With Trump’s presidency, expect pro-Israel policies to replace Biden’s nuanced approach in Middle East relations
Trump’s return could shift US policy on Israel, with his Republican Party's pro-Israel stance and his preference for "America First"...
Geostrategy
Nations far apart in COP29 climate finance talks
According to the latest draft of the long-sought climate finance pact, most developing countries favor an annual commitment from wealthy...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Turkey, Azerbaijan hope for ‘lasting peace’ in South Caucasus
Years of diplomacy between the Caucasus rivals Azerbaijan and Armenia had failed to reach a breakthrough, but negotiations have resumed...
- Top diplomats from Turkey and Azerbaijan held talks in the capital Ankara on several sticking issues including ongoing peace negotiations between Baku and Yerevan
- The Caucasus rivals fought two wars -- in the 1990s and in 2020 -- over control of Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians
Iran former top diplomat Zarif returns to VP post
"After the follow-ups and consultations conducted by the president and with his written order, I will continue to exercise my...
- Pezeshkian named Zarif as his vice president for strategic affairs on August 1, but the former top diplomat resigned less than two weeks later
- Conservatives in Iran have criticised Pezeshkian for choosing Zarif, who became known for his vital role in negotiating the landmark 2015 nuclear deal
Geostrategy
UAE seeks consular services for arrested Telegram boss
"The UAE is closely following the case of its citizen Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, who was arrested by the...
- He is accused of failing to curb the spread of illegal content on Telegram, which has more than 900 million users. The company has rejected the accusations.
- Durov set up Telegram after leaving Russia a decade ago, and Forbes magazine estimates his current fortune at $15.5 billion.
Geostrategy
Iraq issues arrest warrants against two persons for ‘heist of the century’
Baghdad, Iraq -- An Iraqi criminal court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for a businessman and a former government official wanted...
- The scandal, dubbed the "heist of the century", sparked widespread anger in Iraq, which is ravaged by rampant corruption, unemployment and decaying infrastructure.
- The criminal court issued the warrants for businessman Nour Zuhair and Haitham al-Juburi, a former adviser to then prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.
Geostrategy
Egypt says will not accept Israeli force on its Gaza border: state-linked media
Cairo, a key mediator in efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, "reiterated to all parties...
- A key sticking point in the ceasefire talks have been calls for Israel to withdraw its forces from the border area, including the Rafah crossing
- Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in early May, a move that has cut off a crucial aid route and drawn repeated condemnation from Egypt
Business
ExxonMobil expects global oil demand near current levels in 2050
New York, United States - Global oil demand is unlikely to fall by 2050 despite progress on renewable energy, the US...
- In a new report, ExxonMobil said it "sees a plateau in oil demand beyond 2030, remaining above 100 million barrels per day through 2050."
- This would be roughly in line with oil demand last year of 102.2 million barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency
Geostrategy
Egypt says will not accept Israeli force on its Gaza border
Cairo, a key mediator in efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, "reiterated to all parties...
- "Egypt is managing the mediation" between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas "in accordance with its national security", the source told Al-Qahera News.
- The negotiations, also mediated by Qatar and the United States, have yielded little hope for a ceasefire, though Washington said Friday that some progress had been made.
Israel strikes Lebanon, says thwarted large-scale Hizbollah attack
The result was perhaps the biggest exchange of fire in 10 months of a war which began with a Hamas...
- Hizbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Lebanese armed group, denied that thousands of launchers had been destroyed or that Israel had thwarted a larger attack
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet the strikes were "not the final word" in the campaign against Hizbollah
Don’t give smartphones to kids under 11, UK mobile phone firm says
London, United Kingdom - One of Britain's biggest mobile network operators said on Sunday it will warn parents they should not...
- The new guidance comes after growing concern from parents about the potential pitfalls of smartphone access for young people
- A recent study by the UK communications regulator found around a quarter of British children aged between five and seven-years-old now had a smartphone
Business
Telegram chief Pavel Durov arrested at French airport: officials
Paris, France - French police arrested Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov on Saturday at an airport near Paris for alleged offences...
- The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital on Saturday evening, one of the officials told AFP
- "Enough of Telegram's impunity," said one of the investigators, adding they were surprised Durov came to Paris knowing he was a wanted man
With Trump’s presidency, expect pro-Israel policies to replace Biden’s nuanced approach in Middle East relations
Trump’s return could shift US policy on Israel, with his Republican Party's pro-Israel stance and his preference for "America First"...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
IMF predicts slightly slower global growth in 2024 and 2025
In its new World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the International Monetary Fund also estimates that global inflation will continue to...
Economy
Is Musk’s million-dollar US voter lottery legal?
Donald Trump surrogate Elon Musk's offer of a million dollars to one registered voter in a swing state every day...
Geostrategy
Wealthy Israelis offer rewards for release of Gaza hostages
Jerusalem, Undefined - Frustrated with the dwindling prospect of reaching a ceasefire deal in the year-long Gaza war, some Israeli entrepreneurs...
Most Read
Geostrategy
Updates: Israel hits more targets in Lebanon as Blinken travels to Middle East to push for truce
Lebanon says four people were killed including a child in the latest Israeli strikes as Tehran says the United States...
- Four people including a child had been killed on Monday evening in Israeli strikes near the Lebanon's biggest public hospital
- Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa discuss bilateral cooperation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Manama
Geostrategy
In escalation, Israel bombs Hezbollah-linked finance group
-Israel began bombing Lebanese branches of an association accused of financing the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, Lebanese state media reported late...
- 11 Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs targeted Al-Qard Al-Hassan.centers
- UNIFIL, said an Israeli "army bulldozer deliberately demolished an observation tower and perimeter fence of a UN position
Economy
China’s central bank cuts two key rates to boost economy
Beijing, China - China's central bank on Monday said it had cut two key interest rates to historic lows, in the...
- The cuts come just days after the country posted its slowest quarterly growth in a year and a half, underlining the deep economic woes the country faces
- Leaders are targeting annual growth of five percent this year, but that goal is being challenged by weak consumption and a prolonged and debilitating debt crisis