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☆ Creditor Nations Likely to Agree on Sri Lanka Debt Restructuring - Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO (Reuters) - A group of Sri Lanka's creditor nations are likely to reach an agreement on debt relief and an extension of repayment deadlines for the South Asian nation, Japan's Jiji News reported on Wednesday, without naming a source or giving any details. China is Sri Lanka's largest bilateral creditor and has steered clear of joining this group as a formal member. Mired in its worst financial crisis in decades, Sri Lanka has been trying to reach restructuring deals with creditors since last year. The agreement with the group of creditor nations came about a month after the debt-ridden island nation reached a deal with the Export-Import Bank of China covering about $4.2 billion of outstanding debt. In so doing, Colombo is also seeking to receive more clarity on its debt restructuring talks with key bilateral creditors.

Persons: Tetsushi Kajimoto, Chang, Ran Kim, Miral Organizations: South, Jiji, Export, Import Bank of, International Monetary Fund Locations: TOKYO, Japan, France, India, China, Sri Lanka's, Sri Lanka, Import Bank of China, Colombo

Rohingya traditionally take to sea in October, at the end of the rainy season, on journeys fraught with danger. Of 3,572 Rohingya who have left on 34 boats this year, 31% of them were children, data showed. In 2022, one of the deadliest years for the Rohingya at sea, a fifth of the about 3,705 people who fled were children. "Children making the boat journeys was not a trend before," said Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh's refugee relief and repatriation commissioner based in Cox's Bazar. With little hope of settling in Bangladesh or being accepted elsewhere, they feel they have no choice but to take to sea, Rahman said.

Persons: Riska, Chris Lewa, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Rahman, taka, Mohammed Taher, Ruma Paul, Sudipto Ganguly, Krishna N, Das, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights DHAKA, Malaysia, Thomson Locations: Sabang, Aceh province, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bangladeshi, Cox's Bazar, Arakan, Southeast Asia, Indonesia's Aceh, South Asia, Dhaka, Mumbai

REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOLOMBO, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka will likely approve on Monday a proposal from Chinese state refiner Sinopec to build a $4.5-billion-dollar refinery, the South Asian island nation's energy minister said on Saturday. Sri Lanka, trying to recover from its worst economic crisis in more than 70 years, is hungry for new investment and local fuel supplies. The investment will add to Sinopec's recently started fuel retailing business, the third international company with a foothold in Sri Lanka, with a license to operates 150 petrol stations. Sinopec's fuel oil division, which runs the retail business there, began in 2019 supplying marine bunker fuel at Hambantota, another Sinopec official said. Sri Lanka's refinery at Sapugaskanda, commissioned in 1969, can process 38,000 barrels of oil a day.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Kanchana Wijesekera, Wijesekera, Vitol, Uditha Jayasinghe, Chen Aizhu, Krishn Kaushik, William Mallard Organizations: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, REUTERS, Rights, and Energy, Reuters, Sri, China Merchant Port Holdings, Initiative, China Merchants, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Sri Lanka, China's, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Colombo, Sinopec, Hambantota, Europe, Asia, Lanka's, Sapugaskanda

☆ Snowfall is changing across the globe, new maps show
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Eric Zerkel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Snowfall is declining globally as temperatures warm because of human-caused climate change, a new analysis and maps from a NOAA climate scientist show. There has already been a 2.7% decline in annual global snowfall since 1973, according to Brettschneider’s analysis of data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The increase in snowfall in the Northeast seen on the maps illustrates the complicated nature of changing precipitation patterns with climate change, scientists told CNN. “Even though the total snowfall trend was positive, the days per year with snowfall trend is negative,” Brettschneider told CNN. Managing water with less snowUnderstanding the implications of less snowfall on the global water supply is far more complicated than simply saying less snow falling means less available water, Mankin said.

Persons: ”, Brian Brettschneider, ” Snow, Justin Mankin, haven’t, ” Mankin, Jessica Lundquist, Lundquist, ” Lundquist, ” Brettschneider, Brettschneider, Mankin, “ Organizations: CNN, NOAA, Northeast, National Weather Service, Dartmouth College, University of Washington Locations: Alaska, Northern, California, American, “ California, snowpack, South Asia, Spain, Italy, Greece, North Africa, Morocco

The minister described it as a "non-negotiable" demand of the Indian government during the meeting, said one of the sources. India's IT ministry said in a press statement all platforms had agreed to align their content guidelines with government rules. Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) YouTube, Facebook and Chandrasekhar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have raised concerns over deepfakes in recent days. India has been tightening regulations of social media companies, which count the South Asian nation as a top growth market.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Chandrasekhar, Narendra Modi, Munsif Vengattil, Aditya Kalra Organizations: Facebook, REUTERS, Rights, YouTube, Reuters, Thomson Locations: India

☆ Australia have their 'legacy' after winning World Cup: Cummins
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Cricket - ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Final - India v Australia - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, India - November 19, 2023 Australia's Pat Cummins celebrates with the trophy after winning the ICC Cricket World Cup REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia captain Pat Cummins said his team had created their own legacy by winning the nation's record-extending sixth one-day World Cup as players returned home from India on Wednesday. The Australia skipper touched down in Sydney with team mates and was still glowing about their achievement. "Every half an hour or so, you kind of remember that we just won the World Cup and get excited all over again," Cummins told reporters at the airport. "I think they have created their own legacy," Cummins added. "I mean, a World Cup, you only get one chance every four years and especially playing someone like India, it’s hard.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Pat Cummins, Amit Dave, Cummins's, Cummins, we’ve, hadn’t, James Redmayne, Ian Ransom, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, Narendra, ICC Cricket World, Rights, India, Thomson Locations: India, Australia, Ahmedabad, Sydney, South Africa

☆ Hundreds of Rohingya come ashore in Indonesia, joining about 1,000 this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

During November to April, when the seas are calmer, many members of the persecuted minority leave Myanmar on rickety boats for Thailand, Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. Mitra Salima Suryono, a spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency in Indonesia, said there did not appear to be any particular reason for the big number of Rohingya arriving. Mitra said Aceh villagers had tried to prevent hundreds of Rohingya arriving in the Bireuen area in northeast Sumatra last week although they eventually came ashore on Sunday. For years, Rohingya have left Buddhist-majority Myanmar where they are generally regarded as foreign interlopers from South Asia, denied citizenship and subjected to abuse. Usman Hamid, the director of rights group Amnesty International Indonesia, called for authorities to take in the Rohingya and talk with neighbours, especially Malaysia and Thailand, where Rohingya also often stop.

Persons: Rohingya, Adek, Mitra Salima Suryono, Mitra, Usman Hamid, Stanley Widianto, Robert Birsel Organizations: Reuters, Indonesia's, Amnesty International, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia's Aceh, Myanmar, Thailand, Muslim, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sabang, Aceh, Sumatra, South Asia, Bangladeshi, Cox's Bazar, Amnesty International Indonesia

☆ Stuart Seldowitz: Former Obama administration official arrested after video shows Islamophobic language spewed at food vendor
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Artemis Moshtaghian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“You support killing little children,” Seldowitz says to the vendor in one video. In another video, Seldowitz asks the man whether he’s familiar with Egypt’s General Intelligence Service, better known as the Mukhabarat. When asked via email for additional comment on the videos, Seldowitz said, “Happy to talk (Wednesday). Mohamed Attia, of the Street Vendor Project, said the vendor told him he did not instigate the conversation with Seldowitz. New York City Councilmember Julie Menin reached out to the organization and reported the incidents to police, Attia said.

Persons: CNN —, Obama, Stuart Seldowitz, Seldowitz, ” Seldowitz, Christopher Wray, We’re, “ Mukhabarat, Prophet Mohammed, Islam, “, Barack Obama’s, hasn’t, ”, Mohamed Attia, Attia, Mohamed, doesn’t, “ Mohamed, ” Attia, Julie Menin, ” Menin Organizations: CNN, National Security Council, NYPD, Seldowitz, New York City Police Department, Defamation League, Egypt’s General Intelligence Service, Daily, Hamas, City & State, National Security Council South, Directorate, Gotham Government Relations, New, New York City Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Israel, Egypt, New, New York

☆ Meet the Thai celebrities — and ‘boys love’ stars — becoming fashion’s newest power players
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Tiffany Ap | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

(CNN) — Back in February, Nattawin Wattanagitiphat’s fans spared no expense in marking the Thai actor’s 29th birthday. Local media reported his birthday haul totaled 50 million Thai baht, or around $1.4 million. But more often than not, the Thai stars who are able to build international fan bases tend to be actors. “K-pop stars dedicated their lives training (from a young age) to be idols,” but Thai stars, she said, can be more relaxed. We don’t really keep the talent in a box like Korean companies do.”Another advantage some Thai celebrities have is their ability to resonate among Chinese audiences.

Persons: Nattawin, Christian Dior, Lefty.io, Karla Otto, TikTok, Kylie Jenner, Zendaya, Pascal Le Segretain, Dior, Tontawan Tantivejakul, Lalisa Manobal, Lisa, Celine, There’s, Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton, Davika Hoorne, Urassaya Sperbund, ‘, Calvin Klein, Bright’s, Metawin, ’, Nichapat, Sumettikul, “ KinnPorsche ”, Ralph Lauren, Kanawut, Suphap, It’s, “, ”, ” Suphap, Blackpink, Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, Evan Agostini, Dior womenswear, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Fatti, ” Laleh, ” Davika Hoorne, Michael Kors, Jamie McCarthy, Traipipattanapong, Gucci, Justin Shin, Krisda Witthayakhajorndet, Thais Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, Thai, Rolex, Vogue, Mastercard, Bain & Company, American Vogue, Burberry, Prada, Venture Management, Gucci, MTV, Apo, South Locations: ’, Asia, India, Instagram, Thailand, North, South Asia, Thai, Southeast Asia, Pacific, Bangkok, Pee Mak, Norwegian, American, Vogue Thailand, Newark , New Jersey, Launchmetrics, Paris, Blackpink, Brooklyn , New York, Seoul, South Korea

☆ Why apple prices plunged in October
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But apple prices plunged 7.9%. A Goldilocks year for applesIn general, apple prices dip in the fall, because that’s when they’re harvested and flood the market. An apple orchard near Leavenworth, Washington state. “We have a lot of volume, but I don’t know if we’re gonna be making any money this year.”Though gas prices have fallen, apple farmers have other rising costs, including labor. To cope with rising costs and improve sustainability, many farmers have been making adjustments to how they operate, said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission, which promotes the state’s apple industry.

Persons: it’s, ”, Chris Gerlach, ” Gerlach, “, Jon DeVaney, Gerlach, Lynsee Gibbons, we’ve, Association’s DeVaney, …, Craig Campbell, Campbell, DeVaney, “ I’ve, Jonathan Haines, Todd Fryhover, “ We’re, “ They’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Apple Association, Gro Intelligence, Tree Fruit Association, USDA, “, ” Farmers, Harmony Orchards, Washington Apple Commission Locations: New York, United States, India, Leavenworth , Washington, Washington, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, East, South Asia, Yakima, Wenatchee

☆ Fear is driving Chinese travelers away from two of Asia’s most popular destinations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Shalbha Sarda | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

But both are losing ground with Chinese nationals as safety concerns rise among younger travelers. Both countries were the top choices for Chinese holidaymakers earlier this year but fell in the third quarter — Thailand to No. 8 — according to the marketing company China Trading Desk, which gauges Chinese travel sentiment on a quarterly basis. Both countries now lag behind South Korea, Malaysia and Australia in terms of Chinese travelers' next vacation destinations, with Singapore — deemed one of the safest places for travelers in 2023 — rising to the top spot. The World Health Organization and other safety groups have said seafood from Japan is safe to eat, but fears among Chinese travelers have "turned one of their most popular destinations into one of their least popular," Bhatt said.

Persons: Singapore —, Subramania Bhatt, Bhatt, Pia Oberoi, Oberoi, There's Organizations: China Trading, China, World Health Organization, United Nations, United Nations Human Rights, High, Afp, Getty, ASEAN, CNBC Locations: Japan, Thailand, Asia, Korea, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Thailand —, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Southeast, South Asia, China, Taiwan, America, Pacific, perpetrating, Thu, People's Republic of China

☆ Qatar World Cup: Amnesty International says ‘abuses persist’ and ‘too little has been done’ to protect workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Qatar now leads the region on workers’ rights and labor reforms, setting an example for other countries on how a system can be successfully overhauled. Argentina's Lionel Messi lifts World Cup after defeating France in the final. Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe/Getty ImagesIn the build-up to last year’s World Cup, the organizers received widespread criticism for their treatment of migrant workers. The report did not connect all 6,500 deaths with World Cup infrastructure projects and has not been independently verified by CNN. Amnesty International also reiterated its 10-point plan which was published in the build-up to the 2022 World Cup.

Persons: Qatar’s, “, Argentina's Lionel Messi, Julian Finney, Hassan Al Thawadi, CNN’s Becky Anderson, Steve Cockburn, “ Qatar’s, ” Organizations: CNN, Amnesty International, Amnesty, Qatar’s International Media, FIFA, France, Getty, Guardian, Economic Social Justice, Qatar “, Qatar Locations: Qatar, Qatari, Europe

LONDON (AP) — Britain's medicines regulator has authorized the world's first gene therapy treatment for sickle cell disease, in a move that could offer relief to thousands of people with the crippling disease in the U.K. The agency approved the treatment for patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia who are 12 years old and over. Casgevy is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; the agency is expected to make a decision early next month, before considering another sickle cell gene therapy. Millions of people around the world, including about 100,000 in the U.S., have sickle cell disease. Scientists believe being a carrier of the sickle cell trait helps protect against severe malaria.

Persons: ”, Helen O'Neill Organizations: Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, CRISPR Therapeutics, Helen O'Neill of University College London, Medicines, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Europe, CRISPR, South Asian, Britain, U.S, Africa, India, Eastern

☆ Australia kick off 2026 qualifying with 7-0 rout of Bangladesh
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Australia kicked off Asia's second round of World Cup qualifying with a 7-0 demolition of Bangladesh on Thursday as Graham Arnold celebrated a record 59th 'A' international as Socceroos coach. "Overall it was a good performance but I think we still need to be a bit more ruthless in front of goal," Arnold told reporters. Australia face Palestine in Kuwait next week, their next step on the road to the 2026 finals in North America. Thursday's match also marked the 50th anniversary of Australia sealing qualification for the 1974 World Cup, the nation's first appearance at the global showpiece. Australia are bidding to qualify for the World Cup for the seventh time, and sixth time in succession, having reached the round of 16 at last year's tournament in Qatar.

Persons: Graham Arnold, Jamie Maclaren, Mitchell Duke, Arnold, Harry, Craig Goodwin, Brandon Borrello, Connor Metcalfe, Mitul Marma, Duke, Metcalfe, Borrello, Maclaren, Jordan Bos, pouncing, Massimo Luongo, pinged, Lewis Miller, Kusini Yengi, Luongo, Aiden O’Neill, Frank Farina, Ian Ransom, Andrew Heavens, Toby Davis Organizations: MELBOURNE, Socceroos, 183rd, Melbourne, Thomson Locations: Australia, Bangladesh, Palestine, Kuwait, North America, Qatar, Melbourne

☆ UK regulators approve medical treatment involving CRISPR gene editing in world first
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The United Kingdom has become the first country to give regulatory approval to a medical treatment involving the revolutionary CRISPR gene editing tool. The treatment, made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is administered by taking stem cells out of a patient’s bone marrow and editing a gene in the cells in a lab. “Modifying the stem cells from the bone marrow of the patient avoids the problems associated with immune compatibility, i.e. The release from the MHRA did not say how much the treatment would cost, but it’s likely to be expensive. CRISPR-Cas9 has had a major impact on biomedical research, clinical medicine and agriculture and is widely used in labs around the world.

Persons: —, ”, Julian Beach, “, — Emmanuelle Charpentier, Jennifer A, Doudna —, Casgevy, Alena Pance, ” Pance, Cas9, Jiankui Organizations: CNN, country’s Medicines, Healthcare, Agency, Beta, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, US Food and Drug Administration, University of Hertfordshire, Science Media Centre Locations: United Kingdom, South Asian

☆ Goals flow as Asia's top nations make winning start to World Cup qualifying
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Michael Church | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Doan scored the fifth four minutes from time with a cool finish as the Japanese made light work of their visitors. Australia were also untroubled as they completed a 7-0 demolition of Bangladesh in Group I with Jamie Maclaren stepping off the bench to score a second half hat-trick. Maclaren did all the damage in the second half, scoring from a Jordan Bos cross shortly after the restart before pouncing again in the 70th when a Massimo Luongo shot pinged off goalkeeper Mitul Marma. The South Koreans, meanwhile, scored four times in the second half to hand Singapore a 5-0 defeat at Seoul World Cup Stadium, with captain Son Heung-min among the scorers. Cho Gue-sung put Juergen Klinsmann's team in front a minute before the halftime break and Hwang Hee-chan added the second four minutes into the second half.

Persons: Japan's Ayase Ueda, Hajime Moriyasu, Ueda, Takumi Minamino's lofted, Daichi Kamada, dink, Doan, Jamie Maclaren, Mitchell Duke, Harry Souttar, Brandon Borrello, Duke, Maclaren, Jordan Bos, pouncing, Massimo Luongo, pinged, Mitul Marma, Lewis Miller, Son Heung, Cho Gue, Juergen, Hwang Hee, Hwang Ui, Lee Kang, Michael Church, Ian Ransom, Ken Ferris Organizations: Myanmar, Suita, 183rd, Melbourne, South, Seoul, Thomson Locations: OSAKA, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Syria, Jeddah, Osaka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Singapore, Korea

A Volkswagen logo is seen on a Volkswagen ID.5 electric car on display at a showroom of a car dealer in Reze near Nantes, France, November 13, 2023. The main lever to reduce prices of electric cars is reducing battery costs, Blume said at the Sueddeutsche Zeitung Wirtschaftsgipfel conference in Berlin, pointing to the company's plans to produce a unified battery cell that it says will reduce battery costs by half. The company had said at the time it was working on a 20,000-euro vehicle, but did not provide further information. "We have a responsibility to bring the right products at the right price onto the market," Blume said. The pressure of inflation, a lack of charging infrastructure and the removal of subsidies were also holding back electric car demand, Blume said.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, Oliver Blume, Blume, Victoria Waldersee, Miranda Murray Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, Rights, Victoria, Thomson Locations: Reze, Nantes, France, Berlin

☆ Israel-Gaza Conflict Challenge to US-Backed Economic Corridor - India Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The Israel-Gaza conflict is a "worrying manifestation" of geopolitical challenges for the U.S.-backed multinational economic corridor, India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday. In September, global leaders announced a rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia, as the U.S. seeks to counter China's Belt and Road push on global infrastructure with a new economic corridor. The proposed corridor will pass through Israel, which has been engaged in a fierce conflict with Hamas in the Gaza strip, in retaliation for the militants' cross-border assault into Israel on Oct. 7. "It (the corridor) is not without its geopolitical challenges and the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza is a worrying manifestation of these," Sitharaman said during a conference. (Reporting by Shivangi Acharya; Writing by Kanjyik Ghosh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Christian Schmollinger)

Persons: Nirmala Sitharaman, Sitharaman, Shivangi Acharya, Kanjyik Ghosh, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Schmollinger Organizations: Reuters, U.S Locations: Israel, Gaza, East, South Asia, U.S

☆ Australia feeling 2021 vibes ahead of South Africa semi-final: Maxwell
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KOLKATA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Australia head into Thursday's World Cup semi-final against South Africa with the same excitement in the dressing room that propelled them to their maiden triumph in the T20 World Cup in 2021, Glenn Maxwell said. Maxwell was part of Aaron Finch's groundbreaking squad in the United Arab Emirates in 2021 and scored an unbeaten 28 in the final against New Zealand. "The excitement of that match has given us a whole new belief going forward," Maxwell said in an interview with Australian broadcaster Fox Sports. "It reminded me of the T20 World Cup in 2021. "The feeling around the group was energetic, electric, exciting and everyone felt they were heading towards the same end goal.

Persons: Glenn Maxwell, Maxwell, Aaron Finch's, cramp, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, We’ve, I've, I’ve, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: South, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Fox Sports, Afghanistan, Thomson Locations: KOLKATA, Australia, South Africa, Afghanistan, Melbourne

☆ Dire wolves, camels, and other extinct giant mammals that used to live in North America
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

North America used to be crawling with giant mammals, from dire wolves to big cats. In North America, "you only get the woolly mammoths up in the north, starting around the Great Lakes," Lindsey said. AdvertisementOnce thought to be the cousins of gray wolves, dire wolves evolved separately over 5 million years ago in North America. AdvertisementThe ancient bison, Bison antiquus, was 25% larger than those living today. A recent study suggested modern bison — Bison biso — evolved from this species.

Persons: —, wasn't, Emily Lindsey, Markus Matzel, Lindsey, Mike Kemp, mastodons, Benji Paysnoe, Camelops, Spencer, scotti, Daniel Eskridge, Andrew Milligan, scimitars, Jeffrey Greenberg, priscus, Katherine Frey, it's Organizations: Service, National Park Service, National, South America, AP, Universal, Washington Locations: America, Asia, Australia, South America, Alaska, North America, Africa, Bering, Mexico, Costa Rica, Great, Canadian Yukon, of Panama, North, South, Eurasia, Americas, Spanish, Canada, Florida, Yukon, Gulf, Central, South Asia, China, California

The world is off track in its efforts to curb global warming in 41 of 42 important measurements and is even heading in the wrong direction in six crucial ways, a new international report calculates. On the flip side, public money spent to create more fossil fuel use is going in the wrong direction and faster than it has in the past, said study co-author Kelly Levin, science and data director at the Bezos Earth Fund. The globe has already warmed about 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) since the mid 19th century. But he said the report shows “we’re really struggling to pick the low-hanging fruit.”___Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment. ___Follow Seth Borenstein on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @borenbears___Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations.

Persons: Kelly Levin, it’s, ” Levin, ”, Joe Thwaites, Katharine Jacobs, ” Jacobs, Justin Mankin, “ we’re, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Climate, World Resources Institute, Fund, United Nations, United, Natural Resources Defense, Arizona State University, Twitter, AP Locations: Canada, South Asia, Dubai, United States, Paris, Ukraine, Dartmouth

☆ Nepal bans TikTok because of ‘disruption’ to social harmony
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Sugam Pokharel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London/Hong Kong CNN —Nepal has decided to ban TikTok because the popular short video app was disrupting social structures in the South Asian nation, government officials say. “Considering how TikTok is disrupting our social harmony, and the impact it’s having on our family and social structures, the cabinet has decided to ban TikTok for the moment,” Rekha Sharma, Nepal’s minister of communication and information technology, told a press conference on Monday. Purushottam Khanal, chair of the Telecommunications Authority, has asked internet service providers to cut access to the app, the country’s state-run Nepal Television said in a Monday report. In February, the White House told federal agencies that they had 30 days to remove TikTok from all government-issued devices. Australia announced in April that the app would have to be removed from federal government devices.

Persons: ” Rekha Sharma, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, ”, Purushottam Khanal, TikTok Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Monday, CNN, Telecommunications Authority, Nepal, WorldLink Communications, Reuters, —, New Zealand, White House, Australia Locations: Hong Kong, Nepal, India, Bhaktapur, United States, — Australia, Britain, Canada, New

☆ Biden’s Pacific Trade Pact Suffers Setback After Criticism From Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Ana Swanson | More About Ana Swanson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration has pulled back on plans to announce the conclusion of substantial portions of a new Asian-Pacific trade pact at an international meeting in San Francisco this week, after several top Democratic lawmakers threatened to oppose the deal, people familiar with the matter said. The White House had been aiming to announce that the United States and its trading partners had largely settled the terms of its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, an agreement that aims to strengthen alliances and economic ties among the United States and its allies in East and South Asia. But Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, and other prominent lawmakers have criticized the pact, saying it lacks adequate protections for workers in the countries it covers, among other shortcomings. The Biden administration, facing the possibility of additional critical public statements, has decided not to push to conclude the trade portion of the agreement this week, and has been briefing members of Congress and foreign trading partners in recent days on its decision, the people said.

Persons: Biden, Sherrod Brown Organizations: Democratic, White, Prosperity, Democrat Locations: Pacific, San Francisco, United States, East, South Asia, Ohio

☆ 'We are bullish on India': As Diwali begins, these 3 stocks are set to outperform, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A strong economy, growing population and booming stock market have put India on the map for many investors this year. It can lead to stock market moves, as some investors view it as a new beginning. "We are bullish on India for Samvat 2080," Kotak Securities' analysts wrote in a recent note. Financial services company Bank of India is also on Kotak Securities' buy-rated list following higher profit booking levels. The analysts give the stock a target price range of 120-130 Indian rupees, or upside potential of up to 26%.

Persons: Kotak, Naman Tandon Organizations: Securities, Kotak Securities, Bombay Burmah Trading, Financial, Bank of, Godrej Industries Locations: India, Bank of India

☆ Nepal to ban China's TikTok, alleges damaging social impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TikTok app logo is seen in this illustration taken, August 22, 2022. TikTok has already been either partially or completely banned by other countries, with many citing security concerns. Nepal's Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma said the decision to ban TikTok had been made at a cabinet meeting earlier on Monday. "Colleagues are working on closing it technically," Sharma told Reuters. Nepal's neighbour India banned TikTok along with dozens of other apps by Chinese developers in June 2020, saying that they could compromise national security and integrity.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, China's, TikTok, Technology Rekha Sharma, Sharma, Purushottam Khanal, Khanal, Pradeep Gyawali, Gopal Sharma, Sakshi Dayal, Jason Neely, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Nepal's, Communications, Technology, Reuters, Nepal Telecom, Communist Party of Nepal, Marxist, Thomson Locations: Nepal, India, Pakistan

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