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US sanctions Chinese and Russian firms over Iran trade

LONDON: The US has slapped economic sanctions on four Chinese and Russian companies that Washington claims helped to support Iran’s missile program. The four were accused of “transferring sensitive

November 30

Off the Cuff

Saudi initiative: DCO to boost economies of 5 founding countries

RIYADH: Digital experts are singing the praises of the newly formed multinational Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO). Founded by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Pakistan, the DCO is

November 30

Region

Jessica Kahawaty strikes a pose in Valentino campaign

DUBAI: Lebanese-Australian model Jessica Kahawaty has joined regional stars in promoting Valentino’s latest fragrance, Voce Viva, taking to social media as part of the #myvoicemystrength campaign.

November 29

Region

UK PM names Nadhim Zahawi as minister responsible for vaccine

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has named Nadhim Zahawi, currently a junior business minister, as the minister responsible for COVID-19 vaccine deployment, in a sign that the government

November 29

Region

Frankly Speaking: Arab News premieres first talkshow with former PM

LONDON: Arab News, the region’s leading English-language Middle East newspaper, is proud to announce its latest video product: “Frankly Speaking,” a recorded show that will interview and challenge

November 29

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Black Friday offers beacon of hope to struggling stores

NEW YORK: After months of slumping sales and businesses toppling into bankruptcy, Black Friday is offering a small beacon of hope.

November 29

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India enters worst of major economy recessions

MUMBAI: India’s economy contracted 7.5 percent between July and September, the poorest among major advanced and emerging economies, entering a technical recession for the first time since

November 29

Region

Syrian regime forces renew shelling on southern Idlib

DUBAI: Syrian regime forces bombed areas in southern Idlib on Friday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.  Forces used rocket-propelled grenades in Al-Fatira and Kansafra and

November 28

Region

Russia says India to produce 100 million doses of Sputnik vaccine

MOSCOW: The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), one of the developers of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, announced Friday that India-based drugmaker Hetero will produce over 100 million

November 28

Region

Academic detained in Iran for 2 years returns to Australia

CANBERRA: Academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert has arrived back in Australia and will soon reunite with her family after more than two years in an Iranian prison. Moore-Gilbert was met by public health

November 28

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Outcry grows in France after police filmed beating music producer

PARIS: A video of police beating a black music producer in Paris triggered outrage and condemnation on Thursday, leading to the suspension of several officers and a public backlash that drew in

November 28

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Saudi Arabia joins forces with four nations to launch Digital

RIYADH, JEDDAH: Senior government officials from five countries have banded together to launch a new global organization with the aim to strengthen cooperation across all innovation-driven areas and

November 28

Region

Qiddiya awards $533m contracts for giga-project to Saudi firms

Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) awarded construction contracts of $533m (2 blln riyals) on the Qiddiya giga project, since construction began some 12 months ago. The most recent contract award, a

November 27

Region

Angry farmers in India clash with police to protest new laws

NEW DELHI: Thousands of Indian farmers clashed with police in northern Haryana state on Thursday during a protest demanding that the government abolish new farming laws that they fear will reduce

November 27

Region

Bitcoin plummets to 10-day low, dragging smaller cryptocurrencies down

LONDON: Bitcoin plunged on Thursday to its lowest in 10 days, leading a sell-off that extended to other smaller digital coins. Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, slumped as much as 13

November 27

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Iniesta fires Japan’s Vissel Kobe into last 16

DOHA: Andres Iniesta scored his first goal in the Asian Champions League as Vissel Kobe powered their way to the last-16 with a dominant 3-1 win over Fabio Cannavaro’s Guangzhou Evergrande in their

November 27

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Hezbollah, Amal loyalists attack journalists covering fire

LONDON: Sawt Beirut International reporter Rabih Chantaf and cameraman Mahmoud Al-Sayyed were attacked and harassed by Hezbollah and Amal party loyalists on Tuesday while covering a fire in Beirut.

November 27

Region

Thai protesters push on despite charges of royal defamation

BANGKOK: Pro-democracy demonstrators in Thailand on Wednesday again took to the streets of the capital, even as the government escalated its legal battle against them, reviving the use of a harsh law

November 26

Region

Don’t relax virus rules too quickly, says EU chief

BRUSSELS: European countries should not ease coronavirus restrictions too quickly, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned on Wednesday, stressing the risk of a post-Christmas third wave. Some European

November 26

Region

Abu Dhabi’s new creative hub aims to attract 16,000 film, TV, gaming

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi’s new 270,000 square meter creative hub, which is set to open in 12 months’ time, is aiming to attract over 16,000 professionals from the entertainment, film, TV and gaming sectors,

November 26

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Tigrayans accused of massacre in Ethiopia war, both sides claim

ADDIS ABABA/NAIROBI: Ethiopia’s state-appointed rights watchdog accused a Tigrayan youth group on Tuesday of killing hundreds of civilians as federal and local forces both claimed advances in a

November 26

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Joe Biden introduces security team ‘ready to lead the world’

WILMINGTON, United States: President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday introduced a seasoned national security team which he said was prepared to resume US leadership of the world once Donald Trump leaves

November 26

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Saudi Arabia says Jeddah fuel tank blast caused by ‘terrorist missile’

RIYADH: An explosion and fire at a fuel storage site near Jeddah was caused by a “terrorist missile,” Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry said on Monday.  The explosion took place at 3 a.m. Monday causing

November 25

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US listing of BDS as anti-Semitic sparks freedom-of-speech debate

NEW YORK: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s decision to list the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel as an anti-Semitic organization has reignited a ferocious debate

November 25

Region

Japan pauses domestic travel push in two cities as COVID-19 spreads

TOKYO: Japan paused its domestic “Go To Travel” promotion campaign in two cities following sharp rises in COVID-19 infections, a government minister said on Tuesday, a blow to Prime Minister

November 24

Region

Russia says Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine 95% effective

MOSCOW: Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is 95 percent effective according to a second interim analysis of clinical trial data, its developers said on Tuesday. The calculations were based on

November 24

Region

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu says he will visit Bahrain soon

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he would visit Bahrain “soon” at the invitation of the Gulf state’s Crown Prince Salman Al-Khalifa. Bahrain followed the United

November 24

Region

India summons Pakistani diplomat over Kashmir gunbattle

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: India on Saturday summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat over what New Delhi said was a foiled attack this week in the frontier territory of Jammu and Kashmir by a Pakistan-based

November 23

Region

At least three dead as barrage of rocket fire hits Kabul

KABUL: At least three people were killed Saturday when a barrage of rockets struck densely populated parts of Kabul, officials said, marking the latest attack in an ongoing wave of violence sweeping

November 23

Region

Pompeo’s unusual visit and the dire state of Turkey-US relations

Mike Pompeo speaks with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 17, 2020. (Reuters)

November 23