United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decried the deaths of Palestinians seeking food aid as "unacceptable", and the world body's rights chief condemned attacks on civilians as "a war crime" following a similar shooting near the same site on Sunday.

The Israeli military said it was shelling targets in Syria on Tuesday in response to a pair of projectile launches, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying he held Syria's leader "directly responsible".

Agentic AI, spatial intelligence and robotic advancements in manipulation and adaptive control are enabling autonomous systems to make intelligent decisions in complex environments, driving progress in automotive and smart manufacturing.

Makkah, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi authorities have asked pilgrims performing the hajj to remain in their tents for several hours during the high point of this week's pilgrimage, citing high temperatures. According to a report in Saudi media, Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah has requested that pilgrims refrain from leaving their...

Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum today released a new report examining how emerging technology combinations are reshaping industries and how business leaders can harness these insights to guide investment, build capabilities and position ecosystems strategically. It also offers valuable insights to policy-makers by highlighting how emerging technologies intersect...

Dubai, UAE – The Middle East’s tourism sector is poised for unprecedented expansion, with a new report predicting a 50 percent surge in travel spending by 2030, reaching nearly $350 billion. The ATM Travel Trends Report 2025, compiled by Tourism Economics for Arabian Travel Market (ATM), highlights the region’s rapid...

Washington, United States -- Facebook owner Meta announced Tuesday a 20-year nuclear energy agreement with US-based Constellation Energy to secure power from a nuclear plant in the state of Illinois. The investment marks big tech's latest move to meet surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence, with Microsoft, Google and Amazon...

Beirut, Lebanon - On Beirut's chaotic, car-choked streets, Lebanese student Fatima Fakih rides a shiny purple bus to university, one of a fleet rolled out by authorities to revive public transport in a country struggling to deliver basic services. The 19-year-old says the spacious public buses are "safer, better and...

Cairo, Egypt - In the heart of Cairo, a small cinema has for over a decade offered a unique space for independent film in a country whose industry is largely dominated by commercial considerations. Zawya, meaning "perspective" in Arabic, has weathered the storm of Egypt's economic upheavals, championing a more...

Trump, who wants a swift end to the three-year war, is "open" to a three-way summit "if it comes to that, but he wants both of these leaders and both sides to come to the table together", White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in Washington.

Cries of grief echoed across southern Gaza's Nasser Hospital Monday as dozens came to mourn Hossam Wafi, after the father of six was killed while attempting to get supplies to feed his family.

Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 people and wounded 176 near the aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah.

Washington, United States -- As misinformation exploded during India's four-day conflict with Pakistan, social media users turned to an AI chatbot for verification -- only to encounter more falsehoods, underscoring its unreliability as a fact-checking tool. With tech platforms reducing human fact-checkers, users are increasingly relying on AI-powered chatbots -- including...

New Delhi, India -- Airlines on Monday revised down their traffic and profit forecasts for 2025, citing "headwinds" for the global economy, with industry chiefs warning of the risk of increased tariffs impacting the sector. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates fewer than five billion air journeys will take...

Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's table tennis association has warned of possible legal action as it disputes the result of a stormy leadership election for the Olympic sport's world governing body in Doha. The Qatari association, whose president Khalil Al-Mohannadi narrowly failed to dislodge Sweden's Petra Soerling as head of the...

Jerusalem, Undefined - The US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has lashed out at France's advocacy for recognition of a Palestinian state, saying that if it supported such an outcome it could "carve out a piece of the French Riviera" and create one. France is co-chairing with Saudi Arabia this...

Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet Monday in Istanbul to exchange their plans for how to end the three-year war, Europe's largest conflict since World War II, after Kyiv says it struck dozens of strategic bombers parked at airbases deep in Russia.

Mumbai, India - A passenger smuggling dozens of venomous vipers was stopped after flying into the financial capital Mumbai from Thailand, Indian customs officials said. The snakes, which included 44 Indonesian pit vipers, had the snakes "concealed in checked-in baggage", Mumbai Customs said in a statement late Sunday. "An Indian...

Israel has faced growing condemnation over the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where the United Nations has warned the entire population faces the risk of famine after no aid was allowed to enter for more than two months.

The new city, named Jirian meaning "Flow" in Arabic, is part of Egypt's Nile Delta scheme, a massive agricultural initiative aiming to reclaim about 2.5 million acres west of the original Nile Delta.

Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, along with the Arab League chief, had planned a trip to the Palestinian territory, but Israel said Friday that it would not cooperate.

New Delhi, India -- Indian airline IndiGo said on Sunday it had signed an order for 30 more Airbus A350-900s, bringing its shopping list for the widebody aircraft from the European aircraft manufacturer to 60. "We are placing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s," said Pieter Elbers, the CEO...

London, United Kingdom -- US President Donald Trump's tariffs, his call to "drill baby drill" and especially a decision by OPEC+ to hike crude output quotas have oil prices trading at lows not seen since the Covid pandemic. That is good news for consumers but not so much for producers,...

From the first video game consoles of the 1970s to the Nintendo Switch 2 due out on Thursday, hundreds of millions have been sold to players eager to immerse themselves in their favorite franchises

"At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others... were wounded due to gunfire from Israeli vehicles towards thousands of citizens" approaching the US aid site west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.

The generative AI frenzy unleashed by ChatGPT in 2022 has propelled a handful of venture-backed companies to eye-watering valuations.

Paris, France -- Social media can push vulnerable young people towards developing eating disorders by glorifying thinness and promoting fake, dangerous advice about diet and nutrition, experts warn. Young women and girls are much more likely to suffer from illnesses such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, though rates...

Abu Dhabi, UAE  – ADNOC has expanded its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education programme to empower UAE students in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technology through an initiative called ‘STEM for Life: Future of AI Schools Challenge’ which held the finals today at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre....

The ministers condemned "Israel's decision to ban the delegation's visit to Ramallah (on Sunday) to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas", the Jordanian foreign ministry said.

On a visit to Riyadh earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said he would lift US sanctions on Syria, a move that should help pave the way for economic recovery in the war-torn country.

Sidi Rbat, Morocco - In a small village on the coast of southern Morocco, women gather in a house to create collaborative works of textile art, and also earn a living. Several hunch over large canvasses, embroidering their latest piece at the women-only workshop, in the village of 400 people....

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that abandoning war-torn Gaza to its fate and giving Israel a "free pass" would kill the West's credibility with the world.

Negotiations to end nearly 20 months of war have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations in Gaza in March, ending a six-week truce.

Washington, United States - Google on Friday urged a US judge to reject the notion of making it spin off its Chrome browser to weaken its dominance in online search. Rival attorneys made their final arguments before US District Court Judge Amit Mehta, who is considering "remedies" to impose after...

Prince Faisal will head a delegation to Ramallah, the first such trip since Israel first occupied the Palestinian territory in 1967. Saudi Arabia sent a lower-level delegation to Ramallah in September 2023.

With its eye-watering oil riches, intricate tribal networks and large numbers of foreign workers, Saudi society has long been divided by rigid class structures.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia is ramping up a crackdown on unregistered worshippers at next week's hajj pilgrimage, a year after hundreds perished in scorching conditions. Regular raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts are aimed at rooting out unauthorized visitors hoping to mingle among the crowds...

Under the new law, companies are required to report and reduce their emissions of the greenhouse gases that are responsible for global warming. Ghiwa Nakat, executive director of Greenpeace MENA, called it a "progressive move".

NATO member Turkey, which has strove to maintain relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, has become a key mediator amid US President Donald Trump's push for a deal to end the over three-year war.

The Islamic State (IS) group on Thursday claimed its first attack on Syria's new government forces since the fall of longtime Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, two war monitors said.

Palm oil is an indispensable part of the Middle East and North Africa’s food and hospitality industries. From luxury hotel kitchens to spa treatments and guest amenities, palm oil continues to be an essential ingredient powering world-class guest experiences across the region.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Saudi Pro League (SPL) and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) have agreed a long-term strategic partnership, with Maaden named the Official Platinum Partner of the SPL until July 2030. Omar Mugharbel, CEO of SPL, said: “We are proud to welcome Maaden as a long-term partner...

The agreement was sealed at the presidential palace in Damascus in the presence of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US ambassador Thomas Barrack. It aims to generate 5,000 megawatts. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir called it a "historic moment" and a "turning point" for the country's shattered infrastructure.

 Dubai, UAE -- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has kicked off 2025 with a remarkable surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, according to the latest EY MENA M&A Insights 2024 report. The first quarter of the year saw a substantial 31 percent increase in deal volume,...

Vancouver, Canada -- Two and a half years since ChatGPT rocked the world, scientist and writer Gary Marcus still remains generative artificial intelligence's great skeptic, playing a counter-narrative to Silicon Valley's AI true believers. Marcus became a prominent figure of the AI revolution in 2023, when he sat beside OpenAI...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- With artificial intelligence, more shade and misting machines, Saudi authorities are preparing to welcome more than a million hajj pilgrims amid punishing summer heat that has a deadly history in the holy city of Mecca. Saudi Arabia's hajj minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP on Thursday that...

The global economic outlook has worsened since the start of the year, as rising economic nationalism and tariff volatility fuel uncertainty and risk stalling long-term decision-making, according to a World Economic Forum report released on Wednesday.

Washington, United States - Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday announced he was leaving his role in US government, intended to reduce federal spending, shortly after his first major break with President Donald Trump over his signature spending bill. "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an...

The 22-nation group began a series of cuts in 2022 to prop up crude prices, but Saudi Arabia, Russia and six other members surprised markets recently by sharply raising output for May and June.

Dubai, UAE - Dubai International Airport (DXB) has once again secured the top spot in the Airports Council International’s (ACI) 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking for the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, hailed the recognition as a testament to the airport’s strategic importance in global...