Commentators have declared Benjamin Netanyahu to be finished many times over the past two decades and yet he has always made a comeback. This time, the calculus could be different. In the space of a week, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister suffered two electoral blows. At home, his bloc won 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset and lost its majority, while in the US, the Republican Party he bet on suffered a sweeping midterm defeat. With no…
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his politics might not be to everyone’s taste but, whatever one thinks of him, in his short time in office he has demonstrated a combination of boldness, vision and political astuteness. Nowhere is this more evident than in his determination to put relations with the EU back at the heart of his foreign policy agenda. At first glance, this might look like political suicide. A decade after the British people…
For more than 30 years, Pacific island countries have issued the same warning at the annual UN climate change conference: the warming ocean threatens not just food and energy security but global survival itself. And almost every year, our warning has been treated as a regional problem, a challenge confined to remote small islands and thus not warranting more than lip service from international leaders. I wish I could say we were wrong. Instead,…
Syria and Jordan have signed 11 agreements aimed at enhancing economic cooperation across various sectors, including investment, agriculture, transport, and energy, during the third session of the Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council. The agreements, which include memoranda of understanding and cooperation protocols, emphasize joint development initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and strategic partnerships to facilitate trade and…
Israeli forces killed three Palestinians, including a father and son, in Gaza, according to medics. The incident involved an airstrike on a displacement shelter.
DUBAI: Gulf Cooperation Council defense ministers have agreed to set up a forward military command in Kuwait with forces assigned to the site, GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi said on Tuesday. A forward command is a headquarters placed closer to potential flashpoints than a military’s main command. It allows more efficient coordination and faster deployment of forces. Kuwait sits at the northern tip of the Gulf, bordering Iraq and Saudi…
RIYADH: Saudi Energy’s net profit rose 4.3 percent year on year to SR12.1 billion ($3.2 billion) in the first nine months of 2026, supported by an expanding regulated asset base and higher project-related revenue. Revenue increased 11.5 percent to SR87.2 billion, which the company attributed to higher regulated revenue, including pass-through costs, increased income from project development and management contracts, and customer growth. The…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Nordic leaders in Denmark to discuss military support, air defense, and energy infrastructure security amidst ongoing Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi. Denmark pledges significant military aid to Ukraine.
NEW DELHI: Policymakers, diplomats and tech experts from across Gulf Cooperation Council countries and India will meet next week for talks on artificial intelligence, energy and logistics cooperation at the Kochi Dialogue diplomacy conclave. Themed “Towards an Innovative and Integrated India-GCC Partnership: Resilience, Reinvention, Redefinition,” the forum will be hosted on Nov. 18-20 by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Centre…
Canada has reimposed sanctions on 11 Iranian companies involved in energy and banking due to their roles in Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as financing malign activities. The sanctions were originally lifted in 2016.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Foreign Trade has announced the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation into the Kingdom’s imports of “hot-rolled iron or steel structural sections, angles, and shapes (light and medium categories)” originating in or exported from China and Turkiye. The decision to launch the investigation was made in accordance with the Trade Remedies Law in International Trade, issued on Nov. 23, 2022, the Saudi…
NATO countries, including Sweden and the UK, are conducting anti-submarine drills in the Baltic Sea amid concerns over Russian hybrid tactics.
DUBAI: UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum has ordered the provision of tents to shelter 50,000 people in Gaza ahead of winter, state-run WAM News Agency reported on Tuesday. The initiative is part of efforts to protect displaced Gazan residents from harsh weather and flooding caused by heavy rain. The tents will be delivered and distributed across several areas of the Gaza Strip through the Mohammed bin…
Lucid Group has obtained $1.75 billion in additional financing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, increasing its total liquidity to $3.75 billion. This financial boost aims to support the company's transformation plan as it prepares to launch a new midsize vehicle lineup and continues its cash flow improvement strategy, while also progressing on a new manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia.
Iran calls for diplomatic engagement with the US to resolve their conflict and stresses the importance of meeting its demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran insists on dialogue rather than military actions or intensified sanctions.
Malaysia’s High Court has approved the transition of former Prime Minister Najib Razak from jail to house arrest after a delay caused by the attorney general’s intervention.
Israel’s new parliament is set to be sworn in, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing the loss of his majority. Gadi Eisenkot is working to form a new government amid the political reshuffling.
DUBAI: Four designers and studios from Bahrain, Lebanon and Iran have been named winners of the Design Doha Prize 2026 in recognition of their innovative approaches to craftsmanship, sustainability and contemporary design. The winners were honored at Qatar’s Museum of Islamic Art during a ceremony attended by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, who said: “Design Doha is an investment, connecting…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s industrial production index rose 15.6 percent in September from the previous month, led by a recovery in mining and quarrying activity, although output remained 10.9 percent lower than a year earlier, official data showed. The Industrial Production Index stood at 101.3 in September, compared with 87.7 in August, preliminary figures released by the General Authority for Statistics showed. Mining and quarrying activity…
US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed at ending the ongoing war began in Abu Dhabi, marking the first meeting in over nine months. Despite high hopes, fears persist that the US might pressure Ukraine into unfavorable concessions, as both sides continue to hold firm on territorial disputes amidst escalating military actions.
DUBAI: Lebanese Jordanian actress Andria Tayeh is set to star in, co-write and executive produce “Die For You,” an upcoming psychological horror-thriller from Lebanese writer and director Daniel Habib. The 25-year-old actress, best known for her role in Netflix’s “AlRawabi School for Girls,” will play the film’s lead character, Tamara, as well as co-write the screenplay with Habib. The project marks a new creative chapter for the actress, who is…
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball have continued their impressive start to the season with an 87–98 victory over KK Mega Superbet in Belgrade, Serbia, in ABA League Round 7. The result extended Dubai’s unbeaten run on the road, as the reigning champions continue to build momentum this season. Xavi Pascual’s side made a confident start, with McKinley Wright, Davion Mintz, Dwayne Bacon, Tornike Shengelia and Mfiondu Kabengele named in the starting lineup.…
CAIRO: Iraq reopened the Sheeb border crossing with Iran on Tuesday morning after closing it last month amid US pressure to isolate Tehran. The Iraqi government initially shut down the Al-Sheeb crossing in Missan province in October as part of efforts to review security and install detection equipment to stop smuggling. The reopening follows Iraq’s completion of technical requirements and necessary procedures, ensuring the smooth movement of…
A Bangladeshi prosecutor stated that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would face execution if she returns from self-imposed exile. Reports suggest she plans a return in December.
President Erdogan announced the discovery of two new oil fields in Turkiye ahead of his speech at the COP31 climate talks in Antalya.
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will replace the injured Colby Covington to face Khamzat Chimaev for the Real American Freestyle light heavyweight crossover championship at RAF Abu Dhabi this weekend. This highly anticipated match marks Weidman's first appearance in Abu Dhabi as he aims to leverage his wrestling pedigree against Chimaev's explosive style.
For many young people across the region, digital spaces are part of everyday life. Friendships continue in group chats, homework questions are answered in short videos, and new interests are discovered, explored and sometimes turned into careers from a phone screen. While these experiences create opportunities to learn and connect, they also raise important questions about how young people can navigate the digital world in a healthy way, and…
The United States plans to skip its scheduled human rights review at the UN’s Human Rights Council. This marks the first instance of a nation opting out since the council’s inception.
France’s foreign minister indicated that the country could take undisclosed actions in response to a cyberattack on supermarket freezers, attributed to Iran, and mentioned potential European-level sanctions.