SAN FRANCISCO: The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook plans a cryptocurrency-based payment system that it could launch for billions of users worldwide.
The system would use a digital coin similar to bitcoin, but different in that Facebook would aim to keep the coin’s value stable. Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies have been susceptible to wild fluctuations in value.
It could reportedly undermine credit cards by sidestepping the processing fees that generate much of their revenue.
The Journal report cited unidentified people familiar with the matter. It said Facebook is recruiting dozens of financial firms and online merchants to launch the network. Facebook’s plans may include ways to financially reward users who interact with ads or other features.
Facebook says only that it is exploring many different applications for cryptocurrency technology.
Facebook considering its own bitcoin for payments
Facebook considering its own bitcoin for payments
Slovenia calls for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision 2025
- Slovenia threatened to withdraw from Eurovision if its demand to exclude Israel over Gaza attacks is rejected by the European Broadcasting Union
- Organizers cautioned that Israel’s plan to privatize its Kan broadcaster could lead to the country’s removal from the competition
LONDON: Slovenia has called on the European Broadcasting Union to disqualify Israel from the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest over its ongoing military actions in Gaza, Israeli media reported.
Slovenia’s public broadcaster, RTV SLO, formally submitted a letter to the EBU urging Israel’s exclusion, citing its attacks on the Gaza Strip as grounds for disqualification.
The broadcaster warned that Slovenia might withdraw from the contest entirely if its request is denied.
The controversy follows Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar’s recent comments condemning Israel and Russia for violating the UN Charter with their respective wars in Gaza and Ukraine. She emphasized that Israel’s actions were on a “much larger scale.”
Eurovision, which celebrates its 69th edition next year, has faced repeated criticism over Israel’s participation.
In the most recent competition, several artists called for Israel’s boycott, arguing that its military operations in Gaza conflicted with the contest’s values.
Protests also erupted earlier this year in Malmo, Sweden, during Israel’s qualification for the finals.
Organizers resisted calls to disqualify Israel maintaining that Eurovision is a “non-political event” and noting that Russia’s exclusion in 2022 was due to the suspension of Russian broadcasters from the EBU for “persistent breaches of membership obligations and violations of public service values.”
Israel’s place in Eurovision faces further uncertainty amid domestic moves to privatize Kan, the country’s public broadcaster.
While Israel qualifies for Eurovision as a member of the EBU, the union warned this week that Kan’s privatization would result in Israel’s removal from the organization.
“Privatising Kan would lead to its removal from our union, limit Israel’s role in international events like Eurovision and prevent Israeli viewers from accessing content such as the 2026 World Cup” the letter from EBU read.
Alon Gellert, Kan’s representative in the Knesset, described attempts to exclude Israel from Eurovision as part of efforts by “antisemitic organizations and Palestinian activists.”
He warned, however, that dismantling Kan could inadvertently achieve those objectives.
“The state of Israel fights tirelessly to prevent such exclusion. Now, through our own actions, we risk achieving their goals,” Gellert said.
The Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to take place in May 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, following the country’s victory in 2024 with Nemo’s song “The Code.”
Security deployed as wartime Bethlehem readies for another somber Christmas
- Missing for a second consecutive year were the decorations, bustling tourists and crowds of pilgrims that were staples of Christmases past
BETHLEHEM: Palestinian security forces deployed around the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank holy city of Bethlehem on Tuesday, as the faithful prepared for another solemn Christmas overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
An unusual calm enveloped Manger Square, the heart of the Palestinian city dominated by the revered church that marks the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.
The white-walled compound and its surrounding plaza were empty, save for a few vendors selling coffee and corn and a significant contingent of journalists, an AFP reporter saw.
Missing for a second consecutive year were the decorations, bustling tourists and crowds of pilgrims that were staples of Christmases past, reflecting the somber mood as the war between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip drags on.
The fighting in Gaza — which is separated from the occupied West Bank by a swath of Israeli territory — erupted after Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
Traditionally, a grand Christmas tree would light up Manger Square, but local authorities opted against elaborate celebrations for a second year.
“This year we limited our joy,” Bethlehem mayor Anton Salman told AFP.
“We want to focus on the Palestinian reality and show the world that Palestine is still suffering from the Israeli occupation, still suffering from the injustice.”
Prayers, including the church’s famed midnight mass, will still be held in the presence of the Catholic Church’s Latin Patriarch, but the festivities will be of a more strictly religious nature than the festive celebrations the city once held.
Despite the gloomy mood, some Christians in the Holy Land — who number about 185,000 in Israel and 47,000 in the Palestinian territories — are finding refuge in prayer.
“Christmas is a feast of faith... We’re going to pray and ask God to end our suffering,” Salman said.
Vendors in front of the local municipality building, the Bethlehem Peace Center, waited for customers in vain behind pots full of steaming coffee.
Mohammad Awad, 57, has been selling coffee for more than 25 years at the foot of the Mosque of Omar, whose elegant minaret stands directly opposite the Church of the Nativity.
“Business was good before the war, but now there’s no one,” the vendor lamented. “I hope the war in Gaza will end soon and that tourists will return.”
While most streets were quiet, a handful of visitors could still be seen in the area.
“On one hand, it’s sad that there are so few people,” said Christiana von der Tann, a German who came with her husband to spend the holidays with her daughter, a journalist in Tel Aviv.
“But then you can access the Church of the Nativity as you can freely go inside... That’s the advantage.
“But it’s very sad for the people here, it’s very sad they can’t sell their goods. They’ve got a really hard time.”
Violence across the Israeli-occupied West Bank has surged since the war in Gaza broke out, but Bethlehem has remained largely quiet, even though the fighting has taken a toll on the now predominantly Muslim city.
Foreign tourists, on whom Bethlehem’s economy almost entirely relies, stopped coming due to the war. And an increase in restrictions on movement in the form of Israeli checkpoints is also preventing many Palestinians from visiting.
“Last night, there was a rocket attack in Tel Aviv and it was a little scary,” said Tann.
“We had to go to a shelter room. That was a special experience. You don’t forget that you are in a country at war.”
Lebanese Christians celebrate Christmas, hoping for election of president in 16 days
- Maronite Patriarch calls for return to ‘active positive neutrality’ for sake of country
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi emphasized in his Christmas message to the Lebanese on Tuesday the importance of “not giving in to despair or hopelessness, no matter how severe the circumstances or challenges may be.”
Speaking on the eve of the most significant date in the Christian calendar, Al-Rahi said: “There is no salvation for Lebanon except through returning to the culture of active positive neutrality, which aligns with the nature of its political system. This would ensure Lebanon has one army, not two; one policy, not two. Lebanon would not enter wars, conflicts, or alliances, but instead maintain its sovereignty and defend its land against any aggressor through its own capabilities, without interfering in the affairs of other countries.”
Al-Rahi’s address this year came in the wake of a destructive war between the Israeli army and Hezbollah that left thousands in Lebanon dead and wounded. The ceasefire agreement, now in its 28th day, continues to face repeated violations by Israeli forces, however.
Meanwhile, the reconstruction of damaged areas in Beirut, its southern suburb, the south of Lebanon, and Bekaa remains dependent on the availability of funds — whether from the state or Hezbollah, which is still reeling from losses on several fronts.
Israel continues its unilateral war against southern Lebanon, exploiting the 60-day withdrawal period from the border area by conducting demolitions and explosions in villages.
Al-Rahi reiterated that neutrality “enables Lebanon to play its effective role as a place of meeting and dialogue between cultures and religions, and as a defender of peace and understanding in the region.”
On Tuesday, Beirut and other regions of the country witnessed high congestion in the streets and stores. Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport also saw increased activity with thousands of expatriates returning to spend the holiday season with their families.
Lebanese citizens are looking forward hopefully to Jan. 9, the date set for a parliamentary session to elect a president — the Maronite position that has been vacant for two years and two months due to political disagreements between Hezbollah and its allies on one side and the party’s opponents on the other.
Al-Rahi expressed his optimism about the election of a president “after a shameful vacuum that contradicts the constitution, and without any justification other than the lack of self-confidence among the nation’s MPs, waiting for the name to come from abroad. This is a great injustice.”
Parliament speaker Nabih Berri extended his congratulations to the Lebanese people, particularly to the Christian community, on the occasion. In a statement, he urged everyone “to approach all our issues with a Christmas spirit characterized by compassion, love, humility, tolerance, reconciliation, and openness.” Berri also met with Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss the developments in southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry, through Lebanon’s permanent mission to the UN in New York, has submitted a complaint to the Security Council, protesting Israel’s repeated violations of the declaration of a cessation of hostilities and related obligations concerning enhanced security arrangements for the implementation of Resolution 1701, commonly referred to as the ceasefire arrangements.
The complaint lists more than 816 Israeli incursions, both terrestrial and aerial, occurring between Nov. 27 and Dec. 22.
Lebanon stated in its complaint that “Israeli violations, including shelling of Lebanese border villages, booby-trapping of homes, destruction of residential areas, and obstruction of roads, undermine efforts for de-escalation and avoidance of military escalation.
“These actions pose a serious threat to international efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the region and complicate Lebanon’s efforts to implement the provisions of Resolution 1701, while also hindering the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south.”
The complaint also stressed Lebanon’s “commitment to international resolutions and the implementation of the cessation of hostilities arrangements,” noting that it “has fully complied with international calls to calm the situation, and continues to show the utmost restraint and cooperation in order to avoid falling back into the hell of war.”
Lebanon called on “the countries sponsoring the cessation of hostilities arrangements to take a firm and clear position regarding Israel’s violations, and to take action to ensure that Israel respect its obligations under the declaration of cessation of hostilities and relevant international resolutions.”
It also requested the “enhancement of support for UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese Army to ensure the protection of its sovereignty and create the security conditions necessary for the restoration of stability and the return to normal life in the south.”
Italian army chief Lt. General Luciano Portolano arrived in Beirut to spend Christmas Eve with his country’s unit in UNIFIL.
He met with his Lebanese counterpart Gen. Joseph Aoun. Lebanon’s Army Command said their discussions focused on “ways to enhance cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries and the coordination between the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL.”
Pakistan Railways starts manufacturing new coaches after technology transfer from China
- Pakistan will assemble 184 new passenger coaches at Railways Carriage Factory in Islamabad in next three years
- China is also helping Pakistan upgrade and dualize an existing Main Line- 1 rail track from Karachi till Peshawar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways (PR) has started production of new train coaches in the country, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday, following the transfer of technology from China.
The South Asian country has been able to locally produce high-speed passenger coaches and goods wagons using technology transferred by China, according to media reports.
China has also helped build capacity of PR engineers and technicians who have succeeded in manufacturing new coaches and wagons at workshops in Lahore and Islamabad.
"As many as 184 new passenger coaches would also be assembled at Pakistan Railways Carriage Factory, Islamabad during the next three years," the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) state news agency reported, citing a railways official.
PR Executive Officer Amir Ali Baloch said that a new Green Line-styled train will be run between Lahore and Karachi soon, according to the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.
He said he had issued orders to further improve the quality of food and drink in trains, and requested public to take special care of cleanliness.
Last month, China and Pakistan discussed advancement of rail, road and economic zone projects under the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect China to the Arabian Sea through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports in Pakistan and help Islamabad expand and modernize its economy.
The discussions on key projects were held during Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong's meeting with Pakistani Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, according to Pakistan's Press Information Department (PID).
China is also helping Pakistan upgrade and dualize an existing Main Line- 1 (ML-1) railway track, built in the late 19th century. The $6.8 billion, 1,872-kilometer-long ML-1 line connects the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi to Peshawar in the country's northwest.
SAB launches native plant conservation center in Qassim
Saudi Awwal Bank has inaugurated the Prince Faisal bin Mishaal Center for Native Plant Conservation and Propagation in the Kingdom’s Qassim region. The project was launched in collaboration with the Environmental Awareness Society as part of SAB’s contribution to the Saudi Green Initiative.
The inauguration ceremony was held under the patronage of Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud, who reviewed the progress of the project during the event. The ceremony was attended by Yasser Al-Barrak, chief corporate and institutional banking officer at SAB, and Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Alsoqeer, chairman of the Environmental Awareness Society.
This center, the first-of-its-kind in the Kingdom, focuses on preserving and promoting native plant species while increasing awareness of the importance of natural vegetation. It is equipped with facilities such as a training hall, a seed bank, plant nurseries, an herbarium, and a botanical garden showcasing key native plants of the Kingdom.
The center also prioritizes research, supporting researchers and postgraduate students in areas like desertification control and native plant conservation. As part of the project, a forest of 10,000 native trees will be planted around the center, contributing to the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative.
Al-Barrak said: “We are proud to be part of a ground-breaking national project, which reflects SAB’s dedication to its social and environmental responsibilities. Through this partnership, we aim to support Saudi Vision 2030 by contributing to environmental conservation and combating desertification. We are confident that this center will set a benchmark for preserving biodiversity in the Kingdom.”
Alsoqeer added: “The launch of this center marks a significant step toward achieving our environmental goals of preserving and enhancing the Kingdom’s natural vegetation cover. Through our collaboration with SAB, we aim to raise awareness about native plants, their importance, and efforts to propagate them.
“The project serves as an invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students. The patronage and support of Prince Faisal bin Mishaal highlight its significance and distinguished status on a national level.”
The facility will produce 200,000 native plant seedlings each year. It will also focus on collecting, preserving, and supplying high-viability seeds of native plants, especially those at risk of extinction, with the goal of boosting seed germination rates to more than 70 percent. Moreover, the project will support the propagation of endangered plant species using tissue culture techniques. It will also offer scientific and training support through workshops, research initiatives, and awareness programs, benefiting more than 10,000 participants annually.
The launch took place alongside the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or COP16, held in Riyadh. This initiative highlights cooperation between the private sector, represented by SAB, the nonprofit sector, represented by Environmental Awareness Society, and the government sector, represented by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development. It seeks to contribute to the goals of Vision 2030 and support the Kingdom’s efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development.
