Saudi, Qatar, Oman convinced Trump to ‘give Iran a chance’: senior Saudi official
Two diplomatic sources told AFP on Thursday that the security posture at Qatar's Al-Udeid Airbase had been lowered after a...
Geostrategy
Starlink services disrupted in Iran amid expanding protests and broader measures affecting internet access
Widespread jamming of the Starlink satellite internet service used by some Iranian opposition members is a likely first in peacetime but...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Hamas official says Miami talks must end Israel’s truce violations in Palestinian territory
A top Hamas official said Friday that talks in Miami to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must...
- The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said that at least 395 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire came into effect
- Israel also accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire, with the Israeli military reporting three soldiers killed since the truce entered into force
Geostrategy
Lebanese, Israeli officials discuss Hezbollah disarmament, security in border areas: PM office
Israel said a Friday meeting involving civilian and military representatives from both Lebanon and Israel was part of broader efforts...
- Earlier this month, Lebanon and Israel agreed to send civilian representatives to the committee's meetings
- It was the second time civilian representatives from both countries had taken part in a meeting as part of the committee
Geostrategy
Netanyahu says to visit New York despite Mamdani arrest threat in compliance with ICC warrant
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he still planned to visit New York despite incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani's threats...
- Mamdani has vowed to send the NYPD to enforce arrest warrants against leaders wanted by the ICC, including Netanyahu
- Despite Mamdani's statements, an arrest of Netanyahu is considered unlikely, and it is debatable if the mayor-elect has the authority
Geostrategy
Egypt says $35 billion Israel gas deal ‘commercial’, not ‘political’
Under the agreement, Israel will increase the total volume of gas supplied to Egypt to 130 billion cubic meters, according...
- Egypt has struggled with energy supplies in recent years, having sought to both meet its domestic needs and position itself as a regional energy hub.
- Egypt was the first country in the region to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979, and the two countries have since had decades of close security collaboration.
Geostrategy
US, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt to hold talks on next phase of Gaza truce in Miami
Under the second stage, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern...
- But progress has so far been slow in moving to the following phase of October's agreement between Israel and Hamas.
- Turkey said Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would attend the talks.
Geostrategy
Putin says Russia will ‘certainly’ achieve its goals in Ukraine including seizing the territories
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday Moscow would "certainly" achieve its goals in the offensive in Ukraine, including seizing...
- "The goals of the special military operation will certainly be achieved," Putin told a meeting with defence ministry officials in Moscow
- His hawkish comments come as Ukraine on Monday hailed "progress" made on the question of future security guarantees for Kyiv
Geostrategy
Trump imposes full travel bans on seven more countries, Palestinians
Other countries newly subjected to the full travel ban came from some of Africa's poorest countries -- Burkina Faso, Mali,...
- The Trump administration has promised to let in athletes for football's signature competition, but has made no such promises for fans of blacklisted countries.
- Global Refuge, a Christian-based group that supports refugees, warned that the travel ban would push vulnerable people further into harm's way.
Geostrategy
Global coal demand expected to hit record in 2025: IEA
In its annual report on the coal industry, the International Energy Agency said demand was on course to rise by...
- China and India are usually the main drivers of growth in coal consumption as the two emerging economies race to meet rising demand for electricity.
- The IEA sees demand in China, the top coal consuming nation, decreasing somewhat over the next five years.
Science
Ancient cures and AI: WHO seeks evidence for traditional medicine
New Delhi, India -- The World Health Organization opens a major conference on traditional medicine on Wednesday, arguing that new...
- The meeting in New Delhi will examine how governments can regulate traditional medicine while using emerging scientific tools to validate safe and effective treatments.
- The UN body hopes this push will help make ancestral practices more compatible with modern healthcare systems.
Business
Famed Jerusalem stone still sells despite West Bank economic woes
Sair, Palestinian Territories - Despite the catastrophic state of the Palestinian economy, Faraj al-Atrash, operator of a quarry in the...
- The war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, dealt a severe blow to a Palestinian economy that was already in poor shape
- Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, has recently set up hundreds of new checkpoints across the territory, paralysing commercial transport
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Saudi, Qatar, Oman convinced Trump to ‘give Iran a chance’: senior Saudi official
Two diplomatic sources told AFP on Thursday that the security posture at Qatar's Al-Udeid Airbase had been lowered after a...
Geostrategy
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Venezuela’s interim leader names commission to handle Maduro’s release
Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez on Sunday created a commission to seek the release of president Nicolas Maduro and his...
Geostrategy
Netanyahu says Israel won’t let Iran restore ballistic missile programme
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would not allow arch-foe Iran to restore its ballistic missile programme, just...
Geostrategy
Volatility grips oil market as nervous investors assess Venezuela
Having spiked in an initial reaction to the military operation to apprehend Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, oil prices quickly dropped...
Business
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Geostrategy
US to work with current Venezuela leaders if they make ‘right decision:’ Rubio
The United States is ready to work with Venezuela's remaining leaders if they make "the right decision," Secretary of State...
- "We're going to judge everything by what they do, and we're going to see what they do," Rubio told CBS News' "Face the Nation."
- US commandos snatched Maduro from a compound in Caracas on Saturday in a risky operation involving jets, helicopters, warships and ground troops
Geostrategy
The US and Venezuela’s vast oil reserves: key questions amid sanctions, geopolitics and energy
After a US military operation that seized Nicolas Maduro, President Donald Trump said he wants to allow American oil companies...
- The country has the largest proven reserves in the world, with 303.221 billion barrels, according to OPEC.
- Sanctions imposed in 2019 by Trump during his first term contributed to production plunging to a historic low of 350,000 b/d the following year.
Geostrategy
At least 80 Yemeni separatists killed in fighting, strikes since Friday
At least 152 members of the UAE-backed STC forces were wounded and 130 were taken captive, a military official from...
- Saudi-backed forces began on Friday operations to retake swathes of territory seized by the UAE-backed STC.
- Yemen's presidency on Saturday announced the retaking of resource-rich Hadramawt, following an apparent retreat of the STC.