Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to make rare West Bank visit
Prince Faisal will head a delegation to Ramallah, the first such trip since Israel first occupied the Palestinian territory in...
Geostrategy
Islamic State claims first attack on new Syria forces since Assad fall: monitors
The Islamic State (IS) group on Thursday claimed its first attack on Syria's new government forces since the fall of...
Geostrategy
Economy
Asian markets lifted by recovery hope, Tokyo breaks 30,000
While the mood is generally upbeat, analysts remain cautious owing to the constant threat of the pandemic.
- Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Manila, Mumbai and Bangkok post gains; Seoul, Taipei and Jakarta the only stragglers.
- Tokyo continued its march higher on stimulus hopes, while a reshuffle of the Nikkei 225 also provided healthy support.
Economy
Cyprus becomes safe haven for fleeing Lebanese
Since the start of the crisis in 2019, several thousand Lebanese have emigrated, many of them to Cyprus.
- Since the start of the crisis in 2019, several thousand Lebanese have emigrated, many of them to Cyprus
- According to the United Nations, 78% of Lebanese now live below the poverty line -- up from less than 30% before 2019
Economy
As economy slumps, Turkey turns on migrants
Turkey turned into the home of one of the world's largest migrant populations when it struck a deal with Brussels...
- Turkey turned into the home of one of the world's largest migrant populations when it struck a deal with Brussels to help resolve Europe's 2015-16 refugee crisis
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the nation of 84 million now hosts five million migrants and refugees
Research
Under 1% of development spending spent on clear air
An annual survey by the Clean Air Fund has highlighted that the air quality remains low on the list of...
- An annual survey by the Clean Air Fund found that air quality is low on the list of funding priorities
- Both the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) cite air pollution as one of the world's most lethal environmental problems
Geostrategy
Blinken in Doha for Afghan crisis talks with Qatar
Blinken, accompanied by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, is the most senior US official to visit the region since the Taliban's...
- "We are thankful for Qatar's close collaboration on Afghanistan," the State Department said ahead of Blinken's arrival in Doha
- Blinken would discuss with Qatar its efforts, alongside Turkey, to reopen Kabul's ramshackle airport
Economy
Social cost of 2019’s plastic more than GDP of India
There is increasing international alarm over the sheer volumes of fossil-fuel based plastics entering the environment, as microplastics have infiltrated...
- It estimated that unless there was concerted international action, a projected doubling of plastic production could see costs rocket by 2040 to $7.1 trillion.
- Since the 1950s, roughly 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced with around 60 percent of that tossed into landfills or into the natural environment.
Geostrategy
Panjshir resistance calls for ceasefire, Taliban withdrawal
The NRF said spokesman Fahim Dashty -- a well-known Afghan journalist -- and General Abdul Wudod Zara had been killed...
- The Taliban claimed to have captured almost the entire valley, but pro-NRF social media accounts denied this.
- Panjshir fighters held out for a decade against the Soviet military and also the Taliban's first regime from 1996-2001.
Business
TotalEnergies inks $27bn deal to power Iraq
The French firm, formerly called Total, will now build four power projects in Iraq.
- Iraq said this was the largest investment in Iraq by a Western company
- Iraq has immense reserves of oil and gas, but is facing an acute power crisis despite that
Geostrategy
Afghan crisis cements Qatari global influence
Doha's long-standing hotline to the Taliban has helped Qatar burst onto the world stage with its efforts to assist Kabul...
- Qatar invited the Taliban to open a political office in Doha in 2013.
- Saudi Arabia, along with the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, cut ties with Doha in 2017, accusing it of backing Islamist groups and Iran.
Geostrategy
Iran slams US for ‘addiction’ to sanctions, ‘dead end’ policies
Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said President Joe Biden was following the same "dead end" policies as Donald Trump. Khatibzadeh’s...
- Under Trump's presidency, Washington unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and six major powers.
- Biden has said he wants to reintegrate Washington into the pact, but talks in Vienna that began in April have stalled since Ebrahim Raisi won Iran's presidential election in June.
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Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to make rare West Bank visit
Prince Faisal will head a delegation to Ramallah, the first such trip since Israel first occupied the Palestinian territory in...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
France drops renewables targets in new energy bill
The proposed text affirms "the sustainable choice of using nuclear energy as a competitive and carbon-free" source of electricity. But...
Economy
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Business
CES gadget fest a showcase for AI-infused lifestyle
The annual Consumer Electronics Show gathering boasts more than 3,500 exhibitors and is expecting some 130,000 visitors. Companies big and...
- CES exhibitor and attendee numbers have jumped each year since the Covid-19 pandemic caused it to be an online-only event in 2021
- While the show is increasingly a showcase for startups, big brands such as Amazon, Google, Intel, Netflix, Samsung, SonY will also be there
Oil prices slump but stock markets mostly higher
Wall Street indices enjoyed solid gains, including the Dow, which mustered a 0.6 percent advance in spite of an eight...
- US and European oil futures fell around four percent after top exporter Saudi Arabia cut the price of its crude, weighing also on shares of energy majors, analysts said
- Drop in oil prices weighed on energy shares, with Shell down 2.9Â percent as investors reacted to mixed trading update ahead of British oil major's annual earnings due next month
Business
Samsung expects profit dip
The tech giant forecasts profit to fall to US$2.1bn for Q4.
- The tech giant said in October that it expected better conditions for the memory market in 2024
- The South Korean firm is expected to release its final earnings report for 2023 at the end of this month