Author: Arabian Media staff

Image: Supplied Saudi Arabia today commemorated the 40th anniversary of Prince Sultan bin Salman’s landmark journey aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery, a milestone that marked the first time an Arab, Muslim, and royal family member ventured into space. On June 17, 1985, Prince Sultan, then a 28-year-old Royal Saudi Air Force pilot, joined the international crew of the STS-51-G mission as a payload specialist. The seven-day mission saw the successful deployment of the Arabsat-1B satellite, a significant achievement for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (ARABSAT) and the wider Arab world. During the mission, which completed 111 orbits of Earth, Prince…

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Ireland’s government has sold its last remaining stake in AIB, returning a second bank rescued during the financial crisis to full private ownership.The government’s exit from Ireland’s second-largest lender comes three years after the state completed the sale of its stake in market leader Bank of Ireland. PTSB, the third bank bailed out by taxpayers as the country reeled from the 2008 financial crisis and a property crash, remains 57 per cent publicly owned. The government stepped in to keep the banks…

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Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Oil myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.The International Energy Agency has predicted that global oil supplies will substantially outstrip demand this year even as the escalating conflict in the Middle East raises fears of disruptions.Global oil production is expected to rise by 1.8mn barrels a day in 2025 to 104.9mn b/d, outstripping forecast demand of 103.8mn b/d and leading to a rise in oil inventories over the course of the year, the intergovernmental energy advisory body said in its annual report.“In the absence of a major disruption, oil markets…

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Tensions across the Middle East have escalated sharply following Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets, prompting a widespread suspension of flights by major international and regional airlines. The disruptions have affected travel to Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and surrounding areas, stranding passengers and leading to logistical complications for carriers and governments alike. Read-Airspace closure: UAE airlines announce flight cancellations In response to the conflict, US President Donald Trump departed the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada a day earlier than scheduled, citing developments in the Middle East. According to a June 16 statement from the White House, the…

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Image: Amazon Amazon.com’s annual Prime Day sales event is scheduled for July 8 through July 11, expanding to four days from two days compared to last year, the company announced on Tuesday. “We’re extending it to four days because our members have told us they just need more time to shop the deals,” Jamil Ghani, Amazon vice president of worldwide prime, told Reuters. Amazon’s expanding Prime Day comes as US shoppers and retailers face uncertainty on how tariffs will impact prices and product availability, said Rob Garf, senior vice president of strategy and insights at retail marketing firm Cordial. Prime…

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Credit: Getty Images US President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early due to the situation in the Middle East, the White House said on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Trump had earlier urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States. “Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,” Press Secretary Karoline…

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Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Climate change myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Global banks led by JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of America boosted fossil fuel financing by more than one-fifth in 2024, in a major reversal of the trend of recent years, an annual report by climate campaigners found.Coal, oil and gas finance provided by the world’s 65 largest banks by assets rose by $162bn to $869bn, according to the 16th report produced by a coalition of groups co-ordinated by the Rainforest Action Network, based on lending and underwriting data from more than…

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One big Izzy scoop to start: Millennium Management, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, is in talks about selling a minority stake to external investors at a $14bn valuation, as it presses ahead with plans to open up its ownership for the first time.Another scoop: Sabadell is exploring a sale of its British bank TSB, as the Spanish lender seeks to fend off an €11bn hostile approach from its domestic rival BBVA.And a final one: Spotify founder Daniel Ek is leading a €600mn investment in Helsing, valuing the German defence tech group at €12bn and making it one of…

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