Qatar says reserves right to respond to Israeli attack, even as Trump delivers rare reproach of Israel
Doha, a key US ally that hosts the largest American base in the region, has hosted Hamas' political bureau since...
Geostrategy
Ethiopia inaugurates Africa’s biggest dam, drawing Egyptian protest
Guba, Ethiopia -- Ethiopia inaugurated the continent's largest hydroelectric project on Tuesday in what Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called a...
Geostrategy
Economy
Federal Reserve open to alter interest rates, says official
Washington, US - A Federal Reserve official left open the possibility on Monday of pausing or stopping interest rate hikes at...
- To rein in surging costs of living, the Fed has lifted the benchmark lending rate rapidly since March 2022
- While the full effect of policy will take time to ripple through the economy, inflation has cooled
Geostrategy
Migrants suffer between life and death in Tunisia-Libya desert
In the midday heat, a Libyan patrol near the border with Tunisia comes across a black African man collapsed on...
- By the time they reach Libya, the migrants from sub-Saharan Africa are ready to drop from exhaustion, in temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.
- Libyan border guards said that, over the past two weeks, they have rescued hundreds of migrants who said they were left by Tunisian authorities.
Geostrategy
OIC disappointed with Swedish, Danish response to Quran desecration
"It is unfortunate that the concerned authorities claiming freedom of expression continue to provide licenses to repeat these acts contrary...
- Saudi Arabia has in recent weeks summoned Swedish and Danish diplomats to deliver protest notes denouncing "disgraceful" acts against the Quran.
- On Thursday, Taha received a phone call from Sweden's foreign minister, Tobias Billstrom, who said Stockholm rejects acts that insult the Quran.
Geostrategy
UK to issue hundreds of new oil and gas drilling licenses in North Sea
The announcement has angered environmental groups and comes amid an internal debate within the ruling Conservative party on green policies....
- "Investment in the North Sea will continue to unlock new projects, protect jobs, reduce emissions and boost UK energy independence," PM Rishi Sunak's office said.
- "The government is taking steps to slow the rapid decline in domestic production of oil and gas, which will secure our domestic energy supply," it said.
Arts & Culture
French footballer Maximin to play for Al-Ahli after three-year deal
Paris, France - French winger Allan Saint-Maximin on Sunday signed a three-year deal with Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli after leaving English club...
- Saint-Maximin, 26, made 124 appearances for Saudi-backed Newcastle and scored 13 goals since joining from Nice in 2019.
- The financial terms of the deal were not revealed but English press reports have estimated it to be in the region of $38.5 million.
Geostrategy
UAE oil giant ADNOC pledges to ‘accelerate’ zero-carbon plan
ADNOC "is accelerating its decarbonization plan to advance its net-zero ambition to 2045, compared to its previous target of 2050,"...
- ADNOC said it has "reduced its greenhouse gas emissions" by about 5m tons in 2022, mostly through the use of solar and nuclear energy, to power all of its onshore operations.
- ADNOC CEO Sultan Al Jaber, who will head up COP28, has argued that fossil fuels will continue to play a key role, and that carbon capture technologies will contain emissions.
Geostrategy
Quran set alight at protest outside Sweden parliament
Two men set the Quran alight outside parliament in Stockholm at a protest similar to previous ones that have sparked...
- Sweden has already seen its diplomatic relations with several Middle Eastern nations strained over previous protests involving Quran desecrations.
- Swedish police have previously stressed they only grant permits for people to hold public gatherings and not for the activities conducted during the events.
Lebanon’s central bank chief to end term with no successor
Lebanon's deeply divided political class has failed to agree on a replacement for Salameh, 73, creating another power vacuum in...
- Salameh has for two years been the subject of judicial investigations at home and abroad into allegations including embezzlement and money laundering, charges which he denies
- Lebanon's central bank chief Riad Salam is wanted in France and Germany, and Interpol has issued a Red Notice for his arrest, but Lebanon does not extradite its nationals
Iran to ‘pursue rights’ over disputed gas field, also claimed by KSA, Kuwait
Earlier this month, Kuwait had invited Iran for another round of maritime border talks after Tehran said it was ready...
- The offshore zone of the resource-rich Gulf, known as Arash in Iran and Dorra in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, has long been a focal point of contention between the three countries
- Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, who share some maritime gas and oil resources, last year signed an agreement to jointly develop the field despite objections from Iran
Geostrategy
Rival Palestinian factions form ‘reconciliation committee’
The reconciliation effort is designed to bridge the gap between the parallel governments of Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip...
- Haniyeh earlier called on Abbas to end "security collaboration" with Israel and "political arrests", according to participants at the meeting
- On Sunday, Haniyeh called for "the restructuring of the Palestine Liberation Organization", the umbrella institution promoting Palestinian statehood
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
Qatar says reserves right to respond to Israeli attack, even as Trump delivers rare reproach of Israel
Doha, a key US ally that hosts the largest American base in the region, has hosted Hamas' political bureau since...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
EU skewers Google, Apple over tech rules – despite Trump threats
The European Union defied US threats of retaliation Wednesday by accusing Google of violating its digital rules -- which could...
Science
Jet skis in the desert: winter lake creates Saudi watersports oasis
Az Zulfī, Saudi Arabia -- The ear-splitting roar of his jet ski fills the air as Hamza al-Hamm thunders past,...
Arts & Culture
Deepfakes can clone your voice in 5 seconds, tech firms mount defense
Las Vegas, United States -- Tech firms are fighting the scourge of deepfakes, those deceptively realistic voices or videos used...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Trump, Putin agree halt to Ukraine energy attacks but no ceasefire
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday on a halt in Russian attacks against Ukrainian energy targets -- but fell...
- The US and Russian leaders spoke for more than an hour and a half and both expressed hopes for repairing relations between the countries
- However, there was no agreement from the Russian president for Washington's proposed full 30-day ceasefire in Russia's invasion of its pro-Western neighbor
Business
Geopolitical tensions buffet markets, gold and oil prices climb
Gold and oil prices climbed on fears of escalating tensions in the Middle East after Israel launched its most intense...
- Wall Street opened lower but European stocks rose in afternoon trading as investors prepared for German lawmakers to vote on a massive spending boost for defense and infrastructure
- Investors are eyeing this week's policy decisions from the US Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan and Bank of England, with all three forecast to stand pat on interest rates.
Business
Google says to buy Wiz for $32 bn
The all-cash deal brings Wiz into the Google Cloud operation.
- The deepening influence of AI makes "cybersecurity increasingly important in defending against emergent risks and protecting national security," the companies said.
- The transaction, the largest ever sought by Google or parent Alphabet, will test Trump's openness to large takeovers after resistance to such deals by Biden's administration.