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
Palestinian VP meets diplomat expected to serve on Trump’s Gaza peace board
Palestinian vice president Hussein al-Sheikh met on Friday with former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov, who is expected to...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Defiant Khamenei insists ‘won’t back down’ in face of growing Iran protests
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday insisted the Islamic republic would "not back down" in the face of...
- The demonstrations represent one of the biggest challenges yet to the Islamic republic in its over four-and-a-half decades of existence
- But Khamenei struck a defiant tone in his first comments on the escalating protests since January 3, calling the demonstrators "vandals"
Geostrategy
Israel president meets diplomat expected to serve on Trump’s Gaza peace board
Israel's President Isaac Herzog on Thursday met with former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov, whom media reports say is...
- A spokesman from Herzog's office said the president met with Mladenov on Thursday, without providing further details
- The Times of Israel reported that Mladenov was expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Thursday
Geostrategy
US could run Venezuela, tap its oil for years, Trump says less than a week after toppling Maduro
The United States could run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years, President Donald Trump said in an...
- Venezuela's state oil firm PDVSA said it was discussing oil sales with the United States for the "sale of volumes of oil"
- Trump and his advisors are considering a plan for the US to exert control over PDVSA, the Wall Street Journal reported
Geostrategy
Yemen separatist leader fled to UAE: Saudi-led coalition
Aidaros Alzubidi was accused of high treason and removed from Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council on Wednesday, while the coalition bombed...
- Last month's STC offensive brought fresh turbulence to fractured Yemen and exposed deep rifts between Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
- The oil-rich neighbors formed the backbone of the coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who overran the capital Sanaa in 2014 and still control much of the country
Geostrategy
Saudi strikes Yemen after separatist leader skips talks
A Saudi-led coalition struck the home province of Yemen's UAE-backed separatist leader on Wednesday, after he failed to show up...
- The separatists said they were open to discussions but warned they had lost contact with their delegation in Riyadh
- On Wednesday, more than 15 air strikes hit Dhale, a local official told AFP, killing four people, according to two hospital sources
Geostrategy
US energy secretary says will control Venezuelan oil sales ‘indefinitely’
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that Washington will control sales of Venezuelan oil "indefinitely," a day after President...
- Trump said Tuesday that 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude will be shipped to US ports, with the revenue under his control
- On Saturday, US special forces snatched Maduro and his wife from Caracas and whisked them to New York to face trial on drug charges
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists set for Riyadh talks after fighting: official
The leader of Yemen's separatists is heading to Riyadh on Tuesday for talks, a Yemeni official told AFP, after days...
- Saudi Arabia had called for talks between the Yemeni factions in Riyadh at the request of Yemen's government
- The Saudi-organised talks indicate the beginning of de-escalation efforts after clashes in Yemen's government-run areas
Geostrategy
Venezuelan parliament swears in interim president after Maduro’s ouster
Venezuela's parliament swore in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president on Monday, two days after US forces seized her predecessor Nicolas...
- Rodriguez, who has indicated she will cooperate with Washington, took the oath of office during a ceremony in the National Assembly
- Parliament denounced the capture of leftist leader Maduro while vowing support for his stand-in Rodriguez after the US military attack
Business
Oil prices gain, as equities extend record run higher
Oil prices have experienced choppy trading since the surprise US raid Saturday on Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro...
- Brushing off geopolitical concerns, some major stock markets have begun the new year with new all-time highs, having smashed records in 2025.
- Seoul rose more than one percent Tuesday to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.
Geostrategy
US operation in Venezuela undermined international law: UN
"States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state," Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman...
- Shamdasani said the UN rights office had spent years reporting on the "continued deterioration" in Venezuela.
- But she dismissed US justifications for its actions, saying accountability for rights violations "can't be achieved by military intervention in violation of international law".
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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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Israeli airstrike kills five Palestinians in West Bank
Palestinian medics said an air strike targeting a car in the occupied West Bank killed five people on Thursday, while...
Biden, Kadhemi meeting to focus on US troop withdrawal from Iraq
The White House talks between the two allies come just a week after a deadly attack claimed by the Islamic...
Bomb-laden drones hit Erbil airport in northern Iraq
The attack took place at around 1930 GMT but caused no injuries or major damage Since the start of the...
US could run Venezuela, tap its oil for years, Trump says less than a week after toppling Maduro
The United States could run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years, President Donald Trump said in an...
Geostrategy
Yemen separatist leader fled to UAE: Saudi-led coalition
Aidaros Alzubidi was accused of high treason and removed from Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council on Wednesday, while the coalition bombed...
Geostrategy
Saudi strikes Yemen after separatist leader skips talks
A Saudi-led coalition struck the home province of Yemen's UAE-backed separatist leader on Wednesday, after he failed to show up...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists set for Riyadh talks after fighting: official
The leader of Yemen's separatists is heading to Riyadh on Tuesday for talks, a Yemeni official told AFP, after days...
- Saudi Arabia had called for talks between the Yemeni factions in Riyadh at the request of Yemen's government
- The Saudi-organised talks indicate the beginning of de-escalation efforts after clashes in Yemen's government-run areas
Geostrategy
Venezuelan parliament swears in interim president after Maduro’s ouster
Venezuela's parliament swore in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president on Monday, two days after US forces seized her predecessor Nicolas...
- Rodriguez, who has indicated she will cooperate with Washington, took the oath of office during a ceremony in the National Assembly
- Parliament denounced the capture of leftist leader Maduro while vowing support for his stand-in Rodriguez after the US military attack
Business
Oil prices gain, as equities extend record run higher
Oil prices have experienced choppy trading since the surprise US raid Saturday on Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro...
- Brushing off geopolitical concerns, some major stock markets have begun the new year with new all-time highs, having smashed records in 2025.
- Seoul rose more than one percent Tuesday to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.