Hezbollah vows to fight disarmament as Lebanon PM slams civil war ‘threats’
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem vowed Friday to fight government plans to disarm his group, with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam...
Geostrategy
Trump says semiconductor tariffs coming soon
"I'll be setting tariffs next week and the week after, on steel and, I would say, chips. Chips and semiconductors,...
Economy
Economy
World Bank pauses Tunisia program over president’s migrant remarks
In the message sent on Sunday evening, the bank's outgoing President David Malpass said Saied's tirade had triggered "racially motivated...
- World Bank President David Malpass noted that measures announced by the Tunisian government to protect and support migrants and refugees marked a "positive step"
- According to official figures, there are around 21,000 undocumented migrants from other parts of Africa in Tunisia, which is home to around 12 million people
UN culture chief vows to help rebuild conflict-hit, heritage-rich Iraq
Years of war and insurgency have taken a heavy toll on the many Mesopotamian, Islamic and Christian treasures in a...
- The mission of UNESCO chief comes ahead of the 20th anniversary later this month of the US-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein
- Since 2018 the UN agency has raised more than $150 million for projects in Iraq, mostly the reconstruction of Mosul
Poor countries call for debt resolution at UN summit
Western nations gave out more than $185 billion in grants and cheap loans in 2021, according to the OECD. Official...
- The UN Development Program (UNDP) has estimated that 52 countries were either suffering debt stress or close to it and in danger of default
- China, now the biggest single creditor nation, has recently indicated a willingness to work with the IMF and other institutions to organize debt relief
Economy
US wants hike in global crude output, including from OPEC: official
The United States wants to see a hike in oil production, including from OPEC countries, said a senior State Department...
- OPEC+ decided in early October to cut production by two million barrels per day and has not changed its output level since
- The US president has regularly called in the last year for an increase in the OPEC+ output, but the cartel has not raised its quotas
Geostrategy
Turkey’s opposition scrambles to select consensus candidate
Analysts view the opposition's failure to put aside their differences just two months before the vote as one of the...
- Tayyip Erdogan faces the fight of his political life in what many view as Turkey's most consequential election.
- The 68-year-old leader will need to overcome the twin hurdles of an economic crisis and a devastating earthquake.
Economy
Saudi Arabia to deposit $5 bn in quake-hit Turkey’s central bank
Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Saudi tourism minister and board chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development, signed an agreement with...
- The decision, which will shore up Turkey's foreign reserves and help it combat inflation, was made on the order of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Turkey was already suffering from skyrocketing inflation and a weakening currency before last month's massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake.
Economy
Judge to quiz Lebanese central bank head in embezzlement case
Lebanon opened its probe following a request for assistance from Switzerland's public prosecutor probing more than $300 million in fund...
- The 72-year-old central bank governor is the subject of several domestic and international investigations over suspicions of money laundering.
- The governor denies all accusations against him and has rarely appeared before the judiciary, despite numerous complaints and summonses.
Geostrategy
Severe punishment for people behind poisoning, says Iran
Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said those behind the poisoning of schoolgirls in recent months should face "severe punishment",...
- Female pupils have reported suffering symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea and vertigo after detecting "unpleasant" or "unknown" odors
- Last week, deputy health minister Younes Panahi said that the suspected attacks were aimed at shutting down education for girls.
Arts & Culture
Dimpled sphinx statue unearthed in Egypt
The limestone artifact, believed to be a stylized representation of an ancient Roman emperor, was found inside a two-level tomb...
- Next to the "beautifully and accurately carved" sphinx, researchers had found "a Roman stele written in demotic and hieroglyphic" scripts.
- The country has unveiled major archaeological discoveries in recent months, primarily in the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo but also in Giza.
Business
Norway earns record oil, gas revenue after Ukraine war prices rise
Norway earned 1.5 trillion kroner ($140 billion) in revenues from oil and gas, according to estimates by Statistics Norway (SSB)....
- The exceptional revenues have sometimes earned Norway the label of "war profiteer", a label that Oslo rejects.
- Norway has pledged 75 billion kroner in civil and military aid to Ukraine over the next five years (2023-2027), or 15 billion kroner per year.
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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
Hezbollah vows to fight disarmament as Lebanon PM slams civil war ‘threats’
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem vowed Friday to fight government plans to disarm his group, with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Global stock markets wobble as investors weigh US jobs data
Since US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stated last month that the time for interest rates to begin coming down...
Economy
Iraqi date farmers fight drought to protect national treasure
Janājah, Iraq - Bare feet pressed against the rough trunk of a palm tree, his back supported by a metal and...
Hamas urges US pressure on Israel over Gaza truce
Palestinian Territories - Hamas called on the United States Thursday to "exert real pressure" on Israel to reach a Gaza...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Israeli airstrike kills five Palestinians in West Bank
Palestinian medics said an air strike targeting a car in the occupied West Bank killed five people on Thursday, while...
- Israel launched a large-scale offensive across the northern West Bank on August 28, killing 38 Palestinians
- A large number of Israeli troops stormed the Al-Faraa refugee camp in Tubas governorate, where explosions were heard.
Geostrategy
German foreign minister heads to Middle East in Gaza truce push
The talks will focus on "the dramatic situation in the region", and especially to discuss the issue of coordinating humanitarian...
- Pressure has mounted on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a deal to end the fighting
- Baerbock will set off Wednesday evening for Saudi Arabia where she will hold talks with Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud
Geostrategy
Pressure piles on Israel’s Netanyahu over Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting international and domestic pressure after the killing in Gaza of six captives, with...
- Britain said Monday it would suspend some arms exports to Israel
- A strike a by the Histadrut trade union seeking a hostage deal brought parts of Israel to a standstill