Iran says return of IAEA inspectors not full resumption of cooperation
Iran said Wednesday that the return of UN nuclear inspectors did not represent a full resumption of cooperation, which was...
Geostrategy
Amnesty urges war crimes probe into Israeli destruction in Lebanon
Amnesty International said Tuesday that the Israeli army's extensive destruction of civilian property in south Lebanon, including after a ceasefire...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Israeli strikes kill soldier in Syria, damage Aleppo airport
Israeli strikes targeted north Syria's Aleppo province, killing a soldier, wounding seven people and putting the area's international airport out...
- Strikes "completely destroyed" a munitions depot in the Nayrab airfield area, killing a Syrian army officer, said a Britain-based war monitor.
- Israeli missiles also fell on Syrian air force factories in the Safireh area of Aleppo province, the war monitor said, "causing extensive material damage".
Geostrategy
Over 430,000 people have fled homes in Sudan, says UN
The fighting in Sudan has caused over 330,000 people to flee their homes within the country, with over 100,000 others...
- The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said an estimated 334,000 people had been internally displaced by the fighting.
- The UN said its 2023 aid appeals for Sudan were $1.5 billion short and only 14 percent funded.
Economy
Eurozone banks toughen lending criteria, says ECB
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Eurozone banks tightened lending criteria in the first quarter at their fastest pace since the 2011 sovereign debt...
- A net 27 percent of banks reported a tightening of credit standards for loans to companies, meaning it is harder for the enterprises to borrow.
- Demand for housing loans declined, while there was a smaller decrease in consumer credit and other lending to households.
Economy
Eurozone inflation rises to 7% in April after five months fall
Consumer prices edged up from 6.9 percent in March, which could further encourage the European Central Bank (ECB) to raise...
- Food and drink prices keep climbing, putting pressure on European households, but the pace of the increase slowed to 13.6 percent in April.
- The eurozone's core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, fell slightly to 5.6 percent in March from 5.7 percent a month earlier.
Geostrategy
Khader Adnan becomes first Palestinian to die of hunger strike
His Tuesday death came during his 13th stint in Israeli custody, with nearly eight years of his life spent behind...
- In 2012, a 66-day hunger strike turned Adnan into a national hero, and revitalized hunger striking as a form of protest among Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli jails.
- His widow, Randa Mousa, warned against retaliation. "We don't want someone to launch rockets and then (have Israeli) strikes (on) Gaza," she told reporters.
Geostrategy
COP28 chair Sultan Al jaber urges tripling of renewables capacity
Al Jaber's call marked a public endorsement of a target laid out by the International Energy Agency. Last month at...
- Rather, the COP28 chair said the focus must be on removing the emissions they produce while stepping up renewables.
- Al Jaber also called on developed countries to deliver a long promised $100-billion climate package for developing countries.
Geostrategy
US exhorts Lebanese parliament to elect new president
Former president Michel Aoun's term expired in October, with no successor lined up. Countries including France, the United States and...
- A caretaker cabinet with limited powers has been at the helm since May last year after legislative polls gave no side a clear majority
- Numerous parliamentary votes have been held since October 2022, but no candidate has garnered enough support to succeed Michel Aoun
BP back in Q1 profit
In Q1 2022, BP posted its biggest loss ever at $20.4bn.
- BP posted for the first three months of 2022 its biggest quarterly loss ever, at $20.4 billion after taxes, after Western sanctions forced its exit from Russia
- The company also revealed that underlying profit dropped by one fifth to $5 billion, reflecting lower energy prices compared with one year earlier
‘Godfather of AI’ quits Google to warn of the tech’s dangers
The scientist warned about the potential spread of misinformation created by AI, telling the media that the average person will...
- Geoffrey Hinton, who created a foundation technology for AI systems, said that advancements made in the field posed "profound risks to society and humanity"
- Hinton said that competition between tech giants was pushing companies to release new AI technologies at dangerous speeds, risking jobs and spreading misinformation
Alternatives to Musk-owned Twitter fail to catch on
Bluesky was created by Twitter's co-founder Jack Dorsey and is now the talk of Silicon Valley, leaving those in the...
- Unknown to the general public, Mastodon saw its popularity explode when Musk took over Twitter, though still way off Twitter's roughly 200 million monthly users
- Musk last month briefly blocked links and search responses to Substack, the site that helps writers monetize their work, after the site launched Substack notes
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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
Iran says return of IAEA inspectors not full resumption of cooperation
Iran said Wednesday that the return of UN nuclear inspectors did not represent a full resumption of cooperation, which was...
Geostrategy
Company News
Syria has held ‘meetings’ with US: Assad
Geostrategy
Latest News
UN probe says women, children comprise the majority of Gaza war dead
In a fresh report, the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) detailed a raft of violations of international law. Many...
Geostrategy
Who will staff Trump’s Govt? A look at top contenders, with Elon Musk among the likely picks
Tesla CEO Elon Musk could head a new "Department of Government Efficiency," promising $2 trillion in federal budget cuts and...
Geostrategy
Emirates half-year profit $2.5bn
The record profit is subject to new 9% corporate tax for the first time.
Business
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Trump victory reflects Arab-American support, Netanyahu discusses Iran with him amid lingering regional conflict
In a unique campaign twist, Trump captured Muslim voters by pledging diplomacy, promising to end prolonged conflicts and promote stability,...
- His new Muslim supporters are celebrating his victory and confident he will deliver despite Israel, led by his close ally Benjamin Netanyahu
- But during this campaign, Trump touted his status as Israel's strongest friend, saying Biden should let Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu "finish the job" against Hamas in Gaza
Economy
US Fed expected to look beyond Trump win and cut rates again
The labor market has remained resilient, despite a sharp hiring slowdown last month due to adverse weather conditions and a...
- Fed policymakers are expected to focus instead on the health of the US economy
- Their favored inflation gauge eased to 2.1 percent in the 12 months to September
Geostrategy
What impact will Donald Trump have on the world economy?
Paris, France -- Donald Trump's return to the White House with his protectionist policies poses threats for the global economy, with...
- During his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump often resorted to punitive tariffs in disputes with trade partners.
- Donald Trump's policies could also rekindle inflation, which cooled following a series of interest-rate hikes that the Federal Reserve began to unwind this year.