• Geopolitical tensions boost oil, weigh on equities

    Geopolitical tensions sent oil prices climbing and weighed on equities as investors also continued to worry about prospects for interest rate cuts amid stubbornly-high inflation. "Heightened tensions between Ukraine and Russia have brought a halt to the rally in equity markets seen last week," said Russ Mould, investment director at...
  • UK, Australia call for ‘immediate cessation of fighting’ in Gaza

    Adelaide, Australia--Britain and Australia declared the need for an "immediate cessation of fighting" in Gaza, as diplomatic pressure built on Israel Friday to ditch a planned ground assault on the southern city of Rafah. After a meeting of Australian and UK foreign and defence ministers in Adelaide, the allies issued a...
  • Vodafone sells Italian unit to Swisscom

    British telecoms giant sold the business for US$8.7 billion.
  • UK to ban foreign state ownership of British newspapers

    London, United Kingdom--The UK announced Wednesday that it plans to bar overseas governments from owning British newspapers, a move that could scupper the contentious Abu Dhabi-led takeover of the Telegraph Media Group. Stephen Parkinson, a media minister, announced in the upper-chamber House of Lords that the Conservative government would amend proposed...
  • US vows to hold Houthis ‘accountable’ for deadly strike

    The Houthi rebels have been defiantly hitting ships in vital commercial waters in professed solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel pounds Hamas-ruled Gaza in response to the October 7 attack. Asked if the latest attack showed a failure of the US and UK strikes on the Houthis, Miller said, "We...
  • Masdar completes acquisition of 49% stake in Dogger Bank South project

    Abu Dhabi, UAE--Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, has completed its acquisition of a 49 percent shareholding in the 3 gigawatt (GW) Dogger Bank South (DBS) project – one of the world’s largest planned offshore wind farms. The planned $13.89 billion joint investment with RWE, a leading renewable energy company...
  • European airlines witness a rise in profits in 2023

    LONDON, UK – Europe's aviation industry is extending its bounceback from the Covid pandemic, as British Airways owner IAG and Franco-Dutch rival Air France-KLM posted bumper 2023 profits on Thursday. The sector is flying at cruising altitude on pent-up demand after emerging from the dark days of Covid, which grounded planes...
  • US and UK launch fresh strikes against Houthis

    The new wave of strikes "specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across eight locations in Yemen" including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter, a joint statement said. It was co-signed by Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand, who gave unspecified "support" to...
  • Price of natural gas in Europe falls to a 3-year low

    LONDON, UK – The price of natural gas in Europe fell again on Friday, taking it to its lowest in almost three years as mild winter weather continues and European stockpiles hold up. Mid-morning on Friday, the benchmark Dutch TTF futures contract was down 3.2 percent at US$24.3 (22.45 euros) a...
  • Islamophobia rises threefold in UK after Israel-Hamas conflict

    "We are deeply concerned about the impacts that the Israel and Gaza war are having on hate crimes and on social cohesion in the UK," said Tell MAMA director Iman Atta.
  • Stock markets diverge before Nvidia results, Federal Reserve minutes

    Stock markets diverged as traders awaited earnings from US tech darling Nvidia, in addition to minutes from the Federal Reserve that could shed fresh light on the outlook for interest rates. Wall Street shares fell at the opening bell, with downbeat guidance from other tech companies dampening the mood ahead...
  • BHP net profit tumbles 86%

    Its sales jumped 6% to US$27.2bn in half-year results.
  • Saudi holdings of US Treasuries surge to $131.9b in December 2023

    ABU DHABI, UAE - Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US Treasuries reached US$131.9 billion in December 2023, up $3.8 billion month-on-month, new data released by the US Treasury showed. The Kingdom maintained 16th place among the largest holders of US treasury securities for the month.  Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US Treasuries were distributed among long-term bonds worth...
  • Thousands take part in pro-Palestinian march in London as police arrest 12

    London, United Kingdom--Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched in London on Saturday, with police making 12 arrests for alleged offences including inciting racial hatred and assaulting emergency workers. The demonstrators gathered at Park Lane in the centre of the British capital holding banners demanding a "ceasefire now" while chanting "free...
  • NatWest profit soars 32%

    The British bank's net profit jumped to US$5.5bn in 2023.
  • Global LNG demand to rise more than 50 percent by 2040: Shell

    "Demand for natural gas has already peaked in some regions but continues to rise globally, with LNG demand expected to reach around 625-685 million tons a year in 2040, according to the latest industry estimates," Shell said in a report.
  • Riyadh to host Saudi’s first snooker event in 2024

    London, UK - Saudi Arabia will stage its first ranking snooker event in 2024, with a prize pool of more than £2 million ($2.5 million) for the "fourth major". The inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will trail only the World Championship in terms of prize money. The World Snooker Tour has...
  • Law, politics hamper UK museum return of artifacts

    LONDON, UK - British museums, like others across Europe, are under pressure to return artworks taken during the colonial era, including Bronzes from Benin, royal treasures from Ghana and friezes from Greece. However, politicians have little appetite to change the legal framework that is currently blocking full restitutions by national museums,...
  • Scientists in UK create new fusion record

    LONDON, UK - Scientists in Britain announced on Thursday they had smashed a record for generating fusion energy in the final experiment using the Joint European Torus (JET) machines. Nuclear fusion is the same process that the sun uses to generate heat. Proponents believe it could one day help tackle climate...
  • British-owned cargo ship hit by drone off Yemen in latest Houthi attack

    Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said last week that the movement's armed forces had targeted an American merchant ship named KOI with "several appropriate naval missiles". The ship, he said, had been heading to "the ports of occupied Palestine", a phrase which is sometimes used to mean Israel.
  • Houthis vow response after US, UK strike dozens of Yemen targets

    Saturday's strikes hit "36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen in response to the Houthis' continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea", the United States, Britain and other countries that provided support for the operation said in a statement.
  • US and UK bomb Houthi targets in joint air raids

    Scaling up attacks in the Middle East, US and UK carried out joint air raids in Yemen after a separate wave of US strikes on targets in Iraq and Syria carried out in response to the killing of three US soldiers in Jordan. It is the third time the western...
  • US targets Houthi and Iranian drones in fresh strikes

    CENTCOM earlier announced that the USS Carney had shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Houthis, and then downed three Iranian drones less than an hour later. It did not specify if the drones shot down by the naval destroyer were designed for attack or surveillance.
  • GSK profit in 2023 falls

    The drug maker said revenues swelled 3 percent to $38.54bn.
  • UAE and UK seek to boost economic cooperation

    Abu Dhabi, UAE-- Looking to enhance economic ties between the UAE and the United Kingdom, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, recently met with Greg Hands, British Minister of State (Department for Business, Energy Industrial Strategy). The bilateral meeting explored new opportunities for economic and investment cooperation, as...
  • Yemen’s Houthis claim attack on British oil tanker

    US and British forces have launched two rounds of joint strikes aimed at reducing the Houthis' ability to target vessels transiting the key Red Sea maritime trade route. The attacks by the rebels -- who are part of the anti-Israel have disrupted trade in the Red Sea, which carries around...
  • Paris stocks hit record thanks to luxury

    Europe's main stock markets shot higher, with Paris closing at a record high as shares in LVMH surged on record annual profits at the French luxury group. Wall Street's main indices pushed further into record territory as inflation dipped according to the US Federal Reserve's preferred gauge.
  • Education campaigners alarmed as homeschooling rises in England

    LONDON, UK - Education campaigners demanded government action on Friday after new figures revealed that the number of children in England being homeschooled jumped more than 13 percent in one term last year. The spike -- from an estimated 86,200 in homeschooling at the start of 2023 to 97,600 in the...
  • DMCC launches global trade roadshow in London to attract FDI from UK

    Dubai, UAE--DMCC has kicked off the ninth edition of its global trade roadshow, Made For Trade Live, in London, seeking to attract a greater amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) from the United Kingdom. DMCC is the world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and...
  • US, Britain launch new joint strikes on Yemen’s Houthis

    American and British forces carried out a first wave of strikes against the rebel group earlier this month, and the United States launched further air raids against missiles that Washington said posed imminent threats to both civilian and military vessels. But the Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks --...
  • Google to invest US$1bn in UK data centre

    It will meet growing demand for internet services in the region.
  • Tata Steel to slash 2,800 UK jobs

    Tata Steel employs about 8,000 staff in the United Kingdom.
  • US, UK launch new strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen

    A Houthi military official told the rebels's Al-Masirah TV that fighters will continue to target Israeli ships heading to "the ports of occupied Palestine, no matter how the American-British aggression tries to prevent us from doing so." US media quoted US officials as saying another round of strikes had been...
  • Shell halts Red Sea shipments over attack fears, say report

    WASHINGTON, US - British oil giant Shell has paused transit through the key Red Sea shipping route indefinitely, over fears of escalating tensions involving Yemen's Houthi rebels, according to a media report on Tuesday. The worries of escalation grew after United States and United Kingdom strikes on scores of sites in...
  • PureHealth buys Circle Health

    The deal signifies PureHealth’s operational capabilities.
  • Thousands march in US, UK for Gaza ‘day of action’

    Saturday's marches held particular significance given US and British air strikes in Yemen this week against Houthi bases, after the Iran-backed fighters attacked ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza. The day of action, called by a British organizing coalition, involved protests in 30 countries.
  • US sanctions Hong Kong, UAE firms over Houthi support

    The move comes hours after US and UK forces launched strikes against the Houthi rebels, seeking to halt their repeated attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthi's attacks, which the group says are in protest at Israel's war against Hamas, has forced cargo ships to avoid the Suez...
  • Oil prices rise on Red Sea escalation, corporate earnings season

    Crude prices spiked more than four percent before ebbing somewhat after the allies launched deadly strikes following weeks of disruptive rebel attacks on Red Sea shipping. An analyst at SEB bank said if the US-UK attacks were unsuccessful in destroying Houthi weapons, and oil tankers need to go around Africa,...
  • Yemen’s Houthi rebels have built a significant arsenal  

    DUBAI, UAE - Yemen's Houthi rebels, who vowed to retaliate against US and British strikes early on Friday against key military sites, have built up a significant arsenal, including cruise missiles and drones. Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, the Iran-backed Houthis have carried out a spate of...
  • Oil prices rise after US, UK strike Houthi rebels

    Oil prices surged four percent after US and UK forces launched strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels after attacks on ships in the Red Sea, fueling worries about a wider conflict. Tokyo and European stock markets ended the week with gains as traders brushed off data showing US inflation rose more...
  • Turkey and Gulf nations condemn US, UK airstrikes on Yemen

    "First of all, they are not proportional. All of these constitute disproportionate use of force," Erdogan told journalists after Friday prayers in Istanbul. Oman, a mediator in attempts to end Yemen's long-running civil war, expressed its "worry" at the strikes on Houthi rebel military targets that, according to the Houthis,...
  • Tesla suspends production in Germany

    Houthi attacks in the Red Sea caused a shortage of parts.
  • US and UK target Houthi radar, missile capabilities

    US President Joe Biden termed the the US and British strikes a "defensive action" after the Red Sea attacks, and said he "will not hesitate" to order further military action if needed. The strikes involved fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles, several US media outlets said. US officials did not immediately...
  • UK-Palestinian surgeon fights for ‘justice’ after Gaza return

    Ghassan Abu Sitta -- born in Kuwait and who has lived in Britain since the late 1980s -- arrived in Gaza from Egypt on October 9 as part of a Doctors Without Borders medical team. Abu Sitta said he left Gaza after becoming "redundant" because a lack of medical supplies meant...
  • UK announces Europe’s first high-tech uranium fuel plant

    HALEU fuel is needed to power many of the next generation of advanced nuclear reactors, including so-called small modular versions that the UK intends to use. The first plant of the uranium fuel will be in northwest England and is scheduled to be operational by the 2030s, the government said.
  • UAE participates in UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Ghana

    ACCRA, GHANA - A United Arab Emirates delegation led by Dr. Rashed Ali Al Kaabi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Security and Military Affairs, participated in the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting here. The ministerial meeting was the first to be held in Africa with previous sessions taking place...
  • Russia extends ban on entry of trucks from EU, UK, Norway, Ukraine

    MOSCOW, RUSSIA - The Russian government has extended the ban on the entry of trucks from the European Union, the UK, Norway and Ukraine to the country. “The restriction will remain in effect until the circumstances that served as the basis for its introduction are eliminated,” the Cabinet noted on...
  • UK terms UN resolution on Gaza as ‘good news’

    UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron termed it good news that that the UN has come together to "back a resolution to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza." Cameron's remarks came after the Security Council voted to approve a watered-down resolution that demands all sides allow the "unhindered" delivery of humanitarian...
  • 79% UAE employees think digital skills crucial for success

    Dubai, UAE – About 79 percent of UAE employees believe digital skills are crucial for business success, and 84 percent feel that new technologies are empowering them to reach their potential, according to a latest ServiceNow survey .  The survey, which included over 5,500 working adults from the UAE, France,...
  • Oil prices rise following Red Sea attacks

    Oil prices shot up three percent as more companies suspended shipping through the Red Sea following attacks on vessels by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. US stocks sought to continue last week's rally on expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next year, though it appears to have lost steam...
  • Native oysters making a return to Belfast after over a century’s absence

    BELFAST, UK - Long gone from Belfast's famed harbor where the Titanic was built, oysters are making a comeback thanks to a nursery installation project aimed at boosting marine life and water quality. Until the early 1900s, the narrow Belfast Lough channel was home to large oyster reefs but overfishing, disease and...