Israel says to block Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg
I have instructed the military to prevent the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in...
Activist aid ship nears Gaza after reaching Egypt coast: organisers
Cairo, Egypt - An aid ship with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, is nearing Gaza,...
Geostrategy
Science
World races to contain new Covid variant
Fears mounted Saturday that a highly-infectious new coronavirus strain was pushing its way into Europe as the world brought the...
- South Africa complained that it was being "punished" with air travel bans for first detecting the strain
- Scientists are racing to determine the threat posed by the heavily mutated strain, which is more transmissible than the dominant Delta variant
Geostrategy
Riot police deploy after violent demo in Iran
Riot police were deployed in force Saturday in the Iranian city of Isfahan, a day after violent protests over the...
- Security forces fired tear gas during the clashes with stone-throwers in the protest by around 500 people in the bed of the Zayadneh Rood river that crosses the central city
- Drought is a cause, but they also accuse the authorities of diverting water from the city to supply the neighboring province of Yazd
Geostrategy
UAE says 100% of population received one Covid jab
The entire population of the UAE has received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid-19. The country has...
- According to the UAE health ministry, a total of 21,802,032 doses of vaccine have been administered
- One hundred percent (of the population) have received one dose, while 90.18 percent are fully vaccinated
Science
Merck pill can prevent grave Covid infections: US health panel
But the report, from an FDA advisory panel, cautioned that pregnant women should not use the drug, known as molnupiravir
- But the report, from an FDA advisory panel, cautioned that pregnant women should not use the drug, known as molnupiravir
- The preliminary FDA report confirmed the drug's effectiveness in patients with mild to moderate Covid or at risk of hospitalization
Geostrategy
Algeria election another test for president Tebboune
Tebboune has vowed to reform state institutions inherited from Bouteflika, who died in September at the age of 84.
- Tebboune launched a 17-member committee in January 2020 to draft a new constitution for Algeria
- After a contentious election denounced by the country’s protest movement, Tabboune became the president of Algeria
Business
Apple’s iPhone prices bite in Turkey despite Black Friday
Persistent double-digit inflation and the weakness of the Turkish currency has eroded the purchasing power of Turkish consumers, leading to...
- The lira has lost 38 percent in value against the dollar since the start of 2021, surpassing 13 to the dollar at one point earlier this week
- Certain Apple devices were 25 percent more expensive than usual on Friday -- with some increases worth more than the local minimum wage
Geostrategy
Arab countries ban travel from African nations
The United States and several European countries have taken similar steps, banning travel from at least seven southern African countries....
- MENA countries have blocked travel from seven southern African nations as a precautionary measure
- The countries are South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, and Eswatini
Geostrategy
Iran official visits Kuwait and UAE ahead of Monday’s nuclear talks
The visit by Ali Bagheri, Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator, is the first to Gulf Arab states by an official of...
- Talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers are due to resume in Vienna on Monday.
- The deal has been gradually disintegrating since former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018.
Business
New Covid-19 variant spooks global markets
Firms linked to travel were among the worst affected as investors fretted over the possibility of more government-mandated restrictions.
- The B.1.1.529 strain has been blamed for a surge in fresh cases in South Africa and has already cropped up in Hong Kong
- The WHO is deciding decide if it should be designated a variant of ‘interest’ or of ‘concern’
Economy
Lebanese currency drops to new low, pound trades 25,000 to dollar
The new record, topping a previous low of more than 24,000 earlier this week, adds to the troubles of the...
- The new record, topping a previous low of more than 24,000 earlier this week, adds to the troubles of the newly-formed Lebanese government
- With the currency losing more than 90 percent of its value in two years on the black market, the purchasing power of Lebanese is plummeting
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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
Israel says to block Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg
I have instructed the military to prevent the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in...
Company News
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Israel proposes pause in Gaza fighting to secure hostage deal
The US news site Axios reported, citing unnamed Israeli officials, that the deal would take place in multiple stages, the...
Geostrategy
United forecasts first quarter loss
The company beat analysts' expectation for the fourth quarter.
Business
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Business
Imane Ayissi brings African tradition to Paris couture
PARIS, FRANCE - Imane Ayissi is on a mission to put authentic African textiles in the spotlight but faces an uphill...
- Ayissi in 2020 became the first designer from sub-Saharan Africa at haute couture week and seeks to resurrect more traditional fabrics like rafia.
- Such fabrics are drawn from local trees and plants, that were used before the African market was flooded with imports during the colonial period.
Business
European market up on record-busting Wall Street
A surge in tech titans including Apple, Amazon, Nvidia and Facebook parent Meta on Friday pushed New York's S&P 500...
- "European indices are pushing higher... as optimism over the direction of US earnings provide a tailwind behind tech stocks in particular," an expert said.
- Back in Asia, Tokyo was the main winner again, extending its blockbuster start to the year thanks to a weaker yen and rising Japanese inflation.
Geostrategy
Israel pounds Gaza as Netanyahu rejects hostage release deal
Abdelrahman Iyad, wounded in Gaza and now being treated aboard the French helicopter carrier Dixmude, docked in Egypt, said he...
- While fighting is concentrated in the south it has not ended in the north, where Hamas authorities reported shelling in the Gaza City area and witnesses heard explosions.
- UN agencies have warned of famine and disease as Gazans, at least 1.7m of whom are displaced, struggle with shortages of water, medical care during bombardments.