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
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
Geostrategy
Trump and Zelensky clash in heated Oval Office meeting over Ukraine peace deal
During a tense meeting at the White House, Trump and Zelensky argued over the war with Russia, with Trump accusing...
- Zelensky was at the White House to sign a deal on sharing Ukraine's mineral riches and discuss a peace deal with Russia, despite the US president recently branding him a dictator
- Tempers frayed after Vice President JD Vance said that "diplomacy" was needed to end the war. Zelensky asked "what kind of diplomacy" and Vance accused him of being disrespectful
Science
Microsoft retires Skype, the online voice and video call pioneer
San Francisco, United States - Microsoft on Friday announced it was retiring Skype, the online voice and video call pioneer...
- Skype was founded in 2003 by Scandinavians Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis in Estonia, revolutionizing internet communication by offering free voice calls
- Over the years, and as internet speeds improved, Skype evolved to include video calls, instant messaging, file sharing and group communication features
Arts & Culture
Saudi Arabia, Gulf neighbours say Ramadan to start on Saturday
Observing fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring believers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking...
- Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's two holiest sites, was joined by the UAE and Qatar in declaring the sighting of the crescent moon that heralds Ramadan
- "The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Saturday, is the first day of the month of (Ramadan)," the official Saudi Press Agency posted on X
Business
e& reports $2.94 billion in net profit
e&’s subscriber base rose 11.7% to 189.3m
- The company acquired PPF Telecom’s assets, expanding into Central and Eastern Europe
- e& announced a progressive dividend policy, aiming for USD 0.24 per share by 2026
Business
$2.65bn in contracts signed during first two days of IDEX and NAVDEX 2025
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Tawazun Council, UAE's authority responsible for managing acquisitions, procurement, and contracts on behalf of the Ministry...
- Tawazun Council signed five deals worth a total of AED 5.8 billion with local and international companies on the second day of IDEX and NAVDEX 2025.
- Tawazun Council is UAE's authority responsible for managing acquisitions, procurement, and contracts on behalf of the Ministry of Defense and security agencies.
Business
UAE announces top-up tax for multinational enterprises
Abu Dhabi, UAE - The Ministry of Finance has announced the issuance of Cabinet Decision No. 142 of 2024 on...
- The top-up tax will apply to entities that are members of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) operating in the UAE with annual global revenues of €750 million or more
- To bolster the UAE’s competitiveness as a leading investment hub, the top-up tax has been structured to exclude Investment Entities
Geostrategy
UAE, France discuss bilateral ties, sign AI cooperation deal
Paris, UAE - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron of France explored various...
- Both sides emphasized collaboration in AI, climate action, energy, and sustainable development initiatives
- They signed the UAE-France Framework for Cooperation in AI, including a 1GW AI Campus investment
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia says no Israel normalization without Palestinian state
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it will not formalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established,...
- Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations
- Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued
Geostrategy
Trump doubles down on Gaza shock plan, says Israel will turn over the territory to US
Trump said that by the time of the handover, Palestinians "would have already been resettled in far safer and more...
- Trump first made the stunning proposal to audible gasps during a joint press conference with Netanyahu on Tuesday, whom he was hosting at the White House for talks
- Suggesting "long-term ownership" by the US, Trump said he would make Gaza the Riviera of the Middle East, and that "this could be something that could be so magnificient".
Geostrategy
Syrian President’s first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia signals Syria’s shift away from Iran’s influence.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, marking his first foreign visit and signaling...
- Al-Sharaa’s visit signals Syria’s pivot away from Iran and closer ties with the Gulf states
- Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to reintegrate Syria into the regional fold and push for sanctions relief
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
Company News
Qatar Airways annual profit $2bn
Business
AI talking trees feature at Chelsea Flower Show
Arts & Culture
Latest News
‘Gentle giants’: World’s strongest men defy stereotypes
Arts & Culture
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...
Geostrategy
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...
Arts & Culture
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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.