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CNN —One year after catastrophic floods devastated swathes of Pakistan, some 4 million children in the South Asian nation remain without access to safe water, the United Nations children’s agency has warned. “Vulnerable children living in flood-affected areas have endured a horrific year,” Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, said in the statement. “The climate-related disaster deepened pre-existing inequities for children and families in affected districts,” UNICEF said in the statement. Children pick vegetables from water at a flooded market after heavy rainfall in Lahore on June 26, 2023. Fadil from UNICEF said the agency has called on the government of Pakistan and its partners to “increase and sustain investment in basic social services for children and families.”He added: “We cannot forget the children of Pakistan.

Persons: ” Abdullah Fadil, “, Asim Hafeez, Dera Allah Yar, Fida Hussain, Imran Khan, Khan, ”, Stephen Innes, Arif Ali, Fadil Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UNICEF, UNICEF Representative, Bloomberg, Getty, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Capital Economics, Analysts Locations: Pakistan, Karachi Division, Sindh province, Pakistan’s, Dera, Jaffarabad district, Balochistan, AFP, Asia, Lahore, South Asia, Afghanistan, India

The large crowd of men congregated at the center of a mosque in the central city of Yazd, clad in black and beating their chests rhythmically in unison. They were commemorating Ashura, Shia Islam’s most sacred ritual, showcased annually with great fanfare in Iran as a testament to the Shiite theocracy’s power and strength. The mourners who gathered in Yazd last month and in many other cities across Iran diverged unexpectedly from the script to target the clerical rulers of Iran, turning religious ballads into protest songs about the suffering of Iranians. Oh rain, oh storm, come. They have set fire to our tent.”In Kermanshah, a Kurdish city in western Iran, a religious vocalist known as a maddah stood on the street, microphone in hand, singing about officials “stealing and devouring” resources away from desolate people.

Persons: Ashura Locations: Yazd, Iran, Kermanshah, Kurdish

CNN —Hundreds of protesters stormed the main gates of the Swedish embassy in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad early Thursday in response to police in Stockholm granting permission for a demonstration were organizers are reportedly planning another burning of the Muslim holy book, the Quran. Videos posted on social media showed a large number of protesters inside the Swedish embassy’s perimeter as well as black smoke and fire coming from the building. According to AFP, Swedish police said Wednesday they had granted a permit for a protest outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, with media reporting the organizers planned to burn the Muslim holy book. Stockholm police told AFP they had granted a permit for a “public gathering” outside the Iraqi embassy but did not wish to give further comments on what the protesters were planning. A large number of protesters breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad early Thursday.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, AFP, Swedish, Swedish Embassy, Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm’s, Iraq

CNN —Swedish authorities have approved a protest involving the burning of Torahs and Bibles outside the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden’s national radio broadcaster reported on Friday. A person who has applied to hold a public gathering on Saturday to burn the holy books has been granted permission, Sveriges Radio said. The European Jewish Congress (EJC) said in a press release on Friday that they “strongly” condemned the decision of Swedish authorities. “I unequivocally condemn the permission granted in Sweden to burn holy books. The decision to permit that protest was made in accordance with the right of freedom of speech, Swedish police said at the time.

Persons: ”, Ariel Muzicant, ” Muzicant, Isaac Herzog, “, ” Herzog Organizations: CNN, Embassy, Sveriges Radio, Jewish Congress Locations: Stockholm, Sweden, Israel, Swedish, Baghdad

☆ Will Children Save Us at the End of the World?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Noreen Malone | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There’s “Station Eleven,” the 2014 novel by Emily St. John Mandel about the aftermath of a swine flu, which was turned into a much-discussed 2021 HBO Max series, in which an 8-year-old girl manages to survive with the help of a stranger turned surrogate parent. “The Last of Us,” HBO’s video game adaptation, which debuted in January, features a zombie-fungus pandemic; a seemingly immune teenage girl is humanity’s one hope. “Leave the World Behind,” Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel — soon to be a movie — about a bourgeois family vacation gone very bad, features a vague but menacing threat of apocalypse. These stories are, in various ways, about how and whether our children can survive the mess that we’ve left them — and what it will cost them to do so. In “Station Eleven,” post-pans (children who were born after the pandemic) are both beacons of optimism and conscripted killers deployed by a self-styled prophet who hopes to erase anyone who holds on to the trauma of the past.

Persons: Emily St, John Mandel, HBO Max, —, Yellowjackets ”, we’ve, ” Ellie, Bella Ramsey Organizations: “, HBO, soccer, Netflix

☆ Swedish embassy in Baghdad: Protesters break in after Stockholm Quran burning
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Mostafa Salem | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Demonstrators breached the perimeter of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad Thursday, a day after a protester burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden. Videos circulating on social media showed some protesters climbing over a barricaded wall outside the embassy. Muslim countries and Islamic organizations had condemned the burning of the Quran in Stockholm. On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Abu Dhabi to protest the Quran burning incident, the UAE’s state news agency WAM said. In January early this year Iraqi protesters clashed with security forces outside the Swedish embassy for a separate incident of Quran burning in Stockholm.

Persons: Muqtada, Sadr, Al Sadr, Momika, ” Al Sadr, it’s, Sweden’s, Abu, WAM Organizations: CNN, Embassy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, AFP, of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council, United Arab Emirates Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Muqtada al, Iraqi, Stockholm, Stockholm –, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi

☆ Saudi Arabia is now stealing sporting headlines as prince pursues global ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Nic Robertson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Saudi Arabia has been in the headlines a lot lately – this time for trying to find its place in the sporting world. The kingdom’s golfing coup is perhaps the crowning sporting achievement so far of heir apparent Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS). Regional outlierBy the time King Salman came along, the 21st century was passing Saudi Arabia by. Saudi Arabia has led efforts to bring Syria in from the cold and tried to mediate in conflicts such as those in Sudan and even Ukraine. On oil, he has made Saudi Arabia a bolder player.

Persons: LIV Golf, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema, Jamal Khashoggi, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, King Salman’s, King Salman, LIV, Liberalizations, Al Hathloul, can’t, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Bashar al, Assad, Yemen’s, Putin, Xi Organizations: CNN, golf’s, Dubai, Saudi Pro League, France, Washington Post, Formula, MBS, Ritz, Saudi, Washington Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Portuguese, Istanbul, Riyadh, Mecca, Dubai, Moscow, Beijing, Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, Turkey, Syrian, Iran, Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Jeddah

CNN —Six civilians and three security force members were killed in a late-night attack by militant fighters on a beachside hotel in the Somalian capital Mogadishu, state media report. Shattered window panes could be seen at the site of the attack, as well as blood stains and debris. Feisal Omar/ReutersAl-Shabaab is the largest and most active al-Qaeda network in the world, according to the US Africa Command. The group controlled a vast area of Somalia before being pushed back by government counteroffensives since last year, according to Reuters. US forces have conducted numerous strikes in Somalia that have resulted in dozens of Al-Shabaab casualties, including one that killed 30 Al-Shabaab fighters in January, and three others in February that killed a total of 24 soldiers.

Persons: ” SONNA, Omar, counteroffensives, Al Organizations: CNN —, Security, Pearl, Somali National News Agency, African Union, Reuters, US Africa Command Locations: Somalian, Mogadishu, Al, Shabaab, Lido Beach, Somalia

☆ Saudi Arabia wants to be a bigger player in the Middle East — this time with diplomacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“And that can only reflect well on the Kingdom.”This new diplomacy comes as Saudi Arabia prioritizes economic growth at home, which requires regional stability to succeed. Saudi efforts at revamping its image as a peace-broker may face credibility challenges, however, given its near decade-long combative foreign policy and the bad press it attracted. That group is party to the Sudan conflict that Saudi Arabia is trying to help end. Despite its controversial past, Saudi Arabia may still carry enough influence to bring quarreling parties to the negotiating table, analysts say. “Saudi (Arabia) does not pretend to be an impartial mediator but its voice carries weight with many parties in the region,” Shihabi said, adding that where it can, Saudi Arabia wants to use that influence to reduce tensions.

☆ Al-Balad: Where Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry began
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But the beating heart of this city, Al-Balad, is more than a thousand years old, and it has been immaculately preserved as a reminder of Saudi Arabia’s history – specifically, Jeddah’s role as a key point of entry for religious pilgrims. He devoted city resources to the remaining Al Balad buildings and prevented some from being torn down, Parry says. The Al-Balad area was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014 as Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Mecca. This pale-blue color is one of the most popular for doors and windows in the old city. Over two nights, Al-Balad’s old buildings were lit up while acts like Busta Rhymes, Xzibit and Lupe Fiasco performed alongside some of the Arab world’s biggest musicians.

☆ Middle East pivot to Asia is strategic this time
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Xi Jinping has brokered a deal the United States would have found hard to secure, despite its traditional military influence in the Middle East. The Middle East has trained its financial sights on Asia before. At current rates of growth, emerging Asia will become the top trade partner for the Gulf countries by 2028, per Asia House, surpassing advanced economies. As U.S.-China relations continue to sour, the Asian financial centre is looking to the Middle East to find new foreign companies to trade in the territory. Delegations from the two Middle East countries held talks in Beijing between March 6 and 10, the statement added.

☆ Finland’s top diplomat hints at joining NATO without Sweden
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Finland’s top diplomat appeared to suggest Tuesday that the country may have to consider joining NATO without Sweden after Turkey’s president cast serious doubt on the expansion of the military alliance. Haavisto later backpedaled, telling reporters in Parliament that his comment earlier Tuesday had been “imprecise” and that Finland’s ambition to join NATO jointly with Sweden remained unchanged. “But of course there have been raised concerns within NATO on how the (recent) incidents in Sweden will affect the schedule,” Haavisto said. Until now, Sweden and Finland have been committed to joining the alliance together, but Haavisto’s comment to YLE raised concerns that Finland was considering proceeding without its Nordic neighbor. “Sweden respects the agreement between Sweden, Finland and Turkey regarding our NATO membership.

☆ TSMC foots the bill for global chip supremacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (2330.TW) on Thursday reported a bumper end to 2022, with December quarter earnings up a blistering 78% year-on-year to a record $9.7 billion. But costs, from overseas expansion, research and development and other factors are forecast to eat into profitability as the market enters a downturn. But TSMC also flagged R&D expenses will rise by a fifth this year, as developing next-generation technology gets pricier. Moreover, the company's new factories in the United States are adding to TSMC's expenses: executives said that construction costs are five times higher in America than in Taiwan. Capital expenditure is also forecast to be as much as $36 billion in 2023, roughly matching last year's level.

☆ Gaming’s winter of discontent bolsters M&A logic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The holiday quarter is traditionally a bumper one for gaming groups, as punters stay home to play. As consumers and companies focus on “mega-brands”, smaller firms will struggle to attract staff, and match investment. Sony, for example, will need to bulk up in response to Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) $69 billion swoop on Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O). However, in a tougher environment, Guillemot will need to find some way to keep his hand on the joystick. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Uniqlo goes out on a limb in salary hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Jan 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Fast Retailing (9983.T), owner of the Uniqlo clothing chain, announced it would hike wages by up to 40% for some roles on Wednesday. The bigger question, though, is how much of an outlier Fast Retailing will be. Although Japan’s labour market is tight, weak growth and rising prices have caused real wages to contract for eight consecutive months through November. Fast Retailing, set to announce earnings today, was a market outperformer last year and is preparing a 3-1 stock split. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Olam’s Saudi-Singapore IPO sign of shifting times
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Signs of deepening ties between Asia and the oil-rich Gulf are coming thick and fast. A planned Saudi Arabia-Singapore dual listing this year for Olam Agri, a trader of grains and seeds, is the latest example. Corporate and financial moves underscore how the global pin-code, as Olam’s co-founder and Chief Executive Sunny Verghese puts it, is changing. Between population trends, the Russia-Ukraine war and polarising geopolitics, expect the Gulf and Asia to get cosier. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Direct Line woes are thin end of insurance wedge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Direct Line (DLGD.L) has an extreme case of January blues. Shares of the UK home and motor insurance company dropped 28% on Wednesday morning after it scrapped its final dividend. A flood of insurance claims – as bad weather led to a rise in car incidents – was in part to blame. Inflation of car parts and second-hand car valuations helped put the group in the dreaded underwriting position where premiums can’t cover policy costs. But Direct Line’s declining commercial property valuations may also be a sign of trouble ahead.

☆ California floods strike at planners’ blind spots
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - If California’s budget speaks to lawmakers’ prognostications, flooding wasn’t supposed to be such a big issue. But a current deluge of rainfall makes it clear that planning for disasters needs to be broader and more proactive. Flooding along the state’s coast is expected to cost California more than $1 billion, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. While the California Senate called for extra flood protection in May, the budget only set aside $246 million for risk prevention. Municipal spending was painfully low with state and local authorities spending $48 million annually.

☆ Pro-Putin operatives in Germany work to turn Berlin against Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +17 min

Now the main Russian Cossack organisations are loyal to Putin, and they are fighting alongside Russia’s forces in Ukraine. He is regularly pictured on his and other social media pages at Cossack gatherings, often wearing Cossack military uniform. Felk has worked as a security guard and has run a logistics firm, according to posts on Felk’s OK social media account. Photos shared by Kharkovsky on social media show him and other participants standing in front of a Great Don Army flag. Eremenko confirmed to Reuters that he worked for Russian military intelligence, the GRU.

☆ UN agency says Israel is delaying new visas for its staff
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Hadas Gold | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Jerusalem CNN —A United Nations agency that operates in the West Bank and Gaza says Israel is not processing visas for its newly recruited staff, while Israeli officials accuse the agency of “ignoring Israeli victims of terror” in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, a charge the agency denies. The UN considers East Jerusalem and the West Bank to be occupied territory, and Israelis living there to be living in illegal settlements. Erdan said when OCHA is asked why they don’t count Israeli victims, they are told the agency does not have reliable data. “Of course you don’t, you don’t employ Hebrew speakers, and the senior manager of the agency is Palestinian,” Erdan said. OCHA’s latest report does record some instances of Israelis being injured by stones thrown at civilian vehicles traveling in the West Bank.

☆ Deshaun Watson returned in Cleveland Browns game against Houston. 10 of the women who accused him of sexual misconduct were expected to attend, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Around 10 of the more than two dozen women who accused Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct were expected to attend his game in Houston on Sunday, according to their attorney. I was proud of them for that,” Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing the accusers attending the game, told CNN in a statement. Makes me proud they want to stand up and be counted rather than quietly go away.”The NFL and the Cleveland Browns did not respond to CNN’s request for comment regarding the accusers’ attendance. We’re a huge football town, folks here have been lifelong fans of the Cleveland Browns,” Greene said. We believe that Deshaun Watson deserves a second chance.”The team’s “refusal to prioritize protecting women sends a disgusting message” to survivors of sexual assault, Nunes said.

☆ Asian American voters could help decide the Senate runoff in Georgia, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Sakshi Venkatraman | Sakshi Venkatraman Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“We’re also meeting people at their doors.”When it came to appealing to South Asian voters in Georgia, Nabilah Islam said her “secret weapon” had been under her nose for years. During her recent campaign for state Senate, the 33-year-old Bangladeshi American brought conversations about issues to aunties and uncles on their home turf: WhatsApp. She's now the first South Asian ever elected to the Georgia state Senate. A bloc starting to gain more recognitionAccording to Karthick Ramakrishnan, co-director of AAPI Data, the concerted efforts to appeal to Asian voters in Georgia are reflected in nationwide politics. Steps like these prove grassroots efforts to appeal to AAPI voters work, Makhija said.

Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERSDUBAI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is working with Lazard (LAZ.N) on funding options and a potential initial public offering of Masar, a $27 billion mega project in the holy city of Mecca, two sources with direct knowledge told Reuters. The PIF, Lazard and Masar did not respond to a Reuters query for comment. Bloomberg first reported Lazard was advising the sovereign wealth fund on NEOM. Masar is a 1.2 million square metre urban development project in the western part of Mecca. Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh;Editing by Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cathay’s outgoing boss can flash half-decent card
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Nov 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Cathay Pacific’s (0293.HK) new boss has reason for optimism. The outgoing chief executive can flash a half-decent report card. He navigated the Air China- (601111.SS) and Swire Pacific-backed (0019.HK) company through backlash from Beijing after employees took part in the 2019 Hong Kong protests. The $6 billion airline has seen a modest rebound of travellers since Hong Kong dropped hotel quarantine requirements. Since Tang’s appointment in August 2019, Cathay has logged a negative total return of 16%.

☆ The Inflation Reduction Act Is Already Killing Potential Cures
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Joe Grogan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

It may take years before we can fully appreciate the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the pharmaceutical industry, but we’re already getting signs of the damage. In response, many have canceled drug-development programs, resulting in an unfortunate but predictable loss for patients nationwide. One poorly crafted provision is driving companies away from research into treating rare diseases. The company’s drug is currently marketed as treating only amyloidosis, and thus is exempt from Medicare’s price setting. If Alnylam proceeded with research into treating Stargardt, it would lose its exemption.

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