• ‘AR, VR and video analytics shaping imaging industry’

    Canon focuses on innovation, integrating AI-driven features, deep learning and machine learning to meet changing customer needs, says a top executive of Canon Middle East.
  • Iraq’s pro-Iran Al-Nujaba group to continue attacks on US troops

    "Any (US) strike will result in an appropriate response," Al-Nujaba leader Akram al-Kaabi said in a statement, adding the group would continue its actions until its demands are met for US troops to leave Iraq and an end to Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza.
  • Pegasus used in Jordan to spy on key figures, says report

    Paris, France - Hackers have used the notorious Pegasus spyware to break into the phones of dozens of journalists and activists in Jordan over the past four years, according to the findings of an investigation released Thursday. The Access Now NGO highlighted 35 cases of hacking that date back to 2019,...
  • Air cargo demand rebounds in 2023 amid economic uncertainty

    Geneva, Switzerland-- Air cargo demand rebounded in 2023 with a particularly strong fourth quarter performance despite economic uncertainties, according to new data for global air-freight market released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As per the new data full-year demand reached a level just slightly below 2022 and 2019....
  • Middle Eastern carriers record 1.6% increase in air cargo demand: IATA

    Geneva, Switzerland -- Middle Eastern carriers reported a 1.6 percent increase for global and international demand in 2023 compared to 2022 and an increase in capacity of 13.5 percent (13.6 percent for international operations), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. In December, airlines in the region posted an 18.3 percent increase in...
  • Two million people may die in Gaza without world’s help: Turkish foreign minister

    Ankara, Turkey - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday expressed serious apprehensions about the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip, warning that unless the global community takes immediate action, two million people may die. "Humanitarian aid and medical supplies are not allowed into Gaza. This is a harbinger of...
  • AD Ports launches Noatum Logistics Middle East

    The firm said the new brand will replace MiCCO Logistics.
  • US vows to respond after troops killed in Jordan

    US President Joe Biden held Iran-backed fighters responsible for the killing of US troops and vowed to hold the perpetrators to account. It is the first time American soldiers have been killed by hostile fire in the region since Israel launched its war on Gaza, and the incident will further...
  • Oil rises on fresh Middle East fears after attack on US base

    "The news of three US troops being killed by a drone attack, and President Biden saying 'we shall respond', will likely dial up the market’s focus on the region," Andrew Ticehurst, at Nomura, said. The news comes as Israel presses on with its war against Hamas, adding to investor concerns...
  • UN court says Israel must prevent genocidal acts in Gaza

    The top UN court said Israel should do everything it could to prevent any acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, in a highly anticipated ruling. Israel must do everything to "prevent the commission of all acts within the scope" of the Genocide Convention, said the International Court of Justice.
  • Global Islamic finance market to touch US$4.9trn in 2025, says Malaysian official

    Hong Kong-- The global Islamic finance market would touch US$4.9 trillion by 2025, according to Yazrin Syakhairi, Malaysian Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Malaysia in Hong Kong. Speaking on the sidelines of the Asian Financial Forum (AFF) in Hong Kong, Syakhairi told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that...
  • Israel far-right minister slams Qatar over Hamas attack

    Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was caught on tape allegedly telling hostages' families this week that Qatar's mediation was "problematic" when it came to resolving the hostage crisis. Smotrich accused Western governments of being "hypocritical" in maintaining close relations with Doha.
  • Iran’s Raisi flies to Turkey for delayed Gaza talks

    Planned talks in Ankara in early January were called off when twin blasts claimed by IS group jihadists killed 89 people at the shrine of assassinated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general Qasem Soleimani. A trip he had planned for November was cancelled because of conflicting schedules of diplomats involved in...
  • Iranian President Raisi to discuss Gaza war during Turkey visit

    Raisi will meet Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara, making a visit that was postponed twice -- once in November and once earlier this month -- because of spiraling tensions across the Middle East.
  • European market up on record-busting Wall Street

    A surge in tech titans including Apple, Amazon, Nvidia and Facebook parent Meta on Friday pushed New York's S&P 500 index to its first new all-time high since early 2022 thanks to bets on lower borrowing costs this year.
  • Hamas rejects US president’s comment on two-state solution

    A senior Hamas official dismissed comments by US President Joe Biden about the possibility of Israel agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Biden said it was still possible that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could agree to some form of Palestinian state after the two leaders spoke by...
  • Biden on Palestinian state: some states ‘don’t have their own militaries’

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week said Israel would not get "genuine security" without a "pathway to a Palestinian state." Israel's relentless air and ground offensive has killed at least 24,762 Palestinians, around 70 percent of them women, young children and...
  • Middle East only region to overcome pre-Covid tourism levels: UNWTO

    "International tourism is expected to fully recover pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with initial estimates pointing to 2.0 percent growth above 2019 levels," the Madrid-based agency said in a statement. Figures for last year showed that 1.3 billion tourists travelled abroad, 44 percent higher than in 2022 and 88 percent of...
  • Houthis say US ship hit in latest attack, promise safe passage for Russian, Chinese ships

    In its own statement, the US military's Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East, said the Houthis on Thursday night "launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at M/V Chem Ranger, a Marshall Island-flagged, US-Owned, Greek-operated tanker".
  • Washington seeks ‘de-escalation’ in Middle East, says top US official

    Davos, Switzerland - The United States wants a "de-escalation" in the Middle East despite its strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday. "We seek to stop the spread of conflict and to create the conditions for de-escalation," Sullivan said at the World Economic Forum...
  • Markets drop as Middle East tensions rise, rates cut delayed

    While inflation is on a general downward path, there is a worry that it could pop back up anytime, particularly with tensions in the oil-rich Middle East showing no sign of calming.
  • Gaza war deaths top 24,000 as UN chief calls for ceasefire again

    Bringing food and supplies to the besieged population of Gaza, which is increasingly at risk of famine, also depends on the opening of new entry routes into the territory, the World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a joint statement.
  • Saudi Arabia leads world in innovation and investment

    "This is in the service of humanity and in building an interconnected and innovative future in various fields, including public health, sustainability, energy, industry, and the economies of the future. This aligns with the ambitions and national priorities for research, development, and innovation declared by the Kingdom," he adds.
  • Gaza devastated and ‘largely depopulated’ as war nears 100 days

    GAZA, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Bombed-out neighborhoods, mass graves dug in the sand, spreading hunger and disease -- as the bloodiest ever Gaza war nears 100 days, besieged Palestinians have endured ever new horrors. More than three months of relentless Israeli bombardment since the October 7 Hamas attack have taken a...
  • OYO New Year Eve bookings up 64%

    Oman emerges top performer in the GCC region.
  • Middle East air cargo volumes up 13.5% in November

    Dubai, UAE - Middle Eastern carriers recorded a 13.5% year-on-year increase in cargo volumes, strongest performance in the world. In November 2023, the air cargo was over 13.0%, a 15.4% rise compared to November 2022. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released on Tuesday the data for November 2023 global air...
  • Top global leaders to attend WEF meet amid Gaza, Ukraine war

    Paris, France - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Middle East leaders will attend a World Economic Forum in Davos next week dominated by the war in Gaza, the WEF said Tuesday. Argentina's libertarian new president, Javier Milei, French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese Premier Li...
  • Oil prices slump but stock markets mostly higher

    Wall Street indices enjoyed solid gains, including the Dow, which mustered a 0.6 percent advance in spite of an eight percent dive in Boeing shares after an emergency landing on an Alaska Airlines aircraft revived safety worries. "We basically are having a little bit of a bargain hunting today," economist...
  • Iran supports Baghdad pledge to expel US-led forces from Iraq

    "We have repeatedly expressed our views to the authorities of the countries of the region, including Iraq, and declared that the presence of American forces in any form whatsoever... would not help to maintain stability and peace," said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani.
  • Blinken warns Israel-Hamas war could ‘metastasize’

    Blinken will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi desert city of Al-Ula, said a US official on condition of anonymity. Qatar, a wealthy Gulf emirate which hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East, also hosts Hamas's political office and is the main residence...
  • EU urges peace at Israel-Lebanon border amid escalation fears

    The European Union foreign policy chief warned against a regional conflict that would involve Lebanon, as border clashes intensified nearly three months into Israel's war with Hizbollah ally Hamas. “It is absolutely necessary to avoid Lebanon being dragged into a regional conflict," Josep Borrell said during a press conference in...
  • Hamas urges US diplomat to end Israeli aggression in Gaza

    ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current Middle East tour to end Israel's "aggression" as war rages in Gaza. The top US diplomat arrived in Turkey on Friday at the start of a trip that includes planned...
  • Gaza focus of German foreign minister’s upcoming Middle East tour

    Annalena Baerbock will hold talks with Israel's new Foreign Minister Israel Katz, as well as President Isaac Herzog, foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told a regular press conference on Friday. She will also meet with Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas and foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki.
  • US, France call to ‘avoid escalation in Lebanon and Iran’

    Washington, United States - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna agreed to seek steps to avoid a wider Middle East war following strikes in Lebanon and Iran, the State Department said on Thursday. In a telephone call the day before, the two top diplomats "discussed...
  • US top diplomat to leave on new Middle East crisis trip

    Antony Blinken will leave Washington on Thursday evening on a trip that will include Israel, marking his fourth trip to the region and fifth to Israel since Hamas fighters carried out the deadliest-ever attack inside Israel on October 7. No details have been offered about which Arab country he will...
  • Turkey detains 56 high-priority suspects wanted by 18 countries

    The detained people were wanted in the United States, Germany, India, and several former Soviet republics as well as other parts of Asia and the Middle East.
  • Former British PM Blair says no role in Gazans resettlement

    London, UK - Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair has strongly denied an Israeli media report linking him to talks last week about the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza in other countries. Channel 12 claimed on Sunday that Blair, who left office in 2007 and served as a Middle East envoy...
  • Turkey arrests 33 suspected of spying for Israel, planning abductions

    Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, "We will never allow espionage activities to be conducted against the national unity and solidarity of our country."
  • US aircraft carrier to return to base from Mediterranean

    According to the Navy, the carrier will redeploy to its home port "as scheduled to prepare for future deployments." The Navy said it is"collaborating with Allies and partners" to shore up maritime security in the region, adding the Defense Department will continue to rely on the presence of its forces...
  • Dubai to host ‘Arab Strategy Forum’ next week

    Dubai, UAE--The Arab Strategy Forum will commence in Dubai on January 3rd, 2024 to debate the intricate political and economic landscape of the Arab region. Titled "The Political and Economic State of the Arab World in 2024," the thought-provoking event will bring together prominent global leaders, strategic experts, and leading...
  • Israel PM says no peace until Hamas destroyed

    In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday night, Netanyahu vowed to stay the course. "Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Palestinian society must be deradicalized. These are the three prerequisites for peace between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors in Gaza," Netanyahu said.
  • KPMG’s global revenue touches $36bn

    The company has outlined a collective investment of $4.2b.
  • More than 20 countries join coalition to protect Red Sea shipping

    The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels in the vital shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas. The deaths of 20.000 people in Gaza have provoked widespread anger in the Middle East and provided an impetus for attacks by...
  • Middle East dish Harees inscribed on UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage

    Abu Dhabi, UAE - The popular traditional food Harees is now inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi announced on Wednesday. Harees is a porridge-like dish that is most often eaten during important family gatherings, such as weddings,...
  • Music gives Gaza children respite from horrors

    The United Nation says children make up half of the 1.9 million displaced Palestinians and a sizable number have been killed in Israeli strikes.
  • Saudi Arabia eyes $13 billion from media sector

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia aims to increase the media sector's economic contribution, targeting a GDP share of 47 billion riyals ($13 billion) by the end of the decade. The goal underlines the country's intent to diversify its economy and bolster the non-oil GDP, Saudi Press Agency reported. Recent...
  • Maritime agencies report explosion off Yemen coast

    Dubai, UAE - A "possible explosion" struck a key shipping lane off Yemen on Monday, two maritime agencies said, the latest incident in the vital waterway threatened by Houthi rebel attacks. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued a warning of a potential explosion striking near a vessel passing through...
  • UAE ranks first in Middle East, 4th globally as remote work destination

    Dubai, UAE -- The UAE has ranked first in the Middle East and fourth globally as a leading destination for remote work, according to a new ranking by VisaGuide.World. The VisaGuide.World website specialises in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of visa systems. The website also measures countries' progress in providing...
  • France steps up Middle East effort with foreign minister’s Lebanon visit

    There have been near-daily cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Hamas ally in Lebanon, and Israel since the Palestinian group's unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel.
  • Will Israel try to force Gaza’s population into Egypt?

    Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, warned Wednesday that pushing Gazans across the frontier would be "extremely destabilizing for Egypt". "It's very important to insist that this evacuation of people beyond (the border) must not be promoted, must not be advanced, forced," the UNHCR chief told journalists in...