Iran nuclear programme ‘very delayed’ by strikes: French intel chief
Iran's nuclear programme has been "very, very delayed" by US and Israeli strikes, France's foreign intelligence chief said on Tuesday,...
Geostrategy
Trump says ‘no extensions’ to Aug 1 tariff deadline
While Trump imposed a sweeping 10 percent tariff on goods from almost all trading partners in April, higher rates customized...
Geostrategy
Business
US airlines cancel hundreds of flights during holiday weekend
Airlines cancelled several hundred US flights Saturday at the start of a long and almost certainly messy holiday travel weekend...
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg put out a series of tweets that were essentially consumer tips on what to do if one's flight is cancelled
- Airlines say they're working to address the situation, recruiting pilots and other staff and trimming summer seat capacity by 15 percent
Geostrategy
Afghan religious leaders pledge loyalty to Taliban
Thousands of Afghan clerics pledged loyalty to the Taliban Saturday but ended a three-day meeting without recommendations on how the...
- Taliban officials presented the gathering as an opportunity for clerics to independently say how they wanted the country to be governed
- The highlight of the clerics' meeting was Friday's appearance by Akhundzada, who has not been photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power
Geostrategy
Libya leaders under pressure as people resent living conditions
Libya's rival leaders were under growing street pressure Saturday after protesters stormed parliament as anger exploded over deteriorating living conditions...
- Protesters stormed the seat of the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk on Friday night, ransacking its offices and torching part of the building
- The country has been mired in chaos and repeated rounds of conflict since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011
Geostrategy
Iran says Turkish offensive in Syria can destabilize region
Iran's foreign minister warned Saturday on a visit to Damascus that Turkish military action in Syria would destabilize the region,...
- Iran is a major ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and an important trading partner for Turkey
- In recent weeks, Erdogan has said he plans to launch a military offensive against Kurdish fighters in Syria Ankara regards as "terrorists"
Geostrategy
Palestinians give bullet that killed Abu Akleh to US forensic experts
The Palestinian Authority handed the bullet that killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to US forensic experts on Saturday...
- Palestinian-American journalist, who was wearing a vest marked "Press" and a helmet, was killed on May 11 while covering an Israeli army operation
- Investigations by the UN, as well as several journalistic probes, have found that the shot that killed Abu Akleh was fired by Israeli forces
Business
US companies struggle with rising dollar
The rapid rise of the US dollar since the start of the year is a double-edged sword for American multinational...
- For an importer, the surge in the greenback against the euro, yen or British pound is a plus, because it makes the products they buy cheaper
- The greenback has risen 13 percent compared to the euro over the last 12 months, approaching parity, and gained 22 percent against the yen
Economy
Tunisia seeks aid package as IMF team set to arrive
The International Monetary Fund is sending a team to Tunisia next week to begin formal talks on a new financial...
- Tunisia is seeking a two-billion-euro loan, according to a source with knowledge of the preliminary talks.
- IMF said 'ready to begin the formal negotiations' but the Tunisian leaders need to implement "ambitious reforms" to deal with the crisis
Economy
Turkey raises minimum wage as inflation spirals out of control
Turkey on Friday substantially raised the minimum wage for the second time in a year to cushion the blow from...
- Turkish currency has lost half its value against the dollar in the past 12 months, which has fueled price rises on imported goods
- Economists warn that substantially raising the pay of a large swathe of the population in Turkey is an inflationary measure
Economy
Ambitious action required to protect oceans: UN
Oceans produce half the oxygen we breathe, regulate the weather and provide humanity's single largest source of protein.
- Oceans produce half the oxygen we breathe, regulate the weather and provide humanity's single largest source of protein
- Today, a patchwork of agreements and regulatory bodies govern shipping, fishing and mineral extraction from the sea bed
Economy
Taliban, US talk on quake aid, foreign reserves in Doha
Talks between the United States and the Taliban continued in Doha earlier this week to discuss earthquake aid, the State...
- The Taliban is seeking a way to unlock some of the country's foreign reserves -- currently frozen by the United States
- During the meetings Wednesday and Thursday, the United States reiterated an earlier pledge of $55 million in new assistance for earthquake relief
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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
Iran nuclear programme ‘very delayed’ by strikes: French intel chief
Iran's nuclear programme has been "very, very delayed" by US and Israeli strikes, France's foreign intelligence chief said on Tuesday,...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Brighter US economic outlook fuels global oil demand growth forecast
Rising fuel needs of ships rerouted away from the Red Sea also to increase demand, the International Energy Agency said....
Geostrategy
SpaceX poised for third launch test of Starship megarocket
Two previous attempts have ended in spectacular explosions, though that's not necessarily a bad thing: the company has adopted a...
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Geostrategy
China to take ‘all necessary measures’ to protect interests after US TikTok vote
Beijing, China--China on Thursday slammed the approval of a US bill that would ban TikTok unless it severs ties with its...
- The app has soared in popularity worldwide but its ownership by Chinese tech firm ByteDance has fuelled concern in Western capitals
- The US House of Representatives approved a bill that would force TikTok to divest from its parent company or face a nationwide ban
OpenAI partners with Le Monde and Prisa Media
Prisa Media chief executive Carlos Nunez called the OpenAI alliance a "step toward the future of news" where technology and...
- OpenAI will be able to use content from Le Monde and Prisa Media publications including El Pais, Cinco Dias, and El Huffpost to train the models powering its AI
- In the coming months, ChatGPT users will be able to get summaries of news content from the publishers along with links to original articles, according to OpenAI
Geostrategy
UK to ban foreign state ownership of British newspapers
London, United Kingdom--The UK announced Wednesday that it plans to bar overseas governments from owning British newspapers, a move that could...
- A government spokesperson said the move would "deliver additional protections for a free press, a pillar of our democracy"
- British media suggested that minority interests in newspapers and magazines by foreign governments might be allowed