putin to negotiate sets the tone for the unfolding confrontation between Western economic leverage

Lagos State’s commercial capital has opened its doors to West Africa’s premier tech, AI and startup gathering—GITEX NIGERIA—positioning the city as Africa’s launchpad for tomorrow. At the event’s Lagos leg, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu underscored the city’s ambition to spearhead a future shaped by data-driven governance and inclusive digital access, while Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Hon. Dr Bosun Tijani, issued a call for continental unity in AI infrastructure and capacity building.Governor Sanwo-Olu framed Lagos as more than

Egypt and Sudan insist that discussions surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam must remain confined to the three riparian countries—rejecting calls to broaden the talks to include other Nile Basin nations. The two have signalled mounting concern over Ethiopia’s unilateral conduct, describing the situation as a “continuous threat to stability in the Eastern Nile Basin.” They warned that Ethiopia’s steps to fill and operate the dam could carry serious consequences for downstream states. The insistence is encapsulated in the phrase

European regulators have slapped Google with a €2.95 billion fine for leveraging its dominance in ad-tech to favour its own services, while President Trump has launched warnings of retaliatory trade measures—even as the €2.95 billion ad-tech sanction on Google marks the latest escalation in transatlantic friction.The European Commission’s investigation, which began in mid-2021, concluded that Google distorted competition across the 27-member bloc by prioritising its AdX ad exchange and DFP platform on third-party websites and apps—raising costs for advertisers, squeezing

European leaders face mounting urgency to address critical deficiencies in their defence structures as uncertainty surrounds the reliability of U. S. backing. Many capitals hold onto hope that Donald Trump will honour his pledged security guarantees for Ukraine, even though concrete commitments remain vague. Europe’s Defence Gaps Expose Growing Reliance on U. S. Support captures the mounting tension between Europe’s persistent reliance and its growing intent to fill capability gaps.Germany, Spain, Italy and other nations have sharply criticised the continued

Kathmandu blocked access on 4 September 2025 to 26 social media and communication platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, after they failed to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology by a government-imposed deadline. Users attempting to reach these services have found them inaccessible, while the digital move has prompted intensified debate about regulation versus censorship.The government’s action stems from a directive issued on 25 August, which required foreign and domestic platforms to register within seven days, appoint

Nairobi forecasts steadiness in the shilling, naira and cedi for the week ahead to Thursday, even as Uganda’s shilling may firm and Zambia’s kwacha shows signs of weakness, according to trader assessments cited on 5 September 2025.Kenya’s shilling is anticipated to remain stable against the dollar, with commercial bank quotes clustered around 129.00/40 per dollar—virtually unchanged from the prior Thursday—thanks to subdued foreign exchange demand. Traders expect the shilling, naira and cedi to hold steady as projected this week.Nigeria’s naira

African Rainbow Minerals has suspended all mining activity at its unprofitable Bokoni platinum mine while it refines a scaled-down development proposal. The decision comes amid sharply declining earnings and a substantial impairment charge, underscoring the mine’s failure to deliver expected returns.ARM announced a 2.2-billion-rand impairment for Bokoni, attributing the write-down to delays in ramping up operations and a shift in mining methodology. This loss dragged the company’s basic earnings for the year ending 30 June to just 330 million

Emergency crews are fighting a serious fire that has engulfed the upper floors of a nine-storey mixed-use building at the former BBC Television Centre on Wood Lane, White City. Around 100 firefighters attended the site by mid-morning on Saturday, joined by 15 fire engines and two 32-metre turntable ladders used as water towers. A drone team is aiding the operation by providing aerial oversight, while a rest centre has been established for evacuated residents. Authorities have shut Wood Lane to

Cape Town’s CEM Africa Summit set a high benchmark in August with a three-day assembly of workshops, panels and keynotes on AI-driven personalisation, omnichannel integration and CX leadership strategies, firmly reaffirming the continent’s place in shaping customer engagement futures. Building on that momentum, Johannesburg gears up for another CX powerhouse when CEM heads to Sandton on 20 November 2025 at the NH Hotel.The Johannesburg edition will pack a one-day intensive format, delivering hands-on workshops and interactive sessions tailored for professionals

A protocol on phytosanitary standards agreed upon during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s visit to Beijing has unlocked the possibility of Zimbabwe exporting blueberries to China, the Horticultural Development Council has announced. This agreement offers local growers access to one of the world’s fastest-growing blueberry markets, although actual export volumes will depend on their ability to meet stringent sanitary conditions and manage compliance-related costs.Zimbabwe’s blueberry production is set to surge to 12,000 metric tonnes in 2025, up from 8,000 in 2024,

A surge in hunger has struck Nigeria, as sharply diminished aid inflows have forced closures of nutrition centres and blocked treatment for countless children at risk of malnutrition. Aid cuts from the United States and other Western donors have triggered an abrupt collapse in food assistance across northeast regions, particularly Borno State, the epicentre of a long-standing insurgency.In northeastern Nigeria, the United Nations’ World Food Programme has shut 150 nutrition centres during the June to November lean season. Those centres

Swiss institutions have launched Apertus, one of Europe’s most extensive fully open language models, offering a transparent alternative to proprietary AI platforms. Available in two configurations—8 billion and 70 billion parameters—it is comparable in scale to Meta's Llama 3 from 2024, yet distinguishes itself through open design, public availability, and lawful compliance. Swiss Initiative Unveils Major Open-Source AI Model, a fitting restatement of the headline, underscores this ambition.Researchers from EPFL, ETH Zurich and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre designed

Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani died peacefully on 4 September 2025, at his home in Milan, surrounded by loved ones, his fashion house confirmed. His passing signals the close of an era for a style icon who fused simplicity with power and built a global empire from the elegance of minimalist design.Armani’s absence from the Milan Men’s Fashion Week in June marked the first time he missed one of his own shows—an indication of his declining health. That summer, he

Conor McGregor has announced his intention to run for President of Ireland in the upcoming election, marking a dramatic shift from mixed martial arts to the political arena. The election is scheduled for 24 October 2025. The victory is deeply improbable, given Ireland’s strict constitutional requirements for candidacy and growing scepticism from political observers.McGregor’s campaign relies heavily on public support rather than political endorsements. On 4 August, he launched an online petition demanding changes to Ireland’s nomination process, which mandates

A landslide has virtually erased the village of Tarasin in the Marrah Mountains of Darfur, leaving only one person alive amid an estimated 1,000 fatalities. The disaster struck on 31 August 2025, following sustained heavy rainfall, triggering a torrent of mud and debris that demolished homes and swept away entire families. The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, which administers the area, issued an urgent plea for international help to recover bodies and assist survivors. United Nations agencies, along with humanitarian partners, are

Nigeria has secured a production-sharing contract with TotalEnergies and South Atlantic Petroleum for two deepwater offshore blocks, under a novel legal structure designed to prioritise gas development alongside oil. The agreement spans units PPL 2000 and PPL 2001—a territory of some 2,000 square kilometres in the Niger Delta Basin—and marks Nigeria’s first PSC under its transformative Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.The PIA, enacted in 2021, acknowledges the differing economic dynamics of oil and gas sectors, offering incentives including tax

Aspen Pharmacare recorded a full‑year after‑tax loss of 1.1 billion rand in the year to 30 June 2025, a dramatic reversal from the previous year’s profit of 4.4 billion rand. The principal cause of this downturn was a contractual manufacturing dispute concerning an mRNA product agreement, compounded by asset impairments amounting to 4.1 billion rand.Revenue across the group grew marginally by 1 percent to 43 billion rand. However, manufacturing revenue plunged by 21 percent to 11.1 billion rand. Normalised EBITDA fell sharply in constant currency terms—down 62 percent

Centrus Energy Corp has delivered 900 kilograms of high‑assay low‑enriched uranium to the Department of Energy, marking the completion of its second phase under a demonstration contract and validating the United States’ ability to produce this critical fuel domestically. This achievement opens the path for expanded reactor fuel supply amid growing demand for advanced nuclear technologies.The enrichment took place at Centrus’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, where a cascade of 16 U. S.-designed centrifuges has been operating since 2023.

Cairo will host Ai Everything Middle East & Africa from 10 to 12 February 2026, establishing itself as the region’s premier destination for artificial intelligence innovation and collaboration. Supported by Egypt’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and ranking among the top 10 countries globally in AI and machine learning—unique among African nations—Egypt is leveraging this event to consolidate its ambition as a regional AI powerhouse.Organised under the GITEX GLOBAL network, Ai Everything MEA will unfold in Cairo, bringing together global AI enterprises,

A wave of profit‑taking sent the Nigerian equities market lower, with the NGX All‑Share Index falling by around 0.7 per cent to approximately 138,737 points on Tuesday—equivalent to a loss of nearly 0.67 per cent in market capitalisation, which dropped to about ₦87.8 trillion. The sell‑off was driven largely by pressure on heavyweight stocks such as Lafarge Africa and Transnational Corporation, while market breadth skewed negative, with far more declines than gains. Investors now face moderating Month‑to‑Date returns of –1.1 per cent, even as Year‑to‑Date

A federal district court in Virginia has ruled that Google unlawfully monopolised its publisher ad‑server and ad‑exchange markets, a decision that has now been met with a pause in Brussels, where regulators have deferred a long‑anticipated fine while awaiting developments in U. S. trade policy.A U. S. judge determined that Google secured illegal dominance in the open‑web display advertising ecosystem, by tying its ad‑server to its ad‑exchange, securing near‑absolute control over pricing and access, to the detriment of publishers,

Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund is pressing ahead with a planned sale of dollar‑denominated bonds on Wednesday after weighing a delay during a sharp stock‑market sell‑off triggered by a court decision affecting the main opposition party’s leadership. The Turkiye Wealth Fund is poised to issue both five‑year and ten‑year notes, guided initially at yields of approximately 7.625 per cent and 8.375 per cent, respectively.The decision to proceed rests on the fund’s mandate and market positioning, as it had already engaged

Barloworld has concluded an internal examination and submitted a voluntary self‑disclosure report to the U. S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, acknowledging apparent breaches of U. S. export control rules—while confirming no violations of U. S. sanctions were identified.The probe focused on the company's Russian subsidiary, Vostochnaya Technica, responsible for distributing Caterpillar machinery in Siberia. The investigation unearthed potential export control infractions, although U. S. sanctions were found to be intact.The disclosure coincides with the broader context

MrBeast is set to expand into telecommunications by launching a mobile phone service built using existing carrier networks, positioning himself as a mobile virtual network operator. According to investor materials seen by Business Insider, the YouTube star and his company plan to partner with carriers such as AT&T, T‑Mobile or Verizon, rather than constructing costly infrastructure.The business model mirrors that of Mint Mobile, where Ryan Reynolds successfully used celebrity influence to drive value and ultimately sold the venture for approximately $1.35 billion.