Iraqis cover soil with clay to curb sandstorms
Samawah, Iraq -- Deep in Iraq’s southern desert, bulldozers and earthmovers spread layers of moist clay over sand dunes as...
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists say Saudi air strikes will not deter them
A Yemeni military official said around 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were amassed near the Saudi border -- but were not given...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Four European nations urge Israel to end West Bank ‘settler violence’
"We -- France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom -- strongly condemn the massive increase of settler violence against Palestinian civilians...
- Settler violence in the West Bank has soared since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.
- Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, mostly civilians.
Geostrategy
Trump says Afghan man shot two soldiers near White House
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an Afghan man who fled the Taliban was the suspect in the shooting of...
- The announcement in a brief video message signaled the intertwining of three politically explosive issues -– Trump's use of the military at home, and the legacy of Afghan war
- The incident, which left two Guard members critically wounded, was "an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror," Trump said. "It was a crime against our entire nation."
Geostrategy
Israel launches major West Bank operation, raiding Tubas towns amid escalating violence
The Israeli military said the operation began with air strikes to isolate the area, which were followed by "searches" on...
- The operation, which began overnight, was taking place in predominantly agricultural Tubas, the northeasternmost of the 11 governorates in the West Bank
- Ahmed al-Asaad, governor of the Tubas region, told AFP: "This is the first time that the entire governorate is included -- the whole governorate is now under Israeli army operation
Geostrategy
Israel returns 15 bodies to Gaza after hostage remains identified
It came after Israel announced that a body handed over by Hamas on Tuesday was that of Dror Or, one...
- The last two hostages' bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.
- At the start of the ceasefire Hamas were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.
Business
Insurance giant Allianz signals job cuts in AI shift
Frankfurt, Germany -- German insurance giant Allianz signalled Wednesday looming job cuts due to its adoption of artificial intelligence, with...
- Allianz Partners, the company's subsidiary dealing principally with travel insurance, said it was "leveraging AI" to strengthen its position and improve its services.
- Such changes could, however, "impact positions which are heavily reliant on manual processes today," it said in a statement.
Geostrategy
Robots take centre stage at Singapore ‘Olympiad’
Singapore -- The World Robot Olympiad opened in Singapore on Wednesday with hundreds of international students, some as young as...
- Organizers said 594 teams, comprising 1,571 participants from 91 countries, have registered for competitions to be held on Thursday and Friday on the theme "The Future of Robots".
- The theme "explores the way robotics can help solve global challenges and improve our lives", according to a fact sheet issued by the organizers.
Economy
How China leveraged its rare earths dominance over the US in tariff war
China's stranglehold on the rare earths industry -- from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation -- is the...
- Rare earths are crucial for the defence sector -- used in fighter jets, missile guidance systems and radar technology -- while also having a range of uses in everyday products
- At a high-stakes meeting in South Korea late last month, Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year truce in tariff war between the world's top two economies
Geostrategy
Trump sends Witkoff to Moscow in hopes of finalizing Ukraine deal
An initial US plan which was heavily weighted in Russia's favor has been replaced by one taking in more of...
- Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that there were "only a few remaining points of disagreement" -- but European leaders were skeptical
- He also expressed hope to meet "soon" with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, "but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages."
Geostrategy
China’s Xi pushes Taiwan issue in call with Trump
Chinese leader Xi Jinping pressed the ever-sensitive issue of Taiwan in a phone call Monday with US President Donald Trump,...
- China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, and Xi told Trump that its return was an "integral part of the post-war international order."
- Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai hit back at Xi's comments, telling reporters on Tuesday that Taiwan "is a fully sovereign state."
Arts & Culture
Fake AI videos have a new generation loving 1980s life
New York, United States - "The 1980s are calling," a teenager with a throwback hairstyle tells viewers as "Everybody Wants...
- The fake montage -- entirely generated using artificial intelligence -- has racked up more than 600,000 "likes" on Instagram and is part of an internet fad known as "AI nostalgia."
- The soft-focused fantasy land comes thanks to generative AI tools like OpenAI's Sora, Google's Veo or Luma AI's Ray that enable creation of strikingly realistic videos
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Iraqis cover soil with clay to curb sandstorms
Samawah, Iraq -- Deep in Iraq’s southern desert, bulldozers and earthmovers spread layers of moist clay over sand dunes as...
Geostrategy
Company News
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German wheelchair user flies into space, a first
Houston, United States -- A German woman engineer on Saturday became the first wheelchair user to blast into space, taking...
Geostrategy
Zelensky says US mooted direct Ukraine-Russia talks on ending war in Miami
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Washington had proposed the first face-to-face negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in...
Geostrategy
US vows Hamas disarmament in talks on next Gaza phase as regional officials met
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday urged the disarmament of Hamas but voiced hope for headway on reaching...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Lebanese, Israeli officials discuss Hezbollah disarmament, security in border areas: PM office
Israel said a Friday meeting involving civilian and military representatives from both Lebanon and Israel was part of broader efforts...
- Earlier this month, Lebanon and Israel agreed to send civilian representatives to the committee's meetings
- It was the second time civilian representatives from both countries had taken part in a meeting as part of the committee
Geostrategy
Netanyahu says to visit New York despite Mamdani arrest threat in compliance with ICC warrant
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he still planned to visit New York despite incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani's threats...
- Mamdani has vowed to send the NYPD to enforce arrest warrants against leaders wanted by the ICC, including Netanyahu
- Despite Mamdani's statements, an arrest of Netanyahu is considered unlikely, and it is debatable if the mayor-elect has the authority
Geostrategy
Egypt says $35 billion Israel gas deal ‘commercial’, not ‘political’
Under the agreement, Israel will increase the total volume of gas supplied to Egypt to 130 billion cubic meters, according...
- Egypt has struggled with energy supplies in recent years, having sought to both meet its domestic needs and position itself as a regional energy hub.
- Egypt was the first country in the region to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979, and the two countries have since had decades of close security collaboration.