Israeli invasion destroys 90% of Gaza livestock, poultry farms
Gaza, Palestinian Territories - The Israeli forces have decimated 90 percent of 2,500 poultry and cattle farms in Gaza during...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Heavy floods hit Dubai airport as Oman death toll rises to 18
Dubai, the Middle East's financial center, was paralyzed by the heavy storms that caused widespread flooding around the United Arab...
- Roads and residential communities also suffered heavy flooding in scenes repeated around the Emirates, where rain is an unusual event.
- A child's body was recovered on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 18 with two people missing, emergency authorities told the official Oman News Agency.
Business
OpenAI comes to Asia
The ChatGPT creator opens first Asian office in Tokyo.
- The Japan office is the latest part of the Microsoft-backed firm's international push, having already set up bases in London and Dublin.
- OpenAI, reportedly valued at $80 billion or more earlier this year, is the latest major tech firm to invest in Japan.
Geostrategy
Stocks hit by Iran-Israel fears, containment hopes stem losses
Saturday's bombardment of more than 300 ballistic and cruise missiles and attack drones -- which were mostly repelled by air...
- Asian markets mostly fell Monday, though they pared their initial big losses. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Sydney, Wellington, Singapore, Mumbai, Taipei and Manila were all in the red
- With worries about an escalation subsiding for now, oil prices dipped, though observers warned they could spike back above $100 if the crisis worsens.
Business
After long peace, Big Tech faces US antitrust reckoning
Launched under both the Trump and Biden administrations, five major cases from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department...
- The most recent came in March against Apple by the FTC, which alleges the iPhone maker abuses its dominance of the premium smartphone sector.
- Washington had largely remained silent on Big Tech cases since its wars with Microsoft that began in the 1990s and ended in a settlement in the early 2000s.
Geostrategy
US troops head to region as fears grow of Gaza war’s spread
Fears of regional escalation grew after a strike on Iran's consular annex at its embassy in Damascus. Tehran blames the...
- Airlines said they are avoiding Iranian airspace, nearly two weeks after a strike, which Iran blamed on Israel, destroyed Tehran's consular annex at its embassy in Damascus.
- Tensions have also flared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where settler attacks left at least one Palestinian dead and dozens injured.
Business
Saudi imposes anti-dumping duties on products from 10 countries
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia has imposed anti-dumping duties on seven products imported from 10 European and Asian countries,...
- The products included all types of cement, including clinker, from all Iranian companies, with a dumping duty of 67.5 percent.
- The superabsorbent polymer products were also subject to anti-dumping measures on Saudi imports from five countries for five years.
Geostrategy
IMF confirms Kristalina Georgieva for second five-year term
It means that Georgieva, who was the sole candidate in the running to lead the International Monetary Fund, will continue...
- Georgieva, a 70-year-old Bulgarian, has run the IMF since 2019, and told AFP last month that she was making herself "available to serve, if people want me to serve."
- Under a controversial, decades-old agreement between Europe and the United States, the International Monetary Fund has historically been led by a European.
Business
Middle East tensions weigh on markets as oil and gold prices shoot up
London, United Kingdom -- Wall Street stocks slid on Friday despite banks beating expectations at the start of earnings season as...
- Oil prices were up more than two percent as regional tensions soared after Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria.
- Gold also benefitted from its status as a haven investment, breaking the $2,400 per ounce level.
Geostrategy
IEA lowers its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2024
According to the IEA, oil demand growth in Q1 2024 was lower than expected at 1.6 mln bpd, and the...
- The IEA emphasized that decreasing global oil demand growth indicates consumption will peak in the current decade.
- Despite the anticipated decline, however, the current rate of oil demand growth is largely similar to the trend prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business
JPMorgan Chase profits up 6%
The bank's CEO warns about risk of persistent inflation.
- Profits were $13.4 billion, up six percent from the year-ago period, boosted by higher net interest income.
- The bank expects the boost from higher interest rates on profits to erode or "normalize" over time.
Company News
Latest News
Iran denies involvement as UAE arrests three people in rabbi killing case
"This murder was carried out in the UAE. The murder of an Israeli citizen and a Chabad emissary, is an...
Geostrategy
Wealthy nations offer $250bn on climate but pressed for more
At the COP29 talks in Azerbaijan, developing nations are demanding a bigger commitment from historic polluters most responsible for warming,...
Geostrategy
BP announces $7bn gas project
The project aims to unlock 3 trillion cu ft of gas resources in Indonesia.
Business
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Business
Adani Group tanks after US bribery charges
India's opposition leader demands Gautam Adani's arrest; Kenya scraps airport, power deals with the Group that has significant investments in...
- Adani, once the world's second-richest man, is a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and critics have long accused him of benefitting improperly from their relationship.
- The conglomerate saw $150 billion wiped from its market value in 2023 after a shock report by short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of "brazen" corporate fraud.
Business
Lulu Retail Q3 profit $35m
For the nine-month period, net profit increased by 73.3%.
- In its first financial update since its record IPO on ADX, the company posted a revenue growth in Q3 2024, reaching $1.86 billion, up 6.1% YoY.
- The UAE saw strong revenue growth of 7.5% in Q3 2024, mainly driven by healthy LFL growth of 4.7% during the quarter.
Arts & Culture
Banana taped to a wall sells for $6.2 million
The provocative work of conceptual art by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan debuted at the Art Basel show in Miami Beach...
- The sale featured seven potential buyers and smashed expectations, with the auction house issuing a guide price of $1-1.5 million before the bidding.
- As well as his banana work, Cattelan is also known for producing an 18-carat, fully functioning gold toilet called "America" that was offered to Donald Trump during his first term.