UK moving assets, jets, to Middle East amid Iran crisis, says Starmer
Britain is deploying assets, including fighter jets, to the Middle East amid tensions between Iran and Israel, UK Prime Minister...
Geostrategy
US judge extends detention of pro-Palestinian protest leader
Pro-Palestinian student protest leader Mahmoud Khalil remained in US detention Friday despite an expected release, his lawyer said, following reported...
Geostrategy
Business
Lebanon to sign a deal with Jordan to ease power shortage
Crisis-hit Lebanon will sign a deal with Jordan next week to bring in electricity via Syria to help ease grueling...
- The agreement is part of a wider government effort to eventually provide state electricity for eight to 10 hours a day
- The deal will provide Lebanon with up to 250 megawatts of electricity during the day and 150 megawatts at night
Business
Intel to build two chip factories
The company will invest $20 bn, hire 3,000 new workers for the sites in Ohio.
- Construction of the plants is scheduled to begin at the end of the year. Chip production could start as early as 2025.
- Recent problems in global supply chains have highlighted the fundamental importance of semiconductors, which are used in a growing number of products including cars, TVs.
Business
‘World first’ hydrogen shipment set to leave Australia for Japan
A state-of-the-art liquid hydrogen tanker readied for loading in Australia Friday ahead of shipment to Japan, in what Canberra described...
- The Suiso Frontier is docked near Melbourne and is being loaded with super-cooled hydrogen, a source of fuel that supporters hope could one day rival LNG.
- Hydrogen produces only steam and no carbon dioxide when burnt, making it an attractive possible alternative to dirtier fossil fuels.
Investigation
Israel probes alleged police cyber-spying on citizens
Pegasus, a surveillance product made by the Israeli firm NSO that can turn a mobile phone into a pocket spying...
- In a letter sent to police commander Koby Shabtai, Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit asked to receive all wiretapping and computer spying orders from 2020 and 2021
- The Israeli business daily Calcalist reported Thursday that Israeli police used Pegasus software to spy on an Israeli they considered a potential threat
Arts & Culture
Turkey train showcases snow-covered countryside
Named the Turistik Dogu Ekspresi locally, the train offers one of the expansive country's most coveted new experiences.
- The train has nine carriages that wind their way around mountain bends on a 32-hour, 1,300-kilometer journey
- It travels from capital Ankara to Kars, an ancient city near Turkey's rugged border with Armenia and Georgia
Business
Netflix subscriber growth slows
The company saw 221.8 million subscribers in 2021.
- The streaming service ended the year with 221.8 million subscribers, just below target, after booming during coronavirus lockdowns
- The market punishment was immediate, with shares of the California streaming giant losing some 20 percent in after-hours trading
Business
Google appeals EU fine
It was fined €2.4-billion for abusing its search engine dominance.
- The case centers on Google's shopping service and is one of three against the search engine giant currently in the EU's appeals system
- The fine had come after seven years of investigation over complaints from other price-comparison services against Google Shopping
Business
Emirates to resume US flights after ‘temporary’ 5G reprieve
Emirates said Thursday it will lift a suspension of flights to several US destinations in a "temporary reprieve" after the...
- Flights to six destinations will resume Friday, and on Saturday services to Boston, Houston and San Francisco will return to Boeing 777 planes.
- The airline announced flight suspensions on Tuesday over concerns that the 5G mobile networks launched by AT&T and Verizon could interfere with altimeters, which measure altitude.
Business
Israel buying 3 military submarines from Germany
The deal includes the purchase of three Dakar submarines, the first of which will be delivered to the Israeli navy...
- Negotiations on the deal were delayed and complicated by a suspected corruption affair involving Israel's last purchase of German submarines
- An alleged massive bribing scheme in Israel's 2012 deal to buy Thyssenkrupp submarines implicated several big fish in the country’s power structure
Geostrategy
Aid cuts threaten hospitals in the last enclave opposing Syrian regime
The crowded hospital in Darkush in Syria's rebel-held northwest treats around 30,000 patients every month, for free -- but now...
- Dwindling funds have caused dire shortages of medicine and equipment in this and other clinics in the Idlib region, the last Syrian enclave to oppose the regime in Damascus.
- Last year, the UN and its partners already fell short of raising even half of the $4.2 billion requested for Syria's humanitarian needs.
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
UK moving assets, jets, to Middle East amid Iran crisis, says Starmer
Britain is deploying assets, including fighter jets, to the Middle East amid tensions between Iran and Israel, UK Prime Minister...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Gaza ceasefire will not happen: Netanyahu
Geostrategy
North Korea prepares for conflict as Kim inspects warships
The North Korean leader has in recent weeks declared South Korea his country's "principal enemy", jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification...
Geostrategy
Al Nassr thrash Inter Miami as Ronaldo, Messi watch on
Otavio drilled in the opener as Miami lost the ball trying to play out from the back, bringing Ronaldo to...
Most Read
Geostrategy
Hamas gives ‘initial’ approval to plan for Gaza war pause
A Hamas source had told AFP the three-stage plan would start with an initial six-week halt to the fighting that...
- Mediators pushed ahead with peace efforts as fighting raged in Gaza and as Qatar-based Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was expected in Cairo for talks on Thursday or Friday
- Hamas has been reviewing a proposal for a six-week pause and a hostage-captives exchange, a Hamas source had told AFP after the Paris meeting
Geostrategy
Pegasus used in Jordan to spy on key figures, says report
Paris, France - Hackers have used the notorious Pegasus spyware to break into the phones of dozens of journalists and activists...
- Pegasus can seize control of a phone's microphone and camera and access documents, and a leak in 2021 showed how governments used it to spy on critics.
- Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian-American journalist in Jordan, had his phone hacked three times in 2022 and 2023 and faced a further seven failed attempts.
Business
US stocks rebound from sell-off on Fed disappointment
New York, United States - Wall Street stocks rose early Thursday, rebounding from the prior session's pullback as markets awaited more...
- Major indices had tumbled on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell dampened expectations for an imminent cut in interest rates.
- Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investments said the market is recovering from the "knee jerk" selloff after Wednesday's Fed meeting.