Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee
"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...
Geostrategy
Gold tops $5,000 for first time on Trump policy unrest
While turbulence over Trump's ambitions for Greenland and pressure on the Federal Reserve have provided the most recent support for...
Business
Economy
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...
- Their arrests follow the incarceration of six referees and the president of top tier club Eyupspor at the beginning of November
- Amongst those arrested were a former president of Turkish giants Galatasaray, Erden Timur, the vice-president of Eyuspor
Geostrategy
Zelensky to meet Trump in Florida on Sunday for talks on how to end the Russian invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is to meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday for talks on how to...
- The meeting to discuss new peace proposals comes amidst Trump's intensified efforts to broker an agreement to end the conflict
- The latest plan is a 20-point proposal that would freeze the front line but open the door for Ukraine to pull back troops from the east
Geostrategy
China’s high-speed rail network passes 50,000km mark
Beijing, China -- China's sprawling high-speed rail network passed 50,000 kilometers (31,000 miles) in total operating distance with the opening...
- The country has the world's largest rail network -- one-fifth longer than the circumference of the earth.
- China's rail network has expanded by around 32 percent compared to 2020, state-owned China Railway added Friday in a statement.
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists say Saudi air strikes will not deter them
A Yemeni military official said around 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were amassed near the Saudi border -- but were not given...
- There were no immediate reports of casualties in the air strikes, which came amid a dramatic escalation in the decade-long conflict.
- The strikes came as a Yemeni government official in Riyadh told AFP that Saudi may be considering military action against the separatists if talks fail.
Economy
Syria to start replacing currency from Jan 1: central bank chief
Syria's central bank chief said Thursday that the country's currency would start to be replaced with a revamped version from...
- Central bank chief Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya said that "January 1, 2026, is the start date for the replacement process" for the currency
- Hasriya said the move comes at a "pivotal national juncture that reflects the beginning of a new economic and monetary era"
Geostrategy
14 countries condemn Israel’s expansion of West Bank settlements, say actions ‘violate international law’
Fourteen countries, including France, Britain, and Germany, condemned on Wednesday Israel's recent approval of new Jewish settlements in the occupied...
- In their statement, the countries stressed such unilateral actions "violate international law" and risk undermining the ceasefire in Gaza
- They also reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution."
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia urges Yemen separatists to cede seized territory
The Kingdom said the military movements in the governorates of (Hadramawt and Al-Mahra), recently conducted by the Southern Transitional Council,...
- "These movements resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of the Yemeni people with all of its segments," it added.
- The 11-year war in Yemen has pitted the Iran-backed rebels against the internationally-recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition that includes the UAE.
Business
Nvidia expands AI empire with Groq talent grab
San Francisco, United States -- Nvidia has hired the leadership of a promising AI chip startup, a statement said Wednesday,...
- Under the agreement, Groq founder Jonathan Ross and president Sunny Madra, along with other team members, will join Nvidia to help develop and scale the Groq's technology.
- Nvidia's domination of the AI training chip market has made it the world's biggest company by market valuation.
Geostrategy
Iran Guards seize foreign-crewed oil tanker in Gulf: state media
Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday seized an oil tanker in the Gulf carrying more than a dozen foreign crew members,...
- Iranian forces regularly announce the interception of ships it says are illegally transporting fuel in the Gulf
- They regularly target tankers that Tehran accuses of being part of the illicit trade in the Strait of Hormuz
Geostrategy
Israel to invest $110 billion over the next decade to develop its own independent arms industry
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel would invest $110 billion over the next decade to develop its own...
- In a controversial speech, Netanyahu said Israel was becoming increasingly isolated and had to adopt a "super-Sparta" approach
- In 2026, Israel will allocate about 16 percent of its public budget to defence -- around $35 billion out of an overall budget of $208 billion
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
Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee
"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Gold hits record high, dollar falls as US targets Fed
Fed Chair Jerome Powell confirmed the "unprecedented" subpoenas against the bank in a rare video address on Sunday, which he...
Business
Morocco’s AFCON star Achraf Hakimi: the pride of his mother’s home town
Ksar El Kebir, Morocco – Achraf Hakimi is an idol across Africa Cup of Nations host country Morocco, but there is...
Arts & Culture
Trump reposts suggestion that Rubio become next Cuba leader
President Donald Trump reposted a social media message on Sunday suggesting that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, born to Cuban...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Iran president says ‘rioters’ must not disrupt society
Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of "trying to escalate this unrest with regard to the economic discussion and...
- Protests in Iran initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living have lasted two weeks, becoming a movement against the theocratic system in place since the 1979.
- State TV has aired images of buildings, including a mosque on fire, with authorities saying members of the security forces have been killed.
Arts & Culture
Novel concept: China’s spellbinding bookstores draw selfie snappers
Tianjin, China -- Towering accordion steps and a fantastical spiral staircase greet visitors to a massive bookstore in northern China's...
- Sales of hard-copy books across the country have failed to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, data shows, despite authorities' efforts to boost domestic consumption.
- Yet in recent years the number of physical bookshops has "maintained steady growth", the head of a publishing industry group said last January.
Geostrategy
Yemen presidential council says Saudi coalition to lead all southern forces
The announcement comes a few days after Yemeni forces supported by Saudi Arabia recaptured large swathes of territory from the...
- The oil-rich neighbors formed the backbone of the coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who overran the capital Sanaa in 2014 and still control much of the country
- But Riyadh and Abu Dhabi now find themselves backing competing factions within the Presidential Council, which is recognized by the international community.