By Maher Chmaytelli and Isabel Coles | BAGHDAD/SOUTH OF MOSUL, Iraq BAGHDAD/SOUTH OF MOSUL, Iraq U.S.-backed Iraqi forces on Sunday launched a ground offensive to dislodge Islamic State militants from their remaining stronghold in Mosul, in the western part of the city, and put an end to their ambitions for territorial rule in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the offensive, asking Iraqi […]
BAGHDAD A suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt on Sunday in the “My Fair Lady” neighborhood of Mosul that was retaken recently from Islamic State, killing one and wounding nine others, security sources said. A restaurant in the same area was hit on Feb. 10 by a suicide bombing that killed at least 10 people. U.S.-backed forces dislodged Islamic State from the east side of Mosul in […]
When life gives you a second chance, the best choice (if not the only choice most of the time) is to take it. For a man from Wyoming, he was a given a second chance – and more. Andrew Sandness was 21 and battling depression in 2006 when he attempted to take his life. He shot himself in the face. He didn’t die and he knew right […]
ZTE / Kickstarter ZTE on Friday announced the end of its Kickstarter campaign for the Hawkeye phone — originally called “Project CSX” and set to have features picked from the community. The company did poorly on Kickstarter, raising only $36,245 of its $500,000 funding goal. The Hawkeye phone promised a self-adhering case and eye-tracking technology to enable hands-free experiences. While ZTE hasn’t ruled out the Hawkeye completely, […]
MUNICH A new version of a Trump administration travel ban will not stop green card residency holders or travellers already on planes from entering the United States, U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security John Kelly said on Saturday. U.S. President Donald Trump’s initial attempt to clamp down for security reasons on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries and on refugees snarled to a halt amid a judicial backlash and […]
ISTANBUL: Turkey has presented two proposals to the United States for how to carry out a joint military operation to drive Daesh from its stronghold in the Syrian city of Raqqa, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on Saturday.Turkey has said repeatedly that the planned operation should be conducted by local Arab forces, possibly with support from Turkish troops, as opposed to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) — […]
Sign up to receive Authers’ Note daily by email here Donald Trump has been remarkably consistent in his first month in office. As he reminded everyone at his press conference on Thursday, he has done what he said he would do. But on the same day came one clear-cut instance where he has changed his mind — on the stock market. This is what he tweeted on Thursday. […]
Donald Trump has been consistent in his first month in office. As he reminded us at his press conference on Thursday, he has done what he said he would do. But one issue he has changed his mind — on the stock market. On Thursday he tweeted: “Stock market hits new high with longest winning streak in decades. Great level of confidence and optimism — even before […]
By Tulay Karadeniz | ANKARA ANKARA Turkey’s military said on Friday it was close to taking the northern Syrian city of al-Bab from Islamic State, a victory that would deepen Turkish influence in an area where it has created a de facto buffer zone. Al-Bab, an Islamic State stronghold 30 km (20 miles) from the border, has been a key target in an offensive launched by Turkey […]
SMEs are going to dominate the renewables space, especially in emerging markets, such as the GCC, with the private sector playing a key role in driving adoption. UAE SMEs driving adoption and growth of the renewables sector The UAE’s cleantech industry is today buzzing with several start-ups and medium sized firms investing huge amounts of time and resources to identify better, more efficient and sustainable ways to […]
Developer Nakheel said on Wednesday it has begun work on a new 55-storey residential tower, 16-screen cinema complex, multi-storey car park and retail expansion at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. Nakheel said in a statement that has awarded a contract o Dubai-based National Gulf Constructions for enabling works at the site, located on the southern side of the mall, adjacent to The Gardens community. The new AED850 […]
New Zealand telecommunications carrier Spark has announced signing a multi-year deal with technology giant Ericsson to upgrade its voice network to be fully digital during a phased upgrade program. The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) upgrade will modernise and unify Spark’s core networks to allow for greater reliablity and scalability, according to the telco, towards an increasing uptake of voice over IP (VoIP) usage over both fixed-line and […]
ABB collaborates with DEWA to integrate solar energy and support UAE’s clean energy ambition Zurich, Switzerland, February 14, 2017 ABB has successfully energized a major substation that will help evacuate power from the Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Solar Park, a key element of the vision to generate 7 percent of Dubai’s power from clean energy sources by 2020; 25 percent by 2030, and 75 percent […]
Greece is planning to appoint Rothschild to advise on its debts as the country attempts to end a long-running creditor stand-off and avert default. Government officials hope to finalise the appointment before a gathering of eurozone finance ministers on February 20 that has been described as the last chance for Greece’s lenders to overcome their differences before European attention shifts to general elections in eurozone countries. Unless […]
The UAE shall take quality-focused steps to create a supportive environment for innovation at a legislative level and for educational system, economic and media segments, says UAE Economic Minister Dubai, February 14, 2017 Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy chaired the seminar on innovation and the future of economy at the World Government Summit, a global platform dedicated to shaping the future of government […]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise announcement that he was cancelling 86% of the country’s cash overnight triggered weeks of panic and long lines of people trying to exchange or deposit their old notes. The meandering lines have disappeared but India’s cash-driven emerging market is still suffering as the new bills haven’t reached every corner of the economy and consumers and companies are still struggling to shift more of their transactions […]
Submitted by Nick Kaman of Letters from Norway Introduction: Norwegians are just now starting to grapple with the effects of their “single cylinder” economy, mostly dependent on oil and gas (ca. 60% of exports). Despite optimism about $50-$70/barrel oil, American crude output is surging, on track to be the highest ever, since 1970, while cracks start to form in OPEC’s latest agreement. In addition to the oil […]
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Boston University and George Mason University have developed a Bitcoin-compatible system that could make it significantly more difficult for observers to identify or track the parties involved in any given Bitcoin transaction. Bitcoin was initially conceived as a way for people to exchange money anonymously. But then it was discovered that anyone could track all Bitcoin transactions and often identify the […]
“Throughout the entire length of the battle for Aleppo, there have been multiple claims of violations of human rights and multiple denials,” said Eliot Higgins, a senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council. Continue reading the main story “What we have been able to present now is a wealth of evidence confirming the targeting of civilian structures, namely hospitals, which in certain […]
AMMAN Syria’s main opposition body on Sunday approved a new delegation to take part in Geneva peace talks later this month, which include Russian-backed blocs that have been critical of the armed insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad. The High Negotiation Committee, (HNC) the main umbrella group, said in a statement after two-days of meetings in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, that the new 21-member negotiating team included members […]
While federal regulation has stagnated, local activism in the wake of the 2015 accident spurred Southern California regulators to revive a 27-year-old effort to ban HF. “Let’s see if we can phase this out to provide an extra level of protection for the public,” Philip Fine, a deputy executive director of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said in an interview. Separately, California officials have been […]
By Huda Majeed and Ahmed Rasheed | BAGHDAD BAGHDAD Tension between Iraq’s Shi’ite leaders mounted on Sunday as the toll from protests in central Baghdad on Saturday increased to six killed, five demonstrators loyal to the fiery cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and one policeman. At least 174 other protesters were injured in clashes that pitted police and Sadr’s followers who had gathered to demand an overhaul of a […]
PNC Menon is a busy man — it takes several months to lock an interview into his diary. But on the day of our meeting in Dubai, the Indian-born real estate developer exudes characteristic warmth and courtesy, refusing to allow Arabian Business to leave without a bowl of Middle Eastern halva and repeatedly asking whether we have enough milk in our tea. A long-term UAE resident and […]
Canceling cash was just the beginning. An article in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal takes a look inside the next phase in India’s war on the underground economy. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi forced his countrymen to turn in their high-value rupee bills late last year, tax sleuths are now sifting through records of millions of bank deposits to see who might have brought in cash that was […]
