Thousands gather for human peace sign world record attempt
Thousands of people joined Yoko Ono in New York on Tuesday to try to set a world record for largest group of human bodies forming a peace sign.
Thousands of people joined Yoko Ono in New York on Tuesday to try to set a world record for largest group of human bodies forming a peace sign.
Malaysia's Tony Fernandes, one of Asia's most prominent entrepreneurs, has decided to extend his contract as chief executive of Capital A, the firm said Wednesday, after the board persuaded him to delay his planned retirement.Fernandes said he was "excited to embark on the journey of completing the full transformation of Capital A." The firm said it had approved an incentive package but did not reveal details.
China on Wednesday blasted the latest package of U.S. military assistance to Taiwan on Wednesday, saying that such funding was pushing the self-governing island republic into a “dangerous situation.” The U.S. Senate late Tuesday passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars. The package included $8 billion for Taiwan, meant to counter the threat of invasion by China, which claims the entire island as its own territory and has threatened to take it by force if necessary.
Dutch brewer Heineken said Wednesday its beer sales were up but saw a "challenging and uncertain" economic outlook and couldn't guarantee the same growth for the rest of the year."We continue to see the economic environment as challenging and uncertain, and will remain agile and focused," he said.
Some of Wall Street’s most powerful bosses are facing new shareholder proposals this spring that would strip them of power by separating their CEO and chairman seats.
Boeing is expected to report first quarter earnings before the bell on Wednesday, following a quarter that could be called rocky to say the least.
China's space agency is making final preparations to send the Shenzhou-18 crew into low-Earth orbit on Thursday as part of its ambitious space program that aims to put people on the moon by 2030. In a press conference on Wednesday, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) introduced the three astronauts; Commander Ye Guangfu, 43, a veteran astronaut who was part of the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021; and astronauts Li Cong, 34, and Li Guangsu, 36, who will go to space for the first time. The three-member crew’s spacecraft is set for lift-off at 8:59 p.m. (1259 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in the country’s northwest.
Asian shares have tracked Wall Street’s rally, led by a 2.4% advance for Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index powered by strong gains for semiconductor makers. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained more than 900 points to close at 38,460.08, its highest level in a month. Shares in computer chip company Renesas Electronics Corp. jumped 10.5%, while rival Tokyo Electronic surged 7.1%.
Asian equities extended the week's gains Wednesday following a strong rally on Wall Street and another record in London, as traders cheered more upbeat earnings reports and data indicating a slowdown in US economic activity.London opened with more gains, having chalked up two straight record closes.
Soldiers on the front lines in Ukraine say the final approval in the US Congress of a $60 billion military aid package for Kyiv will serve as a giant morale boost as Russia looks to step up its advance.
The European Union has launched an investigation into Chinese public procurement of medical devices, the EU's official journal said Wednesday, in a move that risks raising further tensions with Beijing.It is the first probe under the EU's International Procurement Instrument which seeks to promote reciprocity in access to international public procurement markets.
Filtronic, which manufactures products for the aerospace, defence, space and telecom infrastructure markets, already supplies Starlink with E-band solid state power amplifiers (SSPA), which are used for low-earth orbit satellites. SpaceX will also get 21.7 million warrants in Filtronic, enabling it to subscribe for up to 10% of its shares. The partnership was executed with an initial purchase order of $19.7 million to supply E-band SSPA modules, scheduled for delivery in fiscal 2025, Filtronic said.
Germany said Wednesday that it plans to follow several other countries in resuming cooperation with the U.N. relief agency for Palestinians in Gaza after the publication of an independent review of its neutrality. Also Wednesday, the Israeli military said it is redeploying two reserve brigades from Israel's northern border to Gaza for “defensive and tactical missions," as it prepares for an offensive in Rafah, which Israel describes as Hamas' last stronghold in the territory.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due in China on Wednesday, as the United States ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing. But Blinken is also seeking to stabilise ties, with tensions between the world's two largest economies palpably easing since his last visit in June.
Victims of severe floods in southern China raced on Wednesday to salvage property from the muddy waters as authorities warned of more heavy rains to come.But fortunately we're insured," he told AFP. - More rain forecast - Authorities have warned of more downpours across Guangdong from Wednesday evening until Friday.
A 29-year-old man has been charged with burglary in connection with a break-in at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ official residence that happened over the weekend while the mayor, her daughter, son-in-law and newborn grandson were inside, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Pro-Palestinian encampments have started on at least a dozen campuses
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday to inaugurate a hydropower and irrigation project that was long delayed due to international sanctions on his government and other issues. Raisi is the first Iranian leader to visit Sri Lanka since former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad visited the country in 2008.
President Joe Biden’s apparent suggestion his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals has sparked uproar in Papua New Guinea, casting a shadow on ties.
Indonesia’s electoral commission formally declared Prabowo Subianto president-elect in a ceremony on Wednesday, after the country’s highest court rejected challenges to his landslide victory lodged by two losing presidential candidates. Authorities blocked streets leading to the General Election Commission compound, where more than 4,200 police and soldiers were deployed. Wearing matching long-sleeved white shirts, Subianto and vice president elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka waved to their supporters as they arrived at the building.
A high-level North Korean economic delegation was on its way to Iran, the North's state media said Wednesday, for what would be the two countries’ first known talks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Embracing the idea of a “new Cold War,” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pushing to build up cooperation with countries confronting the United States, as his intensified weapons tests prompted the U.S. and South Korea to expand their military drills. Pyongyang's delegation led by Yun Jung Ho, North Korea’s minster of external economic relations, flew out Tuesday for the trip to Iran, official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday.