The United States has ordered some diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify. The warning follows strikes on an airport and an oil field that killed at least three people.

Satellite monitoring has detected large methane plumes above one of Australia's biggest gas complexes. The finding triggered a United Nations alert and prompted state authorities to open an inquiry into the leak.

Russia has agreed to resume three-way peace talks with Ukraine and the United States after US envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg. The Kremlin's move follows weeks of stalled negotiations over a potential ceasefire line.

The Nasdaq fell more than 2% on Thursday, its worst day since June, as Meta and Tesla led declines amid AI spending concerns and rising oil prices. Treasury yields also dropped sharply as investors sought safety.

With Beijing keeping its rare earth refining technology, equipment and technicians at home, Washington is funding private refiners to develop new ways to process the strategic metals rather than copying Chinese methods. A senior US official told Asia Times that American refiners would rely on their own innovation to make the country self-sufficient in critical […]

The post US reinvents rare earth refining as China guards know-how appeared first on Asia Times.

PM pledges commitment to address climate crisis, saying in Guardian article that his ‘determination is unwavering’

• Andy Burnham: We will make the net-zero transition work for Britain

Andy Burnham has said he will not “abandon the responsibility” of fighting the climate crisis after the government approved the Jackdaw gasfield, pledging to block new North Sea licences and keep Britain on track for net zero by 2050.

The comments are the prime minister’s most forthright yet on net zero, after many MPs have privately cast doubt on the authenticity of his commitment to tackling the climate crisis.

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© Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock