World

Greece has passed a controversial labor reform despite nationwide protests and union outrage Greece’s parliament has approved a government-backed reform that lets employers extend working days to 13 hours under certain conditions. The move has sparked mass protests from workers already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. The legislation, passed by the government majority, expands the current eight-hour day. The opposition …

After a desperate attempt to rebuild its tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials and local communities in this East Asian country are now facing a growing problem with overtourism. The island nation of Taiwan, once praised for its balance of nature, culture and urban experiences, is now seeing the mounting strain on many of its key …

The European Union’s top court ruled Thursday that a dog travelling in an aeroplane’s cargo hold counts as baggage, meaning airlines are not required to pay higher compensation if the animal is lost. The ruling stems from a dispute between Spanish airline Iberia and a passenger whose dog, Mona, went missing before a flight from Buenos Aires to Barcelona in …

The slide follows the loss of visa-free access to a number of nations, according to the Henley ranking The US has fallen out of the top ten for most powerful passports, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which measures global travel freedom based on the number of destinations accessible without a visa. Henley & Partners, a London-based citizenship and …

Americans have a weird relationship with soy, one of the most important and widely cultivated crops in the world. Most of us associate the protein-packed, butter-yellow orbs known as soybeans with niche vegetarian products like tofu, soy milk, and veggie burgers (hence the anti-vegan epithet “soy boy”). In reality, though, pretty much everyone is eating soy all the time, and …

With a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire holdings so far, Mr Trump is redirecting his efforts to resolving the Ukraine conflict through potential long-range arms to Kyiv. Ending wars in Ukraine and Gaza was a cornerstone of Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, during which he criticised Biden’s management of both. Despite past frustrations in urging Putin for direct Zelensky talks, Mr Trump now …

For instance, the Jilin-1 commercial satellite constellation successfully tracked an F-22 fighter jet manoeuvring through clouds – a feat that showcased the potential of civilian satellite systems in military reconnaissance. However, optical cameras are inherently limited: they cannot operate at night and are easily obstructed by cloud cover, fog or other adverse weather conditions. In real combat scenarios, military commanders …

Purchases will be of “all types and altitudes” and will include defense and attack UAVs, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said Germany plans to spend €10 billion ($10.8 billion) in the coming years to massively expand its fleet of military drones, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said. The plan comes amid EU discussions of a “drone wall” – a proposed …

If the current ceasefire in Gaza holds, it will mark the much-needed end to an indefensibly cruel war. But the longer-term picture, and whether yet another deadly conflagration can be prevented, is another matter. One factor — not the only one, but a big one — is whether the Israelis can be convinced that they should give peace negotiations a …

Alibaba Group Holding is taking advantage of artificial intelligence to turn its online marketplace into a “comprehensive consumption platform”, as the e-commerce giant regains momentum in an extremely competitive market. The company kicked off its annual Singles’ Day event – the world’s largest shopping festival – on Wednesday, riding on the back of strong growth in online shopping and on-demand …