Long-shot socialist and Trump foe Mamdani becomes next New York mayor
The self-proclaimed socialist, who has been re-elected three times, forged an image that has become his trademark -- a progressive...
Geostrategy
Qatar warns will cut gas supply to Europe over EU’s green rules
Qatar's energy minister on Monday warned the Gulf state would halt its supply of liquefied natural gas to Europe over...
Economy
Economy
One out of three Lebanese poverty-stricken: World Bank
Beirut, Lebanon -- A third of Lebanese people are impoverished with poverty rates tripling in a decade, the World Bank said...
- The poverty rate reached as high as 70 percent in the northern region of Akkar which borders Syria.
- The poor were also "nearly four times as likely to have an adult member restrict their food intake to feed their children," the WB report said.
Geostrategy
Tens of thousands bid farewell to Iran’s Raisi ahead of burial
Men and women thronged the main boulevard of Mashhad, Iran's second city in the northeast where Raisi was born, bidding...
- Posters of Raisi were raised along the streets of Mashhad, particularly around Raisi's final resting place
- Massive crowds had gathered for a funeral procession in the Iranian capital on Wednesday to pay their final respects to the president
Economy
Asian shares mixed after Fed minutes, while Nvidia provides support
Asian markets diverged Thursday after minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting indicated officials would keep interest rates...
- Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting indicated officials would keep interest rates elevated
- Nvidia showed it turned a profit of $14.9 billion in the first quarter
Business
Amazon to invest $17bn in Spain
The investment will be made in data centers in Aragon region.
- The investment will create around 17,500 indirect jobs in local companies and contribute 21.6 billion euros to Spain's gross domestic product during the period.
- A pioneer of e-commerce, Amazon's AWS also dominates cloud computing with 31 percent of the market at the end of 2023, according to Stocklytics.
Business
Palestinians optimistic but wary after recognition moves
The agreement signed with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, managing director of the Abu Dhabi government-controlled fund Mubadala, opens "a new era...
- The Palestinian Authority says that 142 of the 193 UN member countries already recognize a Palestinian state.
- In the West Bank and Jerusalem, people AFP spoke to were optimistic but wanted more tangible acts towards Palestinian sovereignty.
Norway, Ireland, Spain to recognize Palestinian state
The announcement is the second diplomatic blow this week after the International Criminal Court prosecutor said he would seek arrest...
- Norway, Ireland and Spain announced that they will recognize a Palestinian state
- The three nations hope other countries will follow but Europe remains split over the issue
Geostrategy
Israel furious as 3 European countries recognize Palestinian state
Israel reacted with fury after three European countries said Wednesday they would recognize a Palestinian state, more than seven months...
- Ireland, Norway and Spain said they would formally recognize the State of Palestine on May 28.
- Israel strongly opposes the move, arguing that it amounts to "rewarding terrorism"
Geostrategy
Medics, WHO say north Gaza hospitals barely operational
North Gaza's last two functioning hospitals, Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan, are barely operational, doctors and the World Health Organization said...
- Israeli forces had fired on the facilities and that snipers had been deployed near one of them.
- Israel's military accuses Hamas of using hospitals as command centers to plan and launch attacks against its forces
Business
France and UAE sign AI cooperation deal
France and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday signed a "strategic partnership" on artificial intelligence (AI) aimed at boosting cooperation...
- In 2017, the UAE became the first country in the world to appoint a minister of state for artificial intelligence, digital economy and remote work
- In April, US tech giant Microsoft announced a $1.5-billion investment in UAE-based artificial intelligence firm G42
What is flight turbulence and why does it happen?
Washington, United States - Airplane turbulence, which led to the death of a passenger on a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday,...
- Storms, cold and warm fronts, and the movement of air around mountains can all cause turbulence in the air that planes fly through
- Turbulence can also occur in jet streams - highways of strong wind that circulate around the globe at certain latitudes
Long-shot socialist and Trump foe Mamdani becomes next New York mayor
The self-proclaimed socialist, who has been re-elected three times, forged an image that has become his trademark -- a progressive...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Abu Dhabi’s AI sector expands 61% in one year: Abu Dhabi Chamber
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Abu Dhabi’s artificial intelligence (AI) sector witnesses a 61 percent increase between June 2023 and June...
Business
Nvidia, AMD to pay US 15% of AI chip sales to China: reports
Washington, United States -- US semiconductor giants Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices have agreed to pay the United States government...
Business
Norway sovereign fund drops investments in 11 Israeli companies
Oslo, Norway -- Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, said Monday that it was selling its investments in 11...
Geostrategy

Most Read
Economy
Trump says to move homeless people ‘far’ from Washington
President Donald Trump said Sunday that homeless people must be moved "far" from Washington, after days of musing about taking...
- The Republican billionaire has announced a press conference for Monday in which he is expected to reveal his plans for Washington
- "I'm going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before," the president posted on his Truth Social platform Sunday
Geostrategy
Netanyahu announces plan to allow foreign reporters into Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday a plan to allow more foreign journalists to report inside Gaza with...
- Israel has blocked most foreign correspondents from independently accessing the territory since it launched its campaign there
- "We have decided and have ordered, directed the military to bring in foreign journalists, more foreign journalists, a lot," Netanyahu said
Geostrategy
Netanyahu says new Gaza plan ‘best way to end the war’ as criticism intensifies
UN says 'if these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and...
- The premier has faced regular protests over the course of the war, with many rallies calling for the government to strike a ceasefire and hostage-release deal.
- Netanyahu, however, has also come under pressure from the far right to go harder on Hamas, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich slamming the new plan as half-hearted.

