World Bank announces Lebanon, Syria reconstruction projects
Beirut, Lebanon -- The World Bank announced on Wednesday it had approved $250 million to support Lebanon's post-war reconstruction and...
Economy
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
Business
Cyberattack to cost UK retailer Marks & Spencer $404 million
London, United Kingdom -- British clothes-to-food retailer Marks and Spencer on Wednesday said a cyberattack affecting its online service is...
- Marks last week revealed that some personal data of its customers had been stolen in a cyberattack that has crippled its online services for weeks.
- The news came as Marks on Wednesday reported operating profit before adjusting items of £985 million for its financial year to the end of March.
Geostrategy
Oil prices jump on report of Israel prepping Iran strike
Both main crude contracts jumped around one percent after CNN reported multiple US officials as saying the government had received...
- There are fears that such a sharp escalation could tip the Middle East into a war, with tensions already high over Israel's strikes on Gaza.
- While safe haven gold pushed higher, the news from CNN appeared to be having little detrimental effect on Asian equities, with most extending the previous day's rally.
Business
Etihad Q1 profit $187 million
This is a 30% YoY increase over Q1 2025.
- Total revenue saw a 15 percent rise compared to Q1 2024, supported by both passenger and cargo business.
- With nearly 20 million passengers carried over the last 12 months, Etihad is the fastest-growing airline in the region.
Geostrategy
US asking countries for ‘voluntary’ Palestinian relocation: Rubio
Israel has again warned the population of Gaza -- nearly entirely displaced since the war broke out over the October...
- President Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about displacing Gaza's two million people to make way for reconstruction.
- Responding to a question in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio said: "There's no deportation."
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.
World Bank announces Lebanon, Syria reconstruction projects
Beirut, Lebanon -- The World Bank announced on Wednesday it had approved $250 million to support Lebanon's post-war reconstruction and...
Economy
Company News
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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...
Anthropic’s Claude AI gets smarter — and mischievious
San Francisco, United States -- Anthropic launched its latest Claude generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models on Thursday, claiming to set...
Business
Antonio Guterres denounces ‘cruelest phase’ of Gaza conflict
"For nearly 80 days, Israel blocked the entry of life-saving international aid," Guterres said. "The entire population of Gaza is...
Geostrategy
Trump threatens Apple with a 25% tariff if iPhones aren’t made in US
Washington, United States -- US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened Apple with a 25 percent tariff if the iPhones...
Business
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Business
Trump administration refocuses US-China chip war on AI and Huawei
Beijing, China -- The United States has taken aim at China's Huawei over the cutting-edge chips powering artificial intelligence (AI),...
- The Trump administration is seeking to change the ways the US limits China's access to state-of-the-art semiconductors needed to develop AI.
- Chinese firms like Alibaba and Xiaomi have announced huge investments in AI in what experts say feeds into a national goal to cut reliance on foreign suppliers.
Geostrategy
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,...
- The software taken down, known as "initial access malware", is used "for initial infection, helping cybercriminals to enter victims' systems unnoticed.
- In total, "3.5 million euros in cryptocurrency" were seized, the agencies added, bringing the total amount of cryptocurrency seized during Endgame to 21.2 million euros.
Business
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...
- With the XRING O1, it becomes only the second smartphone brand globally after Apple to mass produce its own 3-nanometre chips, among the most advanced on the market.
- Xiaomi took early steps into semiconductors for smartphones with the launch of the firm's first in-house chip, the Surge S1, in 2017.