Guns Fall Silent As Qatar Races To Revive US-Iran Talks

Israeli forces continued to carry out attacks on southern Lebanon, even as they geared up for yet another round of talks with the Lebanese government in the wake of more than half a dozen agreements with them that failed to do anything to stop the ongoing war. Airstrikes were reported in Baraachit and Beit Yahoun, […]

World Cup Fans Drive Spending Surge In These US Host Cities Bank of America has released new aggregated credit and debit card data showing that the World Cup is already driving a noticeable increase in retail spending activity across the tournament's 11 U.S. host cities. According to BofA analyst Aditya Bhave, brick-and-mortar spending at restaurants and bars in host cities rose 5.3% year over year in the three weeks ending June 27, outpacing the 3.8% gain seen across the rest of the U.S. Bhave noted that other forms of brick-and-mortar retail...

China Sidesteps Solar Targets In New Five-Year Plan China’s latest five-year plan avoids setting ambitious solar targets, signaling rising challenges for the sector after years of explosive growth, according to Bloomberg. Released during the annual National People’s Congress, the plan does not include a goal for solar installations by 2030. That omission contrasts with clearer commitments elsewhere in the energy mix, including plans to double offshore wind capacity and expand nuclear and pumped-hydro power. Solar receives relatively little attention overall, while policymakers instead emphasize broader transition initiatives such as zero-carbon industrial...