• Israel seizes 800 hectares of land in West Bank on Blinken’s arrival

    Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared as "state lands" the area in the northern Jordan Valley. Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said the size of the seized area is the largest since 1993's Oslo Accords, and that "2024 marks a peak in the extent of declarations of state land".
  • Arab groups quit German Book Fair after Palestinian author row

    Frankfurt, Germany - The postponement of a Palestinian author's award ceremony at the Frankfurt Book Fair due to the Israel-Hamas conflict triggered condemnation Monday from high-profile authors, while several Arab publishing groups withdrew. The annual fair is the world's biggest publishing trade event, bringing together thousands of book industry players and...
  • Israeli forces shoot dead nine Palestinians in West Bank

    At least nine Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank during rallies in solidarity with war-battered Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry said. AFP correspondents and a security official reported clashes in Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarem, Hebron and other cities, nearly a week after Hamas attacked southern Israel.
  • Thousands protest across the world in support of Palestinians

    "No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted demonstrators gathered in central Baghdad after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a protest "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.
  • ‘Spirit of resistance’: Arab support for Palestinians swells

    Beirut, Lebanon -- In mosques, football stadiums and towns across the Arab world, pro-Palestinian sentiment has surged after a shock Hamas attack on Israel, sparking a groundswell of solidarity for the Palestinians. From Ramallah to Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo, people have distributed sweets, danced and chanted prayers in support...
  • Israeli forces kill two Palestinian fighters in occupied West Bank

    Tulkarem, Palestinian Territories - Israeli forces killed two Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as the Israeli army confirmed its soldiers had been engaged in a shootout. The army also said five Israeli police officers were wounded by an explosive device in a...
  • US allows visa free entry for Israelis citing less discrimination

    The Biden administration made the decision after Israel in July promised a series of steps to comply with longstanding US demands to treat all US passport holders equally -- without discriminating against Americans who are of Palestinian or other Arab heritage or who are Muslim. Visa-free travel marks "a critical...
  • Egypt to elect President in three-day election from Dec 10

    President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a former army chief, has ruled for nearly a decade in the Arab world's most populous country, which is now mired in a deep economic crisis. Experts had predicted Sisi would move forward the 2024 election, ahead of a possible switch to a flexible exchange rate...
  • China-Arab States Expo kicks off, highlighting deep trade ties

    Yinchuan, China--The sixth China-Arab States Expo commenced today in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, marking yet another chapter in the ever-expanding economic and trade nexus between China and its Arab counterparts. Spanning a sprawling 40,000 square meters, the Expo boasts an offline exhibition arena with participation from over...
  • Netanyahu at UN issues ‘nuclear’ threat to Iran, later retracted

    Netanyahu, who has repeatedly used the UN stage to issue dark warnings about Tehran, briefly gave pause at the General Assembly when he appeared to threaten nuclear attack if Tehran pursues its own atomic bomb. "Above all -- above all -- Iran must face a credible nuclear threat. As long...
  • Dubai ranks fifth globally on key shipping development Index

    Dubai, UAE -- Dubai has maintained its ranking among the top five global maritime centres on the 2023 International Shipping Centre Development (ISCD) Index for the fourth consecutive year. The city also earned the top rank for sea freight and logistics services in the Arab world, as per the latest...
  • Agriculture deals worth $471m inked at China-Arab States Expo

    Beijing, China -- A total of 34 deals worth approximately AED1.73 billion ($471 million) were signed at the conference on high-quality modern agricultural cooperation, one of the activities of the 6th China-Arab States Expo (Expo), held in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Friday. As...
  • Erdogan, Netanyahu meet as Turkey, Israel seek to improve ties

    Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in New York with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said "ties between the two countries were improving". After more than a decade of tensions, relations have improved with recent high-level visits, including that of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Ankara last year.
  • Nine works nominated for 9th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel

    Doha, Qatar - The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) revealed the lists of nine works that would be included in the 9th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel. This includes published novels, unpublished novels, young adult unpublished novels and unpublished critical studies, with a total reaching 36 novels and critical studies, Qatar...
  • Diverse business models needed for trade with China, say Union of Arab Chambers

    BEIRUT, LEBANON – The secretary general of the Union of Arab Chambers has called for diversified business models to facilitate the growing economic ties between Arab countries and China. In an interview ahead of the sixth China-Arab States Expo, which is scheduled to take place from September 21 to 24...
  • Global economy lost $32bn due to credit card frauds, says AMF

    Abu Dhabi, UAE - The Arab Monetary Fund said Wednesday that global credit card fraud losses incurred by financial institutions and individuals reached around US$32.3 billion in 2021. The losses increased substantially by 13.8 percent compared to the previous year, WAM reported. The Fund released a study titled "The Role...
  • Saudi Arabia’s first social network Jaco attracts 1m users in 2 months

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA:   The supervisor of the Kingdom's first social network Jaco - Saudi entrepreneur Fahd Al-Shidi announced that the team is working to reach five million users soon. He added that Jaco's attraction of over one million users in the coming two months from other networks, including well-known names,...
  • Arab-Japan ties to see expansion to cultural, environmental, energy fields

    Cairo, Egypt-- Vowing to expand their relations to cultural, educational, environmental, and energy fields, Arab states and Japan have expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the two. Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, participated in the third session of the Arab-Japan Political Dialogue...
  • Egypt president calls for measures to slow birthrate

    Cairo, Egypt -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called Tuesday for measures to slow the birthrate in the Arab world's most populous country, citing China's one-child  policy as an example. "We need 400,000 births per year," said the leader of the country of 105 million inhabitants which recorded nearly 2.2 million...
  • Arab economies projected to grow 3.4% in 2023: AMF official

    The growth may increase to 4% in 2024. Arab Monetary Fund Director-General Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al Humaidi stressed on the need for Arab governments to accelerate their efforts to achieve digital transformation and shift towards a knowledge-based economy.
  • Market capital in Arab bourses $4.5 trillion, says Arab Monetary Fund

    Kuwait City, Kuwait -- The Arab Monetary Fund has said that the market capital in Arab bourses reached US$4.5 trillion at the end of last week's trade, climbing by 1.2 percent.The fund's weekly report said the market capital of BouKuwait amounted to US$137.5 billion, that of the Abu Dhabi stock...
  • Arab Parliament endorses call to support victims of terrorism

    Cairo, Egypt-- Arab Parliament on Monday endorsed the call for victims of terrorism in the Arab world to be supported "financially and economically" to overcome tragedies. The parliament said that those affected by the evil claws of terrorism in the Arab world must be supported to overcome their tragedies. The...
  • Brazilian exports to Arab countries up 8% in seven months

    Dubai, UAE -- The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) recorded a surge of 8 percent in Brazilian exports to the Arab world during the first seven months of 2023, totaling to $10.61 billion, compared to $9.825 billion in the same period in 2022. Brazilian exports to the the kingdom...
  • Two Israelis killed in West Bank shooting, says army

    RAMALLAH, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Two Israeli civilians were killed in a suspected shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the army said. "A suspected shooting attack was carried out at a number of Israeli civilians in the area of the town of Huwara," an army statement said, adding that two...
  • Israel’s Arab minority fear outcome of judicial overhaul

    Tens of thousands of Israel's Arab minority fear they will bear the brunt of the government's judicial overhaul. The community has remained mostly on the margins of a raging debate over the sweeping changes as many Israelis have rallied weekly against the reform package. Arab citizens of Israel make up...
  • Saudi home to three of top five Arab smart cities

    Saudi Arabia, which has pioneered the development of smart cities in the region, plans to establish more than 200 smart cities.
  • Saudi names Nayef al-Sudairi as non-resident envoy for Palestine

    Al-Sudairi, the current ambassador to Jordan, will also serve as consul general in Jerusalem, a new position announced amid speculation about possible future ties with Israel. The file for the Palestinian Territories has traditionally been handled by Saudi Arabia's embassy in Amman.
  • Israeli troops shoot Palestinian dead in occupied West Bank

    Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and its forces regularly make incursions into Palestinian communities.
  • Tunisia, Libya collaborate to help stranded migrants at border

    In a collaborative bid to address the migrant crisis, Tunisia and Libya have announced a shared responsibility for hundreds of migrants stranded at their border. These migrants, primarily from sub-Saharan African countries, had been left in the desert area of Ras Jedir. The deal aims to provide shelter and essential...
  • Kuwait bars Barbie movie from theatres citing ‘public ethics’

    Kuwait City, Kuwait - Kuwait has barred hit film Barbie from cinemas over concerns about "public ethics", officials have said, also confirming a separate ban on a horror movie featuring a transgender actor. Barbie and Talk to Me both "promulgate ideas and beliefs that are alien to the Kuwaiti society and...
  • Lebanon urges calm after Gulf states issue travel advisory

    "The situation in Ain al-Helweh camp has now calmed down," Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said referring to south Lebanon's restive Palestinian camp. "Security and intelligence services... have no information that the situation could spin out of control and spill over to other camps," he said.
  • Kuwait bars film from screening for showing trans actor

    The film titled 'Talk to Me' features Australian actor Zoe Terakes. (AFP)
  • UAE president Sheikh Mohamed holds talks with El Sisi in Egypt

    El Alamein, Egypt - The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with his Egyptian counterpart, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, during an official visit to Egypt.  The discussions revolved around strengthening the longstanding ties between the two nations. The meeting, held in the Egyptian city of...
  • Arab, Islamic universities urged to collaborate on East-West bridge building effort

    Makkah, Saudi Arabia - A scientific forum organized by Arab and Islamic universities’ associations has recommended the formation of a working group of scholars and researchers to become envoys for the Muslim World League’s (MWL) initiative, "Building Bridges Between East and West.” The forum, titled “The role of media in...
  • Arab-Indian Chamber of Commerce to be unveiled soon

    NEW DELHI, INDIA - A Joint Arab-Indian Chamber of Commerce is to be “activated” soon. This was announced in the “Delhi Declaration” at the conclusion of the sixth India-Arab Partnership Conference in New Delhi, local media reports said. The Declaration asserted that “India and the Arab countries are witnessing a...
  • Israeli army shoot Palestinian dead in occupied West Bank

    NABLUS, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said on Saturday, in what the army described as a "car ramming attempt" near here. Fawzi Mukhalifa, 18, "was killed by the occupation (Israeli) bullets in the town of Sebastia" late on Friday,...
  • Morocco’s women football team to make history in World Cup debut

    When Morocco's women take on two-times former champions Germany in Melbourne they will be the first Arab team to play at a Women's World Cup, months after the men's historic run to the semi-finals in Qatar. The country is still buzzing from what their men did at the Qatar World...
  • Iran looks to Arab states to propel its lackluster tourism sector

    Avoided by western tourists, Iran is turning to wealthy Arab states and other nearby countries to bolster its sanctions-hit economy. It is also drawing visitors from Russia and China. Owing to the thaw in relations with Saudi Arabia, Iran is now interested in closer ties with the Arab world.
  • Sharjah records first half real estate deals worth $3.65 billion

    The city of Sharjah accounted for the largest (3,794) share of the transactions.
  • Qatari small and medium-sized companies sign deals worth US$201m in H1

    Doha, Qatar--Small and medium-sized companies in Qatar have signed deals worth $201 million during the first half of 2023, benefiting from the various services of the Qatar's Export Development & Promotion Agency (Tasdeer). In a report, Tasdeer highlighted the momentum witnessed by the participation of small and medium-sized companies in...
  • Iraq, Syria pledge to enhance cooperation, counter terrorism

    They discussed "reinforcing cooperation between the two countries in various sectors... in addition to joint efforts to fight back against terrorism", a statement from Assad's office said.
  • Qatar wealthiest Arab nation, Somalia poorest

    The Arab world is one of the most unequal regions in the world, with top 10 earners controlling more than 56% of national incom
  • Qatar, India trade increases to $17.2 billion in 2021-2022

    Dubai, UAE -- Trade volume between Qatar and India increased by about 33 percent during 2021 and 2022, reaching $17.2 billion, Qatar's undersecretary for Commerce Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Saleh bin Majed Al Khulaifi said. He said India is Qatar's second-largest trade partner. Al Khulaifi chaired...
  • GCC, API sign MoU to establish framework for cooperation

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Seeking to establish a broad framework for cooperation in several areas, the GCC and the Arab Planning Institute (API) have signed a a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU was signed during a meeting between Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, GCC Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),...
  • GCC countries, Russia sign five-year joint action plan

    The GCC countries and Russia have adopted a joint statement and a joint action plan for 2023-2028 following their meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. Later Lavrov met with the Saudi foreign minister to discuss strategic cooperation between the two countries.
  • Jordan’s exports to non-Arab Asian countries climb to US$1.16bn in Q1

    Amman, Jordan-- Trade between Jordan and non-Arab Asian countries has shot up in the first quarter of 2023, with the value of the kingdom's exports to the countries surging to about $1.16 billion, compared to about $1.07 billion for the same period last year, according to foreign trade data issued...
  • UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture honors winners in Paris

    Paris, France-- The19th UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture was awarded to Kassem Istanbouli, Lebanese actor-director, and Hajer Ben Boubaker, French researcher and sound director, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on June 26, 2023. The event, organized by the Sharjah Department of Culture in collaboration with UNESCO, celebrated the achievements of...
  • Morocco puts off meeting of Arab allies of Israel due to West Bank violence

    With violence escalating between Palestinians and Israelis, Morocco has postponed a meeting of Arab allies of Israel it was due to host this summer. According to the country's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita a date for the meeting can be worked out when circumstances are more "favorable." The annual meeting was...
  • Arab nations account for 25 percent of Israel’s 2022 arms exports

    Jerusalem, Undefined - Israeli defense exports hit an all-time high of $12.5 billion last year, with Arab countries that recently established ties accounting for nearly a quarter of purchase contracts, officials said Wednesday. The defense ministry, which oversees and approves the exports of Israel's defense industries, said one quarter of deals...
  • Palestinian dies as fresh violence hits West Bank

    Israeli forces killed a Palestinian in a West Bank raid while four Israelis were injured in a separate shooting incident, as fresh violence broke out, officials said. The Palestinian health ministry said 19-year-old Faris Abdel Moneim Mohammed Hashash "was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces during the aggression against...
  • UAE, Peru sign air services agreement to promote bilateral trade

    Lima, Peru - The UAE and Peru signed an air services agreement for cooperation between the two countries and promote intra-trade. Mohammed Abdullah Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Peru, signed the deal on behalf of the UAE and Gervasi Díaz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, representing Peru. Al...