Financial insights
Arab markets open mixed as oil volatility and regional tensions shape sentiment
Arab stock markets opened Tuesday with mixed performances as investors reacted to volatile oil prices and continued geopolitical tensions across...
European markets open cautiously as investors track geopolitics and energy prices
European equity markets opened Tuesday with a cautious tone as investors weighed geopolitical tensions, fluctuating energy prices and a new...
Oil prices surge Monday before stabilising Tuesday as Middle East tensions shake energy markets
Global oil prices surged sharply on Monday and remained elevated on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East triggered...
Iran vs US
Israeli strikes hit Tehran and Beirut as regional conflict intensifies
Israel’s military said it was carrying out air strikes on targets in Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday, marking a significant...
Netanyahu warns war could take ‘some time’ as regional conflict deepens
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the ongoing conflict involving Israel, Iran and regional actors will take “some...
US orders non-emergency staff to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq as Middle East tensions escalate
The United States has ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq as the rapidly...
Africa
Africa faces economic shock as oil prices surge after Iran war escalation
African economies are bracing for a sudden surge in global oil prices after the widening conflict involving Iran sent energy...
Middle East conflict sends shockwaves through African trade and energy markets
The escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran is beginning to ripple through African economies, raising fuel prices,...
On this day
On this day in 1996: Marguerite Duras died in Paris
Marguerite Duras remains one of the most influential and unconventional voices in modern European literature and cinema, known for works...
Blockchain
Iranian crypto outflows surge 700% after US–Israeli airstrikes
Cryptocurrency outflows from Iran surged by more than 700% following US–Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military targets, highlighting how digital assets...
MSTRpay
MSTRpay advances Cameroon expansion with licensed microfinance institution ADeC
MSTRPay AB continues to expand its Central Africa footprint following formal confirmation of cooperation interest from African Development Credit (ADeC...
US politics
Hegseth sets combative tone for Trump’s ‘politically incorrect’ war on Iran
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a combative Pentagon press conference defending the Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran, framing...
AI
AI adoption in financial services reaches a point of no return
Artificial intelligence has crossed a critical threshold in financial services, with banks, payment companies and fintech platforms rapidly integrating AI...
Banking
Banks rewarding products over relationships risk losing customer loyalty
Banks around the world may believe they enjoy strong customer loyalty, but new research suggests that much of that loyalty...
AI in banking: what accountholders want versus what they are ready for
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the banking industry, yet a growing gap is emerging between what accountholders say they want...
Climate & Energy
February temperature records broken in France and Spain
Unseasonably warm weather swept across parts of southern Europe in February, with France and Spain recording some of their highest...
Business of the week
From call centre to tech titan: GoTo’s meteoric rise reshapes Indonesia’s digital economy
GoTo — the technology powerhouse born from a humble ride-hailing service — has evolved into one of Indonesia’s most influential...
Hidden financial giants
Israeli strikes hit Tehran and Beirut as regional conflict intensifies
Israel’s military said it was carrying out air strikes on targets in Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday, marking a significant...
Netanyahu warns war could take ‘some time’ as regional conflict deepens
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the ongoing conflict involving Israel, Iran and regional actors will take “some...
US orders non-emergency staff to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq as Middle East tensions escalate
The United States has ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq as the rapidly...
Iranian strikes hit Gulf energy sites as US jets downed in friendly-fire incident
Iranian missile and drone attacks struck energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Monday, intensifying a rapidly widening regional...
Why Iran targets Gulf states despite shared religion
Iran’s recent attacks on Gulf Arab states have raised an important question across the region: why would one Muslim country...
Middle East conflict widens as Hezbollah joins fighting after Khamenei killing
Explosions have been reported across the Middle East as the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran...
Newshub long read
Crowns and controversies: two centuries of scandal inside Britain’s royal family
For more than 200 years, the British monarchy has balanced ceremony with crisis, projecting stability while repeatedly confronting scandal —...