Saudi launches Damascus area reconstruction project
Damascus, Syria -- Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday humanitarian projects for Syria including the removal of wartime rubble around Damascus,...
Geostrategy
AI-powered meet-up apps fight ‘epidemic of’ loneliness
San Francisco, United States -- On a summer evening in San Francisco, JT Mason went to dinner with five complete...
Arts & Culture
Economy
Iraq to pay for Iranian gas imports with oil: Iraqi PM
The Iraqi prime minister said the decision to pay for Iranian gas imports with oil corresponds with the mechanism agreed...
- Iran cut its supply of gas to Iraq by nearly half some ten days back because of unpaid bills of more than $12 billion
- Gas stoppages have worsened the frequent power outages in much of Iraq during the hot summer months
Geostrategy
Israel’s thorny judicial overhaul: What are the proposed changes?
Opponents have accused Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charge he denies, of trying to use the reforms to...
- Parliament voted overnight Monday-Tuesday on the so-called "reasonability" clause, which will be put through second and third readings at a later stage.
- Netanyahu's coalition also wants to change the system through which judges are appointed, giving the government a de facto majority in the nomination process.
Business
OECD urges wealthy nations to prepare for ‘AI revolution’ impact
Paris, France - The world's wealthiest nations must urgently prepare for the impact of an imminent "AI revolution" that will change...
- "While there are many potential benefits from AI, there are also significant risks that need to be urgently addressed," said the OECD
- The OECD said it was "vital" to gather better data on AI uptake and use in the workplace, and its effects on the job sector
Geostrategy
Meta loses more: Zuckerberg takes threads fight to European Union
Threads, billed as the killer of Twitter, a platform that has tumbled into chaos under the leadership of mercurial tycoon...
- Meta said it could not be released in Europe because of "regulatory uncertainty" around the Digital Markets Act
- Analysts believe Meta will give Threads to the rest of the world and Europeans will become so vexed at missing out that they will pressure the EU to water down the Act.
Business
Wall Street stocks up amid signs of broadening in equity market
New York, United States - Wall Street stocks mostly rose early Tuesday amid signs of greater broadening in the equity market...
- Energy and materials were two other sectors showing early gains, while technology was lower. Tech gains were at the heart of the stock market's buoyant first semester of 2023.
- Markets are looking ahead to Wednesday's consumer price index report, a critical data point for the upcoming US Federal Reserve decision.
Geostrategy
United Nations fails to agree on extending vital Syria aid lifeline
Russia vetoed a nine-month extension of the agreement allowing for the conduit during a vote at the UN headquarters in...
- Many council members including the US, the UK and France have called for a full-year extension, but they backed a nine-month compromise proposed by Switzerland and Brazil.
- The proposal was vetoed by Russia, however, whose six-month offer only secured China's support. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called the veto "an act of utter cruelty".
Foxconn pulls from $19.4 bn deal in India to make semiconductors
The plan was to boost New Delhi's self-reliance in the technology supply chain, given that semiconductors are an essential component...
- Foxconn and Vedanta signed in September to set up a chip factory in India's Gujarat state but on Thursday Taiwanese firm said both parties mutually agreed to part ways
- Vedanta did not confirm pull-out, it said that it is fully committed to its semiconductor fab project, adding that there are other partners in line to set up India's first foundry
NATO to discuss Ukraine bid to join at summit
German Patriot missile systems and French fighter jets were guarding the skies as NATO leaders gathered in Lithuania, on NATO's...
- Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to head to Vilnius for the two-day summit to make the case that Kyiv has earned the right to join when the Kremlin's invasion ends
- The alliance will draw up a path of reforms that Ukraine will need to undertake in order to eventually join, but without giving a "timetable", White House official said
Geostrategy
Libya court sentences 37 traffickers to prison over migrant deaths
A statement from the prosecution said that the appeals court pronounced the verdict against a "criminal gang" whose members organized...
- According to the prosecutor's office, five of the guilty were sentenced to life in jail and nine other to 15 years
- A United Nations report in March said that some migrants had been subjected to sexual slavery
Geostrategy
Migrants stranded on Tunisia-Libya border moved: NGO
Racial tensions flared into violence against migrants from sub-Saharan African countries in Tunisia's port city of Sfax last week, with...
- Refugees International said foreign nations should “suspend security assistance to Tunisia until further expulsions cease and the abuses are investigated"
- Tunisia has seen a rise in racially motivated attacks after President Kais Saied in February accused "hordes" of undocumented migrants of bringing violence
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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
Saudi launches Damascus area reconstruction project
Damascus, Syria -- Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday humanitarian projects for Syria including the removal of wartime rubble around Damascus,...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
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...
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia to host Arab summit on Trump’s Gaza plan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE to attend
Trump sparked a global outcry with his proposal for the United States to "take over" the Gaza Strip and to...
Geostrategy
Hezbollah supporters protest banning Iranian planes from landing in Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon - Hezbollah supporters blocked the Beirut airport road and burned tyres on Thursday to protest a decision barring two...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Business
Stocks mostly rise, oil falls as Trump fans Ukraine peace hopes
London, United Kingdom -- Major stock markets mostly rallied and oil prices retreated Thursday on hopes for an end to the...
- London was a rare faller owing to sharp losses to share prices of big companies, including Unilever, Barclays and British American Tobacco.
- With Russia being a major producer of oil, crude futures fell heavily on easing supply concerns, while the dollar lost some of its safe-haven support.
Arts & Culture
Second edition of Saudi art biennale seeks to modernize Islamic tradition
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Under a vast canopy of tents in the Saudi city of Jeddah, religious artefacts are on display...
- Arts Biennale features as its centrepiece segments of the "kiswa", the black cloth embroidered with gold and silver that covers the Kaaba
- Under his "Vision 2030", Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sought to transform the kingdom's image
Geostrategy
Israel says could fulfil Trump’s Gaza displacement plan if hostages not freed, Hamas says truce deal ‘fragile’
Hamas has said it would postpone the release citing Israeli violations, and hours later, Trump warned that "hell" would break...
- The remarks by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz came shortly after Palestinian group Hamas said it would not bow down to US and Israeli threats
- The truce has largely halted more than 15 months of fighting and seen Israeli captives released in small groups in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody