Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian marches across Europe
Protesters in the British capital waved Palestinian flags, donned keffiyeh scarves and carried signs including "Stop arming Israel" and "No war on Iran" as they marched in the sweltering heat.
Israel says killed three Iranian commanders in fresh wave of strikes
Israel's military said a strike in Qom south of Tehran successfully targeted top Iranian official Saeed Izadi, in charge of coordination with Hamas, adding two other commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guards were also killed overnight.Israel says delayed Iran’s presumed nuclear programme by two years
Western powers have repeatedly expressed concerns about the rapid expansion of Iran's nuclear programme, questioning in particular the country's accelerated uranium enrichment.European, Iranian diplomats to meet as Trump mulls joining Israel campaign
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with his French, German, British and EU counterparts in Geneva on Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear programme.Why Israel gets support from central, eastern Europe
Their solidarity came to the fore on Wednesday, when Austria and Germany broke ranks with European Union peers to argue against a review ordered by Brussels of an EU-Israel cooperation deal.Iran-US nuclear talks set for Rome this week: Oman mediator
Iran and the United States will hold the next round of talks on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme in Rome later this week, Tehran and mediator Oman said Wednesday.Hollywood stars condemn Gaza ‘genocide’ on eve of Cannes Festival
Cannes, France - More than 350 figures from the cinema world including Hollywood stars Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon condemned "genocide" in Gaza in an open letter published Monday on the eve of the Cannes Festival. "We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza," read the letter...Trump admits trade war ‘cost’ as markets hit
Jitters about US tariffs hammered Asian stocks again early Friday as President Donald Trump acknowledged a "cost" to his surging trade offensive against superpower rival China..In skies, as on land, European forces face gaps if US pulls back
Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Fighter jets from the United States, France, Finland and Germany roar into the skies from a Dutch base as part of NATO's biggest air exercise this year. The aim: to practice stopping -- and then defeating -- an enemy attack against the alliance as Russia's war in Ukraine...Trump’s global tariff takes effect in dramatic US trade shift
US President Donald Trump's widest-ranging tariffs to date took effect Saturday, in a move which could trigger retaliation and escalating trade tensions that could upset the global economy.First orbital rocket launched from Europe crashes seconds after blast-off
Oslo, Norway -- The first orbital rocket launched from continental Europe crashed seconds after blast-off Sunday, in a closely watched test for the continent's bid to build a new space economy. The Spectrum rocket, developed by German start-up Isar Aerospace, started smoking from its sides, then crashed back to Earth...Chinese electric car maker BYD aims for Europe boost
Chinese carmaker BYD on Thursday vowed to conquer Europe with a new compact electric model and super-fast charging capability to rival continental brands.Europe backs Zelensky after White House showdown with Trump
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the "unspeakable" row "underlined that a new age of infamy has begun". Friedrich Merz, likely to become the country's next chancellor, said: "We must never confuse the aggressor and the victim in this terrible war", while outgoing head of state Olaf Scholz also backed...US, Russia to appoint negotiators for Ukraine talks; Kyiv protests exclusion, Europe awaits role
Washington noted European nations would have to have a seat at the negotiating table "at some point", following the first high-level official Washington-Moscow talks since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.Norway nears 100% goal of all-electric cars
By comparison, the share of electric cars in Europe was just 13.6 percent in the full-year 2024, a decline for the first time since 2020.Iran-Europe nuclear talks on as global tensions escalate ahead of Trump’s return
The stakes were laid bare in a warning from Britain's foreign intelligence chief that Iran's nuclear ambitions posed a major global security threat, despite its weakened position after setbacks dealt to its Islamist allies Hamas and Hezbollah in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.Helpless! Top EU diplomat regrets failure to ‘stop’ Netanyahu
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell voiced regret Friday that no power, including the United States, can "stop" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he appears determined to crush militants in Gaza and Lebanon.World leaders gather at UN as Mideast tensions explode
Escalating clashes between Israel and Hezbollah threatened to overshadow US President Joe Biden's final appearance at the UN's signature annual event on Tuesday as diplomats scrambled to avert an all-out regional war.First step for Europe’s hyperloop vehicles with test launch
Veendam, Netherlands -- The dream of hurtling between European cities at speeds of more than 700 kilometers per hour moved a step closer Monday with the first successful vehicle tests at the European Hyperloop Centre.Hovering inside a sleek 420-meter (1,377-foot) white tunnel, a dark and light grey striped pod levitates at...West tells Iran to ‘stand down’ Israel attack threats; Tehran says ‘no way’
With tensions soaring in the Middle East, the United States says that Iran along with its proxies might attack Israel as early as this week. The world leaders are trying to persuade Iran and Israel to avoid war, but Iran says it has a right to defend itself just like...Methanol-powered ship to set sail for Europe’s first ‘green’ route
Rotterdam, Netherlands -- The first methanol-powered ship to ply routes between Europe's busy ports was unveiled Tuesday in Rotterdam, with shipping owners hoping to spur efforts to bring down the industry's huge carbon footprint.The Eco-Maestro, a 13,675-tonne container carrier will head off to Antwerp in the next few days, before plotting...Killer heat wave sweeps the globe, hundreds perish
A punishing heat dome continues to intensify over the northeastern United States, scores of record-high temperatures were matched or broken Wednesday, including in Boston, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Caribou, near Maine’s northern tip. This long-lasting heat wave will continue to scorch the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic into the weekend, reported the...Norway, Ireland, Spain to recognize Palestinian state
The announcement is the second diplomatic blow this week after the International Criminal Court prosecutor said he would seek arrest warrants for Israel's prime minister and Hamas leaders.As international gas demand grows, Qatar eyes more long-term deals
Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi, who is also chief executive of QatarEnergy, said the state-owned giant had secured sales of 25 million tons of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the past year and expected to be "signing more this year."Europe reverses course on interest rates, diverging from U.S. Fed policies
For much of the past two years, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic raised interest rates aggressively to fight a surge in prices, and, since last summer, they have left rates high as they assess whether inflation is under control, according to the New York Times.European Central Bank policymakers...MENA region is leading the on-demand talent revolution: report
Agile work models and diverse skill demands propel MENA's freelance economy, empowering businesses to thrive amid modernization and digital transformation.Top Europe rights court to issue landmark climate verdicts
STRASBOURG, FRANCE – Europe's top rights court will on Tuesday issue unprecedented verdicts in three separate cases on the responsibility of states in the face of global warming, rulings that could force governments to adopt more ambitious climate policies.The European Court of Human Rights, part of the 46-member Council of Europe,...Dubai receives 3.67 million visitors in first two months of 2024
Dubai, UAE--Dubai received 3.67 million overnight visitors in January-February 2024, with an increase of over 18 percent year-on-year (YoY), figures released by Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) showed.According to the DET's Tourism Performance Report for January-February 2024, Dubai recorded 1.77 million international visitors in January, and 1.9 million...NATO @ 75 seeks US-Europe alliance as Russia threat, Trump looms
Brussels, Belgium - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged the United States to stick together with Europe as the Western military alliance turned 75 on Thursday menaced by an aggressive Russia and the specter of Donald Trump's return to power.The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 re-invigorated NATO as it was...Turkish Airlines profits soar
In December, the airline ordered 230 Airbus planes.Polish PM Tusk warns Europe has entered ‘pre-war era’
Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago upended European leaders' sense of unshakeable post-war peace, prompting many countries to gear up weapons production to supply both Kiev and their own militaries. Former European Council president Tusk, whose country has been one of the staunchest supporters of neighbouring Ukraine,...BYD posts record 2023 profit
The Shenzhen-based firm is now moving quickly overseas.UN official urges $4bn humanitarian aid for cash-strapped Syria
Beirut, Lebanon - A UN official on Friday appealed for about $4 billion in humanitarian assistance for Syria, warning funding was almost non-existent and that lack of support would push more Syrians to emigrate.Syria's war, which began 13 years ago with the repression of anti-government protests, has killed more than 507,000...Europe’s largest art fair reports ‘record’ prices for Van Gogh, Picasso
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – Europe's largest art fair closed its doors on Friday with organizers saying that sales, including a rare Van Gogh and works by Picasso and Kees van Dongen, fetched "record prices".Although a total figure of sale for some of the world's most sought-after artworks could not be given,...European Parliament approves ‘pioneering’ rules to govern AI
Senior European Union officials say the rules, first proposed in 2021, will protect citizens from the risks of a technology developing at breakneck speed, while also fostering innovation on the continent.Doha Bank bond issue oversubscribed four times
Doha, Qatar - Doha Bank has successfully issued $500 million in international bonds, garnering a total order book of $2 billion, marking an oversubscription of 4 times. The investor base includes prominent asset managers, banks, private banks, and insurance companies from the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.The...European tourists make a beeline for Sharjah as 400,000 visit in 2023
Sharjah, UAE-- Nearly 400,000 visitors from Europe have traveled to Sharjah during last year, marking a notable 28 percent increase compared to the previous year, with Europeans constituting 27 percent of the total visitor count.Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) made the announcement during its press conference on Wednesday...Tesla stops production at German plant after suspected arson attack
Michael Stuebgen, interior minister for Brandenburg state, said that "if initial findings are confirmed, this is a perfidious attack on our electricity infrastructure".European Union slaps $1.9bn fine on Apple over violation of rules
Brussels, Belgium - The EU on Monday hit Apple with a more than 1.8-billion-euro fine ($1.9 billion) for violating the bloc's laws by preventing European users from accessing information about alternative, cheaper music streaming services.The iPhone maker immediately vowed to appeal the first ever antitrust fine slapped on Apple by Brussels,...UN says ‘delusional conspiracy theories’ behind global violence
Geneva, Switzerland - The pernicious "'great replacement' conspiracy theories" spreading in many countries are "delusional" and racist and are directly spurring violence, the United Nations rights chief warned on Monday.United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also took aim at the "war on woke", which he stressed was "really...VW’s 2023 operating profit $24.4bn
An increase in sales in North America and Europe lifted the profits.European airlines witness a rise in profits in 2023
LONDON, UK – Europe's aviation industry is extending its bounceback from the Covid pandemic, as British Airways owner IAG and Franco-Dutch rival Air France-KLM posted bumper 2023 profits on Thursday.The sector is flying at cruising altitude on pent-up demand after emerging from the dark days of Covid, which grounded planes and...Sonatrach to invest $8.8bn in 2024 in gas exploration, production
Algiers, Algeria -- Sonatrach, the state-owned energy company of Algeria, will allocate $8.8 billion investment in 2024, which represents 17.6 percent of the total Algerian investment portfolio of $50 billion for the next four years (2024-28).The company's CEO, Rachid Hachichi, told QNA that majority of the allocated funds (71 percent)...Price of natural gas in Europe falls to a 3-year low
LONDON, UK – The price of natural gas in Europe fell again on Friday, taking it to its lowest in almost three years as mild winter weather continues and European stockpiles hold up.Mid-morning on Friday, the benchmark Dutch TTF futures contract was down 3.2 percent at US$24.3 (22.45 euros) a megawatt-hour...Boeing readies for competition with China’s first passenger plane
Singapore, Singapore - Boeing said Wednesday it was preparing to compete with China's first domestically produced passenger plane, which was showcased for the first time to international buyers at Asia's biggest airshow.The single-aisle C919 aircraft made its international debut this week at the Singapore Airshow, featuring in both flying and on-the-ground...Europe’s gas demand at 10-year low, to peak in 2025: report
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia triggered a massive shift by European nations away from Russian natural gas delivered by pipelines, with prices for LNG soaring as they competed on international markets for limited supplies. With a limited number of import terminals, European nations were also forced to undertake measures...Asian markets rally after Wall Street highs, oil prices slide
"The weakness of yesterday's US retail sales release have given market doves a new lease of life and allowed them to refocus on the likelihood of an early Fed rate cut," Rabobank analyst Jane Foley told AFP.EU adopts fallow land exemption after farmer protests
Brussels, Belgium - The European Commission on Tuesday officially extended an exemption from contested rules to leave a share of agricultural lands fallow, which had become a flashpoint for protesting farmers across the bloc.First lifted in 2023 in response to market disruptions caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the rules will...Global conflicts herald ‘dangerous decade’, says military think-tank
"The current military-security situation heralds what is likely to be a more dangerous decade, characterized by the brazen application by some of military power to pursue claims," the report said.Nissan profit drops to US$195m
Its sales in China slumped 35% from April to December.NATO chief calls on Europe to ramp up arms production
Ahead of a key meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels and the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, Jens Stoltenberg insisted that "we need to reconstitute and expand our industrial base faster, to increase deliveries to Ukraine and refill our own stocks." "This means shifting from slow peacetime to...