Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Fri, Dec 26, 2025 02:28 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Michael D. Mehta

Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University
Dr. Michael Mehta is a Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Thompson Rivers University. He is an environmental social scientist who specializes in science, technology and society with a focus on environmental and health risk issues, and in recent years he has focused on air pollution and solar energy. Dr. Mehta was Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Thompson Rivers University, Principal of Richardson College for the Environment at the University of Winnipeg, Executive Director of the Population Research Laboratory at the University of Alberta, and Chair of a program on the social, ethical, political and legal impacts of biotechnology at the University of Saskatchewan. He set up Canada’s first Purple Air network of PM2.5 monitors with more than 50 across British Columbia, and has decades of experience in renewable energy and nuclear safety. He led development of Canada’s first solar sidewalk system – called the Solar Compass – and own a solar energy company that has completed several solar arrays in the province. He has published more than 60 articles, five books, and has received numerous awards including Health Canada’s Chief Scientist Distinguished Lecturer (2007).

Electric Vehicle Series

Love it or hate it, Tesla's Cybertruck is revolutionary

Dec 04, 2019 11:23 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

With a collective gasp and puzzled looks, the world was recently introduced to Teslas newest vehicle. The so-called Cybertruck is an angular, stainless steel, all-electric pickup truck that quickly became...

Blame wood-burning stoves for winter air pollution and health threats

Mar 09, 2019 05:33 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

It may be natural, but theres nothing safe or environmentally sound about heating your home with wood. The World Health Organization has ranked air pollution and climate change as the top health threat for 2019. One in...

Economy

Tokyo Core Inflation Stays Above BOJ Target, Strengthening Case for Further Rate Hikes

Core consumer prices in Tokyo, Japans capital, rose 2.3% in December compared with the same period a year earlier, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) may continue raising interest rates in the coming...

Russian Stocks End Lower as Energy and Mining Shares Weigh on MOEX Index

Russian stocks closed lower on Thursday, as declines in the oil gas, telecoms, and mining sectors pressured the broader market. The MOEX Russia Index finished the session down 0.26%, reflecting cautious sentiment among...

Taiwan Stock Market Ends Higher as Semiconductor and Energy Shares Lead Gains

Taiwan stocks closed higher on Thursday, supported by broad-based gains across key sectors including semiconductors, oil, gas and electricity, as well as construction. The Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index finished the...

BOJ Governor Signals Gradual Rate Hikes as Japan’s Inflation Nears 2% Target

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said Japans underlying inflation is steadily accelerating and moving closer to the central banks long-standing 2% target, reinforcing expectations that interest rate hikes will continue if...

UBS Warns of Short-Term Risks as Precious Metals Rally to Record Highs

Gold, silver, and platinum have surged to fresh record highs heading into the year-end holiday period, drawing strong attention across global commodity markets. However, UBS is urging investors to exercise caution, warning...

Politics

White House East Wing Ballroom Plans Face Scrutiny Ahead of January Hearing

The White House is set to reveal new details about President Donald Trumps proposed East Wing ballroom during a federal commission hearing scheduled for early next month, according to official notices. The project, which...

Zelenskiy Discusses Ukraine Peace Efforts With Trump Envoys

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he held an extensive discussion with U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, focusing on possible ways to...

Kim Jong Un Signals Continued Missile Development as North Korea Plans Five-Year Military Modernization

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has signaled that the country will continue to advance its missile capabilities over the next five years, underscoring Pyongyangs ongoing focus on strengthening its military deterrence....

US Airstrikes Target Islamic State Militants in Northwest Nigeria Amid Rising Security Concerns

The United States has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants operating in northwest Nigeria, according to a statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday. The strikes were described as a direct...

U.S. Judge Blocks Deportation of British Anti-Disinformation Campaigner Imran Ahmed Amid Free Speech Dispute

A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from detaining or deporting Imran Ahmed, a British anti-disinformation campaigner and U.S. permanent resident, following a legal challenge over an entry...

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

Nvidia to Acquire Groq in $20 Billion Deal to Boost AI Chip Dominance

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) has reportedly agreed to acquire Groq, a fast-growing designer of high-performance artificial intelligence accelerator chips, in a $20 billion all-cash transaction, according to a CNBC report. The...

Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge in First Amendment Ruling

A federal judge in Texas has blocked the enforcement of a new state law that would have required app stores and developers to verify users ages, marking a significant legal win for major technology companies and digital...

FTC Praises Instacart for Ending AI Pricing Tests After $60M Settlement

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has welcomed Instacarts decision to end its artificial intelligence-based price testing, a move that follows weeks of consumer backlash and regulatory scrutiny. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson...

John Carreyrou Sues Major AI Firms Over Alleged Copyrighted Book Use in AI Training

Investigative journalist John Carreyrou, widely known for exposing fraud at Silicon Valley blood-testing startup Theranos and for authoring the bestselling book Bad Blood, has filed a new copyright infringement lawsuit...

Italy Fines Apple €98.6 Million Over App Store Dominance

Italys competition authority has imposed a 98.6 million ($115.53 million) fine on U.S. technology giant Apple and two of its subsidiaries, citing alleged abuse of a dominant market position related to the distribution of...