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UN must focus on choices that will define our century, not just the short-term

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

Getty ImagesSince the establishment of the United Nations 78 years ago, the General Assembly has brought the world’s most influential leaders together under one roof to solve the world’s most pressing issues. Every year, this summit serves as a reminder of just how much responsibility is borne by so few — whose decisions, even those seemingly unimportant, can change the fates of billions, writes Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.This year, that responsibility weighs even heavier than usual. Not only is our international order more polarized than it has been in decades, but it is fragmented at a time when we cannot afford division, given the reality that these are decisive years in our planet’s history.Whether on climate change, on artificial intelligence,or in countless other areas, the decisions taken by global leaders over the next few months and years will resonate for decades, if not centuries. As such, every moment of international dialogue takes on a new dimension of importance.My message...

Celebrating the 74th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China: A Night to Remember in Brussels

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

On the evening of Monday, 25th September 2023, the Tangla Hotel Brussels located at Avenue Emmanuel Mounier 5, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, was ablaze with the colours of China as dignitaries, diplomats, and guests gathered to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.The event, hosted by H.E. Mr. Fu Cong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Head of Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union, and H.E. Mr. Cao Zhongming, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Belgium, was a spectacular showcase of Chinese culture, history, and diplomacy.As the sun dipped below the Brussels skyline, the Tangla Hotel's grand ballroom was transformed into a mesmerizing tapestry of Chinese aesthetics. Traditional lanterns and elegant Chinese calligraphy adorned the room, setting the stage for an evening that would transport guests to the heart of China.The event was not only a celebrat...

Single family residence in Dublin sells for $1.6 million

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

7296 Hansen Drive – Google Street ViewA 2,220-square-foot house built in 1964 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 7200 block of Hansen Drive in Dublin was sold on July 31, 2023, for $1,580,000, or $712 per square foot. This two-story house provides a generous living space with its five bedrooms and three bathrooms. In addition, the home features a garage.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:A 2,220-square-foot home on the 11600 block of Manzanita Lane in Dublin sold in July 2023, for $1,485,000, a price per square foot of $669. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Manzanita Lane, Dublin, in August 2022, a 2,220-square-foot home was sold for $1,575,000, a price per square foot of $709. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In January 2023, a 2,583-square-foot home on Silvergate Drive in Dublin sold for $1,458,000, a price per square foot of $564. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

Iran says it has successfully launched an imaging satellite into orbit amid tensions with the West

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran claimed on Wednesday that it successfully launched an imaging satellite into space, a move that could further ratchet up tensions with Western nations that fear its space technology could be used to develop nuclear weapons.Iran’s Communication Minister Isa Zarepour said the Noor-3 satellite had been put in an orbit 450 kilometers (280 miles) above the Earth’s surface, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. It was not clear when exactly the launch took place.There was no immediate acknowledgment from Western officials of the launch or of the satellite being put into orbit. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran has had a series of failed launches in recent years.Zarepour said the aerospace arm of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which has had success in launching satellites in the past, had carried out the most recent launch. Authorities did not immediately release images of the ...

Stock market today: World shares mixed after Wall Street retreat deepens

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — World shares were mixed on Wednesday after a sharp decline on Wall Street that took benchmarks back to where they were in June.Oil prices rose and U.S. futures also were higher. Germany’s DAX edged 0.1% lower to 15,241.78 and the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.1% at 7,082.75. In London, the FTSE 100 shed 0.1% to 7,621.77. The future for the S&P 500 was up 0.4%, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.3%.On Tuesday, the S&P 500 tumbled 1.5% and the Dow industrials fell 1.1% . The Nasdaq composite lost 1.6%. September is on track to be the worst month of the year for stocks as investors become convinced the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates high for a longer time than they had earlier hoped. In Asian trading, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 recovered from earlier losses, gaining 0.3% to 32,371.90. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng advanced 0.7% to 17,592.54. The Shanghai Composite index added 0.2% to 3,107.32. In China, concerns have continued over heav...

Leader of Spain’s conservatives expected to lose on his first chance to become prime minister

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barring a last-minute surprise, the leader of Spain’s conservatives will miss on his first shot to become the country’s next prime minister when the parliament votes Wednesday on his petition to form a government.Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo appears set to come up four votes short of the necessary absolute majority of 176 votes in favor. If he loses the vote as expected, Feijóo will have a second opportunity on Friday when the bar is lowered and he would need more “yes” than “no” votes.The Popular Party holds 137 seats in the Madrid-based Congress of the Deputies, the most of any party. But even with backing from the far-right Vox’s 33 lawmakers and two from small conservative parties representing Navarra and the Canary Islands, Feijóo will only reach 172 votes in his favor.Spain’s July 23 national election left the parliament highly fragmented with its 350 legislators spread between 11 different parties, setting the stage for a difficult path to...

A fire at a wedding hall in northern Iraq has killed around 100 people and injured 150

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — A raging fire seemingly caused by fireworks set off to celebrate a Christian wedding consumed a hall packed with guests in northern Iraq, killing around 100 people and injuring 150 others as authorities warned Wednesday the death toll could still rise.Authorities said that flammable building materials also contributed to the latest disaster to hit Iraq’s dwindling Christian minority. In the fire’s chaotic aftermath, officials offered conflicting death tolls and security officials said they detained staff at the wedding hall as part of their investigation.The fire happened in the Hamdaniya area of Iraq’s Nineveh province, authorities said. That’s a predominantly Christian area just outside of the city of Mosul, some 335 kilometers (205 miles) northwest of Baghdad. There was no official word on the cause of the blaze, but the Kurdish television news channel Rudaw aired footage showing pyrotechnics shooting flames up from the floor of the event and settin...

Britain approves new North Sea oil drilling, delighting the industry but angering critics

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British regulators on Wednesday approved new oil and gas drilling at a site in the North Sea, a move environmentalists say will hurt the country’s attempt to meet its climate goals.The U.K.’s North Sea Transition Authority said it had approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan, “which allows the owners to proceed with their project.”Britain’s Conservative government argues that drilling in the Rosebank field, northwest of the Shetland Islands, will create jobs and bolster the U.K.’s energy security.One of the largest untapped deposits in U.K. waters, Rosebank holds an estimated 350 million barrels of oil.The field is operated by Norway’s Equinor and the U.K. firm Ithaca Energy, which say they plan to invest $3.8 billion in the first phase of the project. The field is expected to start producing in 2026-2027.Green Party lawmaker Caroline Lucas called the decision to approve drilling “morally obscene.”“Energy security and cheaper bills aren’t delivered by allowin...

In the news today: Speaker resignation effective today, potential gravesites in Yukon

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Speaker’s resignation to take effectThe resignation of House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota is set to take effect this evening. Rota resigned on Tuesday amid international controversy after he invited a man who fought for the Nazis to attend a speech by the Ukrainian president last Friday. He said he profoundly regrets calling attention to 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, a veteran of a Ukrainian voluntary unit that was under the command of the Nazis in the Second World War.15 “potential” gravesites found near former Yukon residential schoolThe former Chooutla Residential School in Carcross, Yukon Territory, is now the site of 15 “potential” gravesites at or near the school.Researchers say a ground-penetrating radar scan of the grounds has detected anomalies that are consistent with former student accounts.They’ve also used archi...

France’s withdrawal from Niger could jeopardize counterterrorism operations in the Sahel

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The French troops withdrawing from Niger were seen as a key line of defense for about a decade in Western efforts against jihadi violence in Africa’s Sahel region, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.As the U.S. keeps pushing for a diplomatic solution to resolve Niger’s political crisis, analysts say the country’s junta might struggle to sustain its relative peace with no external support.French President Emmanuel Macron has agreed to withdraw France’s ambassador and troops from Niger after the July coup that deposed its elected president and triggered anti-French sentiment in the former colony. In response, the junta welcomed the end of “imperialist and neo-colonialist forces” and said Monday that the withdrawal must follow a “negotiated framework and mutual agreement.”U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Kenya on Monday that Washington’s desire is for Niger’s political crisis to be resolved through diplo...