Energy Iran: ‘Terrorist attacks’ behind move of uranium parts workshop to underground location The relocation of a significant part of centrifuge machines to a safer location was due to a “terrorist attack” against Iran’s Karaj nuclear site, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran was quoted as saying on Friday. U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Thursday that Iran had moved a new workshop […] April 29, 2022
Tourism Emirates widens refurbish plan amid delivery delays Emirates will refurbish more of its existing fleet than previously planned,its chief commercial officer said on Tuesday, as the airline faces delays to deliveries of new Boeing jets and seeks assurances over concerns with the Airbus A350s it ordered. The Gulf carrier is spending over a $1 billion to refurbish the fleet which includes installing a new premium economy […] April 29, 2022
Tech UAE agtech Right Farm raises $2.8m from investors Right Farm, a United Arab Emirates agriculture technology firm, said on Monday it raised $2.8 million from investors including Abu Dhabi state holding company ADQ’s venture platform. The company is a business to business digital platform which sources fresh produce from local and international farms for the food and retail sector. Right Farm said in […] April 28, 2022
Retail Dubai’s GMG to operate French supermarket chain Géant in UAE Dubai retailer GMG said on Tuesday it had acquired the United Arab Emirates’ operations of French supermarket chain Géant from a company owned by Dubai Holding, of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. GMG said it also acquired the rights to expand Géant’s operations in the Middle East as part of the deal from […] April 28, 2022
Banking & Finance ADQ buys stakes worth $1.85bn in Egyptian firms Abu Dhabi’s state holding company ADQ bought shares worth $1.85 billion in five publicly traded Egyptian companies in April, helping Egypt after the Ukraine crisis prompted foreign investors to flee. Egypt has been on the hunt for foreign exchange since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted investors to pull billions of dollars out of its treasury […] April 28, 2022
Media & Advertising Dinosaurs and superheroes return to the movies Tom Cruise is preparing to walk the red carpet at Cannes, tickets for Marvel’s next film are selling fast, and a new dinosaur adventure looms large on the summer movie schedule. That gives movie theatre operators hope that their business is finally heading toward normal as they meet with Hollywood studios this week in Las Vegas at the […] April 27, 2022
Media & Advertising Kevin Hart gets $100m private equity investment Stand-up comedian and Hollywood actor Kevin Hart has launched a new media company called HARTBEAT, with a $100 million investment from private equity firm Abry Partners. Abry, which focuses on investments in the media, communication and information services space, took a minority stake in the company at an undisclosed valuation. Hart, known for his roles in films such as “Ride […] April 27, 2022
Lifestyle Prince Charles to visit Canada for Queen’s Jubilee Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will visit Canada next month as part of celebrations to mark his mother Queen Elizabeth’s 70th year on the British throne, his office said on Tuesday. The trip, the 19th the heir-to-the-throne has undertaken to Canada, will see the royal couple travel more than 2000 miles from Newfoundland and […] April 27, 2022
Lifestyle Spain’s King Felipe says he is worth €2.6m Spain’s King Felipe VI has disclosed that his wealth is worth about 2.6 million euros ($2.8 million) in a move to make the Royal House more transparent and end the opaqueness that prevailed during the reign of his father Juan Carlos. The king’s assets include just under 2.3 million euros in checking or savings accounts […] April 27, 2022
Manufacturing Tesla’s big swoon as Musk moves for Twitter This has been a wild week in the auto business. Ford and General Motors are duking it out over which of them will be No. 1 in the US electric vehicle market by the middle of the decade. Meanwhile, the current No. 1, Tesla, got a rude slap from its shareholders. You’d think convincing skittish […] April 27, 2022
Iran summons Afghan envoy after protesters’ attack Iran summoned the Afghan envoy to Tehran, Iranian state TV reported, afterprotesters threw rocks at Iranian diplomatic missions in Kabul and Herat over what they called “mistreatment of Afghan refugees” in the Islamic Republic. The protests began after videos posted on Twitter in recent days showed young Afghan refugees in Iran being harassed and humiliated […] April 27, 2022
$600m projects frozen as Taliban issues school ban for girls The World Bank has put four projects in Afghanistan worth $600 million on hold amid concerns over a decision by the country’s ruling Islamist leaders to ban girls from returning to public high schools, the bank said. The projects, to be funded under the revamped Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, were being readied for implementation by […] April 27, 2022
Huge surge in measles as Covid hits jab campaigns Measles cases jumped by 79 percent in the first two months of this year compared to 2021, after COVID-19 and lockdowns disrupted child vaccination campaignsaround the world, according to data from UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO). In January and February, there were 17,338 measles cases reported worldwide, up from 9,665 in the same […] April 27, 2022
Lifestyle Turkish court sentences Kavala to life in prison A Turkish court sentenced philanthropist Osman Kavala to life in prison on Monday finding him guilty of attempting to overthrow the government by financing 2013 nationwide protests, in a case that Europe’s top court and Ankara’s Western allies said was politically motivated. Kavala, 64, has been in jail for 4-1/2 years without a conviction and […] April 27, 2022
Tourism Private jets see General Dynamics profit take off Gulfstream jet maker General Dynamics Corp on Wednesday posted a 3.1 percent rise in first-quarter profit, as demand for private air travel during the coronavirus pandemic remained high. Shares were up 3.5 percent in morning trading to $245.16. Cautious passengers who opted for private flights instead of commercial flights due to fears of contracting coronavirus […] April 27, 2022
Tourism Boeing shares plunge on fresh 777X setbacks Boeing said on Wednesday it was halting 777X production through 2023 due to a fresh delay in its entry into service after certification problems and weak demand, with $1.5 billion in added costs for the mini-jumbo program. Shares of the US planemaker fell 11 percent to $146.62 in early trading – a nearly 1-1/2 year […] April 27, 2022
King Abdullah joins Biden to defuse Jerusalem tension Jordan’s King Abdullah agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden on the need to prevent a repeat of recent confrontations in Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites that sparked concerns of wider conflict, state media said. In a phone call on Monday, Abdullah was quoted as saying the cornerstone of peace was a comprehensive Arab Israeli settlement based […] April 27, 2022
Jordan’s king agreed with U.S. Biden on need to defuse Jerusalem tension Jordan’s King Abdullah agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden on the need to prevent a repeat of recent confrontations in Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites that sparked concerns of wider conflict, state media said. In a phone call on Monday, Abdullah was quoted as saying the cornerstone of peace was a comprehensive Arab Israeli settlement based on a two-state solution […] April 27, 2022
Media & Advertising Turkish President Erdogan plans visit to Saudi’s Crown Prince Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday and meet Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as Ankara tries to mend ties with Riyadh after dropping a legal case on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. Relations have been tense since a Saudi hit team killed Khashoggi at the kingdom’s Istanbul […] April 27, 2022
Saudi Arabia, France pledge $30m for Lebanon aid France and Saudi Arabia announced a joint development fund for crisis-hit Lebanon on Tuesday, pledging an initial $30 million to support food security and the country’s crippled health sector, a French embassy statement said. The funds will be routed to humanitarian projects to provide emergency aid, including food, to the most vulnerable populations in Lebanon, […] April 27, 2022
Dollar hits five-year high, growth concerns dent euro The dollar hit a five-year high ahead of the expected rate hike by Federal Reserve, while the euro weakened on growth concerns after Russia cut off gas supplies to parts of the region. The dollar has gained on expectations that the US central bank will be more hawkish than peers. The Fed is expected to increase rates by 50 basis […] April 27, 2022
‘Great Resignation’ sees more companies offer equity to staff Companies in North America and Europe plan to give more employees an equity stake in their businesses to help retain talent amid a pandemic-induced “GreatResignation”, a survey showed on Wednesday. Global Equity Organization (GEO), a not-for-profit body tracking global share plans and executive compensation, said 25 percent of North American companies and 22 percent of European firms surveyed said they […] April 27, 2022