Browsing: News

MENA Newswire, WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration is circulating plans for a new international body called the Board of Peace, with a proposal that countries could pay $1 billion to secure permanent seats, according to official documents and public statements from several invited governments. The initiative is described by the administration as a mechanism to coordinate governance, security arrangements, humanitarian support and reconstruction in Gaza following the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The proposed structure offers two tracks for participation. One track would grant permanent board status to countries that contribute at least $1 billion, according to draft charter language described in multiple…

MENA Newswire, EDINBURGH: Researchers have produced the most detailed map yet of the landscape buried beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet, revealing a rugged terrain of mountains, valleys, canyons and plains that shapes how the continent’s ice moves. The map, described in a study published Jan. 15 in the journal Science, draws on satellite observations and existing measurements to fill major gaps in knowledge about the bedrock surface hidden under kilometers of ice. Antarctica’s ice sheet covers about 98% of the continent and spans more than 14 million square kilometers. While  scientists  have long tracked changes on the ice surface, mapping the bed beneath has…

MENA Newswire, OREGON: A strong offshore earthquake with a reported magnitude of 6.2 struck off the Oregon coast late Thursday, shaking parts of the Pacific Northwest but prompting no tsunami warnings and no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries. The quake occurred well out to sea in the eastern Pacific, and monitoring agencies said it was shallow, a factor that can increase shaking closer to an epicenter even when population centers are distant. U.S. monitoring networks and international seismological centers issued closely timed updates that differed slightly on the final magnitude, with some listing the event at 6.0 and others at 6.2. The National…

MENA Newswire, RALEIGH: Spring & Mulberry has expanded a voluntary recall of select chocolate bars sold nationwide after testing indicated possible Salmonella contamination, according to a company announcement posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Raleigh-based company said the affected products have been available for purchase online and through select retail partners since Sept. 15, 2025, and consumers should not eat recalled items. The FDA posting lists the expanded recall announcement date as Jan. 14, 2026, with the agency publishing the notice on Jan. 15, 2026. The company said it is updating an earlier press release issued on Jan. 12, 2026, which initially…

MENA Newswire, WASHINGTON: The United States will suspend the processing of immigrant visa applications for nationals of 75 countries starting Jan. 21, the State Department said, citing public assistance concerns under longstanding “public charge” standards used in immigration adjudications. The pause applies to immigrant visas issued through U.S. embassies and consulates abroad and affects applicants seeking lawful permanent residence. The department said the measure is part of a reassessment of procedures used to evaluate whether applicants are likely to rely on government funded benefits. A State Department spokesperson confirmed the change after reports that U.S. posts had been instructed to stop issuing immigrant visas for affected…

MENA Newswire, WASHINGTON: U.S. regulators have approved SpaceX to deploy an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites, expanding the company’s low Earth orbit broadband network under conditions set by the Federal Communications Commission. The decision increases the number of second generation Starlink satellites SpaceX is authorized to launch to 15,000 and marks a further step in the continued buildout of the largest satellite constellation currently operating. The Federal Communications Commission said the approval covers 7,500 satellites from SpaceX’s second generation Starlink system, known as Gen2. SpaceX had previously sought authorization for nearly 30,000 additional satellites, but the commission approved only part of that request. Consideration of the…

EuroWire, WASHINGTON: Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have successfully synthesised verticillin A, a complex fungal compound first identified more than 50 years ago and long recognised for its anti-cancer properties. The achievement marks the first laboratory synthesis of the compound and resolves a longstanding challenge in organic chemistry that had limited scientific study of the molecule since its discovery. Verticillin A was originally isolated from fungi in the early 1960s and drew attention due to its biological activity, including its ability to interfere with cancer cell growth. Despite this early promise, researchers were unable to reproduce the compound synthetically because of its highly intricate…

MENA Newswire,  NEW YORK: Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy is now available in an oral pill form in the United States, marking a major milestone in obesity treatment. The new tablet version, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2025, contains the same active ingredient, semaglutide, as the injectable version that has gained widespread use among patients seeking medical support for weight management. This release makes Wegovy the first and only GLP-1 receptor agonist for chronic weight management to be offered as a once-daily pill. Wegovy, developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone that…

EuroWire, WASHINGTON: The White House confirmed that the United States is evaluating a range of options related to the potential acquisition of Greenland, including the possible involvement of the U.S. military, according to an official statement released Monday. The disclosure followed a briefing in which senior administration officials described the island as a matter of national security interest, citing its geographic position in the Arctic and existing U.S. defense installations on the territory. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that President Donald Trump has directed advisers to explore both diplomatic and strategic frameworks for potential U.S. engagement with Greenland. Leavitt said that the president considers…

MENA Newswire, NEW YORK: The United Nations General Assembly has approved a regular budget of $3.45 billion for 2026, concluding a series of intensive negotiations among the 193 Member States. The decision caps one of the most compressed budget cycles in the Organization’s history and aligns with the ongoing UN80 reform initiative, designed to modernize administrative and financial operations. The budget, adopted by consensus late Tuesday, will finance the UN’s three central pillars of activity: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. The approval underscores the Member States’ collective agreement on maintaining funding stability for the Organization’s core mandates amid global economic and…