Trump heads for Asia and Xi trade talks
US President Donald Trump left on Friday for Asia and high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping -- adding...
Geostrategy
Oil prices surge as Trump hits Russian crude with sanctions
The international benchmark contract, Brent North Sea crude, jumped 4.8 percent while West Texas Intermediate was up 5.1 percent. Trump on Wednesday announced...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Egypt calls for renewal of Black Sea grain export deal
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Egypt's president on Friday called on Russia and Ukraine to find "urgent solutions" to allow the resumption of...
- Moscow withdrew from the agreement after protesting for months that parts of the deal that allowed for export of Russian fertilizer were not honored.
- Russia refused to extend a deal brokered by UN and Turkey, under which Ukrainian grain exports passed through the Black Sea to reach global markets.
Geostrategy
Turkey, Italy seek joint hosting of Euro cup 2032, says UEFA
Paris, France - Italy and Turkey have asked to jointly host the 2032 European Championship, UEFA announced on Friday. European football's...
- Turkey, who lost out to Germany for Euro 2024, entered the process for both editions, while Italy decided to bid only for 2032.
- In 2021, UEFA initiated a bidding process for the hosting of two editions of its European Championship, in 2028 and 2032.
Business
Tabreed H1 23 net profit $105m
New customers and projects were added in H1 2023.
- In the first half of the year, Tabreed's revenue increased by 9.4 percent YoY to US$290 million, from US$265 million in H1 2022.
- Earlier this month, Tabreed started operating the cooling infrastructure, officially commencing its first operations in India.
G20 environment ministers race to reach climate consensus
Most delegations were led by their environment and climate change ministers, while the US delegation was headed by Special Presidential Envoy...
- Any agreements reached at the one-day conference in Chennai will be signed by the leaders of G20 nations during a summit in New Delhi this September
- The meeting comes only days after the group's energy ministers were criticised for failing to agree on a roadmap to cut fossil fuels from the global energy mix
Saudi summons Danish diplomat to protest Quran burning
During the meeting on Thursday with the Danish charge d'affaires, foreign ministry officials delivered a protest note urging an end...
- The far-right group Danske Patrioter on Monday posted a video in which a man is seen desecrating and burning what appeared to be the Muslim holy book.
- Saudi Arabia has also denounced protests by a Sweden-based Iraqi refugee who last month burned pages of the Quran outside Stockholm's main mosque.
Geostrategy
Biden pursuing Middle East peace deal anchored in Saudi-Israel normalization: report
As part of this potential deal, Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel, contingent on Israel making concessions to the...
- As part of this potential deal, Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel, contingent on Israel making concessions to the Palestinians
- Biden has dispatched his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and Middle East policy official, Brett McGurk, to Saudi Arabia to engage in exploratory talks
Geostrategy
Trade between Russia and Africa totaled $18 bn in 2022: Putin
Moscow, Russia - Trade turnover between Russia and Africa reached $18 billion in 2022, which is one of the results...
- Last year Russia’s trade with African countries in agricultural products increased by 10 percent to $6.7 billion
- Russia exported 11.5mt of grain to Africa in 2022, and almost 10mt in the first six months of 2023
Geostrategy
Jordan okays cybercrime bill despite rights groups warning
The bill must also be approved by the senate before being ratified by King Abdullah II and published in the...
- The bill was approved by the house of representatives, with some of the proposed penalties reduced from an initial draft version.
- It came after 14 non-governmental organizations on Monday issued a statement describing the new bill as "draconian" .
Geostrategy
Saeed bin Zayed passes away, three days of mourning announced
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan...
- Born in 1965 in Al Ain, Sheikh Saeed was appointed as the Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi in June 2010.
- He was appointed as the Undersecretary of the Department of Planning in Abu Dhabi. He was also a representative of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Geostrategy
Saudi fighter jet crashes in training, killing crew
The air force jet was on a training exercise when it crashed on Wednesday in the south of the country,...
- The site of the crash borders Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against Houthi rebels
- The jet is part of Saudi's fleet of F-15SAs, seen as a cornerstone of the ties between the kingdom and the US
Trump heads for Asia and Xi trade talks
US President Donald Trump left on Friday for Asia and high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping -- adding...
Geostrategy
Company News
Fire at Iraqi oil refinery injures 13
Geostrategy
Latest News
Turkish opposition calls for boycott over jailed students
The leader of Turkey's main opposition party has called for a boycott on Wednesday to protest the detention of students...
Geostrategy
Trump’s sweeping tariffs spark fears of trade war, recession, and global economic instability
The threat of a trade war has caused increasing political ructions, with Canada's looming general election on April 28 set...
Geostrategy
European Parliament approves aid package for Egypt, Jordan
Brussels, Belgium -- Members of the European Parliament have approved two proposals to provide Egypt and Jordan with loans worth...
Business
Most Read
Geostrategy
Le Pen’s French presidency bid in jeopardy after election ban
A French court on Monday threw into severe doubt far-right leader Marine Le Pen's 2027 bid for president, handing her...
- She was convicted over a scheme to take advantage of European Parliament expenses to employ assistants who were actually working for her far-right party in France
- Le Pen as well as the other officials were banned from running for office, with the judge specifying that the sanction should come into force with immediate effect
Geostrategy
Le Pen’s French presidency bid in jeopardy after election ban
Paris, France -- A French court on Monday threw into severe doubt far-right leader Marine Le Pen's 2027 bid for...
- A French court on Monday handed her a five-year ban on running for office after convicting her over a fake jobs scheme.
- She was also given a four-year prison term by the Paris court but will not go to jail, with two years of the term suspended and the other two to be served outside jail.
Geostrategy
Trump says ‘there will be bombing’ if Iran fails to make ‘peace deal’
Trump's language represented a sharpening of his comment a few days earlier that if Tehran refused to negotiate a new...
- It was not clear whether Trump was threatening bombing by US planes alone or perhaps in an operation coordinated with Israel
- Trump in 2018 pulled the United States out of an agreement to relieve sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program