Russia hits Ukraine govt offices in war’s biggest air attack
Kyiv, Ukraine -- Russia fired its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine early Sunday, killing four people and setting government offices...
Geostrategy
First India-Pakistan match since conflict fires up Asia Cup
New Delhi, India -- A blockbuster between India and Pakistan headlines the Asia Cup starting on Tuesday as they face...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Tunisia protestors demand jailed opposition figures be freed
Around 100 protesters rallied in Tunisia's capital to demand freedom for detained critics of President Kais Saied who has ruled...
- In addition to the crisis triggered by President Saied's power grab, Tunisia has been shaken by a serious financial crunch and is in search of foreign aid.
- European parliamentarians expressed their opposition to any "unconditional agreement" between the EU and Tunisia, citing "the excesses" of Saied.
Business
Pressure on Beijing to unveil stimulus measures as exports tumble
Customs spokesman Lyu Daliang also pointed to outside forces having a "direct impact" on Chinese trade, with Beijing engaged in...
- The 12.4 percent drop released by the General Administration of Customs was an acceleration from May's 7.5 percent.
- Imports also fell 6.8 percent over the same period, reinforcing concerns about softening domestic demand.
Geostrategy
Climate summit needs private sector to succeed: Sultan Al Jaber
We cannot shut down the energy system of today before we build the new energy system of tomorrow that is...
- The phase down of fossil fuels is both "inevitable" and "essential", he said, mindful of calls by some countries for a decision at COP28 to phase out fossil fuels.
- But "I don't have a magic (wand)" as to when that will happen, he told AFP in Brussels, after outlining his action plan and goals for the year-end summit.
Geostrategy
Israeli fire wounds Hezbollah members near Lebanon-Israel border: security source
The Israeli army said in a statement that "a number of suspects approached the northern security fence with Lebanon and...
- The incident comes amid tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border area, a stronghold of the Shiite movement and the site of sporadic skirmishes
- Sources said Hezbollah members had been wounded. One said a sound grenade was fired and that three members were "lightly" hurt
Geostrategy
Egypt hosts regional meeting in push to resolve Sudan war
The Egyptian presidency said the meeting in Cairo will be attended by representatives of "Sudan's neighboring countries", but has not...
- Egyptian President and Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed "discussed ways to settle the crisis in Sudan", Sisi's spokesman announced late Wednesday
- The talks aim to "stop the bloodshed of the Sudanese people" and the "negative repercussions on neighbouring countries", Cairo said
Google launches ChatGPT rival Bard in EU, Brazil
The US tech giant unveiled Bard in February but delayed its release in the European Union as the bloc plans...
- Google has raced to catch up with rival Microsoft, which has rushed to integrate ChatGPT-like powers in a wide array of its products, including the Bing search engine
- Bard is "now available in most of the world, and in the most widely spoken languages," Bard's product lead Jack Krawczyk and vice president Amarnag Subramanya wrote in a blog
Musk launches xAI to rival OpenAI, Google
Musk on Twitter added that the new company's aim was to "understand reality" and answer life's biggest questions. The launch...
- The xAI website said Musk would run the company separately from his other companies but that the technology developed would benefit those businesses, including Twitter
- The startup is staffed by former researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Tesla and the University of Toronto, the team is to be advised by Dan Hendrycks
Arts & Culture
Ancient Egypt artists altered their work, new study reveals
Paris, France--From subtly shifting the position of Ramses II's sceptre, to touch-ups on a necklace or headdress, ancient Egyptian artists were...
- A team of international scientists looked afresh at paintings in the Valley of the Kings, a royal burial ground for pharaohs and other ancient Egyptian elites
- Scientists found alterations on the tomob of the nobleman Menna, depicted with his arms stretched out toward the god of the dead, Osiris
Geostrategy
EU clears biodiversity bill seeking natural habitat protection
The parliament's biggest political grouping, the conservative European People's Party (EPP), had sought to shoot down the text, arguing that...
- The text endorsing the Nature Restoration Law passed with 336 votes in favor, 300 against and 13 abstentions.
- The Nature Restoration Act, initiated by the European Commission, aims to resuscitate degraded ecosystems.
Business
Most world stock markets advance as US inflation data looms
London, United Kingdom - World stock markets mostly rose Wednesday as investors jockeyed for position before key US inflation data. London...
- London equities climbed after the Bank of England announced that all major UK retail lenders passed stress tests to assess their resilience to economic shocks.
- Frankfurt and Paris also advanced before the week's main event, the US consumer price index, which forecasts suggest will show a further softening.
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
Russia hits Ukraine govt offices in war’s biggest air attack
Kyiv, Ukraine -- Russia fired its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine early Sunday, killing four people and setting government offices...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Trump’s aid freeze could cause millions more AIDS deaths: UN agency
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - President Donald Trump's decision to suspend US overseas funding could result in millions more deaths from AIDS,...
Science
Netanyahu and Rubio align on aggressive strategies toward Hamas and Iran in Jerusalem talks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pledged to "open the gates of hell"...
Geostrategy
Sisi discusses Middle East peace with World Jewish Congress chief
Cairo, Egypt -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder on Sunday that...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Lavrov, Rubio pledge to restore dialogue and work on settling Ukraine conflict, says Moscow
The call came ahead of an expected summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin amid mounting concern from Ukraine and...
- The call came days after the US president's call to Putin ended almost three years of no contact between Moscow and Washington during the Ukraine conflict
- According to Moscow, Lavrov and Rubio pledged to "maintain a channel of communication to resolve the accumulated problems in US-Russian relations".
Business
OpenAI board rejects Elon Musk-led $97.4 billion buyout offer
San Francisco, United States -- OpenAI's board chairman on Friday said it has unanimously rejected an Elon Musk-led offer to buy...
- Musk filed court documents saying he will withdraw the offer to buy OpenAI if its board returns the artificial intelligence pioneer to a non-profit "charity" model.
- OpenAI currently operates a hybrid structure, as a non-profit with a money-making subsidiary.
Geostrategy
Three Gaza hostages set for release after ceasefire crisis abates
Jerusalem, Undefined - Israel said Friday it had received the names of three hostages to be freed by militants in exchange...
- The hostages due for release Saturday are Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, Israeli-Russian Sasha Trupanov and Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn
- The January 19 ceasefire has been under massive strain since US President Donald Trump proposed a takeover of the territory