Iraq’s water reserves lowest in 80 years after a dry rainy season
Baghdad, Iraq -- Iraq's water reserves are at their lowest in 80 years after a dry rainy season, a government...
Geostrategy
Kuwait strips tens of thousands of citizenship since August 2024
The latest campaign abolishes naturalization by marriage, which only applied to women, and revokes citizenship granted to wives since 1987....
Geostrategy
Interview
The New Travel Mindset: Local Living and Smarter Tech
From immersive local experiences to AI-powered personalization, Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO of Almosafer, shares key trends shaping the future of travel.
- Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand are growing heavily from this region as connectivity improves.
- Europe remains strong, but even in Europe, they're exploring more. Before, it was much more London only.
Geostrategy
UK halts trade talks with Israel, summons envoy over Gaza
Foreign Secretary David Lammy accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of "egregious actions and rhetoric" over its expansion of...
- Lammy said Britain "cannot stand by in the face of this new deterioration" in Gaza and was pausing negotiations with Israel on a new free-trade agreement.
- Israel was the country's 44th-largest trading partner last year, with the two countries exchanging 5.8 billion pounds ($7.8 billion) in goods and services.
Business
Nvidia unveils plan for Taiwan’s first ‘AI supercomputer’
Taipei, Taiwan -- Nvidia boss Jensen Huang announced plans for Taiwan's first "AI supercomputer", as he showcased on Monday the...
- Taiwan produces the bulk of the world's most advanced chips, including those needed for the most powerful AI applications and research.
- TSMC, the Taiwanese contract chipmaking giant, has unveiled plans to inject an additional US$100 billion into the United States, on top of the US$65 billion already pledged.
Business
Qatar Airways annual profit $2bn
This was a record 28% jump in annual net profit.
- Qatar Airways Cargo, the group's air freight service, saw revenues increase by 17 percent on the year before, the airline said.
- In 2024, the Qatari airline reported a $1.7 billion net profit following an annual increase of 39 percent, another record.
Geostrategy
Israel will ‘take control of all’ of Gaza, says Netanyahu as WHO warns of famine risk
After more than two months of a total blockade, the World Health Organization issued a stark warning on the humanitarian...
- In southern Gaza, the Israeli military issued an evacuation call to Palestinians in and around Khan Yunis city ahead of what it described as an "unprecedented attack".
- Two million people are "starving" in the Gaza Strip, with the deliberate blocking of aid driving up the risk of famine, the World Health Organization chief warned.
Arts & Culture
AI talking trees feature at Chelsea Flower Show
London, United Kingdom -- Talking trees powered by AI, drought-resistant crops and sweet potatoes sprouting among flowers -- the prestigious...
- More than 140,000 visitors are expected to view what the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) bills as "the pinnacle of horticultural excellence".
- In the Intelligent Garden, plant-lovers can truly talk to the trees thanks to artificial intelligence.
Geostrategy
Israel army announces ‘extensive ground operations’ in ramped-up Gaza campaign
Since a two-month ceasefire collapsed in March as Israel resumed its offensive, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United...
- Israel has faced increasing pressure to lift its aid blockade, as UN agencies warn of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicine.
- The UN had warned of the risk of famine in Gaza long before the aid blockade was imposed.
Arts & Culture
‘Gentle giants’: World’s strongest men defy stereotypes
Sacramento, United States -- Eddie Williams is a schoolteacher from Monday to Friday and a wedding singer on weekends. In...
- The World's Strongest Man competition was first held in 1977 at Universal Studios in California.
- The names of the individual events -- the "Titan's Toss," "Atlas Stones," "Flintstone Barbell" and "Hercules Hold" -- convey the magnitude of the challenges.
Business
General Gulf inflation rate logs 1.7% by end of Dec 2024
Muscat, Oman -- The general inflation rate in the GCC countries rose by 1.7 percent at the end of December...
- The increase is primarily driven by a 5.9 percent increase in housing prices and a 2.8 percent rise in the prices of goods and services.
- The culture and entertainment group recorded a 1.8 percent increase, while both the food and beverages group and the education group rose by 1.2 percent each.
Geostrategy
Saudi airline resumes first Iran hajj flights since 2015
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- A Saudi airline has resumed flights for Iranian hajj pilgrims to the kingdom for the first...
- Flynas is a budget airline based in Saudi Arabia, which operates domestic and international routes.
- Officials stressed that the flights were not commercial and were only for the hajj pilgrimage.
Iraq’s water reserves lowest in 80 years after a dry rainy season
Baghdad, Iraq -- Iraq's water reserves are at their lowest in 80 years after a dry rainy season, a government...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Roma loans Turkey midfielder Cengiz Under to Marseille for $9.9 million
A transfer fee of 8.4 million euros ($9.9 million) has been set with the Italian club receiving 20 percent of...
Rumsfeld, Iraq war architect, dead at 88
Rumsfeld and vice president Dick Cheney were emblematic of what was seen as excesses in Bush's "war on terror" He...
Saudi Arabia clamps down on anti-vaxxers
The country of 34 million has already administered 12 million doses Over 7,200 people have died of coronavirus in the...
Global anti-malware crackdown leads to 20 arrest warrants, Europol says
Authorities took down more than 300 servers worldwide, neutralized 650 domains and seized 3.5 million euros ($3.9 million) in cryptocurrency,...
Geostrategy
Xiaomi launches new advanced in-house mobile chip
Beijing, China -- Tech giant Xiaomi unveiled a new advanced in-house mobile chip on Thursday, a significant milestone for the...
Business
May 2025 Islamic Treasury Sukuk auction attracts bids worth $1.88bn
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The Ministry of Finance (MoF), in its capacity as the issuer and in collaboration with the...
Business
Most Read
Business
Turkey says increasing energy exports to war-torn Syria
Damascus, Syria -- Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Thursday in Damascus that his country would ramp up energy exports...
- Syria's Islamist authorities, who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December, are seeking to rebuild the country's infrastructure and economy after almost 14 years of civil war.
- The conflict badly damaged Syria's power infrastructure, leading to cuts that can last for more than 20 hours a day.
Geostrategy
Iran-US nuclear talks set for Rome this week: Oman mediator
Iran and the United States will hold the next round of talks on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme in Rome...
- The arch-foes have held four rounds of nuclear talks since April 12, the highest-level contact between them since US President Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal
- Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes
Geostrategy
Israeli ‘warning’ fire at diplomats sparks outcry amid Gaza pressure
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged Israel to hold to account those responsible for the shooting near Jenin, a...
- The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of having "deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation".
- The incident came as international pressure intensified over the war in Gaza, where Palestinians were desperate for supplies after a two-month aid blockade was eased.