Xi, Biden in Peru for APEC summit, pre-Trump face-to-face
uncertainty over Trump's next moves now clouds the APEC agenda -- as it does for the COP29 climate talks underway...
UN nuclear chief heads to Iran for crucial talks
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is set to visit Tehran on Wednesday for crucial talks on Iran's nuclear...
Geostrategy
Israeli defence minister declares 48-hour state of emergency
"The declaration on the state of emergency enables the IDF (Israeli military) to issue instructions to the citizens of Israel,...
- "I hereby declare a special situation on the home front in other areas of the country. The situation is valid for 48 hours starting at 6:00 am," Gallant said
- In a separate statement, the defence ministry said Gallant briefed US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on the overall situation
Harris bats for nuance on Gaza, Palestinians’ right to ‘freedom, self-determination’
Harris also pledged to "always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself." Some pro-Palestinian activists, who rallied on the...
- The US Democratic candidate vowed to "not cozy up to tyrants and dictators" who can flatter Trump as he "wants to be an autocrat himself."
- Harris won the biggest applause lines in her foreign policy section when she spoke of the suffering of Palestinians
US Fed chair says ‘the time has come’ to start cutting rates
The Fed's benchmark lending rate currently sits at a 23-year high of between 5.25 and 5.50 percent, cooling demand in...
- "The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks," Fed chair Powell said
- After holding its key lending rate at a two-decade high for more than a year, Powell's remarks suggest the US central bank is now all but certain to start cutting rates
Business
Alibaba to upgrade Hong Kong listing amid profit drop
Hong Kong, China -- Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said Friday it would upgrade its Hong Kong-listed shares to primary status, opening...
- The decision by shareholders during its annual general meeting Thursday will provide a much-needed boost to the firm, which has underperformed the market in recent years.
- Alibaba has been primarily traded in New York since 2014 and remained dual-listed after its notable return to Hong Kong through a second listing in 2019.
Geostrategy
In rare move, UAE accepts Taliban government ambassador
It became just the second country after China to do so. The UAE said it was committed to "building bridges"...
- The UAE's growing ties with the Taliban government include the management of Afghan airports by an Emirati firm, GAAC, following the withdrawal of US forces and Taliban's return.
- "The world recognizes the challenges faced by Afghanistan over the past few years," an Emirati official said in a statement.
Economy
US Fed chair expected to signal support for rate cuts
The annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium in the US state of Wyoming gives Powell a global platform to enlighten financial...
- After holding its key lending rate at a two-decade high for more than a year, the US central bank now seems poised to start cutting rates in September
- While inflation has eased, the labor market has shown signs of cooling - though still remaining solid by historical standards - and economic growth has been resilient
Geostrategy
The Gaza mothers separated from their newborns by war
Jerusalem, Undefined - As their first birthday approaches, the triplets Gaza-native Hanane Bayouk gave birth to in Jerusalem before the war...
- Israeli travel restrictions and the ongoing conflict have left Palestinian mothers from Gaza struggling to access their children in Jerusalem
- The number of births at the hospital has fallen sharply as Israel has stopped issuing travel permits to mothers from Gaza and slashed the number given to mothers
Business
Stocks wobble as investors brace for Powell’s rate cut clues
Paris, France -- Stock markets wobbled on Thursday as investors await a highly-anticipated speech by US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell,...
- The dollar has been under pressure from expectations of lower rates, but it pared down some losses against other major currencies on Thursday.
- The spotlight will turn to Powell when he addresses an annual gathering of global central bankers, with investors eager to hear for fresh signals about the Fed's plans.
Geostrategy
India’s Modi urges peace ahead of historic Ukraine visit
"It is India's strong belief that no problem can be resolved on a battlefield," Modi said in Poland, a staunch...
- Modi is expected to use his landmark visit to campaign for a "peaceful" solution
- Modi added his country supported "dialogue and diplomacy for restoration of peace and stability"
Geostrategy
Israel kills top Palestinian militant as Gaza truce talks stumble
The Israeli military killed a senior Palestinian militant in Lebanon on Wednesday, leading to accusations from the Fatah movement that...
- The strike killed Khalil Maqdah, described by Fatah as "one of the leaders"
- Israeli bombardment elsewhere in Gaza killed at least 24 people on Wednesday
Xi, Biden in Peru for APEC summit, pre-Trump face-to-face
uncertainty over Trump's next moves now clouds the APEC agenda -- as it does for the COP29 climate talks underway...
Company News
Latest News
Microsoft unveils autonomous AI agents for business tasks
San Francisco, United States - Microsoft on Monday said it was enhancing its AI offerings with new autonomous agent capabilities as...
Science
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...
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...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan votes, shadowed by economic struggles
The KDP is the largest party in the outgoing parliament, with 45 seats against 21 for the PUK. The KDP's...
- Iraqi Kurdistan presents itself as a relative oasis of stability in the turbulent Middle East, attracting foreign investors due to its close ties with the United States and Europe
- However, activists and opposition figures contend that the region, autonomous since 1991, faces the same issues affecting Iraq as a whole: corruption, repression, and cronyism
Putin thanks UAE president for positive role in prisoner exchange with Ukraine
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed meets his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss bilateral ties and Middle East. Sheikh Mohamed will...
- Moscow and Kiev announced that they had swapped 95 prisoners each following negotiations led directly by the UAE
- The UAE and Russia ties have grown closer recently with Putin saying that their bilateral trade had tripled in the past three years to $11.1 billion
Geostrategy
Israeli settler attacks, Gaza conflict ruin Palestinian olive harvest
UN experts said recently that Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank are facing "the most dangerous olive season ever".
- The ongoing war has reduced vast areas of Gaza to rubble, with about 68 percent of the territory's agricultural areas damaged by the conflict.
- This year's harvest in Gaza is expected to net just 15,000 tons, sharply down from around 40,000 tons in the years before the war.