UN, media groups condemn Israel’s deadly strike on Al Jazeera team in Gaza
Dozens of Gazans stood amid bombed-out buildings in the courtyard of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to pay their respects...
Geostrategy
Trump says to move homeless people ‘far’ from Washington
President Donald Trump said Sunday that homeless people must be moved "far" from Washington, after days of musing about taking...
Economy
Saudi Arabia captures cycling in sports charm offensive
This week's Saudi Tour is the first of three stage races in the Arabian Peninsula in February, with competitions also...
- The event is unfolding in a vast region of northwestern Saudi Arabia the size of Belgium that is home to UNESCO-listed archaeological sites and canyons - but few spectators
- Among the riders are Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, a winner of five stages at the Tour de France, and German veteran John Degenkolb, who has claimed titles at Paris-Roubaix
After Netanyahu talks, Macron warns of Iran nuclear ‘consequences’
France agrees that "firmness" is needed in dealings with Iran, a diplomatic source told earlier, saying the nuclear program had...
- In a statement released after a dinner meeting with Nenyahu in the Elysee Palace, Macron warned that Tehran continuing with the atomic project "would inevitably have consequences"
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit came after a weekend drone attack on a defense ministry facility in the Iranian city of Isfahan, which Tehran has blamed on Israel
Business
Iraq hopes talks can resolve hitches in US$10bn Total deal
Iraq admitted it had differences with France's TotalEnergies over a US$10-billion contract, including over the distribution of investments, but expressed...
- The French energy giant had signed the US$10-billion contract with Iraq in September 2021.
- The partnership has struggled to materialize amid reported signs of discord between the two sides.
Economy
Iraq calls for more economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia
Baghdad is currently heavily dependent on neighboring Iran for its electricity and gas and has sought to diversify its energy...
- Iraq's foreign minister said Riyadh was ready to back Saudi companies investing in Iraq and welcomed it.
- Despite being oil-rich, Iraq suffers from crumbling infrastructure and public services, after decades of conflict.
Geostrategy
France to host international meet on crisis-hit Lebanon
The Paris gathering is to be attended by representatives from France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. Lebanon...
- The political impasse has hampered efforts to lift the Mediterranean country out of its worst-ever financial crisis.
- The currency has lost more than 95 percent of its market value to the dollar since 2019, and more than 80 percent of the population lives in poverty.
Business
Telenor 2022 net profit at $4.5bn
Merger of its Malaysian subsidiary with a firm helped.
- Telenor said it had made good progress in the planned merger of its subsidiary Dtac with True in Thailand.
- The firm maintained its earnings forecast for the current year and proposed a slight increase in its dividend for 2022.
Geostrategy
Israel PM in France, hopes to gain support on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron hoping to gain support against Iran's nuclear...
- Netanyahu hopes that Iran's role supplying drones to Russian troops in Ukraine will prompt Western allies to drop ideas of a revival of the 2015 nuclear deal.
- Iran holds several foreign nationals who Western governments see as political hostages.
Business
Santander 2022 profit at $10.6bn
The bank's profit got a boost due to higher interest rates.
- Shareholders would receive a payout of around 40% of the group's underlying profit, divided equally between cash dividends and share buybacks
- Central banks have hiked interest rates worldwide in an effort to tame runaway inflation.
Shell annual profit hits $42bn
The post-tax figure was more than double the amount.
- Shell said it would return $4 billion to shareholders and significantly lift its dividend following the record earnings
- Shell is looking to reinvent itself under the company's former renewables boss Sawan, who replaced Ben van Beurden
Kuwait projects widening $16 bn budget deficit
The budget deficit will swell to five billion dinars (more than $16 billion) for the year starting in April, up...
- The state spending will rise by 11.7 percent to more than $86 billion, with 80 percent going on civil service wages and public subsidies
- Oil revenues are expected to fall by 19.5 percent, they were calculated based on a price of $70 per barrel -- lower than last year's prices
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
UN, media groups condemn Israel’s deadly strike on Al Jazeera team in Gaza
Dozens of Gazans stood amid bombed-out buildings in the courtyard of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to pay their respects...
Geostrategy
Company News
Aramco profit down in 2023
Business
Latest News
US in ‘around-the-clock’ push against Mideast war
Biden called King Abdullah II of Jordan, which helped down Iranian drones and missiles in an earlier showdown in April,...
Geostrategy
US personnel injured in rocket attack on Iraq base
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the attack, the White House said. "They discussed...
Geostrategy
Biden to meet national security chiefs as Mideast war fears grow
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 nations that any attack could happen within 24...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Shah Rukh Khan to be honoured at Locarno Film Festival
Held on the shores of Lake Maggiore, in the Italian-speaking Ticino region of southern Switzerland, films are screened in Locarno's...
- Bollywood superstar Khan, 58, will on Saturday be given the Pardo alla Carriera award for people whose artistic contributions have redefined cinema
- Founded in 1946, Locarno is one of the world's longest-running annual film festivals and focuses on auteur cinema.
Geostrategy
G7 foreign ministers met by videoconference over Mideast: Italy
Rome, Italy -- G7 foreign ministers met by videoconference Sunday to discuss the Middle East and expressed "strong concern" over the...
- "Together with our partners, we have expressed strong concern about recent events that threaten to determine a regionalization of the crisis," Italian foreign minister said.
- The foreign ministers, it said, "reiterated the priority of a favorable conclusion of the negotiations on the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages".
Geostrategy
Travellers rush to leave Lebanon amid spiking tensions
Several airlines including Lufthansa and Air France have delayed or suspended flights to Lebanon, and countries have issued urgent calls...
- Fears have spiked that months of cross-border violence could degenerate into all-out conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, who last fought a devastating war in the summer of 2006.
- Embassies have repeatedly urged their citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial flights are still available.