As Sudan burns foreign powers, including UAE, reap big from precious minerals and agriculture
Gold has been one of the main drivers of the Sudan conflict. It allows both parties to fuel their war machines. The UAE is the main beneficiary of this trade. It receives nearly all the gold smuggled from Sudan and has become a hub for laundering trafficked gold into the global market. The latest available statistics show that, officially, the UAE imported precious metals from Sudan valued at about $2.3 billion in 2022.
IMF, World Bank worried about looming liquidity shortfall that’ll hurt many emerging economies
The US Treasury’s top economic diplomat has called for new ways to provide short-term liquidity support to low- and middle-income countries to head off debt crises.
Fresh tropical storm adds to Cubans’ woes as the country struggles with extended power outage
The blackout was considered to be Cuba’s worst since Hurricane Ian hit the island as a Category 3 storm in 2022 and damaged power installations. It took days for the government to fix them. This year, some homes have spent up to eight hours a day without electricity.
Sinwar’s killing offers Israel opportunity to lock in strategic gains before US presidential election
US President Joe Biden is expected to use Yahya Sinwar’s killing to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wind down the war in Gaza. But the Israeli leader may prefer to wait out the end of Biden’s term and take his chances with the next president, whether the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris or Republican rival Donald Trump, with whom Netanyahu has had close ties.
Rwanda accused of trying to shrug off ‘sportswashing’ by touting economic outcomes
Rwanda President Paul Kagame has built a close working relationship with Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, which has opened an office in Rwanda and held its annual meeting there last year. Now he is taking the biggest step yet in his ambition to transform the country into a global sporting power, with F1 executives confirming that they are in exploratory talks with Kagame’s government about a possible Rwandan Grand Prix.
UN agency warns disregard, disrespect for international law ‘reaching a deafening crescendo’
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon insisted on Wednesday at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Gaza that his country’s humanitarian efforts remain “as comprehensive as ever.”
While England have hired a winner, it’s no guarantee in international football Thomas Tuchel will replicate club success
Gareth Southgate was always cast in some quarters as the reason England kept falling just short, which, after decades of falling a long way short, seemed strange. Whatever the undoubted qualities he brought to the job, it was always assumed by his critics that any half-decent coach who operates in the top half of the Premier League or the later stages of the Champions League would bring all of those plus, crucially, the hard-nosed winning mentality and hard-wired tactical expertise of a Pep Guardiola, a Carlo Ancelotti or a Jurgen Klopp.
Robbed of resources, brutalised by armed groups and ignored by UN, displaced millions in Congo report dire mental health crisis
Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the US is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Internationally, many governments and other organizations offer help and information on how to contact them is available online.
UN: 27m people in southern Africa go hungry as subregion endures worst hunger crisis due to El Niño
Scientists say sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most vulnerable parts of the world to climate change because of a high dependency on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources. Millions of African livelihoods depend on the climate, while poor countries are unable to finance climate-resilience measures.
Noble no more: End of era of hereditary aristocracy in Britain after 700 years of power entitlement
Britain’s Parliament has two chambers: the House of Commons, whose members are directly elected by voters in 650 constituencies across the UK; and the unelected Lords. For centuries it was made up of noblemen – women were not allowed until 1963 – whose voting rights were passed down to their children along with their titles. In the 1950s these were joined by “life peers” – retired politicians, civic leaders and other notables appointed by the government.
