How China leveraged its rare earths dominance over the US in tariff war
China's stranglehold on the rare earths industry -- from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation -- is the...
Economy
Tabatabai: Hezbollah military chief who led the group in Yemen, Syria
Beirut, Lebanon - Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah's top military chief whom Israel killed on Sunday, had taken the role after...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Tunisian opponents go on collective hunger strike to support jailed figure
Tunis, Tunisia - Prominent Tunisian opposition figures including Rached Ghannouchi said Friday they would go on hunger strike in solidarity...
- Jawhar Ben Mbarek, co-founder of the National Salvation Front, Tunisia's main opposition alliance, launched a hunger strike last week to protest his detention since February 2023
- In April, he was sentenced to 18 years behind bars on charges of "conspiracy against state security" and "belonging to a terrorist group" in a mass trial criticised by rights group
Geostrategy
Turkey issues genocide arrest warrant against Netanyahu, senior officials in his govt
The announcement was met with a firm rebuttal from Israel. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel "firmly rejects, with contempt"...
- The Istanbul prosecutor's office said in a statement that a total of 37 suspects were targeted by the arrest warrants, without providing a full list
- The announcement was met with a firm rebuttal from Israel. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel "firmly rejects, with contempt" the charges
Geostrategy
Chinese ship scouts deep-ocean floor in South Pacific
Beijing, China -- A Chinese research vessel docked in the Cook Islands Saturday as it probed the Pacific nation's deep-sea...
- Huge areas of seabed around the Cook Islands are carpeted in polymetallic nodules, lumpy rocks studded with rare earths and critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese.
- Fringed by sparkling lagoons, South Pacific nation the Cook Islands has opened its vast ocean territory for deep-sea mining exploration.
Geostrategy
At COP30, nations target the jet set with luxury flight tax
Rooted in the idea that a small elite of premium flyers should pay more for their outsized contribution to global...
- Diplomats from the coalition of more than 10 countries are pushing for more to come aboard.
- Countries that do not yet have such a tax would commit to imposing levies on business and first-class tickets as well as private jets.
Business
Pfizer poised to buy Metsera
The pharma giant improved its offer to $10bn.
- The Danish firm said Saturday that it "does not intend to make an increased offer to acquire Metsera."
- The company "will continue to assess opportunities for business development and acquisitions that... further its strategic objectives," it said.
Geostrategy
Kazakhstan to join Abraham Accords as Trump pushes Mideast peace
Washington, United States - Kazakhstan said Thursday it will join the Abraham Accords between Israel and mainly Muslim nations, in...
- The central Asian republic has had diplomatic ties with Israel for decades, unlike the four Arab states that normalized relations with Israel under Abraham accords
- But with Trump aiming to shore up his fragile Gaza ceasefire deal, Washington is pushing to get as much support as possible behind a wider peace initiative
Economy
UAE company inks $22 mn deal for stake in Latakia container terminal
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - AD Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a $22 million agreement Thursday...
- Abu Dhabi-based firm inked the deal with French shipping giant CMA CGM for a 20 percentage stake in the Latakia International Container Terminal, AD Ports Group said in a statement
- The Syrian government signed a 30-year contract in May with the French firm to run the Mediterranean port and modernise it, including developing the infrastructure
Economy
Qatari firm to invest $29.7 billion in Egypt coastal development
The project in the Alam al-Roum area, in Egypt's Matrouh Governorate, will span "4,900 acres... extending across a coastline of...
- Egypt, mired in its worst economic crisis in decades, is betting big on its 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) of coastline as a revenue source
- In 2024 the UAE said it would inject $35 billion in foreign direct investment into Egypt, including $24 billion that would go to developing the Ras al-Hikma area west of Alexandria
Geostrategy
Embracing heritage, Mamdani marks watershed for South Asian Americans
Washington, United States - In a victory speech capping his meteoric rise, New York's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani quoted at length...
- As he left the stage to a cheering cross-section of the metropolis, the song on the speaker was not one of the many well-worn tunes about New York but the beats from Bollywood
- Mamdani, winning a mandate with a left-wing agenda focused on making New York more affordable, has made history as the first South Asian to lead America's largest city
Economy
World has ‘the tools’ to unlock $1.3 trillion in climate finance: COP30 report
The 81-page report was released by the heads of last year's COP29 conference in Azerbaijan and the upcoming COP30 gathering...
- The 81-page report was released by the heads of last year's COP29 conference in Azerbaijan and the upcoming COP30 gathering in Belem, Brazil
- "This Roadmap aims to contribute as catalyst and foundation for the next phase of climate action," COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev and COP30 head Andre Correa do Lago said
How China leveraged its rare earths dominance over the US in tariff war
China's stranglehold on the rare earths industry -- from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation -- is the...
Economy
Company News
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Israeli strikes kill 27 in Gaza in spite of fragile truce, follows attacks targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon
The strikes were among the deadliest in Gaza since the truce entered into force last month, and came as Israel...
Geostrategy
COP30 dragged into clash over gender language
Negotiators say the effort -- by Paraguay, Argentina, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia as well as the Holy See -- seeks to...
Geostrategy
Italy’s Leonardo launches joint venture with UAE defence firm
Milan, Italy -- Italian defense group Leonardo said Wednesday it had agreed to launch a joint venture next year with...
Business
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Business
Nvidia, Microsoft invest $15 billion in AI startup Anthropic, creator of the Claude chatbot
Nvidia and Microsoft announced Tuesday investments totaling $15 billion in AI startup Anthropic, creator of the Claude chatbot, amid frenzied...
- AI chip powerhouse Nvidia committed up to $10 billion while Microsoft—which owns 27 percent of Anthropic rival OpenAI—pledged up to $5 billion to the maker of Claude AI models
- The deal was part of an agreement that saw Anthropic commit to buying $30 billion in Microsoft's cloud computing capacity and adopt the latest versions of Nvidia's chip technology
Geostrategy
UN Security Council votes for international force for Gaza, path to a future Palestinian state
Trump posted on social media that the vote "acknowledging and endorsing the BOARD OF PEACE, which will be chaired by...
- There were 13 votes in favor of the text, which US President Trump claimed would lead to "further Peace all over the World," with only Russia and China abstaining -- but no vetoes
- But Hamas, which is excluded by the resolution from any governance role in Gaza, said the resolution did not meet Palestinians' "political and humanitarian demands and rights."
Science
Turkey seeks to host next COP as co-presidency plans with Australia falter
Turkey wants to host next year's UN climate change talks and is ready to organise the event alone if there...
- Australia and Turkey are locked in a stalemate over who should host the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in 2026
- The host is selected by consensus, so unless Australia or Turkey withdraws or the countries agree to share the conference, both will miss out