Author: HeraldStar

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has urged restraint amid escalating Middle East tensions, following separate phone calls with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Christodoulides expressed strong concern over the rising tensions, emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent further destabilization and wider regional repercussions. The tensions have been escalating between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah since explosions killed 39 and injured thousands of Hezbollah members, and an Israeli airstrike killed 31 people, including 16 Hezbollah members. Christodoulides stressed the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, within the framework of UN resolutions and international…

Sri Lankans cast their ballots on Saturday in a highly anticipated presidential election, seeking a leader to steer the country out of its worst financial crisis in decades. The election is a three-way contest between incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and Marxist-leaning challenger Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who narrowly led in a recent opinion poll. Voting was peaceful across the South Asian island nation, with over 13,000 polling stations set up and 250,000 public officials deployed to manage the election. A total of 38 candidates are vying for the top spot, with more than 17 million people…

The Hungarian government revealed on Saturday that its intelligence services have conducted multiple interviews with Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, CEO of Budapest-based BAC Consulting. The company has been linked to the deadly explosions of pagers used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon earlier this week. Barsony-Arcidiacono, an Italian-Hungarian national, denied involvement in manufacturing the pagers, claiming she acted only as an intermediary. Hungarian intelligence agencies began investigating on Wednesday and have questioned her several times. Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo, which licensed its brand to BAC Consulting, distanced itself from the production of the devices. The company stated it had no role in manufacturing…

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan’s sparsely populated east coast county of Hualien on Saturday, the island’s weather administration said, with no immediate reports of damage. The quake shook buildings in the capital, Taipei. It had a depth of 17 km (10.6 miles), the weather administration said. Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes. In April, Hualien was hit by the biggest earthquake to affect Taiwan in at least 25 years. Nine people were killed and more than 900 injured, and there have been thousands of aftershocks since.

Iran has reportedly delivered close-range ballistic missiles to Russia without including mobile launchers, according to sources familiar with the matter. This development has sparked uncertainty about when and if the weapons will become operational. Three sources—a European diplomat, a European intelligence official, and a US official—confirmed that Iran did not supply launchers for the Fath-360 missiles. The reasons behind this decision remain unclear. Experts suggest several possible explanations for the omission. Russia may plan to modify trucks to carry the missiles, as Iran has done in the past. Alternatively, Iran may be creating space for new talks with Western powers…

Johnson & Johnson is making its third attempt to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talc products cause cancer, with its subsidiary, Red River Talc, filing for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. This move is part of an $8 billion proposed settlement to end litigation, with J&J denying allegations that its products are contaminated with asbestos and cause ovarian and other cancers. The company faces lawsuits from over 62,000 claimants, but has secured support from about 83% of current claimants for the proposed bankruptcy plan ¹. J&J’s…

The U.S. Energy Department said Friday it plans to award $3 billion to 25 battery manufacturing sector projects in 14 states as the Biden administration works to shift the supply chain away from China. The projects will increase domestic production of advanced batteries and battery materials and follows the adoption of U.S. EV tax credit rules to shift battery production and critical minerals away from China. The awards fund battery-grade processed critical minerals, components, battery manufacturing, and recycling, and will generate $16 billion in total investment for the projects and support 12,000 production and construction jobs, the department said. “Mineral security is…

In a groundbreaking partnership, Constellation Energy and Microsoft have signed a power deal to resurrect Unit 1 of the iconic Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. This ambitious project marks the first-ever restart of its kind, with the goal of providing clean and reliable energy to power Microsoft’s data centers. The agreement is a significant response to the surging demand for electricity driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud computing technologies. Nuclear energy, being nearly carbon-free and more reliable than solar and wind power, has emerged as a preferred option for tech giants seeking uninterrupted power and…

China and Japan have reached a landmark agreement over the discharge of wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, paving the way for the potential restart of seafood shipments from Japan to China. This development comes after Beijing imposed a year-long ban on Japanese seafood imports, citing concerns about radioactive contamination following Tokyo Electric Power’s release of treated water from the Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean. Under the agreement, Japan will establish a long-term international monitoring arrangement, allowing stakeholders to conduct independent sampling and monitoring. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that Japan is ready to conduct additional monitoring…

President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the critical role of timely decisions from Ukraine’s allies, particularly the United States, in securing victory over Russia. During a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Zelensky highlighted the significance of US President Joe Biden’s support. Zelensky revealed plans to utilize a proposed multi-billion-dollar EU loan for air defense, energy, and domestic weapons purchases. He stressed that most decisions depend on Biden’s goodwill and US backing, alongside other allies. The Ukrainian leader has provided regular updates on the plan’s preparation, aiming to establish favorable terms after over two years of conflict.…