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[l] at 11/1/25 3:11am
MANILA: Manny Pacquiao has hinted a rematch of his 2015 blockbuster with Floyd Mayweather Jr. could be on the cards next year. “Right now we have a lot of negotiations about my next fight — there’s a possible rematch with Floyd Mayweather,” Pacquiao told a news conference Wednesday. “There’s a lot of ongoing negotiations right now, so it’s hard to plan what fight I’m going to post. I’m waiting for the final negotiation.” A world champion in eight divisions from flyweight to super welterweight, Pacquiao was enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June.
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[l] at 11/1/25 3:11am
BAGHDAD: Iraqis are bracing for yet another election they fear will change little, with many seeing the pro-reform campaign banners for the Nov. 11 vote as empty gestures from elites who have delivered little since the 2003 US-led invasion. Years of corruption, high unemployment, and poor public services have blighted daily life since then, even as democratic elections have become standard following decades of repressive dictatorship under Saddam Hussein.
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[l] at 11/1/25 3:11am
RIYADH: The WTA Finals are back in Riyadh for a second straight year, with the top eight women of the tour ready to do battle one last time this season. Taking place at King Saud University Indoor Arena from November 1 to 8, the world’s best players are split into two groups of four. They will go through a round-robin stage, with the top two in each group advancing to Friday’s semifinals.
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[l] at 11/1/25 3:11am
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council voted Friday in favor of a resolution brought forward by the United States backing Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara as the “most feasible” solution for the disputed territory, angering Algeria. The Western Sahara is a vast mineral-rich former Spanish colony that is largely controlled by Morocco but has been claimed for decades by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is supported by Algeria.
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[l] at 11/1/25 3:11am
The second of the Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1 and Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship Motos and the first of the Runabout GP1 Motos for the Old Doha Port Grand Prix of Qatar were held in punishing heat on Friday afternoon.
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[l] at 10/31/25 8:11pm
WASHINGTON: Republican and Democratic leaders of the US Senate Armed Services Committee said on Friday the Trump administration had yet to provide details of its operations against drug cartels and their legal basis they had sought. US strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific have killed dozens of people since early September, raising tension between Washington and Caracas.
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[l] at 10/31/25 6:11pm
WEST PALM BEACH: US President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday barred reporters from accessing part of the White House press office without an appointment, citing the need to protect “sensitive material.” Journalists are now barred if they do not have prior approval to access the area known as Upper Press — which is where Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s office is located and is near the Oval Office.
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[l] at 10/31/25 5:11pm
MINNEAPOLIS: The woman remembers when she first moved to the neighborhood more than 20 years ago, and the streets were full of empty storefronts and seemingly relentless poverty. Today, Minneapolis’ Lake Street corridor is jammed with businesses, many owned by Somali refugees. “Look at what we did around here,” said Nasra Hassan, a community health worker whose family came to Minneapolis fleeing Somalia’s civil war, speaking one day after the Trump administration slashed the number of refugees allowed into the United States. “Because of us this place is thriving.”
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[l] at 10/31/25 5:11pm
WASHINGTON: Republican leaders in the US Senate on Friday swiftly rejected President Donald Trump's call to scrap the filibuster rule and reopen the government. Back from a week abroad, Trump threw himself into the shutdown debate, pushing his Republican Party to get rid of the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to overcome objections and gives the minority Democrats a check on GOP power.
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[l] at 10/31/25 4:11pm
KYIV: Ukraine landed special forces to fight in embattled parts of the eastern city of Pokrovsk earlier this week, just as Russia said it had surrounded Kyiv’s forces in the area, two Ukrainian military sources said on Friday. The operation shows how Ukraine is battling to stabilize the situation in the strategically important city after scores of Russian troops breached its perimeter this month.
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[l] at 10/30/25 2:10am
Katmandu: Nepal’s interim leader has held the first talks between political parties and youth representatives since last month’s anti-corruption protests that toppled the previous government, officials said on Thursday. “We have succeeded in creating an environment of cooperation and trust by ending the state of lack of dialogue,” Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the former chief justice appointed as interim leader, said in a statement on social media.
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
UR: Iraqi officials are sounding the alarm to save monuments of the cradle of civilization, with thousands of years of history at risk of disappearing as Iraq’s ancient southern cities face erosion because of climate change. Harsh, dry weather is increasing salinity in the soil and damaging the historical monuments in the ruins of cities such as Ur, the birthplace of the Biblical patriarch Abraham, and Babylon, once-magnificent capital of empires.
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
PORT OF SUDAN: UN chief Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to military escalation in Sudan on Thursday after reports that more than 460 people were shot dead in a maternity hospital by paramilitary forces. Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries which recently seized the city of El-Fasher from army forces, has vowed the country would be unified by “peace or through war.”
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
E-commerce in Saudi Arabia is booming. According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, online spending via mada cards surged to SR29.86 billion ($7.96 billion) in July — a 79.45 percent% increase year -on -year. This growth is driven by a young, tech- savvy population and near ubiquitous Internet access. In recent years, the retail experience has been transformed by the move from cash to digital payments. Now, the way Saudi residents shop is set to change again.
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
RIYADH: Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund, said the fund’s assets have tripled since 2015, adding the fund's goal is to reach $1 trillion by the end of this year, “and we are very close to achieving it.” The PIF has been the cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030, with its workforce expanding from around 40 employees in 2015 to about 4,000 today. The fund has also established offices in major global cities.
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the US reiterate deepening strategic cooperation in the mining and minerals sector, focusing on critical mineral supply chains, mineral processing, and advanced mining technologies.  The outcome followed a bilateral meeting between Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and US Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly, held during the ninth Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s economy grew 5 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, driven by strong gains in both oil and non-oil sectors, official data showed.  According to flash estimates from the General Authority for Statistics, oil activities grew 8.2 percent, while non-oil output expanded 4.5 percent and government activities increased 1.8 percent during the same period.  The robust performance underscores progress under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on crude revenues. 
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[l] at 10/30/25 1:10am
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is aiming to double the tourism contribution to the national economy from the current 5 percent to solidify its position as a leading global destination, according to the Minister of Tourism. Speaking at a session titled “AI and the Future of Tourism” during the ninth Future Investment Initiative conference, Ahmed Al-Khateeb affirmed that the sector is a key pillar of Vision 2030, pivotal for diversifying the economy and creating jobs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
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[l] at 10/30/25 12:10am
MADRID: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will on Thursday attempt to offer explanations to hostile lawmakers investigating a corruption scandal that has threatened to topple his minority left-wing government. Corruption probes targeting former Socialist heavyweights and Sanchez’s wife have embarrassed a leader who took office in 2018 pledging to clean up Spanish politics after the conservative opposition was convicted in its own graft scandal.
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[l] at 10/30/25 12:10am
ISTANBUL: A seven-story apartment building in Turkiye’s northwestern city of Gebze collapsed early Wednesday, trapping a family of five under the rubble and killing four of them. State-run TRT news channel identified those who died as members of the Bilir family: father Levent, 43, mother Emine, 37, daughter Hayrunnisa, 14, and son Muhammed Emir, 12.
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[l] at 10/29/25 11:10pm
SINJIL, West Bank: Since Israel ‘s war with Hamas began more than two years ago, Israel has erected nearly 1,000 barriers in cities and towns in the occupied West Bank, further stifling movement for Palestinians and hindering daily lives, a local government body says. While Israel’s military has long imposed movement and access constraints after capturing the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, the number of new barriers is unprecedented, residents say.
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[l] at 10/29/25 11:10pm
CAIRO: After two decades of anticipation and countless delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum is finally having its grand reveal. The museum, which is set to officially open Saturday, highlights Egypt’s ancient civilization and is a centerpiece of the government’s drive to boost the tourist industry, a major source of foreign currency in the cash-strapped country.
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[l] at 10/29/25 11:10pm
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will unveil a new commission at Dubai Design Week, which begins Nov. 4.   Designed by Izaskun Chinchilla Architects, the installation, titled “Flamenco Essence: The Lavender Pavilion,” “bridges Spanish and Saudi traditions through shared arts, scents, and craft details,” according to a statement.  It is, Spanish architect Izaskun Chinchilla, the founder of ICA, tells Arab News, “a space that embodies calmness, collective serenity, and the therapeutic power of scent.” 
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[l] at 10/29/25 10:10pm
JIUQUAN: China said Thursday it’s on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 as it introduced the next crew of astronauts who will head to its space station as part of the country’s ambitious plans to be a leader in space exploration.
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[l] at 10/29/25 9:10pm
US lawmakers have tried four times since September last year to close what they called a glaring loophole: China is getting around export bans on the sale of powerful American AI chips by renting them through US cloud services instead. But the proposals prompted a flurry of activity from more than 100 lobbyists from tech companies and their trade associations trying to weigh in, according to disclosure reports. The result: All four times, the proposal failed, including just last month.
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[l] at 10/29/25 9:10pm
GYEONGJU, South Korea: The United States will share closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, President Donald Trump said on social media Thursday after meeting with the country’s president. President Lee Jae Myung stressed to Trump in their Wednesday meeting that the goal was to modernize the alliance with the US, noting plans to increase military spending to reduce the financial burden on America.
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[l] at 10/29/25 8:10pm
THE HAGUE: Dutch voters appeared to have rejected far-right leader Geert Wilders in favor of a centrist party, an exit poll suggested Wednesday, after a cliffhanger election closely watched in Europe where extremists are gaining ground. The centrist D66 party led by Rob Jetten was projected to win 27 seats out of 150 in parliament, ahead of Wilders and his far-right PVV Freedom Party with 25 seats, according to the Ipsos poll.
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[l] at 10/29/25 7:10pm
BUSAN, South Korea: President Donald Trump is set to meet face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, a chance for the leaders of the world’s two largest economies to stabilize relations after months of turmoil over trade issues.
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[l] at 10/29/25 7:10pm
US President Donald Trump, ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, said he has instructed the Department of Defense to immediately resume testing nuclear weapons on an “equal basis” with other nuclear powers. “Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” Trump said on Truth Social, ahead of the meeting with Xi in South Korea.
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[l] at 10/29/25 7:10pm
BEIJING: The Chinese government has blanketed the country with the world’s largest network of surveillance cameras. Some cameras swivel, ensuring sweeping views of public squares. Others scan license plates of passing cars, allowing police to track vehicles in real-time. At night, cameras light up across China’s cities, shining lights down alleys and corners. Over the past few decades, the Chinese government has rolled out a series of high-tech surveillance projects aimed at bringing the entire country under watch, including “Sky Net” and the “Golden Shield”.
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[l] at 10/22/25 3:10am
PARIS: More than 700 scientists, political figures and celebrities including Prince Harry, Richard Branson and Steve Bannon on Wednesday called for an end to the development of artificial intelligence capable of outsmarting humans. “The initiative calls for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence until the technology is reliably safe and controllable, and has public buy-in,” according to an open letter published by the Future of Life Institute, a US-based NGO that campaigns against the dangers of AI.
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[l] at 10/22/25 3:10am
JERUSALEM: US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday cautioned there were challenges ahead both in terms of disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza as part of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant movement. “We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza, to make life better for the people of Gaza, but also to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel,” Vance said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
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[l] at 10/22/25 3:10am
DUBAI: The 2025–26 NBA season tipped off last night with international stars once again taking center stage, highlighting the league’s growing global reach and balance of power. In Oklahoma City, Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions to a dramatic 125-124 double-overtime win over the Houston Rockets on ring night, scoring 35 points and delivering the decisive free throws.
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[l] at 10/22/25 3:10am
KYIV: Ukraine’s state security service has unveiled an upgraded sea drone it says can now operate anywhere in the Black Sea, carry heavier weapons and use artificial intelligence for targeting. Ukraine has used the unmanned naval drones to target Russian shipping and infrastructure in the Black Sea. The Security Service of Ukraine, known by its Ukrainian acronym SBU, has credited strikes by the unmanned vessel known as the “Sea Baby” with forcing a strategic shift in Russia’s naval operations.
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[l] at 10/22/25 3:10am
RIYADH: In the heart of Al-Watan Park, in the historic district of Al-Futah, stands a familiar yet overlooked silhouette: the Burj Al Khazzan. This 61-meter-tall water tower, built in the 1970s by Swedish architect Sune Lindstrom, long served a crucial role: storing water for a rapidly growing capital. Today, as Riyadh redefines its urban identity under Vision 2030 and the Green Riyadh initiative, the Burj may soon begin a new life — cultural, ecological, symbolic.
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[l] at 10/21/25 4:10pm
ABU DHABI: Dubai real estate developer Emaar has not been approached for any post-war Gaza reconstruction work and would not be inclined to do any, said its founder and chairman Mohammed Alabbar.While US President Donald Trump has envisaged the creation of a new Riviera in Gaza, Alabbar said on Wednesday rebuilding should be done by those responsible for the destruction. “It’s my philosophy ... that everybody should clean up his garbage,” he told the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi.“I’m very focused on making money for my shareholders,” he added.
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[l] at 10/21/25 4:10pm
DUBAI: Armed with a camera, curiosity and a love of culture, Mohammed Taher — the TikTok creator behind Taher Travels — has turned his passion for exploration into a digital bridge connecting the Arab world with global audiences. “Since I was a child, I’ve always been fascinated by the world, by different places, people and cultures,” he told Arab News. “I used to imagine what life was like in countries far away. When I finally started traveling, I realized how deeply it was changing me, and I felt the need to share those experiences.”
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[l] at 10/21/25 4:10pm
TYRE: Nearly a year after a truce was meant to bring calm to Lebanon’s border with Israel, tens of thousands of people have not yet returned to ruined towns in the south, kept away by deadly Israeli strikes and slim prospects of rebuilding. Among them, 50-year-old farmer Zeinab Mehdi, who fled her home in the border town of Naqoura last year when the war between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah intensified, joining more than a million people fleeing the south’s hilly villages.
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[l] at 10/21/25 4:10pm
LONDON: King Charles III leaves for a state visit to the Vatican Wednesday, where he will meet Pope Leo XIV and make history as the first head of the Church of England to pray publicly with the pontiff since the schism between the churches 500 years ago. The visit comes at a delicate time for the British king following new revelations about his brother, Prince Andrew, who is mired in a scandal surrounding late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Charles and Queen Camilla will meet Leo for the first time since he succeeded the late pope Francis in May.
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[l] at 10/21/25 4:10pm
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions remained above the $3 billion mark for the third consecutive week, underscoring the resilience of consumer activity even as overall spending moderated in mid-October.  According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, consumer spending stood at SR12.2 billion ($3.25 billion) during the week ending Oct. 18, reflecting a 9 percent decline from SR13.4 billion a week earlier. 

As of 11/9/25 12:30pm. Last new 11/3/25 7:45am.

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