Belgium: 100,000 Join National Strike Against Austerity

Ana Vračar | 14 Mar 2026

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Belgian unions and progressive movements marked one year of resistance to De Wever government with 100,000-strong demo and national strike.

Demonstration in Brussels, March 12, 2026. Source: Peter Mertens/X

On Thursday, March 12, 100,000 people joined another national demonstration and strike against the anti-people reforms of the so-called Arizona coalition in Belgium. Trade unions, feminist networks, international solidarity organizations, and many more took to the streets in Brussels to oppose plans to promote and finance militarization at the expense of workers’ salaries and pensions.

“Our main messages today are: first, ‘stop the pension malus,’ because it’s a punishment that will affect people who can’t work until age 67,” Selena Carbonero Fernandez, general secretary of the trade union confederation FGTB-ABVV, told local media ahead of the action. “Second, maintain wage indexation, because it’s one of the best ways to protect purchasing power. Third, break the taboo of new revenue sources and seek revenue from those with the deepest pockets.”

Over the past year, Belgium has steadily pushed back against Bart De Wever’s administration. “The general strike on March 12 marks a year of sustained action,” Peter Mertens, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA), remarked in an interview with Jacobin. “I think this is because the movement’s goals are very popular and support for them runs very deep, especially when it comes to rejecting retirement at 67.”

As part of its program, the government is attempting to force as many people as possible to continue working until age 67 by penalizing them. In this model, for each year of retirement initiated before that age, workers could see their pensions cut by up to 5% annually. Together with other measures originally proposed by the government, for example limiting the extent to which precarious employment should count toward pension, the model has been heavily criticized by progressives.

“The bonus-malus system is unfair,” PTB-PVDA’s pension expert Kim De Witte warned in February. “It penalizes people who start work early, often in arduous occupations and with lower pensions, and rewards people who start work later and already have a good pension.”

Demonstrators during March 12 demonstration. Source: PTB-PVDA/Facebook

Broad and persistent mobilizations, including Thursday’s actions, have won important breakthroughs. According to De Witte’s projections, the overall impact of the reform measures has been reduced by a quarter, and approximately 20,000 workers will avoid penalties on their pensions. “The government is wavering and changing its plans under pressure from the streets,” De Witte said. “Now it’s time to go one step further. The pension reform must be completely swept off the table.”

Trade unionists and left leaders emphasize that resistance to new attacks on workers’ rights and social security must go on, especially considering the dangers faced by the wage indexation system as the working class in Belgium continues to struggle with rising costs of living.

FGTB-ABVV president Bert Engelaar warned that wage indexation is “not a detail” in the overall scheme of things. “Prices are constantly rising, but wages are not keeping pace,” he insisted. “Tampering with indexation is tampering with dignity.”

Protesters also emphasized the impact that militarization would have on people’s lives. Mertens pointed out that the government’s planned military purchases – including some 1,500 combat vehicles, ammunition, drones and counter-drones, and artificial intelligence – stand in stark contrast to real needs, like quality healthcare and social security. With more money expected to be spent on arms and these services cut, it comes as no surprise that people are angry, progressive forces in Belgium warn.

“If we don’t channel that anger, it will move toward the extreme right,” Mertens added in the interview. He remarked that, in that regard, the ongoing mobilization already represents an organizational victory because it has managed to focus frustration of workers in both public and private sectors against the real culprits – the Arizona government. “When you look at what the other side is saying – that the European economy is in crisis, that we need to remilitarize and deregulate now or our industry will collapse – then simply establishing a different narrative is already a big step forward,” he said.

It is expected that such a narrative will continue to take shape in the coming months. “The backbone of the Belgian economy won’t let them get away with messing around with the wage index and night shift premiums,” Mertens said on the day. “The people who keep this country running refuse to foot the bill for the warmongering of Theo Francken, Belgium’s Defense Minister, and his allies, who want to drag the country into an illegal war that will drive energy prices even higher.”

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch

 

Longest recorded journey of a juvenile fisher to find new forest home

Female fisher in New Hampshire travels a record 118 kilometers.

University of New Hampshire

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Image of juvenile female fisher, F003, as she sets off on her 118 kilometer dispersal journey.
 

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Credit: University of New Hampshire

DURHAM, N.H.—(March 4, 2025)—Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have documented the farthest trek of a young female fisher (Pekania pennanti) moving 118 kilometers (over 73 miles) from Durham to the outskirts of Lincoln, a small town in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. This trip marks the longest known recorded dispersal for the species.

“This is exciting because even though fishers are a significant species and play a key role in the ecosystem of the northeast, relatively few field studies have documented their dispersal, or journey away from their birth home, especially over long distances,” said Remington Moll, associate professor in natural resources and environment. “What makes it even more unique is that the journey was documented over a winter with relatively deep snow, which typically is thought to limit their mobility and dispersal movements.”

In the study, published in the journal Northeastern Naturalist, researchers describe the relatively straight-line distance of the female fisher, identified as F003. Initially outfitted with a GPS tracker, researchers monitored her location each week and obtained snow-depth estimates relevant to the dispersal area from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA 2025). After several months of tracking, she was traced 118 kilometers away in the White Mountains.

Dispersal, or the relocation of a young animal to secure their own home range, plays a crucial role in the survival and genetic diversity of wildlife populations. For fishers, medium-sized carnivores native to North American forests, such movements are essential for maintaining populations that in turn support healthy ecosystems. However, field studies documenting fisher dispersal, especially over long distances, have been scarce.

Fisher populations have been on an apparent decline in last two decades in New Hampshire, with potential contributing factors including rodenticide poisoning, novel diseases, historic harvest, an increase in bobcat population — a known predator — vehicle collisions and ongoing habitat fragmentation.

"Conserving fishers not only supports biodiversity but also helps ensure that New Hampshire’s forests remain resilient and sustainable," said Moll. “Fishers are important for rodent control, help with dispersing fungal spores and are one of the few predators that hunt porcupines that can cause major damage to timber and harvestable trees.”

Researchers say this type of long-distance journey could occur more frequently given fishers’ abilities to roam freely. It is hard to know why this young female fisher traveled so far. They speculate that ultimately the animal is looking for a suitable habitat with access to mates so they can reproduce and persist as a species. Female fishers tend to prefer areas without other female competition so this animal could have been encountering other females along the way and needed to keep traveling.

Researchers stress that this unprecedented dispersal event underscores the fisher's adaptability and the need for further research into the species' movement patterns. This is especially important for preserving connected habitats at a regional scale for management and conservation.

The research was supported by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department,

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station under the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 15,000 students from 50 states and 87 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. A Carnegie Classification R1 institution, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF, and NIH, and received over $250 million in competitive external funding in FY24 to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.

PHOTOS FOR DOWNLOAD:

Link: https://www.unh.edu/publisher/sites/default/files/media/2026-02/Juvenile%20female%20fisher%20F003.png

Caption: Image of juvenile female fisher, F003, as she sets off on her 118 kilometer dispersal journey.

Credit: University of New Hampshire

 

Link: https://www.unh.edu/publisher/sites/default/files/media/2026-02/fisher%20Feb2022%20Durham%20trail%20cam%20UNH.JPG

Caption: Image of a fisher captured by a trail camera in its habitat near the University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H.

Credit: University of New Hampshire

 

Link: https://www.unh.edu/publisher/sites/default/files/media/2026-02/M12_portrait%20Benjamin%20Wymer.jpg

Caption: Close up portrait of another fisher, known as M012, taken in a field near Plymouth, N.H.

Credit: Ben Wymer /awoodswalk.com

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Journal

Northeastern Naturalist

 

Smartphone app can help men last longer in bed

Research presented at the European Association of Urology Congress

European Association of Urology

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Dr Christer Groeben from Marburg University and Medical Faculty Heidelberg at Heidelberg University, Germany, is presenting the study findings at EAU26.

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Credit: Christer Groeben

A smartphone app designed to tackle the underlying psychological causes of premature ejaculation can significantly improve sex life and delay ejaculation, while offering a way to reduce stigma around the condition, say researchers.

Data from the CLIMACS study are presented today [Saturday 14 March 2026] at the European Association of Urology Annual Congress (EAU26) in London. It is the first study to test a digital-first approach for treating premature ejaculation at home.

The app teaches men several therapeutic techniques, tips and exercises designed by urologists and psychologists, as well as offering evidence-based information to men about the condition.

This guided training is designed to help men manage arousal and better control when they ejaculate. It includes mindfulness, arousal awareness exercises and cognitive behavioural therapy, as well as hands-on physical exercises to improve ejaculation control, like the start-stop technique.

Premature ejaculation is a distressing issue between the sheets, and everyone’s experience is different. Men with the condition typically ejaculate sooner than desired during sex and within 60 seconds of penetration. Affecting up to 30% of men, it is highly stigmatised, and only 9% of men seek medical help.

Causes of premature ejaculation are complex and include relationship issues and psychological factors like anxiety, stress and depression. For many men, this leads to worry and performance anxiety and can affect relationships, but the most commonly available treatments, like pills or creams, only limit the symptoms.

The German-based CLIMACS study tested whether the information and therapeutic techniques taught to men through the Melonga App® could help to delay ejaculation. The researchers recruited 80 men without other underlying health conditions into the 12-week programme. They were each given a series of health questionnaires about their physical and psychological experiences during sex and asked to use a stopwatch to measure the time from penetration to ejaculation. After 12 weeks, men in the control group – who had been given no other support from the study to manage their condition – were offered access to the app and followed up for 12 weeks. 66 patients submitted complete questionnaires.

For app users in the study, the total time from penetration to ejaculation doubled after 12 weeks, increasing by an average of 64 seconds (from 61 seconds to 125 seconds). Men in the control group saw an increase of just 0.5 seconds on average.

Men using the app reported significantly improved control of their ejaculation during sex, reduced worry linked to ejaculation, and a reduced impact on their relationship. There was also a significant improvement in sexuality-related quality of life measures, like enjoyment and confidence, in men who used the app, compared with no change in the control group.

After 12 weeks, 22% of men who used the app were no longer experiencing premature ejaculation, based on self-reported measures.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr Christer Groeben from Marburg University and Medical Faculty Heidelberg at Heidelberg University, Germany, is presenting the study findings at EAU26. He said, “Many men who live with premature ejaculation don’t seek help because of the shame associated with the condition. Our study shows that, as an at-home self-help tool, this can support men to improve control of their ejaculation and achieve a satisfying sex life without losing spontaneity.

“The most commonly available pharmacy therapies are designed only to treat the symptoms, not the cause, meaning many men discontinue them after a while. These men can remain under-treated and live with a considerable psychological burden that really starts to affect the quality of their relationships. Going to a doctor for help can feel like a big first step, and so an app like this can help to bridge that gap by normalising the condition as treatable.”

Dr Giorgio Russo, Associate Professor of Urology at University of Catania, Italy, and Chair of the EAU Office of Young Academic Urologists, said: “There’s much information and misinformation out there for men who find they have premature ejaculation, and so this app is devised by urologists and psychologists as a new way to bring together the most effective advice into a single, easily accessible and trusted, evidence-based resource. The research shows it can completely treat almost a quarter of patients, which is a huge development because these men were treated without pills. I think it would now be interesting to build on this research with a larger study and look at the impact of a digital approach on the satisfaction of partners, rather than just users.”

Final results of the CLIMACS study, which are not yet peer reviewed, are expected to be published later this year. The app is available in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Belgium.

Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Subject of Research

People

 

 

 

 

Screenshot from the Melonga app (Prognoix Health BV)

Myanmar’s post-coup parliament sits packed with junta allies

By AFP
March 15, 2026


Military chief Min Aung Hlaing (back C) watches a voter ink their finger as he visits a polling station during the final phase of Myanmar's general election in January - Copyright AFP/File ANTHONY WALLACE

Myanmar’s parliament is set to convene Monday for the first time since a military coup five years ago, packed with pro-junta lawmakers elected in a poll orchestrated by the top brass.

The majority of MPs hail from the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) while most of the remainder belong to the armed forces, which are entitled to a quarter of unelected seats under the constitution.

The lower chamber of parliament is set to convene around 10:00 am (0330 GMT) before the upper house sits Wednesday — with the first orders of business expected to be the election of house speakers.

The last election in 2020 returned a resounding victory for Aung San Suu Kyi but the junta swept aside the results, detained the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and disbanded her party, triggering civil war.

After five years of military rule, the junta stage-managed a phased re-run of the vote in December and January, outlawing criticism of the poll and stacking the ballot with its civilian allies, according to democracy watchdogs.

The vote did not take place in huge tracts of the country controlled by rebels and analysts describe the new cohort of MPs as a proxy of the military, intended to give its rule a veneer of legitimacy.

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing is tipped by some to be plotting to swap his military fatigues for the civilian sash of president in order to lead the new government when it takes power next month.

The president will be picked by a vote across both houses of parliament, dominated by MPs who either support the military or are currently serving in its ranks.



– ‘Military in civilian clothing’ –



Some Myanmar experts believe Min Aung Hlaing may remain military chief to puppeteer the government behind the scenes.

“Who knows what role he will play, but he clearly will be in charge and the military will be clearly in charge,” the UN’s outgoing Myanmar rights expert, Tom Andrews, told AFP last week.

“This will be a military junta in civilian clothing,” he said in an interview.

The military has ruled Myanmar for most of its post-independence history, before a decade-long democratic thaw saw civilian leader Suu Kyi take the reins.

Analysts say the junta staged its 2021 coup as it grew anxious about its waning influence compared to her hugely popular movement.

But the putsch sparked civil war as pro-democracy activists took up arms alongside ethnic minority factions which have long resisted central rule.

The USDP — which won over 80 percent of seats contested in the election — was founded by an ex-general and is staffed by many retired high-ranking officers.

Serving armed forces members take several key cabinet positions and a quarter of parliament seats under the terms of a military-drafted constitution which gives them an entrenched position in the political establishment.

‘Dubai is safe’: UAE pushes to contain fallout from Iran onslaught


By AFP
March 14, 2026


The Middle East war threatens the United Arab Emirate's reputation as a safe haven in the region - Copyright AFP -

Dubai is scrambling to preserve its image as a safe haven despite Iran’s onslaught, with influencers rallying behind the government’s message as authorities crack down on those sharing footage of strikes.

For decades, the Gulf was seen as an oasis of safety in a tumultuous Middle East, with the United Arab Emirates branding itself the safest country in the world and boasting of its very low crime rates.

But that image has now been shattered.

Iran has fired over 1,800 missiles and drones at the Emirates, more than any other country targeted by Tehran in the conflict, upending its aura of tranquillity despite its air defence intercepting a vast majority of the projectiles.

Dubai-based influencers have showcased support for the government and invoked a sense of national belonging — hammering home the message that the country was as safe as ever.

Kuwaiti-American reality star Ebraheem Alsamadi, known from “Dubai Bling”, said in a video that he would stay in the UAE despite US consular advice, calling it “the safest country in the world, and nothing can change that”.

“This has been my home for the past 16 years and I’m not going to leave it in 16 seconds… I will stand by this country as it stood by me,” he added.

Authorities have also doubled down on their messaging as fears grow that war could do long-term damage to Dubai’s reputation and its economy.

Dubai’s Instagram account shared an emotional song to its 5.8 million followers that says “Dubai is safe, will always be safe”.

Safety had long been inseparable from the city’s identity.

“Those in charge of that strategy are now debating how to evolve it in the face of this obvious insecurity, but for now are deferring to their habits,” said Ryan Bohl, a geopolitical analyst at Rane Network.

The UAE is also, he said, “hoping the war will be short enough that people will not associate war with the country. And one of the best ways to do so is to minimise the impact of the conflict on the UAE itself”.



– Safeguarding reputation –



Roughly 90 percent of people living in the UAE are foreigners, a crucial workforce for diversifying the economy away from oil towards tourism and services.

Retaining and attracting foreign talent remains key to that programme.

The tourism sector is acutely susceptible to security issues, but “different tourists from different parts of the world have different risk tolerances,” Bohl said.

To combat further fallout, authorities have doubled down on pushing an image of normality during the war.

In the early days of the war, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan walked with his massive entourage through Dubai Mall.

At flagship tourist sites like Dubai Mall and JBR beach, foot traffic has reduced to a trickle as visitors have fled the country.

Emaar, a major real estate developer that runs famous shopping centres including Dubai Mall, has warned shops and restaurants against closing or operating at reduced hours during the war.

“Such actions undermine public order, create unnecessary concern and adversely affect the reputation and economic standing of the United Arab Emirates,” the company said, in a note sent to the shops seen by AFP.



– ‘Sharing rumours’ –



Footage of drone strikes and smoke billowing above the city has been shared widely, while fleeing tourists recounted tales of escaping Dubai under fire to international media.

To avert further reputational damage, authorities moved swiftly.

Dubai police warned against “sharing rumours” but also “photographing or sharing security or critical sites”.

Other Gulf countries have taken similar measures, with Qatar arresting more than 300 people.

The UAE attorney general ordered the arrest and urgent trial of a number of people for publishing videos of interceptions or “misleading, fabricated content”.

The Emirati crackdown has sparked backlash after Western media covered the arrests.

This strategy “will backfire for specific audiences, particularly Westerners and others from democracies who are used to having freedom of expression,” said Bohl.

This week, many companies evacuated Dubai’s financial district as Iran threatened US and Israel-linked economic targets.

It will be key for the UAE, and especially Dubai, which cannot rely on oil for revenue, to showcase that it is still safe for investments.

“If major investors, particularly in infrastructure, technology, real estate, etcetera, no longer believe that their investments are safe this would have a much more significant impact and the diversification plans of the UAE,” he said.

Why is the dollar profiting from Middle East war?


ByAFP
March 14, 2026


The surge in energy prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East has significantly strengthened the dollar - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File MARK WILSON

Lucie LEQUIER

The surge in energy prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East has significantly strengthened the dollar, paradoxically undermining US President Donald Trump’s economic objectives.

AFP looks at the reasons behind the greenback’s rise against rivals.

– King of oil –

At the start of the conflict almost two weeks ago, investors began massively selling assets, turning to energy investments in anticipation of a supply crisis — and to the dollar — the currency used to price oil and gas.

Attacks on Gulf infrastructure and the blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz has propelled the price of Brent North Sea crude, the global benchmark, by more than one third to around $100 per barrel.

With more dollars needed to purchase oil, the greenback has appreciated by around 2.5 percent since the start of hostilities, according to the Dollar Index, which compares the US unit to a basket of major currencies.

The dollar, seen as a highly liquid asset owing to it being readily available and exchangeable, is seen also as a leading safe haven investment.

It is favoured for international trades as well as foreign exchange reserves held by central banks.

– The US spared –

The United States has so far been spared from the oil supply crisis thanks to the country being the world’s leading producer of crude.

Although it still imports the commodity, the US purchases only eight percent of its requirement from the Gulf, compared with nearly two-thirds from Canada, according to the most recent official data from the US Energy Information Administration.

Rising oil prices tend to support the dollar also thanks to the US being a net exporter of refined petroleum products and gas, in turn boosting the nation’s trade balance.

By comparison, European and Asian economies which are more reliant on Gulf imports are being hit harder, making their currencies and bonds less attractive.

– Risks to inflation –

The dollar is additionally profiting from the possibility of a fresh inflation hike caused by soaring energy costs.

This is because it increases the likelihood of the US Federal Reserve slowing the pace of its planned cuts to interest rates, while even forcing it to possibly raise borrowing costs in the short term.

The prospect of higher interest rates for longer strengthens the appeal of the dollar, to the detriment of dollar-denominated gold and another traditional safe haven.

Despite recent strengthening, the dollar has not yet recovered to the levels it reached ahead of Trump’s return to the White House.

Offsetting the currency’s recent gains are concerns about the impact of Trump’s tariffs on the world’s biggest economy.

Fears surrounding high US debt levels and the president’s pressure over the independence of American institutions, notably the Fed, have also weighed upon its value.

“The dollar remains in demand and well supported,” Kathleen Brooks, analyst at traders XTB, told AFP.

“However, as the conflict drags on the attractiveness of the dollar could diminish… The US still has a massive budget deficit, which could get worse due to the war, as military spending may need to rise sharply in the coming months.”

– Trump’s paradox –

Market developments since the start of the conflict run counter to the objectives initially stated by Trump, who has pledged to lower gas prices, fight for lower interest rates, as well as advocating for a weak dollar to support exports.

Countering this, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asserted at the end of January that the “US always has a strong dollar policy”.

Mark Sobel, a former senior Treasury official, told AFP that “the administration’s views on the dollar are confused, muddled and inconsistent”.

Marc Chandler, analyst at Bannockburn Capital Markets, meanwhile concluded that for the US government, “denying Iran nuclear weapons or missiles seems to have a higher priority than the short-run impact of the foreign exchange market”.

The environment, another casualty of war in the Mideast


By AFP
March 15, 2026


Smoke rises from the site of air strikes in the Iranian capital. Experts say that war harms the climate and pollutes the air, water and soil. — © AFP ATTA KENARE

Julien MIVIELLE

From the jet fuel used in bombing raids to acrid smoke from burning oil depots, the conflict in the Middle East is inflicting a significant toll on nature and the climate.

AFP interviewed experts about the environmental cost of war that often goes under the radar:

– Bombers and warships –

US and Israeli aircraft use a considerable amount of fuel reaching the Gulf and flying sorties over Iran, said Benjamin Neimark at the Queen Mary University of London.

Deploying stealth bombers and fighter jets around the clock adds a significant amount of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

“The US Navy also has a significant fleet which will be operating remotely for some time,” Neimark told AFP.

“That is a significant number of US troops that need to be fed, housed, and working around the clock. These floating cities all need energy.”

This is provided in part by polluting diesel generators, even if most larger aircraft carriers are nuclear powered, an energy source that produces far less emissions than fossil fuels.

Experts say that war harms the climate and pollutes the air, water and soil. – Copyright AFP/File Alexandr BOGDANOV

But many experts take into account everything from the manufacture of weapons and explosives to post-war reconstruction efforts when estimating the total environmental impact of conflict.

According to one study published in the peer-reviewed journal One Earth, the Gaza conflict generated some 33 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent — an amount comparable to 7.6 million gasoline-powered cars, or the annual emissions of a small country like Jordan.

And by one estimate, the war in Ukraine has caused more than 300 million tonnes of additional emissions — equivalent to France’s annual output.

This estimate, by the Initiative on GHG Accounting of War, takes into account military operations and reconstruction efforts, forest fires, and longer flight routes.

– Climate cost –

This conflict is playing out on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for the passage of oil and gas supplies to global markets dependent on energy from the Gulf.

Ships transporting these highly flammable fuels through the narrow waterway — along with the region’s oil and gas refineries and storage facilities — were “all a target” in this war, said Neimark.

“Clearly this conflict is different,” he said.

“We have already seen a significant amount of refineries targeted. These toxic flames are deadly and have a severe climate cost.”

The oil wells set ablaze in Kuwait in the 1990s during the first Gulf War took months to extinguish and released an estimated 130 to 400 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

– Ripple effect –

Since erupting on February 28, the conflict has sent oil prices soaring and focused fresh attention on the global transition to cleaner, more climate-friendly forms of energy.

Andreas Rudinger, from the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, said the economic knock-on effects of the war had put policy makers “under pressure to reduce the burden on prices over climate action”.

Brussels has faced pressure to relax its emissions trading rules in response to surging energy prices, while other governments have taken steps to help motorists fill up at the pump.

But there’s also a “glass half-full perspective”, said Rudinger.

“From a purely economic standpoint… rising fossil fuel prices make decarbonization and electrification solutions more attractive,” he said.

He pointed to the rise in popularity of heat pumps in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which caused energy prices in Europe to rise sharply.

In general, the increase in energy costs stemming from the war in the Middle East should temper demand in what economists call price elasticity.

– Pollution risks –

Apart from climate concerns, strikes on energy infrastructure, oil tankers and military targets pollute the surrounding air and water and spread highly toxic chemicals far and wide, experts say.

In Tehran, attacks on fuel depots last weekend plunged the capital into darkness as poisonous black clouds rose from burning oil facilities.

Mathilde Jourde, from the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), said targeting nuclear, military and energy sites had “extremely polluting” consequences for air, water and soil.

“We’re just scratching the surface but can already see that there are hundreds of damaged facilities in Iran and neighbouring countries that pose pollution risks to people and the environment,” Doug Weir, director of the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), told AFP.

“We have particular concerns around damaged oil infrastructure, military facilities and the sensitive marine environment of the Persian Gulf.”

Meta planning sweeping layoffs as AI costs mount: report

Reuters 

Published March 14, 2026 

Meta is planning sweeping layoffs that could affect 20 per cent or more of the company, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Meta seeks to offset costly artificial intelligence infrastructure bets and prepare for greater efficiency brought about by AI-assisted workers.

No date has been set for the cuts and the magnitude has not been finalised, the people said.

Top executives have recently signalled the plans to other senior leaders at Meta and told them to begin planning how to pare back, two of the people said.

The sources spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to disclose the cuts.


“This is speculative reporting about theoretical approaches,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in response to questions about the plan.


If Meta settles on the 20pc figure, the layoffs will be the company’s most significant since a restructuring in late 2022 and early 2023 that it dubbed the “year of efficiency”.

It employed nearly 79,000 people as of December 31, according to its latest filing.

The company laid off 11,000 staffers in November 2022, or around 13pc of its workforce at the time. Around four months later, it announced it was cutting another 10,000 jobs.
Zuckerberg focusing on generative AI

Over the last year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pushing Meta to compete more forcefully in generative AI.

The company has offered huge pay packages, some worth hundreds of millions of dollars over four years, to court top AI researchers to a new superintelligence team.

The company has said it plans to invest $600 billion to build data centres by 2028.

Earlier this week, it acquired Moltbook, a social networking platform built for AI agents. Meta is also spending at least $2 billion to buy Chinese AI startup Manus, Reuters previously reported.


Zuckerberg has alluded to efficiency gains from the investments, saying in January he was starting to see “projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person”.

Meta’s plans reflect a broader pattern among major US companies, particularly in tech, this year. Executives have pointed to recent improvements in AI systems as one reason for the changes.

In January, Amazon confirmed it would cut some 16,000 jobs, amounting to nearly 10pc of its workforce.

Last month, the fintech company Block chopped nearly half of its staff, with CEO Jack Dorsey explicitly pointing to AI tools and their growing capability to help companies do more with smaller teams.

Meta’s planned AI investments follow a series of setbacks with its Llama 4 models last year, including criticism that it provided misleading results on the benchmarks it used for early versions.

It abandoned the release of the largest version of that model, called Behemoth, which had been due out in the summer.

The superintelligence team has been working to reassert the company’s standing this year by building a new model called Avocado, but the performance of that model has also lagged expectations.