Defiant Khamenei insists ‘won’t back down’ in face of growing Iran protests
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday insisted the Islamic republic would "not back down" in the face of...
Geostrategy
Saudi strikes Yemen after separatist leader skips talks
A Saudi-led coalition struck the home province of Yemen's UAE-backed separatist leader on Wednesday, after he failed to show up...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Iran Guards seize foreign-crewed oil tanker in Gulf: state media
Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday seized an oil tanker in the Gulf carrying more than a dozen foreign crew members,...
- Iranian forces regularly announce the interception of ships it says are illegally transporting fuel in the Gulf
- They regularly target tankers that Tehran accuses of being part of the illicit trade in the Strait of Hormuz
Geostrategy
Israel to invest $110 billion over the next decade to develop its own independent arms industry
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel would invest $110 billion over the next decade to develop its own...
- In a controversial speech, Netanyahu said Israel was becoming increasingly isolated and had to adopt a "super-Sparta" approach
- In 2026, Israel will allocate about 16 percent of its public budget to defence -- around $35 billion out of an overall budget of $208 billion
Geostrategy
Libyans united in grief for army chief killed in plane crash
General Mohammed al-Haddad and his four aides died on Tuesday after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an...
- "It will be hard to find a man of his calibre," Nasreddine al-Maghribi told AFP at a cafe in Libyan capital Tripoli.
- Until a successor is selected, Haddad's deputy, General Salaheddine al-Namroush, will stand in for him, according to the presidential council.
Business
Why metal prices are soaring to record highs
London, United Kingdom -- Precious and industrial metals are surging to record highs as the year ends, driven by economic...
- Gold has climbed more than 70 percent this year and passed $4,500 an ounce for the first time on Wednesday.
- A weak dollar is also boosting industrial metals, since commodities priced in dollars become cheaper for buyers when the currency falls.
Geostrategy
Palestinian Authority says Israel tightening control over West Bank with new settlements
The Palestinian Authority condemned on Tuesday Israel's recent approval of 19 settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing it of...
- On Sunday, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the authorities had greenlit the settlements
- The latest move brings the total number of settlements approved over the past three years to 69, Smotrich's office said
Economy
“New Suez Canal on rails”: Egypt high-speed trains to connect Red Sea, Mediterranean
Workers have started laying tracks in the desert east of Cairo for Egypt's first high-speed train, which will link the...
- The Green Line, as it is known, is the latest of a long list of megaprojects undertaken by El-Sisi's government in the past decade
- The Green Line will run across the country's north, from Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean
Geostrategy
Gazans fear renewed displacement after Israeli strikes
Residents say the strikes have targeted neighborhoods east of the so-called Yellow Line -- a demarcation established under the truce...
- Earlier this month, Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir described the Yellow Line as the "new border line" with Israel.
- For Palestinian officials, the line is seen as a tool for permanent displacement.
Business
Kuwait signs $4.1 billion deal with China to build port
Kuwait City, Kuwait -- Kuwait has signed a deal worth $4.1 billion with China to complete the construction of a...
- Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah project would "enhance Kuwait's share in the regional and international trade and global supply chain".
- Chinese acting charge d'affaires Liu Xiang said the deal "constitutes participation in the 'belt and road' initiative".
Geostrategy
Ex-Israeli PM accuses Netanyahu of ‘treason’ over alleged Qatar funding to his aides
Former Israeli premier Naftali Bennett, widely regarded as a leading contender in next year's legislative elections, called on Monday for...
- Bennet's remarks followed a report which purportedly revealed conversations between Netanyahu's advisers in connection with the case
- In April 2025, Netanyahu declared that Qatar was "not an enemy" of Israel, defending his two advisers who had been taken into custody
Business
Tech stocks lead Wall Street higher, gold hits fresh record
Tech firms also led the rally in Asia, with South Korea's Samsung Electronics, Taiwan's TSMC and Japan's Renesas among the...
- Gold, which benefits from expectations of lower US interest rates, hit a fresh record of $4,442.19, while silver also struck a new peak.
- The precious metals, which are go-to assets in times of crisis, also benefited from geopolitical worries as Washington steps up its oil blockade against Venezuela.
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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
Defiant Khamenei insists ‘won’t back down’ in face of growing Iran protests
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday insisted the Islamic republic would "not back down" in the face of...
Geostrategy
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Bondi shooting responders honoured at Sydney Ashes Test
Sydney, Australia -- England and Australia's cricket teams honoured at the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney on Sunday emergency service...
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists announce two-year transition towards independence in south
Yemen's UAE-backed separatists on Friday announced the start of a two-year transitional period towards declaring an independent state after their...
Geostrategy
Norway closes in on objective of 100 percent electric car sales
Oslo, Norway -- Norway came close to its objective of selling only zero-emission cars in 2025, with electric vehicles accounting...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Somaliland denies it will host Palestinians, Israeli base
The breakaway region of Somaliland on Thursday denied allegations by the Somali president that it would take resettled Palestinians or...
- Israel last week became the first country to recognise Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state", triggering protests across Somalia
- Somaliland unilaterally declared independence in 1991 and has enjoyed far more peace than the rest of conflict-hit Somalia, establishing its own elections, currency and army
Business
BYD logs record EV sales in 2025
It sold 2.26m EVs vs Tesla's 1.22 by Sept end.
- Tesla is expected to announce its total EV sales for last year on Friday.
- Shenzhen-based BYD, which also produces hybrid cars, announced the data in a statement published to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, where it is listed.
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists say Saudi-backed forces to deploy in seized territories
A surprise STC offensive seizing resource-rich Hadramawt and Mahra has pushed the UAE and Saudi Arabia, officially allies in Yemen,...
- On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen struck what it said was a shipment of Emirati weapons destined for the separatists.
- But a source close to the Saudi government told AFP on Thursday that Saudi Arabia's security needs would only be met if the STC "move out of Hadramawt and Mahra".