Australia’s bushfires could become the new normal, warn climate scientists
A review of 27 scientific papers published since 2013 reveals that there is a clear link between climate change and bushfires in Australia.
US and Iran appear to signal desire to avoid further conflict, but risks remain
In retaliation for the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by the US, Iran had launched missile strikes on US troops in Iraq.
Iran attacks two Iraqi military bases housing US forces in response to Soleimani killing
More than a dozen missiles were fired at the Ain al-Asad base in Anbar and the base in Erbil but no casualties have been reported so far.
Iran says it’s pulling out of nuclear agreement, but is still part of deal ‘politically’
Some experts say the 2015 nuclear deal is dead, but others say it isn’t and point out how Iran’s official statement suggests that it is still a part of the deal.
Who Carlos Ghosn is, and how he escaped house arrest in Japan
Ghosn, former head of Nissan, was accused of underreporting assets and was under trial in Japan.
What US yield curve is, and why analysts say it signals optimism for global economy in 2020
The US yield curve is considered the leading indicator of global economy’s health and has predicted every American recession in the past 50 years.
Singapore books Indian national for protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act
The 32-year-old Indian man was allegedly protesting without a permit, which is a criminal offence in Singapore.
US stops sending sniffer dogs to Egypt and Jordan after multiple deaths
A US government report highlighted cases of severe negligence in the care of sniffer dogs in Jordan and Egypt.
Islamic State is regrouping and getting stronger in Iraq again, claims report
According to a BBC report, the Islamic State has over 10,000 members in Iraq — including 4,000 to 5,000 fighters.
Donald Trump becomes third US President to be impeached by House of Representatives
A trial will now take place at Senate, followed by a vote. A two-thirds majority will be required to convict and remove President Donald Trump.
If anything is Angela Merkel’s legacy, it is her custodianship of the liberal world order
Whereas most other world leaders are “men of action” who go off like proverbial firecrackers when crises emerge, Merkel preferred to do her homework.
Bitcoin, Ether tumble as China declares all cryptocurrency transactions illegal
London: Bitcoin, Ether and other digital tokens tumbled as China intensified its push to rein in crypto speculation and mining.
Bitcoin fell 7.8% to $41,220 as of 7:41 a.m. in New York. The losses were more severe in other coins, with Ether, EOS, Litecoin and Dash all falling more than 7%. Crypto-related stocks also came under pressure, with Marathon Digital Holdings Inc. tumbling 6% in U.S. pre-market trading.
China’s central bank said all cryptocurrency-related transactions are illegal, according to a Q&A statement on PBOC’s website. It’s an urgent task for China to root out crypto mining and the crackdown is important to meet carbon goals, according to the guidelines on the website of the nation’s economic planning agency.
Bitcoin looks headed toward the $40,000 level or lower, Fawad Razaqzada, an analyst at ThinkMarkets, warned. China’s strict approach is part of the reason why Bitcoin prices collapsed in May and have struggled to regain previous all-time highs above $60,000.
“The risks are skewed to...
Defence
Rajnath Singh talks ‘lessons’ from Taliban takeover, hits out at ‘irresponsible states’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says turmoil in Afghanistan and the region is a result of 'aggressive designs and active support to non-state players'.
Does India matter? Yes, Kamala Harris’s ‘sermon’ to Modi reminds him why
Democracy is the most important of the 3 Ds Modi keeps listing. If that is damaged, India’s most powerful PM in five decades also gets publicly admonished, if gently, by US V-P.