Netanyahu says Trump meeting could ‘advance’ Gaza ceasefire deal ahead of Doha talks
Speaking before boarding Israel's state jet bound for Washington, Netanyahu said: "We are working to achieve this deal that we...
Geostrategy
BRICS nations voice ‘serious concerns’ over Trump tariffs
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro from Sunday are expected to decry US President...
Economy
Arts & Culture
Syria takes first steps to rebuild its past
A Syrian desert monastery that was once a hub for interfaith dialogue, attracting tens of thousands, has reopened to visitors...
- In 2010, 30,000 people visited Deir Mar Moussa Al-Habashi (St Moses the Ethiopian), a 7th century monastery perched atop a barren, rocky hill about 100 kilometers north of Damascus
- It has an 11th century church adorned with icons, ancient murals and writing in Arabic, Syriac and Greek that says "God is love" and "in the name of God
Geostrategy
Anti-government rebels in Chad threaten to pull out of Doha talks
Chad rebels due to take part in landmark talks with opposition groups and the military government on Saturday threatened to...
- Preparatory negotiations in Qatar ahead of a mooted inclusive full national dialogue have been stalled for months with landlocked Chad
- Armed groups accused the government delegation of "stalling negotiations through harassment and intimidation"
Economy
Sudan farmers resent government apathy to buy wheat
Over 18 million people, nearly half the Sudanese population, are expected to be pushed into extreme hunger by September, according...
- Sudanese officials have declared that they will not be able to buy this season's entire harvest due to lack of funds
- Traders have offered to buy the farmers' wheat but at far lower prices that barely cover the cost of production
Business
Bitcoin drops to $18,740, its lowest level since December
Bitcoin plunged below $20,000 on Saturday, shedding nine percent from the previous day to fall to $18,740, its lowest level...
- With investors increasingly wary of risk, the world's most popular crypto asset has lost more than 72 percent of its value since reaching a high of $68,991 on November 10, 2021
- World stock markets plunged this week amid fears that inflation-fighting interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve and other central banks could trigger a recession
Geostrategy
Iran fighter jet crashes, injuring two crew members
An F-14 fighter jet crashed on Saturday while on a mission in central Iran, causing injuries to its two crew...
- The air force in sanctions-hit Iran has suffered several crashes in recent years, with officials complaining of difficulties in acquiring spare parts
- Iran has mostly Russian MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets that date back to the Soviet era, as well as some Chinese aircraft
Geostrategy
Saudi crown prince likely to visit Egypt, Jordan ahead of Turkey
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman begins a regional tour Monday in Egypt that will also take him to Turkey...
- After Cairo, Mohammed bin Salman will travel to Jordan and then on to Turkey, a Saudi diplomat said
- During the tour, he will discuss "regional and international files and the future of global cooperation"
Business
WTO to lift Covid vaccine patents, but many doubt it will work
The World Trade Organization agreed Friday to temporarily lift patents on Covid-19 vaccines after two years of bruising negotiations, but...
- The unprecedented agreement, sealed by all 164 WTO members after late-night overtime talks, will grant developing countries the right to produce Covid vaccines for five years
- Under the terms of the new deal, WTO members have six months to decide on whether to extend the measures "to cover the production and supply of Covid-19 diagnostics and therapeutic
Business
TikTok says Oracle to keep US user data safe
TikTok on Friday said Oracle will store all the data from its US users, in a bid to allay fears...
- ByteDance employees have repeatedly accessed information about US TikTok users, according to a Buzzfeed news report
- TikTok has been adamant that it has never given US user data to Chinese officials and that it would refuse if asked to do so
Economy
Gazelles in Iraq die of hunger
Gazelles at an Iraqi wildlife reserve are dropping dead from hunger, making them the latest victims in a country where...
- In little over one month, the slender-horned gazelle population at the Sawa reserve in southern Iraq has plunged from 148 to 87
- Iraq's finances are under pressure after decades of war in a poverty-stricken country needing agricultural and other infrastructure upgrades
Business
Staff shortages and strikes threaten pandemic recovery for airlines
Desperate to put the coronavirus pandemic behind them, airlines will hold talks on Sunday ahead of a potential summer of...
- In the past few weeks, delays and cancellations caused by a lack of staff at airports and strikes for better pay have wreaked havoc upon travellers.
- In terms of Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), a measure of total distance flown by paying passengers, activity in April reached 62.8 percent compared with the same month in 2019
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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
Netanyahu says Trump meeting could ‘advance’ Gaza ceasefire deal ahead of Doha talks
Speaking before boarding Israel's state jet bound for Washington, Netanyahu said: "We are working to achieve this deal that we...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Military planes from 5 countries drop aid over Gaza
The UN says that the vast majority of Gaza's 2.4 million people are on the brink of famine, particularly in...
Geostrategy
Hamas still open to Gaza truce talks, says Ismail Haniyeh
Hamas chief said in a televised speech that Israel was unwilling to meet Hamas's conditions for a deal that would...
Geostrategy
Putin set for election coronation in vote with no opposition
Ballots will also be cast in the four Ukrainian regions Moscow claimed to have annexed in 2022, as well as...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Nolan’s masterpiece ‘Oppenheimer’ wins best picture Oscar
Hollywood, United States - It is, in the words of its director, the story of the most important person who ever...
- Christopher Nolan's masterpiece - the story of the brilliant physicist who oversaw the invention of the atomic bomb - is a grand, old-fashioned blockbuster for grown-ups
- Shot on a $100 million budget, "Oppenheimer" spared no expense, and bucked the recent trend of smaller, indie movies winning the most prestigious Oscar
Geostrategy
Saudi king calls for end to ‘heinous crimes’ in Gaza
In his Ramadan message, King Salman while giving thanks for the blessings bestowed upon the kingdom said the war in...
- He exhorted the international community to put an end to 'these heinous crimes'
- Gaza is in the midst of a spiralling humanitarian crisis after months of Israeli war
Muslim nations announce start of Ramadan in shadow of Gaza war
In Saudi Arabia, the start of the holy month had been cast into doubt after some of the kingdom's observatories...
- Saudi Arabia said through its official news agency that the Supreme Court had announced "Monday, March 11, 2024, the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan for this year"
- Egypt's Islamic advisory body Dar al-Ifta likewise confirmed Ramadan was beginning on Monday, as it was in the Palestinian Territories including Gaza, and in Algeria and Tunisia