ECCA

Beauty retail giants Mecca and Sephora are being outpaced by online marketplaces, according to a Yahoo Finance report. The item highlights how e-commerce platforms are gaining ground on established brick-and-mortar and specialty beauty retailers, signaling a shift in where consumers shop for cosmetics and skincare and raising questions about how traditional retailers will respond.

UN Climate Change has introduced a new strategy for its Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action (ECCA) initiative ahead of the COP31 climate summit. The plan focuses on leveraging creativity from the entertainment and culture sectors to drive public engagement and climate action. Observers see it as an effort to broaden the reach of climate diplomacy beyond formal negotiations.

New Jersey Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr. faced off against Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett in a debate marked by sharp disagreement over US military action against Iran and the Trump administration's tariff policy. The two candidates traded barbs over support for the war and the economic impact of tariffs, highlighting foreign policy and cost-of-living issues in the congressional race.

Pakistan has appointed a general with a counter-terrorism background to lead the Saudi-led military coalition headquartered in Mecca, widely known as the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition. The move places a Pakistani officer in charge of a 41-member alliance, underscoring Islamabad's growing role in Middle East security arrangements and drawing attention to how the coalition will balance counter-terrorism priorities with regional rivalries.