• Iran, Israel appear to pull back from brink as US approves military aid

    Iran downplayed Israel's reported retaliation for its unprecedented drone and missile attack, tamping down fears that escalating attacks between the arch enemies could tip over into a broader war in the Middle East. However a deadly blast at an Iraqi military base underlined the persisting tensions in the region.
  • US forces down drones, missiles fired at warship by Houthis

    The US military command said that its forces shot down one anti-ship ballistic missile and three one-way attack unmanned aerial systems launched from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen toward USS Carney in the Red Sea. Houthis have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea for months over Israel's war on...
  • Asian markets mostly down as China sets 5 percent growth goal

    Hong Kong, China - Asian markets largely fell on Tuesday after China set an ambitious five percent annual growth target and Wall Street shares dropped ahead of the release of key US economic indicators. Tokyo finished flat, a day after Japan's benchmark Nikkei index hit a record high, closing above 40,000...
  • 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".
  • Food dispatch app Uber Eats launches robot deliveries in Tokyo

    Uber Eats' boxy robots have square headlights for eyes and three wheels on each side to navigate kerbs as they calculate routes on their own, using sensors to avoid pedestrians and other obstacles.Like self-driving delivery services launched by the company in North America, the Tokyo robots will be limited in...
  • American Airlines orders 260 jets

    It is part of the airlines' effort to 'modernize' its fleet.
  • UNRWA head seeks General Assembly support after backlash

    The head of the UNRWA is set to defend his organization's work at the General Assembly, after crippling backlash over accusations that some employees were involved in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. Philippe Lazzarini warned in a letter to the General Assembly's president that his agency is at a...
  • Diplomacy the ‘only way’ to end Israel-Hizbollah clashes: US envoy

    "A diplomatic solution is the only way to end the current hostilities" and achieve "a lasting fair security arrangement between Lebanon and Israel", Washington's envoy Amos Hochstein told reporters in Beirut, adding that "a temporary ceasefire is not enough". "A limited war is not containable," he said after meeting with parliamentary...
  • US Vice President calls for ‘immediate ceasefire’ in Gaza

    Taking an unusually sharp tone, Harris demanded Israel "do more to significantly increase the flow of aid" into Gaza, where she said people are starving and the conditions "inhumane". Pressure for a truce has mounted after attempted aid deliveries have descended into scenes of tragedy, and convoys have failed to...
  • Sharjah government issues 12-year bonds worth $750 million

    Sharjah, UAE -- Bank of Sharjah has acted as a joint lead manager and bookrunner in Sharjah government's issuance of a $750 million, 12-year US dollar-denominated senior unsecured sustainable bond, alongside other international and regional banks. The bond attracted significant investor interest, evidenced by an order book that exceeded $4...
  • Gaza truce talks set to resume in Cairo as heavy fighting rages

    The Hamas official said that if Israel were to meet its demands -- which include a military withdrawal from Gaza and stepped-up humanitarian aid -- this would "pave the way for an agreement within the next 24-48 hours". The health ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip said at least 90...
  • Trump wins vote in 3 states, edging toward nomination

    The voting Saturday in Missouri, Michigan and Idaho were hybrid internal elections with differing rules, in some cases reflecting rifts and tensions despite Trump's formidable sway. In Missouri, Trump swamped his main opponent, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, winning every county caucus in the state, The New York Times...
  • Israel accepts ceasefire deal with Hamas: US official

    A senior US official told reporters that the framework agreement envisages a six-week cessation of hostilities, which could begin immediately if the Palestinian movement Hamas signs off on the release of the most vulnerable hostages it holds. The official said that the Israelis have "more or less accepted it."
  • US military begins dropping aid into war-torn Gaza

    Israel's top ally the United States said it began air-dropping aid into war-ravaged Gaza, as the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry reported over a dozen child malnutrition deaths. The start of the US relief operation came hours after President Joe Biden, who has pushed Israel to allow more aid in, announced...
  • US forces destroy Houthi surface-to-air missile: CENTCOM

    The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. US forces struck and destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile in Yemen on Friday after deciding...
  • Biden announces US aid air drops in Gaza

    Biden had been planning air drops for some time but Thursday's incident "certainly underscored for the president" the need to find other ways to get aid in, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. The United States planned to carry out multiple air drops that would last weeks,...
  • Hamas says Israeli military action kills 7 hostages in Gaza

    Hamas said that seven more hostages seized during its unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 had died because of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Meanwhile, four more children have died of "malnutrition and dehydration" in war-torn Gaza, the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry said, the latest such reported deaths...
  • Gold hovers near a month high on slowing US inflation

    ABU DHABI, UAE- Gold prices hovered near a month high on Friday after data suggested easing US price pressures, while traders awaited remarks from several Federal Reserve officials. According to Reuters, spot gold edged 0.2 percent higher to $2,047.29 per ounce, as of 0635 GMT, after hitting $2050.59 on Thursday...
  • Split over Gaza and Ukraine, G20 meeting ends in discord

    Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad told a news conference in Sao Paulo that it was "impossible" to reach a final joint statement. The minister said the impasse was over the ongoing conflicts without explicitly mentioning Russia's invasion of Ukraine or Israel's ongoing military campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip.
  • Major stock markets trade mixed as US inflation data awaited

    London, United Kingdom - Major stock markets traded mixed Thursday before the release of US inflation data that could present a clearer idea on when the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates as inflation cools. Traders reacted also to yet more earnings, with the Paris CAC 40 reaching a fresh...
  • US implores Israel to let worshipers pray at Al-Aqsa in Ramadan

    United States has been pressing for a deal before Ramadan begins in which Israel would halt strikes in Gaza and hostages would be freed. The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 29,954 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest figures by the health ministry in...
  • India, US at loggerheads over WTO reform at Abu Dhabi talks

    Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- A US-led push to reform the World Trade Organization's embattled dispute settlement system sparked divisions at a WTO meeting Wednesday, with India accusing Washington of bringing the trade body to a "standstill". A working session on dispute settlement reform was held on the third day...
  • Apple drops electric car plans

    It had dedicated nearly 2,000 workers for the program.
  • US, Qatar hope for Israel-Palestine truce within days

    Netanyahu has faced increasing public pressure over the fate of the remaining hostages. Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, said Netanyahu should not accept Hamas's "delusional requests" in negotiations, adding that "the war must continue", according to news website Ynet.
  • Geopolitical risks, sanctions keep commodity markets on edge

    Istanbul, Turkey--The commodity markets saw supply concerns and rises by optimism from China, despite the negative impact of the Fed's announcements, sanctions, and ongoing geopolitical risks. Uncertainties as to when the Fed will start cutting interest rates persist, and the minutes of last week's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting...
  • US envoy blames Iran, Hizbollah for aiding Houthi attacks

    The US special envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, told a Senate subcommittee that Iran was "equipping and facilitating" the Huthi attacks, which have triggered retaliatory US and British strikes on Yemen. He said many Iranian and Hizbollah operatives support Houthi attacks from inside Yemen.
  • US targets Houthi vessels, missiles in latest attack

    Yemen's Houthis have been targeting shipping for months and their attacks have persisted despite repeated US and British strikes aimed at degrading their ability to threaten a vital global trade route. The Houthis began attacking Red Sea shipping in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians ravaged...
  • Gaza ceasefire could start by next Monday: Joe Biden

    A deal between Hamas and Israel could include the exchange of dozens of hostages for several hundred Palestinian civilians held by Israel. Top officials from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, France and elsewhere have acted as mediators, seeking a halt to the fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release...
  • Yemen rebels announce first civilian death in US-UK strikes

    The Houthis, who control war-torn Yemen's most populated areas, have previously reported the death of 17 of their fighters in the Western strikes targeting military facilities. The Houthi attacks have had a significant effect on traffic through the busy Red Sea route, forcing some companies into a two-week detour around...
  • Attack on Rafah would be ‘nail in coffin’ of Gaza aid: UN chief

    Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Antonio Guterres said that Gaza's southernmost city, where more than 1.4 million Palestinians are crowded together in tent cities, was "the core of the humanitarian aid operation" in the Palestinian territory. Guterres stressed Monday that "nothing can justify Hamas's deliberate killing,...
  • Hawkish economic approach on China has bipartisan support in US, say analysts

    WASHINGTON, US  - In a shift from tit-for-tat tariffs and strong-arm tactics to tech restrictions and investment curbs, US policy towards China has become more targeted under President Joe Biden - though still hardline. Despite differences between Democrats and Republicans, analysts expect Washington's approach to Beijing will only become tougher, whether...
  • US and UK launch fresh strikes against Houthis

    The new wave of strikes "specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across eight locations in Yemen" including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter, a joint statement said. It was co-signed by Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand, who gave unspecified "support" to...
  • Israeli negotiators to arrive in Qatar for hostage talks

    According to local media reports, the country's war cabinet endorsed the decision to dispatch negotiators to Qatar to continue talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in the war against Hamas and the return of hostages being held in Gaza. Pressure has mounted on Israeli PM to strike a deal to...
  • US lunar landing a ‘historic achievement’, says Biden

    Washington, US - President Joe Biden on Saturday hailed the landing of a US spacecraft on the Moon as a historic achievement in space research led by the United States. The uncrewed Odysseus lander, built by a private company and funded by NASA, landed near the lunar south pole Thursday, more...
  • NORAD fighters intercept high-altitude balloon over US

    WASHINGTON, US – A small balloon floating at a high altitude over the US state of Utah was intercepted by fighter aircraft on Friday but deemed to pose no national security or flight risk, a US-Canada military agency said, according to US media. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said...
  • Netanyahu plan for post-war Gaza draws US criticism

    The plan lays out that, even after the war, the Israeli army would have "indefinite freedom" to operate throughout Gaza to prevent any resurgence of Hamas activity, according to the proposals. The plan was swiftly rejected by the Palestinian Authority and drew criticism from the United States.
  • American spaceship lands on moon, images expected soon

    The first American spaceship on the Moon since Apollo is "alive and well" following a drama-packed touchdown, the firm that built it said as it worked to download data and images from the uncrewed robot. "Odysseus is alive and well," Intuitive Machines, which achieved the first lunar landing by a...
  • Asian markets up, Tokyo hits record as US tech earnings jump

    Hong Kong, China - Asian markets rose on Thursday, with Tokyo's benchmark index posting a record high after greater-than-expected earnings from US chip giant Nvidia. Highly anticipated earnings results from Nvidia beat expectations late Wednesday, with the firm reporting a quarterly profit of $12.3 billion on record-high revenue driven by demand...
  • Israel parliament rejects unilateral recognition of Palestinian state

    On Wednesday, Israel's parliament backed Netanyahu's proposal of opposing any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, with 99 out of 120 lawmakers voting in favor of it. The proposal voted in Israeli parliament said that any settlement would be "solely through direct negotiations between the parties and without any pre-conditions".
  • As truce talks resume in Cairo, people in Gaza suffer from hunger

    Heavy fighting rocked besieged Gaza as aid agencies warned of looming famine and new talks were held in Cairo towards an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal. The White House sent Middle East envoy Brett McGurk for renewed talks, a day after a UNSC resolution calling for a ceasefire was...
  • Stock markets diverge before Nvidia results, Federal Reserve minutes

    Stock markets diverged as traders awaited earnings from US tech darling Nvidia, in addition to minutes from the Federal Reserve that could shed fresh light on the outlook for interest rates. Wall Street shares fell at the opening bell, with downbeat guidance from other tech companies dampening the mood ahead...
  • Pentagon confirms Houthis shot down drone off Yemen

    The downing of the drone came the same day that the Houthi rebels targeted two US-owned merchant vessels as they continue their multi-month campaign of attacks on shipping in the area. It is the second time an MQ-9 used for both surveillance and strikes was lost near Yemen in recent...
  • Global operation smashes ‘most harmful cyber crime group’

    LONDON, UK - An international operation led by UK and US law enforcement has severely disrupted "the world's most harmful cybercrime group", the Russian-linked ransomware specialist LockBit, officials announced on Tuesday. LockBit and its affiliates have targeted governments, major companies, schools and hospitals, causing billions of dollars of damage and extracting...
  • Wind-powered Dutch chemical tanker sets sail for greener future

    Rotterdam, Netherlands - The world's first chemical tanker ship fitted with massive rigid aluminium "sails" has left Rotterdam, its owner hoping to plot a route to bringing down the shipping industry's huge carbon footprint. The MT Chemical Challenger, a 16,000-ton chemicals transporter set sail from Antwerp for Istanbul on Friday, and...
  • Walmart to buy TV maker Vizio

    The acquisition of the TV maker is worth $2.3 billion.
  • US vetoes Security Council vote on Gaza ceasefire, pushes alternative

    The resolution, which Algeria had been working on for three weeks, had demanded "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties." "Proceeding with a vote today was wishful and irresponsible... we cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy," said Washington's ambassador to the...
  • Oil may rise to $100, gold to hit $3,000 by 2025, says Citi

    ABU DHABI, UAE - Oil prices could rise to $100 per barrel and gold prices could reach $3,000 per ounce within the next 12 to 18 months, subject to three potential catalysts, CNBC reported, citing Citi analysts. Aakash Doshi, Citi’s North America head of commodities research, told CNBC that gold...
  • Qatar minister urges Gaza ceasefire to end Red Sea insecurity

    The Houthis, who control vast swathes of Yemen, have said the attacks, beginning in November, have targeted vessels linked to Israel, in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. In December the United States announced a maritime security initiative, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to protect shipping in the area.
  • US strikes Houthi weapons’ systems in latest attack

    According to a statement from CENTCOM, the five strikes included targeting "the first observed Huthi employment of a UUV (unmanned underwater vessel) since attacks began" in October. The strikes were carried out between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm Saturday Sanaa time, the US Central Command said.
  • Saudi holdings of US Treasuries surge to $131.9b in December 2023

    ABU DHABI, UAE - Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US Treasuries reached US$131.9 billion in December 2023, up $3.8 billion month-on-month, new data released by the US Treasury showed. The Kingdom maintained 16th place among the largest holders of US treasury securities for the month.  Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US Treasuries were distributed among long-term bonds worth...
  • Prospects for Gaza truce ebb as Israel prepares to storm Rafah

    Truce efforts intensified this week as Qatar and fellow mediators Egypt and the US scrambled to secure a ceasefire before Israeli troops enter Rafah, the last major population center in Gaza untouched by Israeli ground troops. Despite a direct appeal from US President Joe Biden earlier this week, Netanyahu insisted...