BEIJING, 28 February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – China fell short of a crucial climate target in 2024, as emissions in the world’s second-largest economy continued to rise, with coal remaining dominant despite record increases in renewable energy capacity, official data revealed on Friday. According to figures released by Beijing’s National Bureau of Statistics, China’s carbon intensity […]

GENEVA, 27th February 2025 (AFP) – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed deep concern on Thursday over the deportation of approximately 40 Uyghur individuals by Thai authorities, despite the risk that they may face persecution upon their return to China. “This is a clear violation of the principle of non-refoulement and the Royal […]

NEW DELHI, 27th February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – The European Union’s top leadership arrived in India on Thursday for what has been described as an “unprecedented” visit, aimed at expanding commercial and diplomatic relations while also counterbalancing its increasingly strained ties with the United States. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, accompanied by the college […]

PARIS, 27th February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – France is engaged in discussions with Ukraine regarding access to its mineral resources, which may include materials intended for military purposes, according to Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu. “We are in talks about this issue for France’s requirements,” Lecornu told the Franceinfo broadcaster, one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky […]

WASHINGTON, 27 February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was revoking the permit allowing Chevron to operate in Venezuela, cutting off a critical source of revenue for the crisis-stricken economy of Nicolás Maduro’s government. Sanctions Reinstated Amid Political Tensions Trump’s decision comes amid escalating tensions with the Venezuelan administration, […]

PORT LOUIS, 27 February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – The Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and La Réunion are preparing for the impact of Cyclone Garance, an intense tropical storm that has been classified as a “direct threat” to both territories. Authorities in Mauritius closed the country’s main airport on Wednesday, while the French island of La […]

SEOUL, 27 February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – North Korea has dispatched additional soldiers to Russia and redeployed several troops to the frontline in Kursk, according to intelligence sources in Seoul. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have previously reported that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia last year to support its military […]

NIAMEY, Niger, 27 February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Two attacks carried out by “armed bandits” in southwestern Niger have resulted in the deaths of 16 people, according to reports from state radio. Although the perpetrators have not been identified, the nature of the attacks closely resembles jihadist raids that have increasingly destabilised the central Sahel region […]