China says to launch digital currency action plan
Beijing, China -- China will on January 1 launch an "action plan" for boosting management and operations of its digital...
Economy
Iraqis cover soil with clay to curb sandstorms
Samawah, Iraq -- Deep in Iraq’s southern desert, bulldozers and earthmovers spread layers of moist clay over sand dunes as...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Trump orders deployment of nuclear submarines in response to ‘provocative’ Russian comments
The United States and Russia control the vast majority of the world's nuclear weaponry, and Washington keeps nuclear-armed submarines on...
- Trump did not say whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines, and he also did not elaborate on the locations, which are kept secret by the US military
- Trump did not refer specifically to what Medvedev had said to prompt the highly unusual public display of nuclear saber-rattling
Geostrategy
Israeli writer Grossman denounces Gaza ‘genocide’
Rome, Italy -- Award-winning Israeli author David Grossman called his country's campaign in Gaza "genocide" and said he was using...
- This came days after a major Israeli rights group also used the same term, amid growing global alarm over starvation in the besieged territory.
- "This word is an avalanche: once you say it, it just gets bigger, like an avalanche. And it adds even more destruction and suffering," he said.
Economy
Alpha Dhabi H1 profit $1.79bn
Adjusted EBITDA rises to $2.36bn.
- The group’s financial position remains robust, with total assets of AED198.4 billion and equity of AED98.1 billion.
- This quarter, Alpha Dhabi Holding and four of its portfolio companies featured in the Forbes Top 100 Listed Companies in the Middle East 2025.
Geostrategy
US promises Gaza food plan after envoy visit
The visit by Steve Witkoff came as a report from global advocacy group Human Rights Watch accused Israeli forces of...
- The UN human rights office in the Palestinian territories said at least 1,373 people had been killed seeking aid in Gaza since May 27 -- 105 of them in the last two days of July.
- "Most of these killings were committed by the Israeli military," the UN office said, breaking down the death toll into 859 killed near GHF food sites.
Economy
World economies reel from Trump’s tariffs
The tariffs are a demonstration of raw economic power that Trump sees putting US exporters in a stronger position while...
- But the muscular approach has raised fears of inflation and other economic fallout in the world's biggest economy.
- Stock markets in Hong Kong and London slumped as they digested the turmoil.
Geostrategy
Sweden jihadist jailed for life over Jordan pilot burned alive
Stockholm, Sweden - A Stockholm court on Thursday handed down a life term to Swedish jihadist Osama Krayem over the...
- Judge Anna Liljenberg Gullesjo said "the investigation has shown that the defendant was at the execution site, uniformed and armed, and allowed himself to be filmed."
- Krayem, who is serving long prison sentences for his role in the Paris and Brussels attacks in 2015 and 2016, was given a life sentence for "serious war crimes and terrorist crimes
Geostrategy
Trump’s ‘displeasure’ at prospect of allies recognizing Palestinian state
President Donald Trump has expressed displeasure with leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Canada for saying they plan to...
- Recent announcements by some of Washington's closest allies have only hardened the US president's stance against the move
- He dismissed Macron's decision, which got the ball rolling last week for other countries to consider similar steps, saying the statement did not matter.
Geostrategy
Israel says struck Hezbollah missile factory in Lebanon
Israel said it carried out strikes on Thursday on sites used by Hezbollah to manufacture and store missiles in Lebanon,...
- Defence Minister Israel Katz said targets included "Hezbollah's --- missile manufacturing site", and military said it had hit "infrastructure that was used for producing weapons
- Both Katz and the Israeli military accused Hezbollah of attempting to rebuild its military infrastructure and demanded that the Lebanese army move to disarm the militant group
Geostrategy
Trump’s envoy Witkoff holds talks in Israel on ceasefire as Gaza criticism mounts
Witkoff has been the top US representative in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas but the discussions broke down last...
- Witkoff, who has been involved in months of stalled negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly after his arrival
- Gaza's civil defence agency reported at least 58 Palestinians killed late Wednesday when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd attempting to block an aid convoy
Economy
Trump’s global trade policy faces test, hours from tariff deadline
The last-gasp scramble to strike bilateral accords came as an appeals court in Washington considered the legality behind Trump's strategy...
- Trump doubled down on the wide-ranging levies, posting on Truth Social: "Tariffs are making America GREAT & RICH Again."
- So far, Washington has announced pacts with Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and the European Union.
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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
China says to launch digital currency action plan
Beijing, China -- China will on January 1 launch an "action plan" for boosting management and operations of its digital...
Economy
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Turkey, and six of its Muslim allies say Palestinian self-rule key to Gaza future
Turkey, which played a central role in forging the now shaky three-week-old ceasefire, is pushing for Muslim nations to bring...
Geostrategy
Microsoft unveils $15.2 billion AI, cloud computing investments in UAE
The deal sent US chip-maker Nvidia shares up 2.6 percent, buoyed by hopes the AI juggernaut could see access for...
Business
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Geostrategy
Trump says Russia, China have secretly tested nuclear weapons
President Donald Trump alleged Sunday that countries including Russia and China have conducted underground nuclear tests unknown to the public,...
- "Russia's testing, and China's testing, but they don't talk about it," he told CBS's "60 Minutes" program, in an interview released Sunday
- "I don't want to be the only country that doesn't test," he said, adding North Korea and Pakistan to the list of nations allegedly testing their arsenals.
Economy
OPEC+, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agree further hike to their oil production
The 137,000-barrels-per-day hike will apply from December and remain at that level for the following three months, signifying a "pause"...
- The 137,000-barrels-per-day hike will apply from December and remain at that level for the following three months, signifying a "pause" in what had been regular hike since April
- The announced increase, which tallied with analyst expectations, has been seen as a bid by the key members of OPEC+ - known as the Voluntary Eight - to gain greater market share
Geostrategy
Syrian leader to discuss sanctions, reconstruction in US visit: FM
Syria's president will discuss issues including lifting remaining sanctions, reconstruction and counter-terrorism when he becomes the country's first leader to...
- Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected in the US capital in early November, Syria's top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani told a panel at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain
- On Saturday, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Sharaa was heading to Washington "hopefully" to sign an agreement to join the US-led alliance against the Islamic State