‘I don’t recognise my country,’ says Angelina Jolie
San Sebastian, Spain - American actress Angelina Jolie said Sunday she no longer recognises her country, voicing concern over threats...
Arts & Culture
White House says $100,000 H-1B visa fee to be one-time payment
Washington, United States -- The White House issued a major clarification Saturday to its new H-1B visa policy that had...
Geostrategy
Science
Swedish researchers find snoozing in the morning isn’t bad
Stockholm, Sweden - You snooze, you lose? Swedish researchers said Wednesday that might not be the case, after their study even...
- Researchers at Stockholm University found that in general younger people were the ones snoozing and they were to a high degree night owls.
- In a second study, the researchers found that most of the respondents who snoozed for half an hour managed to get a lot of sleep during that half hour even though it was disturbed.
Business
US tightens curbs on exports of advanced AI chips to China
Washington, United States - The United States on Tuesday said it was tightening curbs on exports of state-of-the-art AI chips to...
- The measures are the latest chapter in the policy started under the Trump administration to limit Beijing's ability to gain ground and become a leading tech economy.
- The new rules tighten measures taken a year ago that banned the sale to China of microchips that are crucial to the manufacturing of powerful AI systems.
Business
Asian stocks drop as Israel-Hamas conflict threatens to expand
Markets had enjoyed a healthy run Tuesday on optimism that while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing for a...
- Asian markets mostly fell, with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mumbai, Jakarta, Taipei and Manila all down, along with London, Paris and Frankfurt.
- Crude jumped more than two percent at one point on worries about supplies from the oil-rich region in the event of a wider war.
Geostrategy
French left alliance on verge of collapse over Gaza conflict row
The Socialist Party (PS) -- a heavyweight party of government just a few years ago but now a rump of...
- Its board accused LFI of "constantly stoking conflict" within the alliance, after former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon refused to call Hamas's Israel assault terrorism.
- Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure "is breaking up NUPES" over "a personal issue with me about Israel (and) Palestine," Melenchon wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Tech giants Foxconn, Nvidia announce they are building ‘AI factories’
The world's largest contract electronics maker, Foxconn -- officially known as Hon Hai Technology Group -- already plays a lynchpin...
- The "AI factories" would include "digitalization of manufacturing and inspection workflows, development of AI-powered electric vehicle and robotics platform
- If successful, Foxconn's customers could use these systems to deliver generative AI services and use simulation to train autonomous machines
Musk’s X starts charging new users for basic features in two countries
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who bought Twitter last year for $44 billion, has long complained about fake accounts, bots and...
- New users in New Zealand and the Philippines will have to pay an annual fee for the ability to write on X, like and reply to posts, and bookmark content
- Those who decline to pay will be able to access X in read-only mode, limited to viewing content and following accounts, the company said
Geostrategy
US authorizes non-essential embassy staff to leave Lebanon
Following Hezbollah's call, hundreds of demonstrators scuffled Tuesday night with Lebanese security forces outside the US embassy in the Beirut...
- US State Department raised its travel advisory for Lebanon from level three, issued in July, to the highest available level four
- Britain's foreign office has told its nationals in Lebanon to "consider whether you need to remain and, if not, leave by commercial means
Economy
China’s Xi announces over $100 billion in new Belt and Road funding
Beijing has been forced to hand out billions of dollars in bailout loans to BRI countries in recent years to...
- The Belt and Road is a central pillar of Xi's bid to expand China's clout overseas, with Beijing saying it has now inked over two trillion dollars in contracts around the world
- Xi announced on Wednesday that key Belt and Road lenders the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank will now offer an additional $100 billion in loans
Business
Qatar signs 27-year gas deal with UK’s Shell
Last year Shell inked a deal with QatarEnergy for a 9.4% stake in Qatar's North Field South project, the second...
- Qatar will supply 3.5 million tons of gas a year under the deal, QatarEnergy said
- The gas-rich country is set to raise its output of liquified natural gas by 60 percent
Business
United Airlines Q3 profit up
The airlines' net income stood at US$1.1bn, up 20.7 percent.
- The airline warned its profits might be hit by rising fuel costs, and the prospect of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
- Its total operating revenues were $14.5 billion for the same period last year, up 12.5 percent, while capacity was up 15.7 percent
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
‘I don’t recognise my country,’ says Angelina Jolie
San Sebastian, Spain - American actress Angelina Jolie said Sunday she no longer recognises her country, voicing concern over threats...
Arts & Culture
Company News
Latest News
China says on ‘right side of history’ in trade standoff with US
Since returning to the presidency in January, US President Donald Trump has imposed 10 percent tariffs on most US trading...
Geostrategy
Trump thinks Zelensky ready to give up Crimea to Russia
US President Donald Trump said he believed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was ready to concede Crimea to Russia as part...
Geostrategy
Khamenei orders probe into port blast as Iran’s nuclear talks, regional tensions simmer in background
The New York Times quoted a person with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaking on condition of anonymity...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Business
Screens, drones, massages: Shanghai flaunts the future of cars
Shanghai, China -- At the huge Auto Shanghai industry show this week, the chatter was less about powerful engines and...
- Chinese consumers place more value on interior comfort compared to other markets, according to European carmakers.
- Visitors at Auto Shanghai queued to sit in luxurious minivans with chrome radiator grilles and reclining rear seats.
Geostrategy
Qatar Prime Minister sees some progress on Gaza truce
"We need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war. That's, that's basically, I think,...
- The initial phase of the truce ended in early March, with the two sides unable to agree on the next steps. Israel resumed air and ground attacks across the Gaza Strip on March 18.
- Hamas is open to an agreement to end the war that would see all hostages released and secure a five-year truce, an official told AFP as the group's negotiators met in Cairo.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia and Qatar to settle Syria’s World Bank debt
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced on Sunday that they would settle Syria's debt to the World...
- Both Gulf states have played a key role in the diplomatic outreach to Syria's new rulers since the ouster of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad in December.
- The statement came just days after Syria's central bank governor and finance minister attended the IMF and World Bank spring meetings for the first time in more than 20 years.