Djibouti experiments with GM mosquito against malariaTue, 19 Nov 2024 03:11:43 GMT

Tens of thousands of genetically modified mosquitos are being released every week in Djibouti as the tiny Horn of Africa state experiments with a new weapon against an unprecedented malaria surge. East Africa faces a deadly new threat from the arrival of Anopheles stephensi, a mosquito native to Asia and the Middle East that thrives in …

Djibouti experiments with GM mosquito against malariaTue, 19 Nov 2024 03:11:43 GMT Read More »

Asian markets rally after US bounce as Nvidia comes into focus

Asian markets rose Tuesday after a broadly positive day on Wall Street, with focus turning to the upcoming release of tech giant Nvidia’s earnings, while traders also kept tabs on Donald Trump’s picks for his new administration.Hong Kong and Shanghai were among the better performers in early action on hopes that China will unveil more stimulus after a raft of measures at the end of September aimed at kickstarting the economy, with an eye on the property sector.Equities have seen big swings since Trump’s election at the start of the month, with optimism over pledged tax cuts and deregulation offset by worries that they and threatened import tariffs will reignite inflation.That has also given a headache to policymakers at the Federal Reserve who are still fighting to bring prices under control, with market-watchers saying investors are scaling back their bets on how many more interest rate cuts they will announce.There is also a fear that his second term will see another debilitating trade war with China just as Beijing battles against slowing growth, persistently low inflation or deflation, and stunted consumer confidence.Still, an advance for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, helped by an easing of US Treasury yields, provided a boost after a tough run last week.Hong Kong extended Monday’s gains and Shanghai bounced back on hopes China will push more support for the economy.Tokyo also recovered from a soft start to the week, while Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Wellington and Manila also gained.With few macroeconomic catalysts to drive business this week, the main story is Nvidia’s earnings, which is being seen as a key guide to the health of an AI-fuelled surge in tech firms this year that has helped push markets to record highs.”With its towering presence in both market cap and artificial intelligence, Nvidia has become the ultimate market heavyweight,” said independent analyst Stephen Innes.After surging almost 800 percent over the past year “its results are set to either crown AI as the undisputed king or trigger a dramatic rethinking of the sector’s sky-high valuations”.”Nvidia’s results will likely steer broader tech market sentiment, underscoring its pivotal role as a bellwether for tech and AI-related stocks.”- Key figures around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 38,429.37 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.6 percent at 19,691.17Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,331.85Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0596 from $1.0600 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2675 from $1.2678Dollar/yen: DOWN at 154.12 yen from 155.04 yenEuro/pound: UP at 83.59 pence from 83.57 penceWest Texas Intermediate: FLAT at $69.16 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 percent at $73.38 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.1 percent at 43,389. points (close) London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,109.32 (close)

Five takeaways from the G20 summit in RioTue, 19 Nov 2024 02:24:37 GMT

G20 leaders met in Rio de Janeiro on Monday for talks on climate change, ongoing wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, and more, at a forum that highlighted differences between world powers but also delivered some successes.Here are five key takeaways from the summit: – No climate breakthrough – Hopes were high that G20 leaders would jumpstart …

Five takeaways from the G20 summit in RioTue, 19 Nov 2024 02:24:37 GMT Read More »

S.Africa offers a lesson on how not to shut down a coal plantTue, 19 Nov 2024 01:23:44 GMT

The cold corridors of South Africa’s once-mighty Komati coal-fired power plant have been quiet since its shutdown in 2022 in what was trumpeted as a pioneering project in the world’s transition to green energy.Two years later, plans to repurpose the country’s oldest coal power plant have amounted to little in a process that offers caution …

S.Africa offers a lesson on how not to shut down a coal plantTue, 19 Nov 2024 01:23:44 GMT Read More »