European countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad’s fall
While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Vienna signaled it would...
Geostrategy
UK Prime Minister to talk trade, Middle East during Gulf visit
London, United Kingdom -- Britain's leader Keir Starmer makes his first trip to the Gulf as prime minister from Sunday, seeking...
Geostrategy
Business
Spain grabs 3% Telefonica stake after concerns over Saudi deal
Madrid, Spain - Spain's government has acquired a three-percent stake in telecoms giant Telefonica following concerns over a Saudi firm taking...
- Spanish state-owned holding company SEPI said in a filing with the stock market regulator late Monday that the move was "in line with a cabinet decision in December".
- At the time, the government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it was to safeguard the firm's "strategic capacities and essential importance" to Spain
Geostrategy
Major US bridge collapses as cargo ship plows into pylon
Baltimore, United States -- A major bridge collapsed in Baltimore on Tuesday, blocking one of the busiest US commercial harbors, after...
- Six people -- all members of a nighttime construction crew repairing potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge -- were missing, officials said.
- The Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest major US port in terms of both foreign cargo handled and foreign cargo value is directly responsible for more than 15,000 jobs.
Thousands trapped in Gaza hospital surrounded by Israeli tanks
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli troops were shooting and firing "shells and (conducting) violent raids in its surroundings in preparation...
- Witnesses told AFP that shots were being fired at the sprawling complex in the southern city of Khan Yunis, but no raid was as yet taking place
- "Thousands of displaced people are still inside the hospital,.They do not have sufficient quantities of drinking water, food and infant formula," the ministry said.
Business
Olympics tech firm Atos posts huge loss
The company posted a net loss of US$3.7 billion for 2023.
- The company reported a net loss of 3.4 billion euros ($3.7 billion) for 2023 due to asset writedowns and said it was aiming for a debt restructuring by July
- Atos, the International Olympic Committee's technology partner since the Salt Lake City winter games in 2002, is in charge of managing more than 300,000 accreditations
Geostrategy
Hamas leader Haniyeh visits Iran: state media
Haniyeh's visit comes after a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council on Monday called for an "immediate ceasefire" for...
- Hamas chief will meet with Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and other senior officials
- Haniyeh's last visit was in early November when he met Iran's supreme leader
Ten years from home World Cup, Saudi sizes up ‘huge challenge’
As the only  bidder, Saudi Arabia was anointed host of the 2034 World Cup last October by FIFA. Infrastructure is...
- To host the 48-team World Cup, the country needs 14 all-seater stadiums capable of holding at least 40,000 people, according to the bid document
- Saudi sports ministry is preparing to issue tenders worth 10 billion riyals ($2.69 billion) to build and expand football venues, according to domestic media
Economy
Regulated dollar transactions on the rise in Iraq, says central bank
With dollars dominating the country's economy, Baghdad has imposed a series of restrictions on the use of American greenbacks domestically....
- Transactions through the Central Bank electronic platform -- which ensures compliance with SWIFT -- have considerably increased, the bank's vice governor Ammar Khalaf told
- "At the beginning of 2023, transactions were at $50 million per day. Now, we have around $200 million, which is consistent with the size of Iraq's economy," he added
Geostrategy
No let-up in Gaza war despite UN ceasefire resolution
The resolution demanding an "immediate ceasefire" was adopted Monday after Israel's closest ally the United States abstained. Washington insisted that...
- Israel reacted furiously to the US abstention, as it allowed the resolution to go through
- The Israeli military said Monday it was battling fighters around two hospitals in Gaza
Geostrategy
Hamas-allied official escapes Israeli strike in Lebanon
According to a security source, who did not want to be identified, the target was Mohammad Assaf of Jamaa Islamiya,...
- A strike in January widely blamed on Israel killed Hamas's deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri in Beirut
- Since October the cross-border violence has killed at least 326 people in Lebanon
Market Report
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...
- Moscow has escalated its aerial attacks on Kyiv, targeting key infrastructure in the wake of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities.
- Russia is a key producer of oil, while the Gaza-Israel war has given rise to worries about Middle Eastern crude supplies.
European countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad’s fall
While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Vienna signaled it would...
Geostrategy
Company News
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‘Beautiful thing’: hijab-wearing singer looks to inspire
Arts & Culture
Regional Updates: Iran “not looking for war” but will retaliate fiercely to any Israeli attack
Iranian leadership vows strong retaliation if Israel attacks Iran as Hezbollah kills eight Israeli soldiers and destroys 3 tanks while...
Geostrategy
Israel declares UN chief ‘persona non grata’ over Iran attack response
"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," said...
Geostrategy
G7 says diplomatic solution is still possible in Middle East
Rome, Italy -- The G7 on Wednesday vowed to work together to reduce tensions in the Middle East and said a...
Geostrategy
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Business
Microsoft beefs-up its AI assistant with voice, vision
San Francisco, United States - Microsoft on Tuesday doubled down on deploying artificial intelligence to consumers, releasing an updated version of...
- Suleyman was a former leader at AI pioneer Google DeepMind -- and was poached by Microsoft in March from his startup to head up its consumer AI division
- It has since been caught by Google and soon Apple, which are using their dominance of the global smartphone market to get their own AI tools to consumers
Business
GM reports US sales dip, that of EVs grew
The big Detroit automaker reported 659,601 US sales during the period.
- The big Detroit automaker reported 659,601 US sales during the period, down 2.2 percent from the year-ago but marking a slightly smaller decline than analysts projected
- GM described its EV portfolio as "growing faster than the market" with sales jumping 46 percent in the third quarter, topping 32,000
Israel vows response as Iran fires missile barrage
Iran launched around 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday in response to the killings of Tehran-backed militant leaders, prompting alarm...
- Most of the missiles were intercepted by Israeli air defenses or by allied air forces, claims Israeli military even though damage was reported
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had launched a missile attack on "three military bases" around Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv