
World Bank Says Saudi Economy to Shrink on Lower Oil Output
Saudi Arabia’s economic output is expected to contract this year as a series of oil-supply cuts pose a
2023-10-06 14:54

Kazakhstan Cuts Rate as New Central Banker Navigates Tenge Risks
Kazakhstan cut rates for a second straight time, extending its first cycle of monetary easing since 2020 after
2023-10-06 14:53

Egypt's cratering economy drives many to risky migrant route
By Mariam Rizk MIT SUHAYL, Egypt Waleed el-Degwy found his plumbing skills no longer earned enough for his
2023-10-06 14:50

Philippines protests after a Chinese coast guard ship nearly collides with a Philippine vessel
A Chinese coast guard ship came within a meter (3 feet) of colliding with a Philippine patrol ship it was trying to block in the South China Sea, in an alarming incident that intensified fears that territorial disputes in the waters could spark a larger crisis
2023-10-06 14:49

Thai Premier’s Rift With Central Bank Is Spooking Markets
The photo-op was meant to project an image of unity: Thailand’s new prime minister and his central bank
2023-10-06 14:24

India central bank keeps key rate steady; signals tight liquidity
(Reuters) -The Reserve Bank of India's key lending rate was held steady at a fourth consecutive policy meeting on Friday,
2023-10-06 13:58

Sikkim flood: Rescue efforts continue as death toll rises
The flash flood in Sikkim state has caused massive damage and left thousands stranded.
2023-10-06 13:52

Putin says Wagner chief Prigozhin’s plane blown up by hand grenades on board
Russian president Vladimir Putin said the plane carrying Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was blown up from the inside and fragments of hand grenades have been found in the bodies of those killed in the crash. This is the first time Mr Putin commented on the details of the plane crash that killed Prigozhin – the mercenary leader who had challenged his regime and launched a military coup by marching onto Moscow in a dramatic threat to the Kremlin not seen in decades. "Fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of those killed in the crash," Mr Putin told a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, but did not share any details on the type and number of hand grenades that could have been detonated on board. He denied an external influence or targeting of the plane from the outside. "There was no external impact on the plane – this is already an established fact," he said, rejecting assertions by unidentified US officials who said shortly after the crash that they believed it had been shot down. Mr Putin said the head of Russia’s investigative committee had reported to him a few days ago. The private Embraer jet carrying the Wagner leader and the mercenary group’s co-founder along with eight other people crashed north of Moscow on 23 August. All 10 people onboard were reported dead. Mr Putin also suggested that the remains of the passengers, including Prigozhin, should have been tested for alcohol and drugs. He said he thought investigators were wrong to have not carried out these tests on the bodies of those killed in the crash. "In my opinion, such an examination should have been carried out but it was not," he said. The searches of Wagner’s offices in St Petersburg by the FSB found 10bn roubles ($100m) in cash and 5kg (11 pounds) of cocaine, he said. The investigators of the crash have yet to report publicly on the cause. Neither Wagner nor Prigozhin’s family could be reached to comment on Mr Putin’s remarks. Prigozhin had claimed pride in casting Wagner as the world’s most war-hardened fighting force and was known to have carried out Russia’s dirty work in middle-east and Africa. The mercenary fighters waged a brutal battle – dubbed the “meat grinder” – in Bakhmut last year in winter, where they eventually handed Moscow its biggest territorial gain in many months. Just two months before his death, he had accused Mr Putin’s top military brass, defence minister Sergei Shoigu and general staff Valery Gerasimov of incompetence and warned that Russia could lose the war in Ukraine unless it raised its game. The brief mutiny against Russia’s defence establishment posed the biggest challenge to Putin’s rule since the former KGB spy came to power in 1999. According to the leaders in the West, not only did it expose the strains on Russia of the war in Ukraine, it also showed the worsening relations between the Russian president and his long-time stooge. Read More Putin’s ‘punishment battalions’ full of convicts and drunk recruits: ‘They’re just meat’ Wagner succession: Yevgeny Prigozhin’s son ‘set to be next mercenary boss’ Putin orders former Wagner commander to take charge of 'volunteer units' in Ukraine ‘Weak’ Putin killed Wagner mercenary chief Prigozhin, Zelensky says
2023-10-06 13:45

Whales and dolphins in American waters are losing food and habitat to climate change, US study says
A first-of-its-kind assessment says whales, dolphins and seals living in U.S. waters face major threats from the warming ocean temperatures, rising sea levels and decreasing sea ice associated with climate change
2023-10-06 13:27

South China Sea: Philippines restocks outpost after flare-up with China
The Filipino coast guard earlier removed China's floating barriers in the disputed South China Sea.
2023-10-06 13:17

A man showed up armed at the Wisconsin Capitol twice in one day asking for the governor, officials say. Here's what we know
A man who showed up twice to the Wisconsin Capitol with a gun demanding to talk to the governor this week made a "concerning statement" during at least one of the visits and was twice detained by authorities, state officials said.
2023-10-06 13:15

No military targets in Ukraine village hit by 'inhuman' Russian missile strike, officials say
There were no military targets in the village that was hit by a Russian missile strike Thursday, a top Ukrainian police official said, in what was one of the deadliest attacks against civilians since the conflict began and which the country's president called "inhuman" and "deliberate."
2023-10-06 13:15