Putin and Zelensky set for peace summit after Trump’s talks with him, alongside European leaders
Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday but the talks failed to yield any breakthrough on a...
Geostrategy
Zelensky returns to site of stunning Oval Office shouting match to talk peace with Russia
European leaders will join Zelensky in Washington on Monday, seeking above all else to prevent another Oval Office meltdown -- but...
Geostrategy
Google launches Bard, the ChatGPT rival in US and UK
Bard, ChatGPT and other similar artificial intelligence apps churn out essays, poems or computing code on command and have taken...
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai told staff that after testing Bard with 80,000 Google employees, the chatbot would be tested with the public in US and Britain
- People wishing to play with Bard can sign up on a waiting list at bard.google.com website, distinctly separate from the tech giant's search engine
Xi by his side, Putin accuses west of rejecting Beijing’s peace proposals
Putin called the talks with Chinese president "meaningful and frank" and said that Russia, which has been largely cut out...
- Putin said he was open to talks on Ukraine and praised Beijing's 12-point position paper on the conflict, which includes a call for dialogue
- Energy is a key focus of Xi's visit, and Putin announced the two countries had reached an agreement on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline
Geostrategy
China diplomatic offensive lays down new challenge for US
But US officials and experts say that China's diplomacy is not so much about ending the war as an attempt...
- Xi pushed forward positions on Ukraine during two days of talks in Moscow, a week after China announced the restoration of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia
- The United States has been skeptical of China's diplomatic offensive, believing its proposed ceasefire would only provide time for Russia to regroup forces
Business
EU raids energy drink Red Bull over violation of antitrust rules
If the company raided is guilty of antitrust violations, it risks large fines but can be granted immunity if it...
- EU's executive arm said earlier its teams carried out unannounced inspections Monday at the premises of Red Bull.
- EU authority is probing allegations the company violated antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices.
Geostrategy
Israel annuls law banning settlers from residing in West Bank areas
The parliamentary vote notably paves the way for Israeli authorities to formally allow settlers to return to Homesh, the only...
- An amendment approved by lawmakers overnight permits Israelis to return to the West Bank settlement sites near the city of Nablus.,
- Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who claimed "there isn't a Palestinian people", heralded the parliamentary vote as "historic".
Geostrategy
Tunisia dismisses EU official’s ‘looming economic collapse’ warning
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell had warned Monday that if crisis-torn Tunisia "collapses economically or socially then we...
- Tunisia has suffered over a decade of economic and political crisis since its 2011 revolution, culminating in a July 2021 power grab by President Kais Saied.
- Tunis is in prolonged talks with the International Monetary Fund for a $2-billion bailout package to help the heavily indebted treasury balance its books.
Geostrategy
China must listen to Ukraine on peace plan: NATO chief
The head of the Western military alliance said he welcomed any proposals that could lead to a "just and sustainable...
- Putin told Xi he was open to discussing a 12-point position paper put forward by Beijing, which includes a call for dialogue and respect for all countries' territorial integrity
- China has sought to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, but Washington has said Beijing's moves could be a "stalling tactic" to help Moscow
Arts & Culture
Libyans brace for low-caffeine Ramadan days
The love for espresso is the relic of the Italian colonial rule in Libya. Tripoli is dotted with cafes, all...
- Libyans have been drinking coffee since at least the 15th century, as beans from Yemen made their way along North African trade routes and into Europe.
- But when Italy occupied Libya in 1911, the country's coffee culture adopted a new twist, with punchy espressos taking the place of cardamom-tinted Arabic coffee.
Economy
World Bank expects Syria economy to contract 2.3% due to quake
Washington, United States--Syria's economy is expected to contract 2.3% more than it otherwise would have due to the impact of last...
- The World Bank said that the damage from earthquake will cost the Syrian economy $5.2 billion, including physical damages of $3.7 billion and losses of $1.5 billion
- It added that the quake effect is likely to widen Syria's economic contraction by 2.3 percent to 5.5 percent this year, worsening economic woes in the war-scarred nation
Business
Haute couture to upcycled outfits: Iraq fashionistas champion climate-friendly vintage wear
Haute couture has given way to upcycled outfits, sourced entirely from used clothes, as the models strut, pause and pivot...
- The global fashion industry accounted for two percent of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to the World Resources Institute
- Campaigners and a growing number of climate-conscious social media influencers have led a push toward sustainable fashion
Most Read
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
Putin and Zelensky set for peace summit after Trump’s talks with him, alongside European leaders
Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday but the talks failed to yield any breakthrough on a...
Geostrategy
Company News
Mubadala acquires KELIX bio
Business
Latest News
Lebanon flights suspended as Hezbollah-Israel tensions continue to spiral out of control
Major airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Air France have suspended growing numbers of flights to Lebanon as tensions...
Nearly 500 dead in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon
Israeli air strikes on Lebanon killed at least 492 people on Monday, including 35 children, Lebanon's health ministry said, marking...
Geostrategy
Economy – the biggest loser in the Israeli-Arab war
The sheer scale of destruction from the deadliest war in Gaza's history has made the road to recovery difficult to...
Economy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Hamas weakened, not crushed a year into war with Israel
The Palestinian group has not been crushed outright, and a year on from its unprecedented attack on Israel, an end...
- In one of the biggest blows to the movement since it was founded in 1987 during the Palestinian intifada uprising, Hamas's leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran on July 31
- On the Gaza battlefield, Israeli forces have aggressively pursued both Sinwar and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, whom Israel says it killed in an air strike
Geostrategy
World leaders gather at UN as Mideast tensions explode
Escalating clashes between Israel and Hezbollah threatened to overshadow US President Joe Biden's final appearance at the UN's signature annual...
- UN Security Council member France called for an emergency meeting on the crisis engulfing the Middle East
- Top diplomat of European Union Josep Borrell warned, "we are almost in a full-fledged war" about the Lebanon-Israel situation
Geostrategy
Biden’s United States powerless as Israel pounds Lebanon
US President Joe Biden's top priorities for the past 11 months has been to prevent the Gaza war from spiraling...
- Biden administration was presenting "concrete ideas" to provide an "off-ramp" to prevent further fighting at UN
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushed aside warnings of the dangers of regional war