Oil prices climb, Emirates makes a splash in Paris, and Careem exits Pakistan
In this week's business headlines from the Middle East, global energy markets react to conflict in the region, Emirates showcases its next-gen A350 at the Paris Airshow, and Careem calls it quits in Pakistan after nearly a decade.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Opinion - Does Trump see an off-ramp for Iran's leaders and a historic tipping point?
President Trump has come to possibly one of the most historic tipping points of our time — a tipping point he may have accelerated. A tipping point which, if things continue in this direction, might recalibrate the Middle East for the better for decades to come. The question then becomes: How best to increase the positive momentum? One of the main reasons I believe Trump has been a successful and transformative president is because he brought decades of real-world business experience into the Oval Office for the first time in decades. Love them or not, Joe Biden was a 50-plus-years career politician; Barack Obama was a little-experienced local Chicago politician; George W. Bush was a 'nepo' politician who rode the coattails of his father; Bill Clinton was an academic and career politician; George H.W. Bush was a courageous war hero who then fell into a career of politics and diplomacy; Ronald Reagan was an actor and two-term governor of California; and so on and so on. All these presidents were still creatures of politics and beholden to their particular party. Aside from being the first president in our lifetimes to bring decades of real-world business experience into the White House, Trump gleefully and very publicly cut the special interests' umbilical cords which connected so many presidents to the entrenched elites in D.C. Hence the creation of the 'Never Trump' movement and now a decade of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome.' Trump does believe in 'America First.' To make that expression a reality, he is willing to break with the entrenched elites, outrage the legacy media, ignore academics who never worked in the real world, defy the 'globalist' leaders of other nations and, sometimes, challenge the thinking and perceptions of the MAGA movement. We are witnessing all those Trump tactics with regard to the latest Israel-Iran conflict. In the business world, you are often faced with 'buy,' 'sell' or 'sit this one out' opportunities. While building his global business empire, Trump has engaged in such negotiations thousands of times. More often than not, he acted upon instincts honed by decades of success. Many MAGA supporters — and quite possibly Trump himself — initially viewed the current Israel-Iran war as a 'sit this one out' situation. But Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear weapons facilities may have created an unplanned tipping point for Trump towards much greater peace and stability in the region, while strengthening the national security of the U.S. Going back to before to his first presidential campaign in 2015, Trump had long condemned the Iraq war, the tragic loss of life and the neocons and hawks who incessantly called for that invasion. We saw that same conviction from Trump when it came to the war in Ukraine. He wanted peace and was desperate to stop the useless slaughter of hundreds of thousands of human beings. During his decades of being a master business negotiator, Trump also knew that it was wise — and was often the key tactic — to offer the CEO and upper management of the company he was dealing with a face-saving off ramp. Trump may now sense that the leadership of Iran is desperate for such an off ramp. There is no doubt that Trump believes Iran to be a rogue state directly responsible for the killing and maiming of thousands of American soldiers; of controlling the most ruthless and dangerous terrorist organizations in the world; of openly calling for the annihilation of America; and which is directly destabilizing the Middle East, while causing the deaths and suffering of literally millions of people in the region. But that is the truth of the present and the past. What if one were presented with the rarest of opportunities — to affect the truth of the future? What if, via the actions of others, certain policies and happenstance, you were gifted a window to rid the world of a truly evil entity capable of killing millions? But it was a window quickly and maybe permanently slamming shut. No president in our lifetimes has pushed to keep Americans out of harm's way or for global peace more than Trump. He owes no one an apology nor an explanation. Trump does want peace — but knows peace and freedom come at a cost. In his first term, he saw the window to eliminate ISIS and jumped through it to crush the vilest terrorist organization the world has ever known. With regard to Iran, Trump ordered the elimination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a man directly responsible for the killing and maiming of countless American troops. Businessman Trump has operated with the 'carrot and stick' method his entire adult life. Usually while flying by the seat of his pants. Trump created the 'America First' movement. Now, his instincts may be telling him he has a fleeting sliver of time to create an 'Iran First' movement for the long-suffering people of that nation — a people yearning to live in peace, who hate those who have turned their nation into a murderous theocracy. Iranians are poised to act, but they need a tipping point to give them cover not to be slaughtered in the streets if they rise as one to reclaim their country. Trump may be about to give them that tipping point. Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Le Bourget - A Subdued But Substantial Paris Air Show
Crowds at the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, on June 16, 2025. ... More (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images) The Paris Air Show is the largest air show in the world as measured by attendees or exhibitors. It has been held every two years (on odd numbered years) since 1949. The first four days are devoted to industry participants from both commercial and defense sectors representing OEM's and companies down through the supply chain and support services. Originated in 1908 as an offshoot of the Paris Motor Show, it was held at the Grand Palais in Paris until 1953 with flying demonstrations at Paris Orly airport. With the advent of commercial aviation growing to the mass market, the Show was moved to Le Bourget field, the landing site of Lindbergh's historic solo transatlantic crossing in May 1927, where he was greeted by a crowd of over one hundred thousand onlookers. The first "Salon du Locomotion Arienne" held in Paris's Grand Palais, 1909. Bleriot and other ... More monoplanes are seen in the foreground. In years past, Air Shows provided a measuring stick for the two major commercial aircraft OEM's, Boeing and Airbus, to keep score in their competition with each other. This was especially true in the 90's and early 00's as Airbus was gradually accumulating market share and eventually overtaking Boeing in aircraft sales and production. Companies would hold orders that had already been inked in previous months in order to boost their count for splashy headlines during the week of the Show. The Show also provided a world stage for the flight demonstration of a new aircraft model or defense system. In 2025, many of those aspects have changed or receded amidst a backdrop of war, recent tragedy and technological plateau. The ongoing hostilities in Ukraine have placed the spotlight on lightweight, agile offensive systems as opposed to the 'big iron' of new expensive weaponry. The tragic loss of an Air India Boeing 787 days before the Show led to the decision for senior Boeing executives to not attend and for the company to keep a low profile. The duopoly of the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 series continues to build backlog without expectation of a new technology aircraft for at least a decade. A similar development was apparent in the military realm where legacy platforms which were designed years or decades earlier were being adapted to new missions, outfitted with new sensor suites, or positioned as flying 'command posts' for unmanned weapons. Nevertheless, dynamism was apparent in other sectors including Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), space systems and Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO). MRO has continued to be a focus due to the continued demand driven by commercial aircraft that will need to be flown years longer on average, due to the production shortfalls resulting from the pandemic and various Boeing delays. JetZero ("A New Entrant to the Commercial Aerospace Duopoly?" - March 28, 2025) detailed its development plan for it's radical design aircraft that could serve as a next generation airliner or a military tanker. Sustainability, which has been a persistent focus for innovation over the past several years, was still strongly evident in pronouncements and product attributes, but the growing recognition that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and hydrogen powered aircraft are not near term environmental solutions reflected the recent waning support from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airbus. Several geopolitical forces were also evident in the concerns of attendees. First, the US Administration's pronouncements indicating weakened support for NATO and the need for European countries to contribute more to their own defense has intensified investment in and activities of defense companies within the EU. This coupled with the Administration's increase of the US defense budget amid global tensions resulted in a much more defense focused show than in years past. The mood was amplified by the Israeli attacks on Iran that began over the weekend when many of the initial receptions and gatherings were being held. Second, the Administration's imposition of tariffs has increased focus on the resiliency of global supply chains and the ability to meet production goals in a much more complex environment. On both the commercial, as well as the military side, the ability to deliver against order books was a paramount concern due to the ongoing ramp in commercial deliveries, and the shortfalls in munitions and missiles from wars in Ukraine and the mid-East. Much as the iPhone has continued to improve capabilities on a platform that debuted eighteen years ago, the sense of the show was not on new product announcements but on enhancements to legacy platforms and proving capability to meet demand expectations in a challenging global environment.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump, Munir exchange praises as Pakistan rises as regional stabilizer: IRS Analysis
ISLAMABAD, June 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a closely watched meeting at the White House, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, met with U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Analysts at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in Islamabad, have characterized this as a strategic reset for Pakistan. Held over a luncheon in the Cabinet Room and followed by an extended session in the Oval Office, the meeting included Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff, and Pakistan's National Security Advisor. Initially planned for an hour, the talks stretched over two hours, underscoring the depth of engagement. According to ISPR's official press release, the exchange between Field Marshal Munir and President Trump reflected a new level of mutual recognition, with both leaders exchanging commendations for each other's leadership. Munir conveyed the gratitude of Pakistan's people and government for Trump's personal role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during the recent regional crisis. Trump, in return, praised Pakistan's regional peacekeeping and counterterrorism efforts. IRS notes that the dialogue extended beyond security matters to encompass expansive discussions on trade, economic development, energy, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and mineral exploration—an ambitious agenda suggesting long-term strategic alignment. President Trump voiced a strong interest in developing a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan rooted in shared goals and regional convergence. Both sides also discussed escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, agreeing on the urgency of diplomatic resolution. Trump was briefed on Pakistan's position as a responsible regional stakeholder advocating for de-escalation. The IRS views this engagement as emblematic of Pakistan's evolving global posture—from reactive crisis diplomacy to proactive strategic positioning. In its analysis, the think tank highlights how Pakistan is increasingly seen by Washington as a necessary stabilizing force amid a deteriorating Middle East environment. According to the think tank's analysis, Pakistan's shared borders with Iran and its strategic position in the Middle East have the potential to catapult Pakistan into the middle of a diplomatic solution. As a symbol of warming ties, Field Marshal Munir formally invited President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan. The invitation was well received, with both sides agreeing to maintain momentum on key collaborative tracks. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at CONTACT: Contact Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad Phone: +92-51-9203974 Email: Website:
