Syria postpones selection of lawmakers from Druze, Kurdish-held areas
A Syrian official said Saturday that the selection process planned for a transitional parliament next month will be postponed in...
Geostrategy
US Fed chair opens door to rate cut as Trump steps up pressure
Last year, the Fed chair used his keynote speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium to indicate the time...
Economy
Thousands throng Jerusalem for Orthodox Easter ‘Holy Fire’ rite
In the past about 10,000 worshippers would fill the church, with many more crowding outside, before the flame was flown...
- The church is in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, and for the second consecutive year Israeli police had told church leaders access would be considerably restricted
- Christians made up more than 18 per cent of the population of the Holy Land when Israel was created in 1948, but now they are fewer than two percent, mostly Orthodox
Iraq’s ancient treasures blasted by sandstorms linked to climate change
Iraq, one of the countries worst-hit by climate change, endured a dozen major sandstorms last year that turned the sky...
- After a decade of worsening storms, sand at Umm al-Aqarib now "covers a good part of the site", that dates back to around 2350 BC
- Compounding its woes, Iraq is also one of the five countries most impacted by some effects of climate change, including drought, says UN
Economy
G7 climate ministers pledge to end plastic pollution by 2040
A statement put out by G7 said the phase-out will be achieved by "promoting sustainable consumption and production of plastics,...
- The G7 statement said the group remains committed to end plastic pollution, with the resolve to lower additional pollution to zero by 2040
- According to the OECD group of developed countries, during the last 20 years plastic waste has doubled globally and only nine percent is recycled
Economy
Fire in Dubai apartment building kills 16, injures 9
Dubai, United Arab Emirates--A fire in a residential building in Dubai killed 16 people and injured nine others in the wealthy...
- The fire, according to the civil defence force, was caused by a "a lack of compliance with building safety and security requirements"
- The authorities, in 2017, adopted stricter building regulations to minimise the risk of fire, attributed mainly to flammable materials
Economy
US banks may become more cautious in granting loans: Yellen
Still predicting "moderate GDP growth, US treasury secretary has affirmed that the country's banks may be more cautious in granting...
- Yellen told CNN that banks will be "somewhat more cautious" in their operations, including in issuing loans to households and businesses
- But at press conference on Tuesday, Yellen indicated that she had "not really seen evidence at this stage suggesting a contraction in credit."
Geostrategy
Lula visit: Brazil, UAE seal climate, biofuels deals
They also announced a series of deals, including one for the UAE-controlled Mataripe refinery in northeastern Brazil to invest up...
- The countries said in a joint statement the leaders had discussed a range of subjects including trade, technology, defense, aviation and food security
- The strategically located Gulf monarchy is Brazil's second-largest trading partner in the Middle East, according to the official WAM news agency
Geostrategy
Brazil president reaches UAE to enhance bilateral ties
ABU DHABI, UAE - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived here Saturday, following a two-day visit to China to...
- The UAE is Brazil's second-largest trading partner in the Middle East, according to reports.
- Trade between the two trade excluding petrol totaled over US$4 million in 2022 - a 32 percent rise from 2021.
Geostrategy
Iranian police to prosecute women violating dress code
Iranian police said they will deal with women who violate the Islamic dress code. The number of women defying the...
- A wave of civil protest swept the Islamic republic after Amini's death, three days after her arrest by the morality police.
- "Removing hijab is considered a crime, and the police deal with social anomalies within the framework of the law," the police said
Geostrategy
Saudi plane hit by gunfire in Sudan unrest, says airline
A passenger plane preparing to take off from Sudan for Saudi Arabia came under fire as deadly fighting rocked Khartoum,...
- Clashes broke out between Sudan's army and paramilitaries, and the doctors' union reported three civilian deaths, including at Khartoum's airport.
- Both the Saudi foreign ministry and the Gulf Cooperation Council, headquartered in Riyadh, issued statements of concern about the violence.
Geostrategy
Nuclear power reactors to shut down in Germany
BERLIN, GERMANY - Germany will switch off its last three nuclear reactors on Saturday, exiting atomic power even as it seeks...
- The exit decision was popular in a country with a powerful anti-nuclear movement, stoked by lingering fears of Cold War conflict and atomic disasters.
- The challenge caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine put an end to cheap gas imports and has upped calls in Germany to delay withdrawal from nuclear power.
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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
Syria postpones selection of lawmakers from Druze, Kurdish-held areas
A Syrian official said Saturday that the selection process planned for a transitional parliament next month will be postponed in...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Major tech companies turn to nuclear energy to power data centers and AI initiatives
Firms such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are now looking to outgun each other to tap atomic energy, while Goldman...
Science
“Sextortion” of teens puts Instagram in trouble; Meta announces new combat measures
Instagram and Facebook's parent company Meta accepts the rise of child/teen predators on Instagram and subsequently announces measures to battle...
UN report says 1.1 billion people in acute poverty
More than one billion people are living in acute poverty across the globe, a UN Development Program report said Thursday,...
Economy
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Geostrategy
Middle East crisis top-of-mind at first EU-Gulf summit in Brussels
Confirmed at the last minute, the presence of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince among the six Gulf leaders in attendance heightened...
- The European Union is the second-largest trading partner for GCC countries but talks on a trade pact have languished for years.
- Gulf countries have repeatedly called for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, with some playing a key role in efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
Economy
Asian markets track Wall Street losses on worries over tech rally
Hong Kong, China- Asian markets mostly fell on Wednesday after a tech-led sell-off on Wall Street fueled by worries about the...
- Chip titan and market darling Nvidia sank more than four percent
- Japan's Nikkei 225 was off more than two percent
Netanyahu rejects ceasefire’ in Lebanon, Hezbollah threatens to expand the scope of its missile strikes across Israel
In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Netanyahu said he was "opposed to a unilateral ceasefire, which does not...
- Netanyahu's comments came as the United States ramped up pressure over Israel's conduct of the wars in Lebanon and Gaza
- Netanyahu has insisted there must be a buffer zone along Israel's border with Lebanon where there is no presence of Hezbollah fighters