France’s screen siren Brigitte Bardot dies at 91
Saint-Tropez, France - French film sensation Brigitte Bardot, a symbol of sexual liberation in the 1950s and 1960s who reinvented herself...
Arts & Culture
Turkish authorities make further arrests in football betting scandal
The betting scandal in Turkish football deepened on Friday as 29 people, including 14 footballers, were arrested, the Istanbul public...
Economy
Geostrategy
UN agencies warn Gaza slipping into famine as Israel resists ceasefire calls
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative, a coalition of monitors tasked by the UN to warn of impending crises,...
- The World Food Programme, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization warned that time was running out and that Gaza was "on the brink of a full-scale famine".
- Britain, France and Germany could send their foreign ministers to Israel next week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.
Business
Dubai International Airport logs record 46 million travelers in first half
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- Dubai International Airport welcomed a record 46 million passengers in the first half of this...
- The facility marked its busiest first half on record with a 2.3 percent YoY growth, Dubai Airports said in a statement, "despite temporary airspace disruptions in May and June."
- During the 12-day Iran-Israel war, airlines cancelled flights to many Middle East destinations as some governments closed their airspace.
Arts & Culture
Portugal’s Felix joins Ronaldo at Al Nassr in Saudi
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Portuguese forward Joao Felix has signed a two-year deal with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, where he...
- Felix, now 25, made a blockbuster move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019, but has since seen his fortunes decline.
- "I'm here to spread joy. Let's win together," said Felix in a video posted on the club's X account. A separate post said he had signed until 2027.
Economy
IMF lifts 2025 global growth forecast on ‘fragile’ easing in trade tensions
Looking ahead, the IMF expects the world economy to expand 3.1 percent next year, an improvement from the 3.0 percent...
- Despite the upward revisions, "there are reasons to be very cautious," IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas told AFP.
- "Businesses were trying to frontload, move stuff around, before the tariffs were imposed, and so that's supporting economic activity," he said.
Geostrategy
Trump warns of ‘real starvation’ in Gaza as aid deliveries pick up after Israeli “tactical pause”
Speaking in Scotland after meeting Britain's leader, Trump contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier dismissed fears of...
- Speaking in Scotland after meeting Britain's leader, Trump contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier dismissed fears of famine in Gaza
- Trump said the US and its partners would help set up food centres to feed the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza facing what UN aid agencies warn is deadly hunger
Geostrategy
Iran vows stronger response if attacked again by US, Israel
It remains unclear how much damage was caused by the US strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities, which came after Israel...
- The comments appeared to be in response to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened earlier in the day to "wipe out" the Islamic republic's nuclear programme
- "If aggression is repeated, we will not hesitate to react in a more decisive manner and in a way that will be IMPOSSIBLE to cover up," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said
Business
Palantir, the AI giant that preaches US dominance
Palo Alto, United States - Palantir, an American data analysis and artificial intelligence company, has emerged as Silicon Valley's latest...
- The company's reach spans the global economy, with banks, hospitals, the US government, and the Israeli military among its ever-expanding client roster
- "We want and need this country to be the strongest, most important country in the world," Alex Karp, Palantir's CEO, recently declared at a client conference in Palo Alto
Geostrategy
Putin stresses Syrian ‘territorial integrity’ in call with Netanyahu after Druze unrest
Russia, a close ally of Syria's former long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, who reportedly fled to Moscow with his family, still...
- Israel launched strikes this month on Damascus and Druze-majority Sweida province, saying it was acting in support of the religious minority
- Putin "emphasised the importance of supporting the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria, said a Kremlin statement
Geostrategy
Food arrives in Gaza after Israel pauses some fighting
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- Truckloads of food reached hungry Gazans on Monday after Israel promised to open secure aid...
- Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a six-week ceasefire broke down. Nothing was allowed into the territory until late May.
- Jordan and UAE have begun air-dropping aid packages by parachute over Gaza, while Egypt has sent trucks through its Rafah border crossing to an Israeli post just inside Gaza.
Business
European Union probes UAE oil giant’s purchase of Germany’s Covestro
Brussels, Belgium -- The European Commission on Monday announced an investigation into the takeover of German chemical firm Covestro by...
- "The commission has preliminary concerns that foreign subsidies granted by the UAE could distort the EU internal market," a statement by the bloc's executive arm said.
- Plastics maker Covestro accepted a bid -- valuing the company at 12 billion euros ($14 billion) -- from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in October.
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
France’s screen siren Brigitte Bardot dies at 91
Saint-Tropez, France - French film sensation Brigitte Bardot, a symbol of sexual liberation in the 1950s and 1960s who reinvented herself...
Arts & Culture
Company News
Publishers fight back against US book bans
Geostrategy
Latest News
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...
Geostrategy
Death becomes a growing business in ageing, lonely South Korea
Busan, South Korea -- Rows of coffins line a university classroom in the South Korean port city of Busan, ready...
Geostrategy
Hundreds in south Lebanon mourn Hezbollah members killed in Israeli attacks
Nabatieh, Lebanon -- Hundreds of people gathered in south Lebanon's Nabatiyeh on Sunday to mourn five Hezbollah members killed in...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Business
High price of gold inspires new rush in California
El Dorado Hills, United States -- Matt James has collected gold nuggets for years from the hills and riverbeds of...
- Though the value has fluctuated, it has effectively doubled in the last two years, reaching an all-time high of more than $4,380 an ounce in October.
- The Gold Rush transformed California, known as the Golden State, and many towns in the Sierra Nevada are working to keep that moment in history alive.
Geostrategy
OPEC+ looks set to further hike oil output
Since April, the V8 group -- comprising Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman...
- As in previous months, the V8 group is likely to cite "low oil inventories" worldwide to justify a further increase in production quotas.
- In late October, pressure on Russian oil supplies mounted after the United States hit the country's two biggest oil producers -- Rosneft and Lukoil -- with sanctions.
Economy
Social media fooled by AI video of ‘sky stadium’ for Saudi 2034 World Cup
Paris, France - An AI-generated video claiming to show one of the football stadiums for the 2034 FIFA World Cup...
- The video of glowing arena built atop a towering skyscraper was shared by thousands of social media accounts, with millions of users believing it was the official visual
- While Riyadh has unveiled plans to build a football area on a real estate complex in The Line – a futuristic new megacity project – the official plans bear no likeness to the clip