Category: World

Green SM has begun pilot operations for its fully electric taxi service in Amsterdam, making the Netherlands its eighth market worldwide and its second European market after Denmark. The mobility company held a technical opening on September 25 and said the trial would initially cover Amsterdam’s Centrum, West and Zuid districts. Operations are planned to extend progressively to Oost, Noord, Nieuw-West and Zuidoost as the company tests demand, operating procedures and service standards before a wider commercial rollout. Green SM said the

Pope Leo XIV will use his first visit to France as pontiff to underscore solidarity with eastern Christian communities, including those in the Arab world, during a four-day apostolic journey beginning in Paris on Friday. The Pope is due to pray at Notre-Dame Cathedral on September 25, where a chapel dedicated to eastern Christians has become a visible symbol of links between western Catholicism and ancient churches rooted across the Middle East, Armenia, Ethiopia and India. He is also expected to

A fire damaged a Starlink ground station near Warsaw that helps provide internet connectivity to Ukraine, prompting Polish security agencies to investigate whether the incident was deliberate, Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Thursday. The blaze broke out late on Wednesday at the facility in Wola Krobowska, in the Grójec district of the Mazowieckie region. Firefighters extinguished the flames and no injuries were reported. Gawkowski said the station’s systems were operational again on Thursday. Gawkowski told TVP

The United States and China have agreed to extend their trade truce by two months, keeping the arrangement in place until January 10 as President Donald Trump hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington for a state visit and a new round of talks. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension after meeting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Washington on Wednesday, saying the extra time would allow both sides to explore a broader economic agreement rather than rely on

A federal judge has temporarily restored White House access to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, finding that President Donald Trump’s ban on the three news organisations was likely unconstitutional. US District Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary restraining order early Thursday directing senior administration officials to immediately return and reinstate the outlets’ White House hard-pass credentials. The order blocks enforcement of the ban for 14 days unless the court orders otherwise while the organisations pursue their broader constitutional

Digital-asset companies in South Africa have put at least R2.2 billion of transactions on hold as uncertainty grows over proposed rules that would bring cryptocurrencies more firmly within the country’s exchange-control system. At least three deals have been paused because of the proposed changes, according to people familiar with the transactions. The affected agreements include a large private-equity investment and other deals intended to support small-business capital formation and corporate treasury management. Farzam Ehsani, co-founder and chief executive of cryptocurrency exchange VALR,

Chinese and US officials concluded a second day of economic talks in New York on Monday, focusing on artificial intelligence, investment and trade ahead of President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States this week. China’s Vice Finance Minister Liao Min said the Monday discussions concentrated on implementing understandings reached by the two sides’ lead negotiators. He spoke briefly outside JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters in Manhattan, where the meetings were held, but did not answer questions about whether the two

South African businesses are treating water security as a core continuity risk as unreliable municipal supply, ageing infrastructure increase operational risk across affected municipal networks and major cities. Companies are responding by expanding on-site storage, drilling boreholes where viable, installing treatment systems, recycling wastewater and improving consumption monitoring. The shift resembles the earlier move towards private power resilience, with businesses seeking alternatives to dependence on a single public utility network. Government acknowledges that water interruptions are affecting communities and economic activity across

Ed Sheeran has said his “heart has been broken” by the scale of civilian suffering in Gaza, while apologising for mistakes made amid the dispute over rapper Macklemore’s removal from his United States tour. Addressing fans at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sheeran described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate” and said the humanitarian toll had forced him to speak publicly despite his preference to keep politics away from his concerts. The British singer also condemned

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to remain in office and press ahead with his government’s reform programme after his Christian Democratic Union suffered its worst result in a German state election, falling below the threshold for parliamentary representation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Preliminary official results from Sunday’s vote gave the CDU 4.9 per cent of second votes in the northeastern Baltic coast state, leaving it without seats in the regional parliament. The Alternative for Germany won 38.2 per cent, while the

Gold prices were little changed on Monday, holding close to a one-week high as investors balanced persistent Middle East tensions against expectations that US interest rates could remain elevated for longer. Spot gold was almost flat at about $4,379.74 an ounce in early trade, while US gold futures for December delivery slipped 0.1 per cent to $4,419.40. The metal had climbed to a one-week high on Friday after oil prices eased and concerns over inflation moderated. Trading remained sensitive to developments across

European electricity prices for the coming winter have risen to their highest levels since the 2022 energy crisis, with German January contracts trading above €180 a megawatt-hour as gas supply concerns and geopolitical disruption tighten the market across the continent now. The German benchmark on the European Energy Exchange is more than 60 per cent higher than a year ago, signalling growing concern over the cost of keeping homes and industry supplied through the coldest months. Futures across north-west Europe have

The European Union has urged the United States to reconsider its decision to deny visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials seeking to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, intensifying diplomatic pressure on Washington before the gathering. Anouar El Anouni, a spokesman for the European External Action Service, said on Saturday that the bloc regretted the extension of the visa denial for a second consecutive year. He said the United States, as host country to

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Odisha has signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company and the Adani Group to explore 14 projects carrying an indicative investment of ₹2.105 trillion across minerals, energy, manufacturing, healthcare, tourism and infrastructure. The agreement was concluded during Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s investment outreach in the UAE, with the state describing the portfolio as a major expansion of its engagement with the two groups. The proposals remain at an exploratory stage and the

Westinghouse Electric is seeking a valuation above $50 billion for a planned US initial public offering, people familiar with the preparations said, as the nuclear technology group moves towards a potential public filing as early as October. The proposed valuation has not been announced by Westinghouse or its owners and could change as preparations advance. The number of shares to be sold, the price range and the timing of the offering also remain undetermined, according to the company’s formal disclosure of

Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed Nestlé’s main Russian businesses and assets linked to three French groups under temporary management by L. E. V. Management, widening Moscow’s control over foreign-owned companies still operating in the country. The presidential decree, signed and published on Thursday, covers Nestlé Russia and Nestlé Kuban, as well as interests connected to retailer Auchan, logistics group FM Logistic and Groupe Adeo, the owner of the former Leroy Merlin business. It took effect on publication. Under the

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has signed a cooperation agreement with the Refaq Association in Hail Region to provide monthly financial assistance, clothing and shopping vouchers for orphans in Djibouti. The agreement, signed on Thursday at KSrelief’s headquarters in Riyadh, provides monthly support of $80 for each participating orphan, intended to reduce the financial pressure on families caring for them. It also includes a clothing initiative and vouchers to be distributed through a contracted commercial partner. The programme

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ruled out sending troops or military assets into the US-led war against Iran, drawing a firm line around Seoul’s involvement despite pressure from President Donald Trump. Lee said at a news conference on Friday that South Korea would not make any deployment that could pull the country into combat. “There will be no dispatch of troops that will lead to involvement in a conflict,” he said. “There will be no engagement or involvement

More than 2,000 African business leaders, heads of state, investors and policymakers are set to gather in New York on September 20 and 21 for Unstoppable Africa 2026, with investment, trade and ownership of African value chains at the centre of the agenda. The fifth edition of the Global Africa Business Initiative’s flagship forum will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis during the opening of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. It is being convened by

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum has named Rania Al-Mashat, Magda Wierzycka and Judy Dlamini as keynote speakers for its 2026 conference in Cape Town, setting the headline line-up for the annual gathering focused on women-led enterprise and economic participation. The two-day Conference, Expo and Awards will take place on November 10 and 11 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, with organisers expecting more than 60 speakers from business, government, international institutions, finance, academia and technology. The 12th edition

Global oil prices fell as much as 1.2 per cent on Thursday as Saudi Arabia offered additional crude cargoes to Asian refiners through Oman, easing immediate fears of a deeper supply squeeze after attacks forced the kingdom to shut its East-West pipeline. Brent crude dropped $1.24 to $104.59 a barrel in early Asian trading, while US West Texas Intermediate fell $1.14, or 1.1 per cent, to $101.29. Prices later pared some losses, with Brent at $105.64 and WTI at $102.10 by

Houthi forces in Yemen are experimenting with advanced maritime weapons, including possible “loitering torpedoes”, as evidence points to efforts to expand their arsenal and reduce dependence on imported systems. Conflict Armament Research said investigators had identified navigation modules and propellers that could be used in such torpedoes, technology it has not documented in the possession of any other armed group. The organisation said the components could allow the Houthis to extend the range of attacks on ships and other maritime targets. The