Singapore got its first female president Wednesday, but the milestone was overshadowed by criticism that her selection was undemocratic after she was handed the job without a vote. Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the Muslim Malay minority, did not have to face an...

The dollar steadied on Wednesday, with investors expecting another quiet day for the currency ahead of key inflation data due on Thursday that will be closely watched by the U.S. Federal Reserve as it considers when to raise interest rates. With most currencies trading in narrow ranges,...

Five crew members of a Dominican-registered dredger were missing after a collision with an Indonesian-registered tanker in Singapore’s territorial waters on Wednesday, Singapore’s Marine Port Authority (MPA) said. The missing include four Chinese nationals and one Malaysian, the MPA...

Asian stocks wobbled on Wednesday but still marked a 10-year peak, cheered by record highs on Wall Street, while shares of Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) suppliers dipped following the release of the latest iPhone. Futures suggested a downbeat start to the European trading day, with the Eurostoxx...

Myanmar’s national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, facing outrage over ethnic violence that has forced about 370,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh, will not attend the upcoming U.N. General Assembly because of the crisis, her office said on Wednesday. The exodus of refugees, sparked...

British budget airline easyJet (EZJ.L) on Wednesday launched a new booking platform to allow customers to use its website to book long-haul flights with other airlines, the company said. EasyJet said that customers would be able to buy other airlines’ flights on easyJet.com, and said it...

Cambodia’s main opposition party was blocked from holding a memorial ceremony on Wednesday for victims of a 1997 grenade attack on a political rally, with tension running high after the arrest of its leader. Kem Sokha, leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested on...

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump to broadly implement a ban on refugees entering the country from around the world. The justices granted a request from the Trump administration to block a federal appeals court decision that, according to the Justice...

Apple Inc on Tuesday rolled out its much-anticipated iPhone X, a glass and stainless steel device with an edge-to-edge display that Chief Executive Tim Cook called “the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone.” The launch contained few surprises, with leaked details on the phone...

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Tens of Syrian displaced fleeing the ISIS-held town of  Uqayribat  in Hama province  were arrested by regime forces and allied militias on Tuesday, claiming they are fighters in the radical group, local council member said. Zeyad Abu Abdo, press...

Iran signed deals with Damascus on Tuesday to repair Syria's power grid, state media said, a potentially lucrative move for Tehran that points to a deepening economic role after years of fighting in the Syrian conflict. Shunned by Western powers, the Syrian government is looking to...

A decision by Germany to suspend all major arms exports to Turkey weakens Ankara’s fight against terrorism and makes Europe vulnerable, Turkish EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik said on Tuesday. Celik was speaking in London after German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday Berlin...

Two labor unions ended a two-decade long partnership agreement with Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) on Tuesday, citing issues with senior management. Union leaders belonging to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the United Steelworkers (USW) said...

Iraq’s parliament voted on Tuesday to reject a referendum on Kurdish independence planned for Sept. 25, authorizing the prime minister to “take all measures” to preserve Iraq’s unity, lawmakers said. Kurdish lawmakers walked out of the session before the vote and issued statements...

   The Lebanese Shi‘ite group Hezbollah has declared victory in the Syrian war while Russia said government forces had driven militants from 85 percent of the country where President Bashar al-Assad’s rule seemed in danger two years ago. The comments from two Syrian government...

Major U.S. allies in Asia on Tuesday welcomed the U.N. Security Council’s unanimous vote to step up sanctions on North Korea, with its profitable textile exports now banned and fuel supplies to the reclusive North capped after its sixth nuclear test. A defiant North Korea for its part...

 Britain said on Tuesday it was “vitally important” that a trade dispute between U.S. plane maker Boeing Co and its Canadian rival Bombardier, a major employer in Northern Ireland, was settled. In April, Boeing asked the U.S. Commerce Department to investigate alleged subsidies and...

 (Sputnik)- Units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) opposition alliance, manned mainly by Kurdish militias, promise not to attack the Syrian government forces in Deir ez-Zor, SDF spokesman Talal Silo told Sputnik on Monday. Earlier reports indicated that SDF units began their...

  (Zaman Al Wasl)- Well-informed sources in the National Coalition said Riad Saif, the head of the key Syrian opposition group, has been contacting Saudi officials from his own email over the Syrian peace process, viloationg the procedures set by the political body. Saif...

(Zaman al-Wasl)- The Interim Prime Minister of the Syrian opposition Government  said that the rebel factions in support of the Syrian Islamic Council and the Interim Government have agreed to appoint Major General Muhammad Faris as Defense Minister, Brigadier General Salim Idris as Chief...