The armed groups clashing with Hamas in Gaza
Shortly after a ceasefire took effect in Gaza, clashes erupted between armed groups, some backed by Israel and others loyal...
Geostrategy
Rubio seeks quick deployment of international Gaza force
He confirmed that Israel would enjoy vetoes on the force composition, amid reports Israel has objected to participation by Turkey.
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
US President orders military to set up a port in Gaza for aid, say officials
President Joe Biden will tell Congress that he has ordered the US military to set up a port in Gaza...
- US officials said the "significant capability will take a number of weeks to plan and execute".
- US officials were careful to stress that American troops would not be on the ground in Gaza.
Geostrategy
Israeli troops ‘likely’ fired on journalist in Lebanon, says report
Paris, France - An Israeli tank crew who killed one journalist and wounded six others in Lebanon in October then "likely"...
- The strike in southern Lebanon on October 13 instantly killed Issam Abdallah, a 37-year-old journalist for the Reuters news agency.
- Six others - two more Reuters journalists, two from Al Jazeera, and two from Agence France-Presse - were injured.
Geostrategy
UN agency exhorts Israel to allow port for Gaza aid transfer
Rome, Italy - The UN's food agency on Thursday said it was pressing Israel to allow it to use the Ashdod...
- "We have several requests with the Israelis," World Food Program (WFP) Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau told AFP in Rome.
- "We want to use the Ashdod port, which would be much more efficient than going through Jordan or even Egypt," Skau said.
Geostrategy
Hamas expresses dissatisfaction over Israel’s stance on Gaza truce
A senior Hamas official confirmed that the group's delegation in talks seeking a Gaza truce left Cairo for consultations in...
- Hamas has been insisting on a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced people to their homes.
- Israel has been asking for a list of all hostages still alive in Gaza, a task Hamas says it is unable to complete.
Business
Saudi Arabia transfers 8% Aramco stake to PIF-owned firms
Saudi Arabia said it transferred an additional eight percent stake from oil giant Aramco to firms owned by the kingdom's...
- The transfer was "a continuation of Saudi Arabia's long-term initiatives to boost and diversify the national economy and expand investment opportunities".
- The move brings the state's ownership of Aramco shares to 82.19 percent.
Geostrategy
Gaza confirms Israel returned 47 exhumed bodies of Palestinians
Palestinian Territories - Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said on Thursday that Israel had returned dozens of bodies that had been...
- Israeli forces have on several occasions taken bodies from Gaza to Israel for examinations as they look for hostages seized during Hamas's October 7 attack.
- AFP journalists have previously witnessed the reburial of bodies which Gaza officials said had been exhumed by Israeli forces.
Geostrategy
Indian man fighting for Russia against Ukraine killed in action
New Delhi, India - India's embassy in Moscow has confirmed the death of a citizen recruited by the Russian army, days...
- The embassy did not state the circumstances behind Mohammed Asfan's death but said it was in touch with his family and Russian authorities.
- Asfan is the first death confirmed by Indian authorities among its citizens serving with the Russian army and the second confirmed overall.
Business
Nationwide offers to buy Virgin Money
Nationwide has offered US$3.7 billion for Virgin Money.
- Nationwide management believe the transaction will broaden and deepen its products and services faster than could be achieved organically.
- The deal remains subject to due diligence and approvals from Virgin Money shareholders as well as Nationwide's borrowers and depositors.
Business
Lufthansa profit spikes in 2023
Its net profit shot up to US$1.82bn as demand booms.
- The group reported a net profit of 1.67 billion euros ($1.82 billion), compared to 791 million euros in 2022
- The profit was slightly below an estimate of about 1.8 billion euros by analysts surveyed by financial data firm FactSet
Despite oil riches, Libyans hit by plummeting purchasing power
Libya earns around $20 billion per year in net revenues from oil and gas exports, which accounts for around 95...
- Libya's dinar currency - which officially trades at 4.8 to the US dollar - has recently dropped on the parallel market from around five dinar to the greenback to 7.5 now
- The cost of living crisis and foreign cash crunch come after the Central Bank of Libya announced steps it said were aimed at ensuring greater financial stability
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
The armed groups clashing with Hamas in Gaza
Shortly after a ceasefire took effect in Gaza, clashes erupted between armed groups, some backed by Israel and others loyal...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Ajman’s real estate sector deals up 37% in H1 to hit $3.37bn
Ajman, UAE -- The real estate sector in the Emirate of Ajman recorded real estate transactions worth AED 12.4 billion...
Business
G20 nations agree central bank independence ‘crucial’
The statement came after months of escalating attacks by US President Donald Trump on Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell. The...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Trump threatens to sue WSJ over story on alleged 2003 letter to Epstein
Washington, United States - US President Donald Trump threatened to sue The Wall Street Journal Thursday over a story about...
- The Journal story says the letter featuring a sketch of a naked woman and Trump's signature was part of a collection of notes for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003
- Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker "was told directly by (White House press secretary) Karoline Leavitt, and by President Trump, that the letter was a FAKE."
Geostrategy
Europeans tell Iran will reimpose sanctions if no progress on nuclear deal: France
Top European diplomats told their Iranian counterpart on Thursday they were determined to reactivate UN sanctions if Tehran does not...
- The diplomats, from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union, told Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi of "their determination to use the 'snapback' mechanism
- They are applying pressure to convince Iran of "the urgency of returning to the diplomatic path without delay, in order to reach a robust, verifiable, and durable agreement."
Investigation
Air India probe of Boeing 787 fuel control switches finds no issues
Mumbai, India - Air India's inspection of the locking feature on the fuel control switches of its existing Boeing 787...
- A preliminary probe by Indian investigators found that they had flipped from the run position to cutoff shortly after takeoff
- India's aviation regulator ordered the country's airlines this week to investigate the locking feature on the switches of several Boeing models.