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Setback for EU fighter jets as Malaysia bets on palm oil barter It was hardly surprising, when Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamad Sabu said that Kuala Lumpur was considering bartering palm oil for advanced military equipment. The Southeast Asian country has beenhobbled by huge public debt, a slipping currency, corruption and flagging economic growth.In just over a year since coming to power, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamadʼs government has already suspended or revised major infrastructure projects worth billions of dollars to rein in costs. Malaysia is also no stranger to swapping palm oil for military equipment. It bought Russian-built fighter jets using the controversial commodity in the 1990s. But Malaysiaʼs latest attempt at bartering is likely to complicate matters for European defense companies, which are vying for contracts as Malaysia seeks to modernize its weapons, including its fleet of fighter jets.
John Bolton says Iran is ʼalmost certainlyʼ behind oil tanker ʼattacksʼ US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday that Iran was likely behindthe attacks on four shipsoff the coast of the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. Bolton made the remarks in Abu Dhabi, during a visit to the Emirati capital "to discuss important and timely regional security matters." Bolton, known for his hawkish stance on Iran, alleged that the four ships were attacked by "naval mines almost certainly from Iran." He did not offer any details or evidence to back up the claim. On May 12, the United Arab Emirates claimed that four oil tankers were attacked in the strategic port of Fujairah, UAE.Fujairah is the only port on the Arabian Sea coast that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, through which most oil exports pass on their way from the Persian Gulf.
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Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu faces midnight deadline to form new government If the premier fails, he is expected to push parliament to hold snap elections
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuʼs political future is at stake as he has until midnight to form a coalition government.
Veggie discs and bloody beets: Future of meat Demand for meat-free foods is up — 23% in the US last year alone, according to The Good Food Institute. But can plant-based alternatives replace classic burgers and sausages, and are they really better for the climate? Big appetite With climate concerns growing, many people are trying to reduce their environmental impact. Increasingly, theyʼre turning to plantbased meats — and investors are taking notice. When Beyond Meat debuted on Wall Street in early May, share prices more than doubled the
first day. "Investors recognize … a huge business opportunity," Bruce Friedrich, director of the Good Food Institute, told AFP. Spot the difference Backed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, meat alternatives including Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger, seen here at left, use new food technology and ingredients like peas, fava beans and soy. Unlike earlier veggie burgers, these meatless patties are said to taste, look, smell and even "bleed" like real meat (the secret is beet juice). They can also be healthier.
Emirati woman at home with her family after 27 years in a vegetative state Munira Abdulla was 32 when she was involved in a serious car accident thatleft her in a vegetative state. After 27 years in the hospital, the woman, now 60, is at home with her family in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Her son Omar, whom she had just picked up from school when the accident happened in 1991, said although his mother had awoken from her vegeta-
tive state in May of last year, her family had decided to wait until her condition had stabilized before making the announcement on Wednesday. Omar, who was four at the time and was also injured in the accident, told reporters, "We felt we needed to share the story to give people going through the same or similar experiences hope."
Most Germans find AKK unfit to replace Angela Merkel, poll finds The Forsa poll released on Wednesday showed 70% of respondents considered that Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Annegret KrampKarrenbauer was not suited totaking over as chancellor. Chancellor Angela Merkel should stay on until 2021 when her term ends, the poll found.Even among her own CDU party, 52% considered Kramp-Karrenbauer, or AKK as she is often called, was not up to the chancellorʼs job. The poll among 1,501 people was carried out earlier this week, after the European election results, for broadcaster RTL. The CDU fared poorly in the European electionsand lost the majority in the parliament it had previously shared through the alliance of the center-right European Peopleʼs Party (EPP) and center-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D). Commentators in Germany have suggestedMerkel herself may be considering a rolein the EU hierarchy, although she has dismissed the rumors.
France, Germany spar over EU leadership A rift between France and Germanywas apparent at an informal summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Tuesday, as French President Emmanuel Macron looked certain to protest the replacement of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker withGerman politician Manfred Weber. Macron told reporters that he preferred someone who has "experience either in their country or in Europe that allows them to have credibility and savoir faire," an apparent dig at Weber, who has never served in government or an institution as big as the commission.
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