US and Europe

Chinese astronauts return to earth after longest mission

Beijing - Arab Today

China's Shenzhou-11 spacecraft returned to earth Friday, bringing home two astronauts from the rising power's longest-ever orbital mission, in a milestone for its vaulting ambitions. China's state broadcaster CCTV showed the return capsule's separation from the Tiangong-2 space lab 393 kilometres (244 miles) above the earth, and its descent through the atmosphere to its landing on the grassland of InnerRead more

StanChart income fall worries CEO Winters and chills shares

London - Arab Today

Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters branded its income and profit unacceptable on Tuesday as below-forecast third quarter results and confirmation of a Hong Kong investigation underlined the challenges his overhaul faces. “We now have a stronger balance sheet...but income and profit levels are not yet acceptable,” Winters said after the Asia-focused bank generated income of $3.47 billion in July toRead more

$47bn offer to create world’s biggest tobacco company

London - Arab Today

British American Tobacco is offering to buy Reynolds American Inc. in a $47 billion deal that would create the world’s largest publicly traded tobacco company and attempt to make up for a decline in smoking in the US and Europe. With tobacco firms under pressure from health groups in developed economies and increasingly popular electronic cigarettes, a merger of thisRead more

Beijing unveils 2020 Mars rover concept

Beijing - Arab Today

China has unveiled illustrations of a Mars probe and rover it aims to send to the Red Planet at the end of the decade in a mission that faces “unprecedented” challenges, state media said Wednesday. China, which is pouring billions into its space program and working to catch up with the US and Europe, announced in April it aims toRead more

CIA hails Saudi role in suicide war

Washington - Arab Today

CIA director John Brennan has acknowledged that the Kingdom is United States’ closest counterterrorism partner. He said that while answering a question about Saudi-US counterterrorism cooperation at the Brookings Institution. Brennan said Al-Qaeda still poses a threat in the region, especially Yemen and Syria. He said Daesh is a threat not only to US and Europe, but also to theRead more

China-led development bank approves 1st loans

Beijing - Arab Today

A new Chinese-led development bank has approved its first loans and expects to suffer no impact from Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, the bank’s president said at its first annual meeting. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched in January with 57 member governments, already has received expressions of interest from possible additional members, said Jin Liqun at aRead more