Latest news with #Sabbagh
Economist
22-05-2025
- Business
- Economist
Many of Syria's diaspora are not yet ready to go home
'I will sell all of this gold and move back to Syria by the spring,' Ousama Sabbagh enthused in his jewellery shop in a majority-Syrian district in the Turkish city of Bursa, south of Istanbul. That was five months ago. Today his shop looks little different than it did then. Mr Sabbagh now wants to move in September, cheered by President Donald Trump's recent pledge to lift America's sanctions against Syria. That decision has given new hope to Syrians abroad, says Dr Haytham Alhamwi of the Syrian British Consortium, a lobby. Business folk in the diaspora think sanctions relief and international aid are vital for rebuilding the country and making it safe.
Al Etihad
15-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Space42 advances strategy execution with solid Q1 2025 results
15 May 2025 18:08 ABU DHABI (WAM) Space42 PLC announced on Thursday its pro forma consolidated financial results for Q1 its launch in October 2024, Space42 has continued to execute across its four strategic growth pillars, building the operational and financial foundation needed to scale globally. In Q1 2025, revenue reached $115 this, the Company maintained a strong Normalised EBITDA margin of 53% and delivered a Normalised Net Profit of $30 million, in line with Q1 2024. The margin on a normalised basis improved by three percentage points to 26%.Space42 closed the first quarter with $895 million in cash and short-term deposits, contracted future revenues of nearly $7 billion, and tangible progress across each of its four strategic pillars, enabling it to continue scaling decisively and to capture the next wave of opportunity in Sabbagh, Managing Director of Space42, commented, "We entered 2025 with a clear strategy and a platform built to scale. This quarter reinforced our discipline on margins, the momentum across our four strategic pillars and our focus on long-cycle delivery.'We launched new assets in space, expanded coverage, and advanced programs that strengthen sovereign capabilities and position us to scale internationally. We are executing a model anchored in differentiated infrastructure and downstream applications in satellite communications and AI-enabled geospatial analytics.'Sabbagh added, "Our focus is on programmatic and long-term engagements with our key customers. This go-to-market approach is well established within Yahsat Space Services, and the appropriate transformation is underway within Bayanat Smart Solutions."Our strategy is demonstrated by the dual-use satellite communication and earth observation platforms we are building and the differentiated outcomes we are delivering across national and international markets, with the latter segment to grow in relevance over time. That is how we create enduring value."Space42's disciplined execution continues to drive momentum across its four pillars:1. Preferred Partner for Premium Geospatial Data- Launched Foresight-1 and Foresight-2 satellites, laying the foundation for a scalable Earth Observation constellation that strengthens coverage and revisit rates.- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) manufacturing facility is on track to begin production in H2 2025, enabling sovereign production of high-resolution satellites and ensuring full deployment of Foresight-3, -4, and -5.- High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) development site in Abu Dhabi is to be operational by June 2025. First in the region, the new facility will deliver more than 20 HAPS unmanned aircraft vehicles annually, supporting civil, environmental, and defence applications.2. Global Leader in Geospatial Intelligence AI Platform Services- GIQ platform is being scaled as the digital backbone for real-time, AI-powered geospatial analytics, enabling fast, informed decision-making across civil and defence use cases.- MoU signed with FADA and EDGE to establish a national geospatial ecosystem and unlock downstream applications in surveillance, environmental intelligence, and secure mobility, with a total value exceeding USD 100 million.3. Global Leader in Non-Terrestrial Connectivity (NTN)- Thuraya-4 launched successfully; now in orbit and on track for commercial service in H2 2025. The satellite enables a next-generation mobility platform and a suite of new products offering wider coverage, faster speeds, and enhanced capabilities.- MoU signed with Viasat to co-develop a shared multi-orbit standard-based 5G NTN open architecture, creating a globally scalable platform for direct-to-device (D2D) and MSS services.- IP Neo broadband terminal launched in Q1, addressing connectivity needs for critical infrastructure, logistics, and maritime sectors across underserved geographies.- Thuraya One smartphone introduced as a commercial precursor to full D2D rollout, providing seamless integration of satellite and terrestrial networks through a single consumer-grade device.4. Trusted Leader in Secure Connectivity- Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellite programmes progressing on schedule and within budget; several units are now in the testing phase, with satellite launches planned for 2027 and assets will enhance national secure communication capabilities across defence and civil domains - Thuraya-3 service partially restored across key markets through rapid redeployment of redundant capacity, underscoring operational agility and Space42's commitment to service continuity.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular UC Riverside hangout ‘Getaway Cafe' closes after 28 years
A UC Riverside hangout, the Getaway Cafe, is closing its doors after nearly three decades. Announcements that owner Shahram Sabbagh would close the popular bar and restaurant permanently on Tuesday night were made on the business's Instagram site. The Getaway Cafe, located on Canyon Crest Drive in Riverside, was known for its famous pizzas and became a favorite place for students to relieve stress and build friendships. A video posted by longtime customer trevlias on Instagram showed Sabbagh serving customers in his welcoming business. Sabbagh told the poster that he would mostly miss the students and his customers. 'They made my commute worth it every day,' the owner told trevlias. The cafe was forced to close after the University increased its rent and added the cost of power as an additional expense, the Press Enterprise reported. Sabbagh said he was also never fully able to recover from the pandemic in 2020. 'For two and a half years, the school was shut down, and when the school came back on it was all online. So we had a hard time recovering what we lost,' Sabbagh told the newspaper. The Getaway Cafe served the campus community for 28 years and 'stood as a small business success story built on hard work, heart, and community connection,' a petition that had hoped to keep the cafe open stated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WVU Muslim Student Association hosts iftar dinner celebrating culture and religion
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — West Virginia University's Muslim Student Association organized a special iftar dinner on Tuesday, inviting students and community members to experience an evening of cultural and religious significance. The event took place in the Mountainlair Ballroom on WVU's main campus in Morgantown and featured a variety of authentic Middle Eastern dishes. Iftar is the meal that marks the end of each fasting day, bringing families and communities together to share in the breaking of the fast. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims observe daily fasting, refraining from food and drink from dawn until sunset as an act of devotion and self-discipline. 'Following the traditions of Islam, we break our fast together and it's something that is very important religiously but also culturally,' West Virginia Muslim Student Association President Omar Sabbagh said. 'We have some good food, today we are having some Syrian food, some Pakistani food, and it's just like very important.' Almost Heaven Swing added at Tygart Lake While fasting is not required for non-Muslim attendees, they were warmly welcomed to participate in the dinner, fostering a spirit of inclusivity, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding. 'Ramadan, I looked forward to it the whole year because it's a time where there is a special connection with people,' Sabbagh said. 'This event is for the community, we are part of the community and events like these show that Muslims are here to help the community out, we're here to build connections.' This fast is not merely a physical act of abstaining from food and drink but also a spiritual discipline that requires refraining from indulgence in worldly desires, negative speech, and immoral behavior. For the Muslim community it is a time of heightened devotion, self-restraint, and reflection, fostering a deeper connection with faith, gratitude, and compassion for those in need. 'I just want to tell everyone to do their own research about Islam, learn about it, we're a beautiful religion and we're beautiful people. And sometimes what they see on the news is not true. If you do your own research, Islam is a religion of connecting people like this, it's a religion of peace,' Sabbagh said. Founded in 1975, the WVU Muslim Student Association hosts social, cultural, and educational events for all WVU students, fostering spiritual growth and community connections beyond the Muslim Faith. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WVU student leader concerned after Trump threatens ‘illegal' protests on college campuses
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — On Tuesday, President Trump posted on Truth Social that all federal funding will stop for any university in the country that allows 'illegal' protests. A few days later, 12 News spoke with a student leader at West Virginia University, who says he's concerned. 'Freedom of speech should be respected, even if it's against us, even if it's talking about things we don't agree with, we still think that freedom of speech should be prioritized. So, for the president to say that he wants to cut funding, he wants to deport people for freedom of speech, I believe that that's going against the constitution, that's going against our rights as Americans,' WVU Muslim Student Association President Omar Sabbagh said. President Trump's post read: 'All federal funding will STOP for any college, school, or university that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested.' Sabbagh said when his group participates in protests, it makes sure to abide by the law while exercising its first amendment right to peacefully protest. 'So we want to make sure that we're 100% compliant. Not 99.9, a 100%. So, we talk to the university, we talk to law enforcement, we ensure that everything we're doing is within the law,' Sabbagh said. In the past year, student groups at WVU protested things like the war in Gaza through a display of 2,000 red flags at various points on campus, each one representing 100 lives lost in the war. 'My dreams were crushed in one email': WVU student has offer rescinded due to federal cuts The past year has seen several protests on college campuses, some of which turned violent. No executive order or law has been passed related to Trump's proposed funding pull, and no further details on the definition of 'illegal protests' have been given, but the American Civil Liberties Union released an open letter to universities, encouraging schools to continue robust discussions and exploration of ideas. However, the ACLU argues that already-existing executive orders like 14161 'Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats' signed on January 20, 2025, and 14188 'Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism' signed on January 29, 2025 could require campus officials to violate the first amendment, which obligates government entities like public universities to respect free speech rights. According to WVU's First Amendment page, 'As a public university, WVU cannot prohibit the verbal or nonverbal expression of an idea merely because others find the idea offensive or disagreeable. The principle is the same whether the speech offends only a few people or virtually everyone except the speaker.' 12 News reached out to WVU about Trump's post and potential effects, but the request for comment has not been returned as of this publication. 12 News also reached out to Fairmont State University and received the following response. Fairmont State University complies with all local, state, and federal laws while upholding freedom of expression in line with Board of Governors Policy # GA-04. Our guidelines ensure that protests on campus follow time, place, and manner restrictions while respecting First Amendment rights. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
