World News

A White House Christmas tradition — with lights, decorations, music and an appearance from the sitting president — turns 100 this year.

President Biden lit the National Christmas Tree this week (November 30) on the Ellipse near the White House, and the centennial event included hip-hop icon LL Cool J, country singer Shania Twain and “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band.

Students in Costa Rica are learning the science, technology and English language skills needed to excel at international companies.

U.S. tech firm Intel’s cooperation with the Skills 4 Life program helped train more than 160 students from Costa Rica’s Limón province in 2021. Approximately 170 kilometers east of San José on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, Limón is home to many people of Indigenous and African descent who are underrepresented in higher education.

A study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has found that women in the Caribbean and Latin America still hold a limited share of senior decision-making positions in national governments and most of the leadership posts they do hold are in just a few specific areas like health and education.

The United States encourages American businesses with employees around the world to protect their workers’ rights and decrease their negative effects on the environment. Gap Inc., the largest U.S. specialty retail company, has heeded the call and implemented policies to improve business performance, protect human rights and reduce environmental impacts.

Christmas at the White House holds traditions special to members of the first family who live there and to the tens of thousands of guests who visit the Executive Mansion during the holiday season.

The first lady plays a critical role in the behind-the-scenes Christmas preparations, including selecting that year’s overall theme and decorations.

Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Al Thani officially opened the Maradona Fanfest at Qatar Executive Premium Terminal at Hamad International Airport, which will welcome public visitors throughout the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 until 18 December. Qatar Executive, who offer luxury jet services available for worldwide charter, Qatar Airways and financial technology company Give&Get are sponsoring the Diego Armando Maradona Give&Get Fanfest.

Leading financial institution, Victoria Mutual Building Society, has been given the go-ahead for the major restructuring plans for its building society and subsidiaries, after receiving approval from the Supreme Court.

Having received approval from the board and the Bank of Jamaica, the mortgage bank, which has a variety of non-banking companies under its belt, has complied with the Banking Services Act.

The world’s largest volcano oozed rivers of glowing lava Wednesday, drawing thousands of awestruck viewers who jammed a Hawaii highway that could soon be covered by the flow.

Mauna Loa awoke from its 38-year slumber Sunday, causing volcanic ash and debris to drift down from the sky. A main highway linking towns on the east and west coasts of the Big Island became an impromptu viewing point, with thousands of cars jamming the highway near Volcanoes National Park.

At the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit, taking place this week in the Saudi capital, UNWTO stressed the vital importance of education and investments as twin factors in ensuring tourism fulfils its enormous potential as a driver of sustainable and inclusive development. The high-level participation of UNWTO in this leading private sector forum further highlighted the Organization’s unique and natural ability to connect political ambitions and private sector capacity.

Africa is a major geopolitical player and boasts some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

From December 13 to 15, President Biden will host the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The three-day Washington event will bring together leaders from across the African continent to discuss bold, practical ways to strengthen ties and advance shared priorities.

OEG Offshore's Enviro-Pak division in the USA recently supported Ports America and their partnership with non-profit organization Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), in a long-established coastal restoration project, the Oyster Shell Recycling Program.

OEG supplied fifty waste compactor bags for the project to assist with the transport of pre-packaged oyster shells offshore, where they are used to build new oyster reefs.

Indians are set to receive $100bn in remittances this year, according to a World Bank report - the first time a single country has reached that number. The increase was led by wage rises and strong labour markets in the US and other developed countries.

In total, the amount of money sent back home by migrants around the world has grown by 5% in 2022. The money is a crucial source of household income in low and middle-income countries, the World Bank says.

PKN ORLEN has finalised three transactions with Aramco involving refining, wholesale and plane fuel businesses, following PKN ORLEN’s merger with Grupa LOTOS. The European investments support expansion of Aramco’s global downstream presence. Moreover, the joint development agreement of PKN ORLEN, Aramco and SABIC for the potential Gdansk project was signed. Aramco is to supply almost 45% of PKN ORLEN’s crude oil requirement under the agreement.

The leaders of New Zealand and Finland have dismissed a journalist's suggestion that they arranged a meeting because they are similar in age. At a press conference in Auckland, Finland's Sanna Marin and New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern said they met because they are prime ministers, not because they are both young, female leaders.

Fanna Maïna, a researcher with a Feed the Future lab, works with youth in Niger’s farming communities and trains students as lab technicians. Addressing the global food crisis requires sharing the harvest — and knowledge.

Scientists in Africa are doing just that. Through Feed the Future, a U.S. program to combat global poverty and hunger, scientists harness local solutions to expand local crop yields and feed more people.

Running throughout the month, Barbados marks its Independence today (November 30) as it continues its celebrations, which include sports competitions, fairs, community events and religious services.

With the Caribbean Island state splitting from its colonial rule in 1966, and further, since, braking its association with the UK-ruled Commonwealth - a year after becoming a republic -there are numerous events and activities held throughout Barbados and the diaspora, to mark the occasion, with the most notable set to be the National Independence Day Parade, in the capital, Bridgetown, featuring a large number of floats, marching bands and dancers.