Dubai Telegraph

Qatar Airways posts 'record' $1.54 bn profit despite pandemic

Qatar Airways on Thursday posted a record net profit of $1.54 billion for the 2021-2022 financial year, a result it attributed to a "successful strategy" during the coronavirus pandemic.

WTO deals still within sight after all-night arm-twisting

Countries were still negotiating on deadline day Thursday after frantically haggling through the night at the WTO in a bid to salvage deals on food security, fishing and combating Covid-19.

Ziggy Stardust: 50 years of Bowie's alien revolution

It is half a century since Ziggy Stardust -- a character that turned David Bowie into an intergalactic star and revolutionised sexual politics in the process -- crashed onto Earth.

'They'll always be a group': New York fans patient for BTS return

The announcement by pop group BTS that they were taking a break saw their label's stock price quickly plunge, but in New York, fans of the world's biggest band took a more philosophical approach.

Wall Street stocks greet aggressive Fed rate hike

Wall Street stocks welcomed Wednesday's aggressive moves by the Federal Reserve to counter inflation, while European equities also gained following an emergency central bank meeting to address fallout from monetary tightening.

Parts of storm-wrecked Yellowstone to remain shut all year

Parts of Yellowstone will remain closed for the rest of the year because of extensive flood damage, managers say, with the oldest national park in the United States completely shuttered Wednesday.

US Fed announces biggest interest rate hike since 1994

The Federal Reserve announced the most aggressive interest rate increase in nearly 30 years, raising the benchmark borrowing rate by 0.75 percentage points on Wednesday as it battles against surging inflation.

Toronto police chief apologizes to Black community for discrimination

Toronto's police chief apologized Wednesday for his officers' excessive use of force against Blacks, and released data backing up community claims of discrimination by law enforcement in Canada's largest metropolis.

Deadly heatwaves threaten economies too

More frequent and intense heatwaves are the most deadly form of extreme weather made worse by global warming, with death tolls sometimes in the thousands, but they can also have devastating economic impacts too, experts say.

Tesla driver-assistance involved in 273 US crashes: report

Tesla vehicles have been involved in most of the crashes involving "Level 2" driver-assistance systems reported to the government, according to US data released Wednesday.

US slaps sanctions on Russian, Swedish far-right extremists

The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on white nationalists from Russia and Sweden, warning they posed a threat and that one raised funds for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

European equities rebound as ECB vows to avoid bond stress

Europe's equities pushed higher Wednesday as the European Central Bank pledged to ease the stress in volatile eurozone bond markets, while investors also braced for a major US rate hike.

ECB moves to ease bond stress after surprise meeting

The European Central Bank said Wednesday it would "apply flexibility" to quell rising borrowing costs for more indebted eurozone members after an emergency meeting aimed at soothing market jitters.

Biden chastises oil industry over fuel costs

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday chastised the oil industry over soaring fuel prices at the heart of 40-year high inflation, warning of unspecified emergency measures.

Storm in a teacup as minister urges Pakistanis to cut back on 'chai'

A Pakistani minister has caused a storm in a teacup by urging citizens to cut back on drinking "chai" as a way to preserve foreign currency that pays to import the leaves used in brewing the popular beverage.

Netflix seeks recruits for real-life 'Squid Game'

Want to play "Squid Game" for real? Netflix is looking for recruits to compete for millions of dollars -- and even promises not to have you violently murdered if you lose.

Ikea to 'scale down' Russia, Belarus operations over Ukraine war

Swedish furniture giant Ikea said Wednesday it would "scale down" its activities in Russia and Belarus, after putting them on hold following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

WTO talks extended in bid to seal elusive deals

The World Trade Organization's ministerial conference will run over into a fifth day Thursday in the hope of striking thus-far elusive deals on fishing subsidies, food security and combating Covid-19.

Thailand takes step towards same-sex marriage with parliament vote

Thailand took a step towards marriage equality Wednesday as lawmakers gave initial approval to legalising same-sex unions, prompting celebrations outside the parliament building.

Tanzania targets internet giants with new tax

Tanzania will introduce a digital tax this year, the country's finance minister said, in a move targeting global internet giants offering services in the East African nation.

China Covid pass system allegedly used to block protest

Authorities in central China allegedly used the country's powerful Covid tracking system to stop an anticipated protest, state media reported, sparking furious condemnation online on Wednesday.

ECB calls surprise meeting as borrowing costs rise

European Central Bank policymakers called an emergency meeting on Wednesday, as more indebted eurozone states have come under pressure from rising borrowing costs.

Indigenous team scours remote Amazon for missing Phillips and Pereira

Wooden canoes slice soundlessly through the flooded jungles of Javari Valley in Brazil's Amazon region, steered by a team of Indigenous people scouring for clues to the whereabouts of British journalist Dom Phillips and his colleague Bruno Pereira.

Flights resume after computer glitch shuts Swiss airspace

Swiss airspace reopened Wednesday morning after a computer glitch grounded flights across the Alpine nation for several hours, officials said.

Lacking tourism workers, Croatia recruits abroad

Tourists are flocking back to Croatia after the pandemic decimated its vital travel industry, except the Adriatic nation has a problem: it lacks workers to cater to the legions of visitors.

South Korean truckers end week-long strike

South Korean truck drivers will return to work Wednesday after reaching an agreement with Seoul to end an eight-day protest over wages and fuel costs that had snarled global supply chains.

China factory output, retail sales weak as Covid shadow persists

China's factory output and retail sales remained weak in May, official data showed Wednesday, with tepid demand and lingering Covid restrictions putting a damper on growth in the world's second-largest economy.

Ultra-fast delivery firms face post-pandemic hangover

Prathamesh Jathar is one of many brightly dressed riders zipping through the streets of Berlin, dropping off groceries just minutes after the orders come in.

Shanghai lockdown sees quarter of US firms cut investment plans: poll

Shanghai's lengthy Covid-19 lockdown pushed a quarter of US firms in the city to cut investment plans and nearly all to drop revenue forecasts, a business group said Wednesday.

The two black women bidding to make VP history in Colombia

For the first time, Colombia will have a black woman vice president, as voters decide Sunday between a pair of rival candidates aiming to make history in the South American nation.

Canada businesses hire young teenagers to fill labor shortage

Sofia-Rose Adams skillfully scoops ice cream onto cones and manages the cash register at Les Gourmandes cafe and ice cream parlor in Canada's Montreal region.

US central bank ponders huge rate hike to combat price surge

The US Federal Reserve is poised to raise borrowing costs Wednesday amid the troubling acceleration of inflation, with the only question being whether officials will opt for the biggest hike in nearly three decades or a smaller step up.

It's (not) alive! Google row exposes AI troubles

An internal fight over whether Google built technology with human-like consciousness has spilled into the open, exposing the ambitions and risks inherent in artificial intelligence that can feel all too real.

Tampon shortage latest sign of supply chain woes in US stores

Tampons are the latest product disappearing from store shelves in the United States, another illustration of supply chain problems that are complicating daily life, following the troubling shortage of baby formula.

Growing numbers avoiding news as 'too depressing': report

The depressing state of the world is leading people to switch off from the news, the Reuters Institute reported on Wednesday.

Brazil 'confident' VW will pay damages in slave-labor case

Volkswagen appeared Tuesday before a hearing with Brazilian prosecutors to answer to allegations of human-rights violations at a farm the German auto giant ran during Brazil's military dictatorship, including slave labor, rapes and torture.

Stocks mostly fall as markets await aggressive Fed action

Global equity markets mostly fell on Tuesday as markets awaited a key Federal Reserve decision amid rising expectations for an even tougher rate hike than previously telegraphed.

US extends sanctions exemption for energy payments to Russia

Washington said Tuesday it will continue to allow payments to Russia for energy products through December 5, to give European countries time to prepare for a near-total oil embargo in retaliation for Moscow's war on Ukraine.

Tampon shortage latest sign of supply chain issues in US stores