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

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Fri, Apr 18, 2025 01:05 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Balsam Mustafa

PhD Candidate in Modern Languages & Politics, University of Birmingham

I started my PhD at Birmingham university in 2013. My focus is on translation, media, and politics, particularly with regards to Islamic State in Iraq. I completed my BA and MA in translation and interpreting studies in Al-Mustansirriya university, Baghdad, Iraq.

I also worked as a lecturer in the Translation department , Faculty of Arts, Al-Mustansirriya University, from 2006 to 2013 when I was awarded a scholarship to pursue my PhD study at Birmingham University.

video I lived through Saddam Hussein's fall – and the horror that came next

Apr 09, 2018 14:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life

I was a senior university student in Baghdad, Iraq. It was March 2003, and over the past few months, my classmates had whispered to each other about the possibility of a US-led invasion and the likelihood that 35 years of...

After years of destruction, Iraqis are rescuing their cultural identity

Jun 23, 2017 17:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Just after Iraqi forces declared they were closing in on the old city of Mosul, they announced that the so-called Islamic State (IS) had destroyed the 12th-century al-Nuri Mosque and its famed leaning minaret, known as...

Ordinary Iraqis defy sectarianism after Islamic State's attacks on Baghdad

Jul 04, 2016 19:44 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Im happy that I graduated. Im so grateful to my parents and I dedicate my success to both of them. These were the final words written by Adnan, a victim of a deadly attack on Sundays early hours in the crowded, buzzing...

Economy

Dollar Set for Fourth Weekly Loss as Tariff Worries and Safe-Haven Demand Grow

The U.S. dollar is poised for its fourth straight weekly loss as investor concerns over tariffs and trade uncertainty drive a shift away from U.S. assets. Despite a slight rebound from a seven-month low against the yen,...

Bank of Korea Holds Rates Amid Trade Tariff Threats and Weakening Won

South Koreas central bank kept its key interest rate steady at 2.75% on Thursday, aiming to stabilize the Korean won as global trade tensions escalate. The decision by the Bank of Korea (BOK) aligns with expectations from...

Singapore’s March Exports Rise 5.4% Amid Tariff Concerns and Growth Forecast Cut

Singapores non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 5.4% year-on-year in March, according to Enterprise Singapore data released Thursday. The increase was driven by gains in both electronics and non-electronic shipments....

BOJ to Cut Growth Outlook Amid Trump Tariff Risks

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is expected to lower its economic growth forecast at its upcoming April 30May 1 policy meeting, as escalating tariff risks from U.S. President Donald Trump threaten Japans export-driven recovery....

China and Japan Boost U.S. Treasury Holdings Despite Tariff Tensions

Speculation that China and Japan were dumping U.S. Treasuries was challenged on Wednesday after the U.S. Treasury Department reported a 3.4% rise in foreign holdings of Treasuries in February, reaching $8.82 trillion....

Politics

Trump Aides in Paris for Ukraine Ceasefire, Iran Nuclear Talks

Two top U.S. national security officialsSecretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoffare set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, aiming to align U.S. and European efforts on...

U.S.-France Talks to Focus on Ukraine, Iran, and Middle East Tensions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris on Thursday to discuss key global issues including the war in Ukraine, Irans nuclear program, and tensions in the Middle...

Ukraine and U.S. Near Minerals Deal Amid Progress in Bilateral Talks

Ukraine and the United States are nearing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a minerals agreement, signaling substantial progress in bilateral talks, according to Ukraines First Deputy Prime Minister...

Macron Vows Justice as French Prisons Face Wave of Attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged swift justice following a third consecutive night of violent attacks targeting prisons across France. At least nine correctional facilities and related institutions, including a...

U.S. Senator Denied Access to Deported Salvadoran Held in Notorious Prison

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) was denied access to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported from the United States, during a diplomatic visit to El Salvador. Abrego Garcia, who lived in Maryland,...

Science

Kennedy Sets September Deadline to Uncover Autism Causes Amid Controversy

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a bold plan to identify the cause of autism by September 2025. Speaking at a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Kennedy declared a global...

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi Gets US Approval for Bladder Cancer Treatment

AstraZenecas drug Imfinzi (NASDAQ: AZN) has received U.S. approval to treat adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, a significant advancement in cancer therapy. The approval allows Imfinzi to be used in...

Sanofi’s New Hemophilia Drug Qfitlia Gains FDA Approval with Breakthrough Bimonthly Dosing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qfitlia, a groundbreaking hemophilia treatment by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY). Designed for patients aged 12 and older with hemophilia A or B,...

FDA Vaccine Chief Peter Marks Resigns Amid Controversy Over Transparency

Peter Marks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) top vaccine official, has resigned after reportedly being forced out by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to The Wall Street Journal....

Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy

Ice cores in freezers, dinosaurs on display, fish in jars, birds in boxes, human remains and ancient artifacts from long gone civilizations that few people ever see museum collections are filled with all this and more....

Technology

Tencent, Douyin Launch Domestic Sales Initiatives Amid U.S.-China Trade Tensions

Chinese tech giants Tencent and Douyin, TikToks sister app in China, have launched new initiatives to support local exporters affected by the intensifying U.S.-China trade war. These efforts aim to help export-reliant...

Stargate AI Megaproject Eyes UK Expansion Backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle

The $500 billion Stargate data center project, backed by OpenAI, SoftBank (TYO:9984), and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), is exploring expansion opportunities in the UK as it seeks overseas sites for scaling artificial intelligence...

U.S. Imposes New Export Curbs on Nvidia and AMD AI Chips to China

The U.S. Commerce Department announced new export licensing requirements on Tuesday targeting Nvidias H20 and AMDs MI308 artificial intelligence chips, along with equivalent models, restricting their shipment to China. The...

NVIDIA Stock Dips on $5.5B Hit From China Export Controls

NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) shares fell 6% in after-hours trading to $105.42 after the company announced it expects up to $5.5 billion in charges related to U.S. export restrictions on its AI chips to China. The charges will be...

Japan Orders Google to Halt Anticompetitive Smartphone Practices

Japans Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has issued a cease and desist order to Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) for engaging in anticompetitive practices, marking the countrys first formal crackdown on a U.S. tech giant for market...