New Dawn over Damascus: Residents reclaim Mount Qasyun after years of curbs under Assad’s rule
Mount Qasyun, once closed due to war, reopens as a vibrant community space where Damascus residents gather to reclaim joy,...
Geostrategy
Turkey lowers interest rate to 47.5% as it battles double-digit inflation
The bank's monetary policy committee decided to reduce the policy rate from 50 percent to 47.5 percent, with a statement...
Economy
Saudi taekwondo star edged out in historic Olympic women’s medal pursuit
Abu Taleb had qualified for the Games by bagging gold at the 2020 Arab Taekwondo Championship and bronze medals at...
- Abu Taleb was defeated by Mobina Nematzadeh of Iran in the bronze medal play-off in the -49kg division of the taekwondo competition played out inside Paris' Grand Palais
- The 27-year-old had won her last 16 clash against Israel's Abishag Semberg before losing her quarter-final against Panipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand
Geostrategy
Turkey joins South Africa’s Israel ‘genocide’ case at ICJ
A Turkish parliamentary delegation accompanied by the Turkish ambassador to the Netherlands filed a "declaration of intervention" at the ICJ's...
- South Africa's Dec 2023 case alleges that Israel's Gaza offensive, launched in retaliation for Hamas' bloody October 7 attack on Israel, breached the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.
- In a ruling January 26, the ICJ told Israel to do everything possible to prevent acts of genocide during its military operations in Gaza, which have left nearly 40,000 dead.
Science
After AI, quantum computing eyes its ‘Sputnik’ moment
Cambridge, United Kingdom - Quantum computing promises society-changing breakthroughs in drug development and tackling climate change, and on an unassuming English...
- The founder of Cambridge-based Riverlane, Steve Brierley, predicts that the technology will have its "Sputnik" breakthrough within years
- "Quantum computing is not going to be just slightly better than the previous computer, it's going to be a huge step forward," he said
Geostrategy
Hamas names Sinwar new chief as region braces for Iran retaliation against Israel
Iran blames Haniyeh's death on Israel and has vowed to avenge him, while Hamas's Lebanese ally Hizbollah has also pledged...
- The announcement came with the Middle East on edge as it awaited Iran's retaliation over the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran
- Sinwar, who has been Hamas's leader in Gaza since 2017 - with Haniyeh living in Qatar - has not been seen since the October 7 attack
Geostrategy
Bangaldesh Nobel winner Yunus ready to lead after Hasina flees
Dhaka, Bangladesh -- Bangladesh Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus said Tuesday he is ready to head a caretaker government, a day after...
- Microfinance pioneer Yunus, 84, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty -- earning the enmity of ousted Hasina and the wide respect of millions of Bangladeshis.
- Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced Monday the military would form an interim government, saying it was "time to stop the violence".
Geostrategy
Palestinian officials say 12 dead in Israel West Bank raids
Aqaba residents said Israeli troops arrived at dawn and surrounded the house of Amid Ghanam, leading to clashes between troops...
- Five people were killed in the Jenin area and four in Aqaba town in Tubas district
- The Israeli army said three people were killed and two arrested in another raid
Geostrategy
US in ‘around-the-clock’ push against Mideast war
Biden called King Abdullah II of Jordan, which helped down Iranian drones and missiles in an earlier showdown in April,...
- Biden and Blinken engaged in diplomacy to try to ease tensions sparked by a suspected Israeli attack that killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh
- Biden had been hoping in his final months in office to end the Gaza war and work on clinching a landmark deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia
Geostrategy
US personnel injured in rocket attack on Iraq base
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the attack, the White House said. "They discussed...
- The rocket fire is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, which hosts American troops as well as personnel from the US-led coalition
- An Iraqi military source had earlier said that multiple rockets were fired at the base, with some landing inside it and another hitting a nearby village but not causing damage
Geostrategy
Biden to meet national security chiefs as Mideast war fears grow
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 nations that any attack could happen within 24...
- The United States has deployed extra fighter jets and warplanes to the region to support Israel
- The tensions also appeared to have torpedoed US hopes of any immediate ceasefire
Jordan FM meets Iran president as Middle East tensions soar
The political head of Palestinian group Hamas was killed early on Wednesday in Tehran, where he had attended the inauguration...
- The Jordanian foreign ministry said Safadi would deliver a message from King Abdullah II to the Iranian president
- Iran has held talks with multiple Arab countries including Jordan, Egypt, Oman and Qatar among others since Haniyeh's killing
New Dawn over Damascus: Residents reclaim Mount Qasyun after years of curbs under Assad’s rule
Mount Qasyun, once closed due to war, reopens as a vibrant community space where Damascus residents gather to reclaim joy,...
Geostrategy
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Iran denies involvement as UAE arrests three people in rabbi killing case
"This murder was carried out in the UAE. The murder of an Israeli citizen and a Chabad emissary, is an...
Geostrategy
Palestinian pottery sees revival in war-ravaged Gaza
Deir el-Balah, Palestinian Territories - Traditional clay pottery is seeing a resurgence in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians are forced to...
Arts & Culture
World reaches $300 bn climate finance deal at COP29
A group of 134 developing countries had pushed for at least $500 billion from rich governments to build resilience against...
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Geostrategy
Rocket fire wounds four UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said two 122 mm rockets appeared to have hit a bunker on the base. The...
- "UNIFIL strongly urges combating parties to avoid fighting next to its positions"
- The peacekeepers were wounded by shards of glass when windows shattered
Geostrategy
Wealthy nations offer $250bn on climate but pressed for more
At the COP29 talks in Azerbaijan, developing nations are demanding a bigger commitment from historic polluters most responsible for warming,...
- The text also sets an ambitious overall target to raise at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 from not only developed countries but the private sector.
- But a red line for many climate-imperiled nations at COP29 had been securing a new commitment from developed nations well above their existing pledge of $100 billion a year.
Business
BP announces $7bn gas project
The project aims to unlock 3 trillion cu ft of gas resources in Indonesia.
- BP said in a statement the "major investment" highlights its "strong confidence in Indonesia's investment climate".
- The project involves the development of a new gas field, Ubadari, as well as enhanced gas recovery through carbon capture, ut and storage (CCUS) and onshore compression.