"The declaration on the state of emergency enables the IDF (Israeli military) to issue instructions to the citizens of Israel, including limiting gatherings and closing sites where it may be relevant," Gallant said, in a statement issued by his office.

Hong Kong, China -- Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said Friday it would upgrade its Hong Kong-listed shares to primary status, opening it up to China's huge army of investors that could potentially rake in billions of dollars for the firm. The decision by shareholders during its annual general meeting Thursday will...

It became just the second country after China to do so. The UAE said it was committed to "building bridges" to help the Afghan people, after the Kabul foreign ministry announced on social media that new ambassador Mawlawi Badruddin Haqqani had been received in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

Beijing, China - China dominates the market for electric vehicles. Now it's chasing in the race to build battery-powered humanoids expected to replace human workers building EVs on assembly lines, Reuters reports. At the World Robot Conference this week in Beijing, over two dozen Chinese companies showed off humanoid robots...

The annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium in the US state of Wyoming gives Powell a global platform to enlighten financial markets about the Fed's thinking, a few weeks after he said policymakers could cut rates "as soon as" September.

Jerusalem, Undefined - As their first birthday approaches, the triplets Gaza-native Hanane Bayouk gave birth to in Jerusalem before the war have seen their mother just once, and she fears she will "die without them". The 26-year-old had to return to the Palestinian territory alone after giving birth to Najoua, Nour...

EGA says the deal boosts its plan to expand recycling space globally.

Paris, France -- Stock markets wobbled on Thursday as investors await a highly-anticipated speech by US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell, hoping he will drop more clues about an expected interest-rate cut. The Dow, the broader S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq had all opened on the right foot, extending gains...

The Israeli military killed a senior Palestinian militant in Lebanon on Wednesday, leading to accusations from the Fatah movement that Israel was trying to ignite a regional war. The strike that killed Khalil Maqdah, described by Fatah as "one of the leaders" of its armed wing in Lebanon, came hours...

Iran's army in May similarly said it had found no evidence of criminal activity in the crash that also killed Raisi's foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. "The case of the crash of Ayatollah Raisi's helicopter has been fully completed by the regulatory and security institutions," Fars reported.

The company is Chinese smartphone and household tech giant.

Doha, Qatar - Top US diplomat Antony Blinken appealed Tuesday to Hamas urgently to accept a ceasefire plan to ease suffering in Gaza but also entered a public spat with Israel as he capped a new round of shuttle diplomacy. The US secretary of state closed his ninth wartime trip to...

New York, United States - Boeing has suspended flight testing of its new 777X wide-body jet after identifying the failure of a part connecting the engine to the body of the aircraft, the latest in a long line of quality control issues for the troubled US aerospace giant. "During scheduled maintenance,...

The 56-meter British-flagged sailing yacht "Bayesian" was anchored with 10 crew and 12 passengers on board when it was struck by a waterspout

Oil prices fell by more than $2 a barrel Monday on the prospect of successful Middle Eastern peace talks reducing supply risks, while leading oil importer China's economic weakness threatened to curb demand, Reuters reported Brent crude futures settled at $77.66 a barrel, dropping $2.02, or 2.5%. U.S. West Texas...

The statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed the Trump campaign claim from earlier this month that it had been targeted, potentially by Iran.

Blinken, on his ninth visit to the Middle East since Hamas's October 7 attack triggered the war with Israel, said he had "a very constructive meeting" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who "confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal."

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- Abu Dhabi Airports has expanded its existing collaboration with Paris Airports Group (ACG) to focus on collaborating on the creation of the ground infrastructure needed to provide advanced air transport applications in Abu Dhabi. Based on the agreement signed between the two parties on the sidelines of...

Paris, France -- The world's largest video game trade show, Gamescom, opens its doors on Tuesday in Germany at a sensitive moment for an industry battered by layoffs and studio closures. Organizers expect the event, which runs until Sunday in the western city of Cologne, to welcome more than 300,000 people as...

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Monday after a week that saw a broad rally in stocks, as investors awaited a slew of central bank releases and inflation data this week, CNBC reported. The Bank of Korea will release its rate decision on Thursday, while inflation data from Japan and Singapore...

Making his ninth trip to the Middle East since the Gaza war began when Hamas attacked Israel in October, the US secretary of state is to meet Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders in a renewed bid to seal a deal that could help avert a wider conflagration.

Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, will shutter its local operations in Brazil following a bitter legal tussle over the platform's rights and responsibilities, owner Elon Musk said on Saturday. The service will remain available to Brazilian users.

Washington, United States - Donald Trump has never lacked for self-confidence, but his presidential campaign has been sent into a tailspin by the extraordinary events of the past month, and suddenly he appears older, more awkward and grasping for direction. An assassination attempt, the shock withdrawal of Joe Biden from the...

"To say that we are getting close to a deal is an illusion," Hamas political bureau member Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP. "We are not facing a deal or real negotiations, but rather the imposing of American diktats." He was responding to Biden's comment on Friday that "We are closer...

Beijing, China - Youth unemployment in China ticked up to 17.1 percent in July, official figures showed, the highest level this year as the world's second-largest economy faces mounting headwinds. China is battling soaring joblessness among young people, a heavily indebted property sector and intensifying trade issues with the West. Chinese...

Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators have been seeking to finalize details of a framework initially outlined by Biden in May, and which he said Israel had proposed. But months of talks have so far failed to pin down the details of a truce and hostage release deal. The mediators said...

Geneva, Switzerland -- The United Nations on Friday said a deadly Israeli settler attack on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank was "horrific" and that Israel had to end impunity. The UN human rights office said deadly violence in the Palestinian territory, that has increased since the start of...

Expectations of US interest rate cuts weakened the dollar, while oil prices tumbled as weak Chinese demand expectations offset turmoil in the Middle East, according to traders. Gold rose to a record high of $2,500.16 an ounce as investors snapped up the haven investment in the face of an increasingly likely...

Israeli Foreign Minister told his French and British counterparts that his country expects support "in attacking" Iran if it strikes Israel

The World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe warned on Thursday that Mpox could spread to other countries after Sweden confirmed the first case of infectious viral disease outside of Africa.  Sweden reported the first case of the more contagious variant of Mpox outside of Africa on Thursday, just...

Los Angeles, United States - Five people who allegedly supplied ketamine to "Friends" star Matthew Perry in a bid to exploit his drug addiction for profit have been charged in relation to his overdose death, US officials said Thursday. The actor died at his luxury Los Angeles home last year, sparking...

Palestinian Territories -- With Gaza largely in ruins after more than 10 months of war, the Hamas-run territory's health ministry has struggled to count the death toll, which on Thursday surpassed 40,000. Israel has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the daily figures put out by the ministry and US President...

Advanced blockchain analysis tools, such as those provided by Chainalysis, are empowering law enforcement agencies and enterprises to counter the threat ever more effectively

Norway’s massive sovereign wealth fund on Wednesday posted first-half profit of 1.48 trillion kroner ($138 billion), primarily driven by robust returns on its investments in technology stocks, CNBC reported. The so-called Government Pension Fund Global — the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund — said it had a value of 17.75...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai's real estate market reached a new peak in July, with sales hitting an all-time high of AED50.1 billion ($13.6 billion). Although the market continued to grow, the year-on-year increase slowed to 33% from 53% in June, reflecting a high base effect from the same period in...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told several Middle Eastern counterparts in recent days that "this ceasefire deal is of vital importance, that we need to do everything we can to get it done, and that escalation is in no one's interest", State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on Wednesday.

US envoy Amos Hochstein's Lebanon trip comes a day before ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel are set to resume

Geneva, Switzerland – A recent report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) highlights the growing concern that unequal access to green financing and technologies could worsen existing economic inequalities. The report, Accelerating an Equitable Transition: A Data-Driven Approach, stresses the urgent need for an institutional response to ensure that the...

Two ships reported nearby explosions on Tuesday off the coast of Yemen, maritime security agencies said, though neither event resulted in damage or injuries. The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden off Yemen have become perilous for shipping with the Huthi rebels, who control areas including the capital Sanaa, launching...

The law will ensure equal treatment between domestic and foreign investors, protecting intellectual property and promoting fair competition in line with international standards.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The IPO market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region remained resilient during the second quarter of this year, with 14 IPOs registering total proceeds of US$2.64 billion, up 45.3 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the Ernst & Young...

"When Gallant adopts the anti-Israel narrative, he harms the chances of reaching a hostage release deal," Netanyahu said, adding that Hamas supremo Yahya Sinwar is the one "who has been and remains the only obstacle to a hostage deal."

San Francisco, United States - US credit rating agency Fitch downgraded Israel a notch on Monday, warning that its ongoing conflict against Hamas in Gaza could last "well into 2025" and weigh on economic activity. Fitch lowered Israel's rating from "A+" to "A". "The conflict in Gaza could last well into...

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...

Paris, France -- Uncertainty about Chinese economic growth is weighing on global oil demand this year, OPEC said on Monday, leading the producers cartel to slightly revise down the robust projections it made in July. "The world oil demand growth forecast for 2024 is revised down slightly by 135,00 barrels a...

Biden had said the first phase of the proposed roadmap would include a "full and complete ceasefire" lasting six weeks, with Israeli forces withdrawing from "all populated areas of Gaza" and some hostages freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Hasina fled by helicopter as protesters flooded Dhaka's streets in a dramatic end to her long rule. Her government was accused of widespread human rights abuses.

Saudi Arabia announced new business regulations aimed at boosting transparency and easing the process of investing in the kingdom as it looks to attract more foreign capital to support economic diversification, Bloomberg reported. The updated investment law enhances investor rights by guaranteeing the rule of law, fair treatment and the freedom to...

He said Austin, who spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Sunday, had also ordered the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the area. Ryder said the pair discussed "the importance of mitigating civilian harm, progress towards securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza."

Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defence agency, said 11 children and six women were among the 93 who died at the school shelter, "and there are many unidentified body parts". "They dropped a missile on them while they were just praying," said one woman, mourning over a dead child...