Global bond selloff spreads to Japan, gold hits record high
Wall Street stocks opened mostly higher, with shares in Google parent-company Alphabet shooting up nearly seven percent after winning a...
Business
Gaza mother hopes Venice film about final moments of slain child helps end war
The mother of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, hopes that a film about...
Geostrategy
Business
Drink with Messi for $42,000: Chinese police warn over scams
Beijing, China -- Dinner, drinks and a selfie with Lionel Messi sounds like every football fan's dream, but Chinese police have...
- The Argentine legend's presence in China for a friendly against Australia in the capital on Thursday has drawn scammers and ticket-scalpers desperate to c on Messi mania.
- For 50 million yuan, Messi will appear on your shopping livestream to extol the virtues of your product, another unauthorized advertisement claims.
Economy
UK retail lenders withdraw fixed home-loan products, rattling market
HSBC joined the fray on Thursday, suspending certain home loans as it also sought to cope with significant new demand...
- The total number of available mortgage products has meanwhile fallen by about five percent in just under one month
- Hargreaves Lansdown estimates 16 percent of Britons are already struggling to meet monthly mortgage repayments
Economy
Desperate Syrians recycle plastic waste to make living
Recycling, in rebel-controlled Syria, is rather a grim lifeline than environmental impulse for desperate residents searching for work or items...
- In northern Idlib province, workers at a factory making mats and rugs churn out brightly coloured recycled plastic
- The mats made from recycled plastic cost between $5 and $15, while traditional Persian-style rugs are around $100
Geostrategy
Egypt tightens visa requirements for Sudanese fleeing war
Since the eruption of violence some 200,000 Sudanese nationals have entered Egypt, most of them through land crossings. Egyptian authorities...
- Cairo's foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday announcing the new regulations, justifying the move as a crackdown on "illegal activities" including fraud
- The authorities introduced visa procedures aimed at regulating "the entry of the brotherly Sudanese (people) into Egypt after more than 50 days of crisis" in their country
Geostrategy
Iran’s Raisi, France’s Macron discuss ways to promote ties
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a lengthy phone call discussed ways to promote ties,...
- A 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers gave the Islamic republic relief from international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
- In 2018 the United States withdrew unilaterally from the deal and reimposed sanctions, prompting Tehran to suspend implementing its own commitments.
Geostrategy
Blinken reschedules postponed Beijing visit for June 18
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China next week, rescheduling a visit that was canceled in February,...
- Blinken is expected to arrive in Beijing on June 18, the first trip by a top US diplomat to China since his predecessor Mike Pompeo in October 2018
- Blinken abruptly canceled a trip scheduled in early February after the United States said it detected a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the US mainland
Geostrategy
Sudan warring parties agree to 24-hour ceasefire: mediators
Although many ceasefires have been broken, yet the twenty-four truce is seen as a chance to give the people of...
- According to the UN, some two million people have been displaced from their homes, including 476,000 who have sought shelter in neighboring countries
- The latest ceasefire follows US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, where he held discussions on Sudan with Saudi officials
Geostrategy
Russia plans to make Iranian drones by next year, says US government
Russia is receiving materials from Iran to build a drone factory that "could be fully operational early next year," White...
- "The Russia-Iran military partnership appears to be deepening," Kirby said in a statement, citing US intelligence information.
- Washington estimates that Russia has received hundreds of attack drones as well as related equipment from Iran to aid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Business
Sahara salt diggers struggle to stay in business
Digging for salt is punishingly hard work, rewarded by an income that fluctuates according to whichever buyers happen to pass...
- Salt digging, carried on from generation to generation, was a thriving business, involving a commodity so precious that it was bought and sold across the Sahara and beyond.
- Over centuries, hundreds of pits have been dug by hand and then filled with water to leach salt from the local rock.
Business
Crypto exchange Binance halts US dollar deposits after action
WASHINGTON, US - The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance said it was halting US dollar deposits and encouraged clients to withdraw...
- Binance is alleged to have permitted US residents to trade, even though the platform is not registered in the United States as a securities exchange.
- Binance has criticized the govt's actions, saying that it will continue to vigorously defend ourselves and customers against the SEC attacks.
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
Global bond selloff spreads to Japan, gold hits record high
Wall Street stocks opened mostly higher, with shares in Google parent-company Alphabet shooting up nearly seven percent after winning a...
Business
Company News
Israeli strike in South Lebanon kills one
Geostrategy
Latest News
Google unveils its most advanced Artificial Intelligence model, Gemini 2.0
San Francisco, United States -- Google on Wednesday announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to...
Business
Crunch time for Saudi-hosted drought, desertification talks
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Landmark talks on desertification are set to conclude in Saudi Arabia this week amid doubts that pledged funds...
Geostrategy
South Korean police raid president’s office
#South #Korean police raided President #Yoon Suk #Yeol's office as part of the investigation into his declaration of #martial law....
Most Read
Business
Air passenger numbers to top five billion for the first time in 2025: IATA
Geneva, Switzerland -- Air passenger numbers are forecast to top five billion for the first time next year and the sector's...
- Total industry revenues are forecast at $1.007 trillion, helped by falling oil and fuel prices, "the first time that industry revenues top the $1 trillion mark," IATA said.
- Airlines have been hit by rising fuel costs since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 but IATA said it expected this factor to ease next year.
Syria rebel leader vows to pursue former officials for torture, war crimes
Syria's Islamist rebel leader on Tuesday vowed to pursue former senior government officials responsible for torture and war crimes, a...
- Israel continued launched air strikes destroying the former government's military capabilities
- Baath party said it will support "a transitional phase in Syria aimed at defending the unity of the country."
Geostrategy
European countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad’s fall
While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Vienna signaled it would...
- World leaders and Syrians abroad watched in disbelief at the weekend as Islamist-led rebels swept into Damascus
- The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees had imposed a freeze on decisions for ongoing asylum decisions