Middle East

SYDNEY — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of asking for free personal flight upgrades directly from the former CEO of national carrier Qantas. A new book by Australian journalist Joe Aston claims Albanese made several calls to ex-CEO Alan Joyce, and received upgrades on 22 flights taken …

NEW YORK — US banking giant JP Morgan Chase, is suing customers who allegedly took advantage of a glitch by illegally withdrawing thousands of dollars from its ATMs. The “infinite money glitch”, as it became known on TikTok, allowed the bank’s customers to write a large cheque to themselves, deposit …

TBILISI — Thousands of Georgians gathered outside parliament on Monday night to protest against what the president claims was a ‘rigged’ parliamentary election with the help of Russia. “You did not lose the election,” President Salome Zourabichvili told the demonstrators who waved Georgian and European Union flags. “They stole your …

WASHINGTON — As advisers to Vice President Kamala Harris were mulling where to stage the final major address of her campaign, they had a few boxes to check. The venue, they believed, must convey a degree of gravity about the choice before voters. But equally important, in their view, was …

BEIRUT — At least 60 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, the Lebanese health ministry said. Two children were among those killed in strikes which targeted 16 areas in the Baalbek region, officials said. The ministry said 58 people were wounded, adding rescue efforts …

Amid the hustle and bustle of busy cities, people’s deep-seated longing for nature and freedom is growing stronger. This profound yearning has inspired the creation of the J5. As the OMODA&JAECOO International User Summit approaches, the J5 will be officially launched globally during the conference, elevating this inclusive and co-creative …

TBILISI — Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili has called on citizens to protest the results of a disputed election in an attempt to save the country’s “European future.” In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Zourabichvili – a pro-Western figure whose powers are largely ceremonial – said the election had been …

GAZA — Israel’s parliament has voted to pass legislation banning the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) from operating within Israel and Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, within three months. Contact between UNRWA employees and Israeli officials will also be banned, severely limiting the agency’s ability to operate in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied …

LA PAZ — Bolivia’s government has rejected claims by the former president, Evo Morales, that it ordered a targeted attack on him. Morales says his car came under sustained gunfire on Sunday night in the Cochabamba region, in what he condemned as an attempt on his life. But Bolivia’s Interior …

Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has announced that most regions of the Kingdom will be affected by rainfall ranging from moderate to heavy starting Tuesday. The weather conditions will last until next Saturday. It is expected that very heavy rainfall may occur in parts …