Iraq announces complete withdrawal of US-led coalition from federal territory
Iraq said on Sunday US-led coalition forces had finished withdrawing from bases within the country's federal territory, which excludes the...
Geostrategy
Iran vows fast trials over protests after Trump threatened “very strong action”
Iran on Wednesday vowed fast-track trials for people arrested over a massive wave of protests, after US President Donald Trump...
Geostrategy
Arts & Culture
King Tut’s collection displayed for first time at Egypt’s grand museum
Cairo, Egypt -- Thousands of visitors streamed through the Grand Egyptian Museum on Tuesday as almost the entire collection of King...
- Curated and conserved over nearly two decades, the collection was unveiled to the public two days after the museum's lavish opening ceremony on Saturday.
- In a vast, dimly lit main hall spanning four levels, visitors gazed at chariots, household items, jeweled ornaments and, at the center, Tutankhamun's iconic golden mask.
Economy
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...
- The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires large companies to fix the "adverse human rights and environmental impacts" of their supply chains worldwide
- The law was backed by a broad coalition of European politicians including the left and the greens as well as centrists, including some centre-right lawmakers
Geostrategy
Turkey, and six of its Muslim allies say Palestinian self-rule key to Gaza future
Turkey, which played a central role in forging the now shaky three-week-old ceasefire, is pushing for Muslim nations to bring...
- Turkey, which played a central role in forging the 3-week-old ceasefire, is pushing for Muslim nations to bring their influence to bear on the reconstruction of the territory
- Brokered by US President Donald Trump, the October 10 ceasefire has been tested by fresh Israeli strikes and claims of Palestinian attacks on Israeli soldiers.
Business
Microsoft unveils $15.2 billion AI, cloud computing investments in UAE
The deal sent US chip-maker Nvidia shares up 2.6 percent, buoyed by hopes the AI juggernaut could see access for...
- "This is not money raised in the UAE. It's money we're spending in the UAE," Smith wrote in a blog post published during a visit to Abu Dhabi.
- Smith said the investments had been encouraged by both the US and UAE governments and had involved a partnership with the country's G42 sovereign artificial intelligence company.
Business
Kimberly-Clark to buy Kenvue
The deal is valued at $48.7 billion.
- Kenvue's Tylenol painkiller has faced Trump administration allegations of links to increased autism risks.
- Texas-based Kimberly-Clark makes a wide range of paper and cloth products, with brands such as Huggies, Kleenex and Kotex.
Business
OpenAI signs $38 bn infrastructure deal with cloud giant AWS
Under the seven-year agreement, OpenAI, which is partly owned by AWS's archrival Microsoft, will gain access to computing resources including...
- The deal will also give access to tens of millions of more conventional CPUs that will be used for the everyday deployment of so-called agentic AI.
- OpenAI will immediately begin utilizing AWS computing, with all capacity targeted to be used before the end of 2026, and the ability to expand further in the coming years.
Geostrategy
Trump says Russia, China have secretly tested nuclear weapons
President Donald Trump alleged Sunday that countries including Russia and China have conducted underground nuclear tests unknown to the public,...
- "Russia's testing, and China's testing, but they don't talk about it," he told CBS's "60 Minutes" program, in an interview released Sunday
- "I don't want to be the only country that doesn't test," he said, adding North Korea and Pakistan to the list of nations allegedly testing their arsenals.
Economy
OPEC+, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agree further hike to their oil production
The 137,000-barrels-per-day hike will apply from December and remain at that level for the following three months, signifying a "pause"...
- The 137,000-barrels-per-day hike will apply from December and remain at that level for the following three months, signifying a "pause" in what had been regular hike since April
- The announced increase, which tallied with analyst expectations, has been seen as a bid by the key members of OPEC+ - known as the Voluntary Eight - to gain greater market share
Geostrategy
Syrian leader to discuss sanctions, reconstruction in US visit: FM
Syria's president will discuss issues including lifting remaining sanctions, reconstruction and counter-terrorism when he becomes the country's first leader to...
- Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected in the US capital in early November, Syria's top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani told a panel at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain
- On Saturday, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Sharaa was heading to Washington "hopefully" to sign an agreement to join the US-led alliance against the Islamic State
Geostrategy
Death becomes a growing business in ageing, lonely South Korea
Busan, South Korea -- Rows of coffins line a university classroom in the South Korean port city of Busan, ready...
- Single-person households now account for around 42 percent of all homes in Asia's fourth-largest economy.
- A new profession has emerged reflecting that statistic: cleaners who are called in to tidy up homes after their occupants, most of whom lived alone, have died.
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
Iraq announces complete withdrawal of US-led coalition from federal territory
Iraq said on Sunday US-led coalition forces had finished withdrawing from bases within the country's federal territory, which excludes the...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Emirates mining company challenges Guinea license withdrawal
Dakar, Senegal -- Mining company Axis International said Monday it was seeking World Bank arbitration against Guinea for withdrawing its...
Business
France’s screen siren Brigitte Bardot dies at 91
Saint-Tropez, France - French film sensation Brigitte Bardot, a symbol of sexual liberation in the 1950s and 1960s who reinvented herself...
Arts & Culture
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland ‘threat’ to regional stability: Somali president
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has for decades pushed for international recognition. A self-proclaimed republic, it enjoys...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Iraqis cover soil with clay to curb sandstorms
Samawah, Iraq -- Deep in Iraq’s southern desert, bulldozers and earthmovers spread layers of moist clay over sand dunes as...
- Iraq has long suffered from sand and dust storms, but in recent years they have become more frequent and intense as the country falls prey to the effects of climate change.
- Iraqi authorities have warned that these suffocating storms will intensify further, adding urgency to efforts to address the root of the problem.
Geostrategy
Saudi-led coalition warns of intervention against Yemen separatists
The statements came a day after reported Saudi airstrikes on separatist positions in Yemen's Hadramawt province — and after Washington...
- Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman posted on X that troops from the separatist STC should “peacefully hand over” two regional governorates to the government.
- In recent weeks, the UAE-backed STC, which seeks to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen, swept through swaths of the country.
Economy
Turkish authorities make further arrests in football betting scandal
The betting scandal in Turkish football deepened on Friday as 29 people, including 14 footballers, were arrested, the Istanbul public...
- Their arrests follow the incarceration of six referees and the president of top tier club Eyupspor at the beginning of November
- Amongst those arrested were a former president of Turkish giants Galatasaray, Erden Timur, the vice-president of Eyuspor