Russia brushes off talks after largest ever drone and missile barrage on Ukraine
Russia on Friday said that it sees no immediate diplomatic way out of the war in Ukraine, hours after pummelling...
Geostrategy
Iran announces opening of its airspace after war: state media
Iran announced Thursday that it has reopened its airspace, including over Tehran, after closing it on June 13 due to...
Geostrategy
Business
A campaign in US to stop Musk buying Twitter
Twitter said that the deal for Musk to acquire the company was a step closer to being sealed with the...
- Twitter said that the deal for Musk to acquire the company was a step closer to being sealed with the passing of a deadline
- Musk became a major Twitter stockholder following his purchase of 73.5 million shares in early April
Geostrategy
US president confirms ‘possibility’ of Saudi Arabia trip
US President Joe Biden confirmed Friday he was considering a trip to Saudi Arabia. The New York Times and other...
- The reported decision came shortly after Saudi Arabia addressed two of Biden's priorities by agreeing to a production hike in oil
- The trip would reportedly happen around the time Biden travels to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit in Germany later this month
Geostrategy
Fed up with war, Afghan men turn to virtual violence
The crackle of gunfire. A gasp of a stranger. Explosions rumbling in the distance. In the Afghan capital of Kabul, such...
- Afghanistan has been wracked by four decades of very real conflict, now largely subsided since the withdrawal of US-led troops and the return of the Taliban last year
- In the capital, a few arcades and bowling alleys remain open and some sports are still being played
Geostrategy
Ukrainian envoy to Turkey accuses Russia of stealing grain
Ankara has also offered to help secure maritime corridors for the export of Ukrainian grain therefore Russian Foreign Minister Sergei...
- Ukraine's envoy to Ankara accused Russia of "stealing" grain and exporting abroad and said "we asked Turkey to resolve the issue"
- Ankara has maintained a delicate balancing act with Kyiv and Moscow, acted as mediator in the conflict
Geostrategy
Syria constitution talks make little headway: UN mediator
The talks discussed constitutional principles, including preserving and strengthening state institutions, the supremacy of the constitution and the hierarchy of...
- According to the Norwegian diplomat, this week's eighth round of talks aimed at rewriting the war-torn country's constitution had made scant progress
- The co-chairs of Syrian Constitutional Committee agreed to hold a ninth session of talks in Geneva from July 25 to 29
Geostrategy
Iran threatens immediate response to political action by IAEA
Iran said Friday it will respond immediately to any "political" action at a looming meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog,...
- Iran's warning comes as talks to revive a hobbled 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and world powers have been stalled since March
- Iran and the IAEA had previously said that resolving the issue of the three sites is necessary for efforts to revive the deal
Arts & Culture
Indian Oscars return as Abu Dhabi hosts Bollywood bash
Bollywood's brightest stars will gather in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as the Indian Oscars return for the first time since...
- The glitzy show follows a box office slump when movie-mad India was hit hard by Covid-19
- The awards have been held at venues around the world including London, Madrid, Johannesburg and Singapore
Business
Dubai police arrest British national over $1.7bn tax fraud
A 52-year-old Briton has been arrested in Dubai over a $1.7 billion dividend-tax fraud case in Denmark, the Gulf emirate's...
- They said the arrest was carried out in close cooperation with Emirati authorities and under a bilateral extradition treaty signed in March 2022
- Danish authorities welcomed the arrest and said the Danish public has been defrauded a staggering amount and should not be possible for perpetrators to hide in the Middle East
Economy
Turkey’s inflation climbs to its highest level in 24 years
Turkey's inflation climbed to its highest level since 1998, hitting an annual 73.5 percent in May, official data showed Friday,...
- The central bank refused again last week to raise its main rate, keeping it at 14 percent.
- Transport prices jumped by 107.6 percent in May while food was up by 91.6 percent.
Economy
US adds nearly 400,000 jobs in May, jobless rate 3.6 percent
Restaurants and hotels that were decimated due to Covid-19 showed a strong recovery in May, adding 84,000 positions, the data...
- The jobless rate held steady at 3.6 percent for the third consecutive month
- Employers have struggled to fill open positions, which has pushed wages higher
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
Russia brushes off talks after largest ever drone and missile barrage on Ukraine
Russia on Friday said that it sees no immediate diplomatic way out of the war in Ukraine, hours after pummelling...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Spain will not join US-led Red Sea coalition
Geostrategy
Gaza confirms Israel returned 47 exhumed bodies of Palestinians
Palestinian Territories - Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said on Thursday that Israel had returned dozens of bodies that had been...
Geostrategy
Indian man fighting for Russia against Ukraine killed in action
New Delhi, India - India's embassy in Moscow has confirmed the death of a citizen recruited by the Russian army, days...
Geostrategy
Nationwide offers to buy Virgin Money
Nationwide has offered US$3.7 billion for Virgin Money.
Business
Most Read
Despite oil riches, Libyans hit by plummeting purchasing power
Libya earns around $20 billion per year in net revenues from oil and gas exports, which accounts for around 95...
- Libya's dinar currency - which officially trades at 4.8 to the US dollar - has recently dropped on the parallel market from around five dinar to the greenback to 7.5 now
- The cost of living crisis and foreign cash crunch come after the Central Bank of Libya announced steps it said were aimed at ensuring greater financial stability
Reincarnation and realpolitik: Dalai Lama’s succession dilemma
Tibetan activists are keenly aware that his death will mark a major setback in his push for more autonomy for...
- The 88-year-old spiritual leader, Tenzin Gyatso, has shown no indication of serious health issues, and has said that his dreams suggest he could live until he is 113
- But as Tibetans mark on Sunday the 65th anniversary of the failed uprising against China, the question of who will succeed their ageing leader is in sharp focus
AI tools still permitting political disinfo creation, NGO warns
The success of ChatGPT, from Microsoft-backed OpenAI, has over the last year ushered in an age of popularity for generative...
- The non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) tested various AI models with directions to invent images
- Using programs such as Midjourney, ChatGPT, DreamStudio and Image Creator, researchers found that "AI image tools generate election disinformation