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President Joe Biden’s national security adviser and senior Kremlin aides have held private talks in recent months to reduce the risk of a broader conflict over Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported. A peace settlement wasn’t a goal of the discussions, according to the report. Sullivan alluded to US-Russian contacts after Russian leaders suggested that nuclear weapons might be an ...

UK Trade Minister Greg Hands is holding talks with Taiwanese officials to “future-proof” Britain’s economy in the coming decades, as Rishi Sunak’s administration looks to take a harder stance on China. The in-person trip to Taipei, aimed at boosting economic ties between the countries, comes as the UK takes an increasingly protectionist approach to Chinese investment. Prime Minister Sunak has ...

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an apology to the nation over a deadly pre-Halloween crowd crush, with members of his government facing criticism over management of the incident that killed at least 156 people. “I am sorry and apologetic to the bereaved families, who are facing tragedy that cannot be expressed in words, and to the people who ...

Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan will call on his supporters to resume a march to Islamabad and continue pushing for early elections after being released from a hospital for treatment of a leg wound sustained in a shooting at a public rally. Khan will address his supporters virtually on Wednesday, and their march will restart from the spot where he ...

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said his Pakatan Harapan’s alliance is confident of securing a simple majority even in the face of a multi-cornered fight in this month’s general election. “I have been on the ground, and yes it is a tight race,” Anwar, 75, told Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin in an interview Monday. “But we can move further into ...

Abu Dhabi / GULF TIME Etihad Guest, the frequent flyer programme of the UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways, has partnered with The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi, the largest aquarium in the Middle East. The aquarium will participate in the “Miles on the Go” programme for Etihad Guest members to benefit from every time they visit. Etihad Guest members can now ...

Dubai / WAM An engaging calendar of events will attract visitors of all ages and backgrounds to support global climate change mitigation as Expo City Dubai, proud host of COP28 – The Emirates Climate Conference with the UNFCCC, begins the one-year countdown to the global summit. Thought-provoking youth discussions, performances, exhibitions and more will feature as part of Expo City ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, and Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) on Monday announced a collaboration to accelerate startup technology adoption in satellite communications. Through this partnership, Yahsat will work with founders in the Hub71 community to advance technological innovations that support the development of the UAE’s mobile satellite capabilities. The first contract resulting ...

Shuli Ren It was supposed to be a big celebration for Hong Kong. This week’s Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, organized by the city’s central bank, was meant to showcase the revival of Hong Kong as Asia’s financial hub, after years of isolation that resulted from stringent Covid controls. But the mood is all gloom and doom. Since China’s Communist ...

Stephen Mihm The midterms are here, and with it predictions that the nation’s economic woes will cost Democrats control of Congress. As one pundit on Fox News recently declared, political consultant James Carville’s 1992 adage, “It’s the economy, stupid,” still applies. Polling data seems to support this point of view. But applying a 30-year-old rule of thumb for a presidential ...