Israeli rights group accuses general of war crimes in West Bank
A leading Israeli rights organisation said Monday that it had requested a military investigation into a senior commander over suspected...
Geostrategy
Egyptian farmers behind world’s perfumes face climate fight alone, yield drops by half
For years, Egyptian jasmine picker Wael al-Sayed has collected blossoms by night in the Nile Delta, supplying top global perfume...
Economy
EU agency calls for reduction in pesticide use after sales remain stable
Pesticide pollution is also driving biodiversity loss across the continent, causing significant declines in insect populations and threatening the critical role...
- Pesticides are widely used in the agriculture sector but also in forestry, along roads and railways, and in urban areas such as public parks, playgrounds or gardens
- In 2020, one or more pesticides were detected above thresholds of concern at 22 percent of all monitoring sites in rivers and lakes across Europe, the EEA said
Google, Microsoft rake in large Q1 profits amid escalating AI rivalry
Google found itself under pressure due to a general slowdown in advertising spending, over-hiring during a Covid-era boom and a...
- Google's quarterly revenue came in at nearly $70 billion, better than expected by analysts, and in the same three-month period that the company said it would lay off 12,000 staff
- Microsft reported profit of $18.3 billion on revenue of $52.9 billion as Cloud and AI more than offset drops in revenue from licensing Windows software to computer makers
Economy
US consumer confidence falls ahead of Federal Reserve decision
US consumer confidence fell more than many predicted in April, fueled by a deterioration in expectations among Americans over 55...
- The consumer confidence index fell in April to 101.3, down from a revised 104.0 in March, the Conference Board said in a statement.
- New home sales in the United States defied expectations to hit a one-year high in March, the Commerce Department said.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia seizes 12m amphetamine pills, arrests four
Saudi Arabia regularly announces seizures of amphetamine pills without specifying whether they are captagon, used by wealthy Saudis as a...
- The consignment of 12,729,000 amphetamine pills was hidden in a shipment of pomegranate fruit, and was passing Jeddah port.
- The authorities arrested four people on charges of smuggling the pills, which included two Egyptians, Syrian and a Yemeni national.
Geostrategy
Russia hosts talks for normalizing ties between Syria, Turkey
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu hosted four-way talks aimed at normalizing ties between Ankara and Damascus, which were severed at...
- Russia stressed the importance of countering "the fight against all extremist groups in Syria".
- All participants "reaffirmed their respect for Syria's territorial integrity", the Turkish defense ministry said.
Geostrategy
Concern over Biden’s age as he decides to run for re-election in 2024
The veteran Democrat would be 86 by the end of a second term. Even if a medical exam in February...
- After a series of legislative wins and momentous foreign policy struggles in his first two years in office, no one possess any challenge to him from within his party.
- But in a campaign that may result in a rematch of the 2020 election against Donald Trump, he is expected to face constant and fierce scrutiny over his age.
Geostrategy
WHO expresses concern after fighters take over lab in Sudan
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that fighters in conflict-ravaged Sudan had occupied the national public laboratory...
- Fighters "kicked out all the technicians from the lab," said Nima Saeed Abid, the WHO's representative in Sudan.
- The lab held so-called isolates, or samples, of a range of deadly diseases, including measles, polio and cholera.
Business
Spotify users top 515m
The company posted a first quarter operating loss of $172 million.
- The Swedish company also saw the number of paying subscribers grow to 210 million.
- Spotify said it posted its strongest first quarter in 2023 since 2018 when it became public.
Business
Novartis Q1 profit at $2.3bn
Heart disease, cancer medicines helped enhance revenue.
- Novartis said that its operating profit would likely increase in the high single-digits this year.
- The group would prioritize "high-value" medicines" across five core areas to drive its productivity.
Business
Samsung SDI unveils $3bn JV with GM
The firm will build an electric vehicle battery plant in the US.
- The location of the facility has not yet been determined but it is expected to be in full gear and ready to start mass production in 2026.
- It was expected to create thousands of jobs and the new factory would be equipped with "an annual production capacity of more than 30 gigawatts-hour".
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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
Israeli rights group accuses general of war crimes in West Bank
A leading Israeli rights organisation said Monday that it had requested a military investigation into a senior commander over suspected...
Geostrategy
Company News
OpenAI comes to Asia
Business
Latest News
Bitcoin close to record as cautious markets eye US election
The surge in the price of bitcoin is seen as a bet on a Republican victory, as Donald Trump has...
How harmful are microplastics to human health?
A New England Journal of Medicine study found microplastics in blood vessels are linked to higher risks of heart attack,...
Hezbollah names Naim Qassem as leader; Israel vows he “won’t last long” amid escalating conflict
Hezbollah's Qassem, succeeding slain Nasrallah, pledges resistance as Israel intensifies Gaza strikes, killing scores. International anger grows after Israel's UNRWA...
Most Read
Economy
Asian shares rise as markets await tech results
Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday with investors looking ahead to the release of US economic data and the earnings reports...
- Oil market concerns shifted focus on potential oversupply in 2025
- Investors are also awaiting the Bank of Japan's rate decision later this week
Arts & Culture
‘Amazing’ AI de-ages Tom Hanks in new film ‘Here’
Los Angeles, United States - Tom Hanks has praised the "amazing" use of artificial intelligence to de-age him "in real time"...
- Hanks portrays his character from an idealistic teen, through various stages of youth and middle age, to a frail, elderly man
- But rather than just relying on makeup, filmmakers teamed up with AI studio Metaphysic on a tool called Metaphysic Live, to rejuvenate and "age up" the actors
Geostrategy
Updates: Israel slaps ban on United Nations and kills more than 150 in Lebanon and Gaza
Shunning international pressure, Israeli parliament passed a bill banning a United Nations aid agency, and also intensified its strikes against...
- UNRWA has provided essential aid, schooling, healthcare and assistance across the Palestinian territories and to Palestinian refugees
- US President Joe Biden said: "We need a [Gaza] ceasefire. We should end this war. It should end, it should end, it should end."