Briefly

SAUDI ARABIA

OPEC+ slashes oil output further

Major oil producing nations Saudi Arabia and Russia announced on Thursday they would further slash production in an effort to prop up volatile prices, following a virtual meeting of ministers from the 23-member OPEC+ alliance. The meeting also saw major producer Brazil declared as joining the grouping from next year, according to a statement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Brazil's Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira, who attended the meeting, called it a "historic moment for Brazil".

UNITED STATES

Montana's TikTok ban blocked by judge

A judge late on Thursday blocked Montana's first-of-its kind state ban on the use of short-video sharing app TikTok from taking effect on Jan 1, saying it violated the free speech rights of users. US District Judge Donald Molloy issued a preliminary injunction to block the ban on the China-based app, saying the state ban "violates the Constitution in more ways than one" and "oversteps state power". TikTok sued Montana in May, seeking to block the ban on several grounds, arguing that it violates the First Amendment free speech rights of the company and users.

PARAGUAY

Official signs 'deal' with fictitious country

A senior Paraguayan official was fired this past week after signing a cooperation memorandum with a country he has since learned does not exist. Arnaldo Chamorro told reporters on Thursday he was dismissed from his job as chief of staff to the agriculture minister after signing the document with purported officials from the "United States of Kailasa" — presented to him as a South American island. "They (the "officials") came and expressed a wish to help Paraguay. They presented several projects, we listened to them and that was that," he said, admitting to having been fooled.

CAMBODIA

Millions take part in plastic-free campaign

Nearly 3.3 million people in Cambodia had participated in the kingdom's plastic-free campaign within three months, the Ministry of Environment said on Friday. From its launch on Sept 1, the campaign had reached 7,129 schools, 173 factories, 69 communities and 28 pagodas. The Southeast Asian country produces around 56 million plastic bags per day, which equals 279 metric tons of plastic waste, according to the ministry.

Agencies - Xinhua