Latest News
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CNBC reports that Fertitta Entertainment is in talks with Caesars to purchase the company for $6.5 billion.
CNBC, citing 'close sources', reported on Saturday that Fertitta Entertainment was negotiating to buy Caesars Entertainment at $32 per share. This would represent an equity value $6.5 billion. The report stated that Fertitta’s terms for Caesars include a value of $31.5billion, based on the substantial debt the gaming company has. Caesars responded to an emailed question by saying: "As a policy, we do not comment on rumors and market speculation." Could not verify the report immediately. Fertitta Entertainment has not responded to the request for comment made outside of regular business hours. CNBC reported that deal talks will take place this weekend, within a 45 day exclusive window, at Fertitta’s headquarters in Houston. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Fertitta Entertainment was considering paying $34 per share for Caesars. This would give it a market value of $7 billion. Journal reported that the casino operator received a cash offer from Icahn Enterprises - the publicly listed company which houses billionaire Carl Icahn’s investments. Icahn made his first friendly bid for Caesars back in January. He offered $28.50 per share with the promise that the current management would continue to be in place, according to a report by CNBC. Icahn Enterprises didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. Icahn?is interested in partnering up with a digital gaming company, which could combine Caesars digital gambling operations and theirs. Caesars reported a?net loss for four consecutive quarters, hurt because of the softening visitor number in Las Vegas which dropped significantly in 2025.
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Tedros, WHO chief Tedros, says that 12 people were killed in a strike at a primary healthcare center in Lebanon
On Saturday, the head of the 'World Health Organization' said that it had'verified 12?doctors and nurses? who were killed during a strike against Bourj Qalaouiyeh Primary Healthcare Center in Lebanon on Friday evening. In a post published on X, Director-General Tedros Adhanom?Ghebreyesus noted that two paramedics were killed earlier in the day in an attack on a hospital in Al Sowana. Israel has launched a massive bombing campaign against the powerful Lebanese group Hezbollah. This has resulted in the deaths of more than 770 people and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of others. Hezbollah also fired hundreds of rockets across the border.
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Trump: 'Many countries' are sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said on Saturday that a number of countries would send warships in order to maintain the Strait of Hormuz as a shipping route. He did not specify which countries would be doing this. Trump posted a message on Truth Social saying that "Many Countries will be sending War Ships in conjunction with United States of America to keep the Strait safe and open." Trump said that he hopes China, France Japan South Korea and Britain will send ships to the region. He wrote: "The United States will continue to bomb the hell out of the shoreline and shoot Iranian Boats and Ships into the water." The White House did not respond immediately to a question about whether countries had agreed to ship ships. Western nations have boosted their military presence in eastern Mediterranean as the conflict in Iran continues. They are focusing on the safety of Cyprus after an Iranian drone struck a British base on the island in March. John Healey, the British defence minister, said that Britain was also looking at additional options to deploy in the Gulf following an increase in Iranian attacks against vessels. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said that on Saturday, the British government was in discussions with allies and partners to discuss "a range of possible options" to ensure "the security of shipping within the region". As part of its defensive support for allies, the French Navy has deployed about a dozen vessels, including 'its aircraft carrier strike groups, to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and possibly 'the Strait of Hormuz. French officials have been in consultation with European, Asian, and Gulf 'Arab countries over the last week to develop a plan to eventually have warships escort oil tankers through this strait. Trump stated on Thursday that the U.S. is?willing' to escort vessels through the Strait?of Hormuz in order to protect them against Iranian attack. His administration is looking for ways to reduce high oil prices caused by the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran. (Reporting from Bhargav Asharya in Toronto, and Milana Vinn, in New York. Editing by Toby Chopra. Sergio Non. Rod Nickel.)
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Argentina: US Justice Dept. backs bid to halt YPF discovery
The U.S. Justice Department filed a'memorandum' supporting Argentina's request to suspend a 'discovery' process in a New York Court case?related to the 'nationalization' of YPF state 'oil 'company in 2012, Argentina's Treasury Attorney's Office announced on Saturday. The filing was submitted to the Southern District Court of New York. It argues that the current discovery is too intrusive, and violates international principles of courtesy and reciprocity. The?U.S. The?U.S. Argentina wants to halt the discovery and withdraw a contempt complaint filed by plaintiffs Petersen Energia 'Inversora and Eton Park Capital Management who were awarded damages of $16.1 'billion. The litigation is funded in part by UK-based Burford Capital. Burford Capital would get a large share of any payout, and they had requested information about Argentina's gold reserves. Argentina asserts that the case is outside U.S. jurisdiction and should be governed Argentine 'law. It also claims that President Javier Milei, who has been in office since December 20, 2023, fully cooperated with 'legal requests. The government deems that the demands for discovery are disproportionate. Under Milei and Donald Trump's libertarian government, the United States -and Argentina- have strengthened their economic ties. Washington has become a major supporter of Argentina's plans to'seek out international investment'. YPF, Argentina's biggest oil and gas firm, aims to become a global energy company by developing the Vaca Muerta shale. This formation has the second largest shale-gas reserves in the world and the fourth largest shale-oil reserves. (Reporting by Lucila Sigal, Editing by Alexander Villegas & Emelia Sithole Matarise)
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Hamas urges Iran to refrain from targeting its neighbors, but asserts the right to self defense
Hamas, a militant Palestinian group that is aligned with Iran, has 'called on Iran not to target neighbouring lands while still reaffirming Tehran’s right to retaliate?to U.S. and Israeli?attacks. The group is making its first public comments on Iranian policy. The group has shown solidarity with Iran in the war, but so far it does not appear to have threatened any retaliatory action. The group said that while it affirms Iran's rights to respond to the aggression using all?available methods in accordance with international laws and norms, it urges?our brothers in Iran to not target neighboring nations. The statement also called on all countries and international organizations to stop the war immediately. Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a Gaza ceasefire that was implemented in October. However, there have been frequent outbreaks of violence ever since. Israeli attacks against Gaza decreased at the beginning of the Iran war, but have now increased. Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is allied with Iran, opened fire on Israel March 2, to avenge the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader at the beginning of the war. Israel has since then pounded Lebanon, and targeted the group. Houthis from Yemen, who are allied with Iran, launched a military offensive against ships that they believed were affiliated?with Israel during the Gaza war. They have also shown strong support for Tehran. They haven't yet threatened to resume their attacks. (Reporting and editing by Jaidaa Taka; Toby Chopra).
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Reeves: UK considers targeted support for householders as energy costs rise.
In an interview published Saturday, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated that the British government was looking to offer "targeted support" to poorer households in order to reduce the impact of the rising energy costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Reeves, a Times reporter, said that the government is looking into options to help those affected by sharp increases in energy prices, particularly those who rely on heating oil. However, he ruled out a universal aid for all households because it would not be affordable. Labour, which is trailing Reform UK in the polls, has been under pressure by opponents to cap the regulated household tariffs, due to be reviewed in late May, and to cancel a planned increase in vehicle fuel duties in September. "I've?found money and we have worked out with MPs and others how to help people who aren't protected by the energy price cap. She said that the plan would help households who depend on heating oil. In Britain, more than one million households use oil as a heating fuel. This is especially true in rural areas without access to the gas grid. In Northern Ireland, almost half the households use oil as their sole source of heat. SHOCKS: HEATING OIL USERS WILL PAY MORE? The government's energy price cap does not cover heating oil, so consumers are more vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices. Reeves said to the Times that Treasury is modeling different scenarios depending on the length of the Iran conflict, including "more focused options" for support. She said, "I'm concerned about how high our debts are, given the debt we inherited. I want to see what other options there would be." The Competition and Markets Authority of Britain wrote to Reeves, on Saturday, saying that it would be contacting several firms involved in the distribution of heating oil as a "matter of urgency", to determine whether their practices were of concern. The letter by the CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell stated that "the CMA is at the initial stages of its review and it shouldn't be assumed that businesses have broken consumer protection laws, but we will not hesitate to enforce if any potential breaches are found." The CMA stated that it was also monitoring the vehicle fuel prices in order to determine if this situation was being abused. The Times reported that Reeves was planning to use his speech on Tuesday to not only address energy issues but also call for a more close alignment with the European Union's single?market in order to boost growth. She told the newspaper that Brexit was not good for her country, growth or prices at the shop. "It has been almost 10 years since the Leave vote. The ship may have sailed, but we still have a lot to do to improve our trade relations. We should align ourselves where it is in our national interests. (Reporting and editing by Toby Chopra, Louise Heavens, and Michael Holden)
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Sources say that some oil loading operations have been suspended following a fire in Fujairah.
After a fire broke on Saturday, some?oil-loading operations were suspended in the?Fujairah, an emirate of the United Arab Emirates, which is a major bunkering center. According to the media office of the emirate, debris fell from a drone during its 'interception.' However, no injuries have been reported. The civil defence forces are tackling the incident to contain it, according to the statement. The authorities did not give any information about the reported suspension of operations. Bloomberg News reported earlier that certain oil-loading activities in the port of Fujairah outside the Strait of Hormuz had been suspended following a drone attack. ADNOC (the state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi) did not respond immediately to a comment request. ADNOC shut down its Ruwais refinery on Tuesday in response to an incident that occurred at a facility in the complex after a drone strike. This was done to prevent further disruption to energy infrastructure due to the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. Source: (Reporting and editing by Sarah El-Safty and Jaidaa Verma, and Gareth Jones and Toby Chopra)
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Reeves: UK considers targeted support for householders as energy costs rise.
In an interview with?Saturday, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated that the British government was looking at providing "targeted support" for the poorer households in order to offset the impact of the rising energy costs caused by the conflict?in the Middle East. Reeves, a Times reporter, said that the government is looking into?options? to help those affected by sharp increases in energy prices. This includes those households who rely on heating oil. However, he ruled out a universal program for all homes, stating it would not be affordable. Labour, which is trailing the populist Reform UK Party in the polls, has been under pressure by opponents to cap the regulated household energy tariffs, due to be reviewed in late May, and to cancel a planned increase in vehicle fuel duty in September. "I've found the money, and we have worked with MPs and others to develop a response for those who aren't protected by the cap on energy prices. "We're providing greater support for those who are in need," she said of the plan to assist households that rely on heating oils. In Britain, more than a million households use?oil as a heating fuel. This is especially true in rural areas without access to gas grids. In Northern Ireland, almost half the households use only oil as a fuel. HEATING OIL USERS WILL SUFFER A LARGER PRICE SHOCKWAVE The government's energy price cap does not cover heating oil, so consumers are more vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. Reeves said to the Times that Treasury is modeling different scenarios depending on the length of the Iran conflict, including "more focused options" for support. She said: "I'm?concerned about how high our debts are, given the debt we inherited. And?so, I want to?look at the different options that would be available." The Times reported that Reeves will use his speech on Tuesday to?not only address energy issues but also call for a?closer alignment to the European Union's single market in order to boost growth. She told the paper that Brexit was bad for her country's growth and for prices at the shops. "It has been almost 10 years since the Leave vote. The ship may have sailed, but we still have a lot to do to improve our trade relations. We should align ourselves where it is in our national interests. (Reporting and editing by Toby Chopra, Louise Heavens, and Michael Holden)
Africa G20 hosts bids to become a mineral powerhouse
South Africa hosts the first African G20
Trade talks focus on valuable minerals
Experts: Local processing is key to creating jobs
By Kim Harrisberg
Mineral experts and African leaders are in agreement with the protesters. The G20 summit of global leaders is an opportunity for the minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, to be used to the benefit of the continents where they can be found.
On the sidelines of the protest, Lazola Kathi, campaign manager for Fossil Free South Africa's Fossil Ban initiative, said: "It is important that the G20 includes communities, so that proper conversations about the development in Africa can be held."
What this can look like is job creation, skills transfer... our own energy sector", said Kati as protesters from Uganda to Zimbabwe sang and held placards. This can be a job creation program, a skills transfer program... or our own energy sector," Kati said as protesters from Uganda and Zimbabwe sang while holding placards.
Africa has 30% of the critical minerals required for the switch from fossil fuels and clean technologies, as well the digital infrastructure needed for AI data centres.
Africa has suffered from what is known as "the resource curse" for centuries. This paradox occurs when abundant natural resources cause conflict, corruption, and slower economic development.
For the first time, the G20, a group of leaders who represent 80% the global economy, will be hosted in Africa. In 2023, the African Union became a member permanent.
Experts believe this gives African governments greater leverage to demand global investment in local mineral processing for jobs as the demand surges.
Maxwell Gomera said, "Think about it this way. Selling raw cobalt would be like exporting flour instead of bread" during an address at a Johannesburg conference this month.
He added, "The world has entered a new race for Africa's mineral resources." "We have to make sure that the new green orders doesn't turn into the old colonial orders."
INDUSTRIALISATION MESSENGE
Deprose Manyena, Programme Director at Open Society Foundations, a human-rights funding organization, stated that the continent must negotiate as a group to leverage its bargaining power.
Muchena said, "The African Union has become a G20 member, so even if South Africa leaves the stage, AU will continue to spread the industrialisation message."
The Africa Green Minerals Strategy is a strategy that was endorsed by the African Union (AU) in 2025 to promote industrialisation of minerals across the continent.
The document outlines responsible mining, the need for skill development, and how to attract investment in local mineral processing or beneficiation.
According to World Bank research, more than a dozen African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Namibia have either restricted or banned such exports to encourage beneficiation.
The U.N. reports that Zambia and the DRC have created special economic zones for the manufacture of batteries using local minerals.
The future of minerals that are critical to Africa is one of three themes of the South African G20 Summit.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a global energy organization, the continent only captures less that 5% of the total value created by energy technologies.
Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African president, signed an important minerals agreement with the European Union that he described as "unprecedented" on Thursday. He stated that South Africa would increase its mineral processing in order to "move along the value chain".
"RESOURCES ARE LIMITED"
The G20 will be held in South Africa, but key players such as U.S. president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping won't be attending.
Both countries have a key interest, capital and investment in critical global minerals.
Kati, from Fossil Free South Africa, said: "It's better to have Trump and his likes absent."
She said, "This is the moment where we can define investment and development so that when they return we will be ready with a programme African-defined."
Muchena, of OSF, says that mining is not the only element in Africa's development.
He said that despite the G20's focus on critical minerals, mining is a short-term activity.
He said: "We know that resources are finite, and at some point demand for essential minerals will decrease due to technologies which could replace this need. Diamonds have been replaced by synthetics in the same way."
It was important to make the most of these financial benefits during the life spans of mines.
Muchena estimates Africa will export close to $250 billion in revenue between 2023-2024 from its essential minerals. $1.6 trillion is expected over the next 25 years.
"If these numbers are correct, then they should find their way into communities to transform them and provide energy directly," said he, referring to the 600,000,000 Africans who do not have reliable electricity.
Raphael Bahebwa, a Congolese activist and bishop from the Congolese Solidarity Campaign, spoke at the protest about the mining abuses that are occurring in his country, where 70% of the cobalt found on the planet is mined.
"Everyone who carries a cellphone carries the blood of our People," said Bahebwa in reference to the exploitative mine practices that lead to the cobalt used in the majority of cellphones.
(source: Reuters)