Gas prices surge as Iran tensions roil energy markets
The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials said President Donald Trump had instructed aides to prepare for a sustained...
Geostrategy
Firms lag as AI-driven fraud surges: Study
The report, published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and analytics firm SAS, highlights widening gaps between rapidly evolving...
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Yemen separatists say Saudi-backed forces to deploy in seized territories
A surprise STC offensive seizing resource-rich Hadramawt and Mahra has pushed the UAE and Saudi Arabia, officially allies in Yemen,...
- On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen struck what it said was a shipment of Emirati weapons destined for the separatists.
- But a source close to the Saudi government told AFP on Thursday that Saudi Arabia's security needs would only be met if the STC "move out of Hadramawt and Mahra".
Geostrategy
Israel’s Mossad tells Iranian protesters ‘we are with you’
Israel's Mossad spy agency issued a direct call urging Iranians to press on with protests, saying it was supporting them...
- Protests that began on Sunday with Tehran shopkeepers rallying against Iran's worsening economy have spread to other cities
- The Iranian rial has dropped against the US dollar and other world currencies, forcing up import prices and hurting retail traders
Geostrategy
Israel to ban 37 organizations operating in Gaza, aid flow under threat
Apart from MSF, some of the 37 NGOs to be hit with the ban are the Norwegian Refugee Council, World...
- In a territory with 2.2 million inhabitants, "1.3 million people still require urgent shelter support," the ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark and several other nations said.
- On Wednesday, the United Nations rights chief Volker Turk described Israel's decision as "outrageous", calling on states to urgently insist Israel shift course.
Geostrategy
“Hell to pay”: Trump warns Hamas after Netanyahu talks, threatens Iran with fresh strikes
US President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails...
- Speaking at a news conference with Netanyahu, Trump threatened to "eradicate" any attempt by Tehran to rebuild its nuclear program
- Trump also downplayed reports of tensions with Netanyahu over the Gaza ceasefire, saying Israel had "lived up" to its commitments
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia condemns ‘dangerous’ UAE moves in Yemen after striking shipment
Riyadh also backed a demand from Yemen's presidential council for Emirati forces to withdraw from the country within 24 hours,...
- In recent weeks, separatists backed by the UAE seeking to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen have made sweeping territorial gains in a lightning offensive.
- The UAE said "the shipment in question did not contain any weapons, and the vehicles unloaded were not intended for any Yemeni party."
Geostrategy
Netanyahu to meet Trump in Florida for talks on Gaza peace plan, Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Donald Trump in Florida on Monday, with the US president pushing to move...
- Netanyahu is also expected to try to shift some focus onto Iran, amid reports he will call for more US strikes on the Islamic republic
- He will bring up the "danger Iran poses not only to the region of the Middle East, but the United States as well," Israeli spokeswoman said
Geostrategy
Somali president to visit Turkey after Israeli recognition of Somaliland
Somalia's president is to visit close ally Turkey on Tuesday following Israel's recognition of the breakaway territory of Somaliland, Turkey's...
- Turkey denounced Israel's recognition of Somaliland, a self-proclaimed republic, calling it "overt interference in Somalia's domestic affairs"
- Ankara, a close ally of Somalia, provides military and economic assistance to the country that has been devastated by civil war
Geostrategy
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland ‘threat’ to regional stability: Somali president
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has for decades pushed for international recognition. A self-proclaimed republic, it enjoys...
- But it has been diplomatically isolated since its unilateral declaration of independence.
- Egypt, Turkey, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation all condemned the decision.
Geostrategy
A saint, a monk, a rock: Bulgaria’s euro coin designs
Sofia, Bulgaria -- Ancient rock art, a patron saint and a monk will be emblazoned on euro coins from Thursday,...
- Bulgaria will become the 21st country to adopt the euro on Thursday.
- The single currency first rolled out in 12 countries on January 1, 2002, and has since regularly extended its influence, with Croatia the last country to join in 2023.
Geostrategy
Iraqis cover soil with clay to curb sandstorms
Samawah, Iraq -- Deep in Iraq’s southern desert, bulldozers and earthmovers spread layers of moist clay over sand dunes as...
- Iraq has long suffered from sand and dust storms, but in recent years they have become more frequent and intense as the country falls prey to the effects of climate change.
- Iraqi authorities have warned that these suffocating storms will intensify further, adding urgency to efforts to address the root of the problem.
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Gas prices surge as Iran tensions roil energy markets
The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials said President Donald Trump had instructed aides to prepare for a sustained...
Geostrategy
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India to US: 8 nations issue Middle East travel advisories amid Iran tensions
Several governments have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately, while others are pulling non-essential embassy personnel from sensitive locations,...
Geostrategy
Middle East tensions rise as Iran eyes Chinese anti-ship missiles amid Trump warning
Negotiations between Tehran and Beijing began at least two years ago but gained momentum after a 12-day conflict between Israel...
Geostrategy
US-Iran talks set for Geneva amid military buildup
The renewed diplomacy comes as Washington has deployed two aircraft carriers, additional jets and ships, and reinforced air defenses across...
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Geostrategy
Arab Parliament, Muslim nations slam Huckabee’s Middle East remarks
Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, stressed that any talk of control over the occupied Palestinian...
- The Palestinian Authority said on X that Huckabee's words "contradict US President Donald Trump's rejection of rejection of (Israel) annexing the West Bank".
- Saudi Arabia described the ambassador's words as "reckless" and "irresponsible", while Jordan said it was "an assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region".
Geostrategy
No option but to continue resistance, says Hezbollah after deadly Israeli strikes
Mahmud Qamati, a Hezbollah official, described the strike in the Bekaa Valley as “a new massacre and a new aggression”...
- Lebanon’s health ministry reported 12 people killed — 10 in the east and two in the south — while Hezbollah confirmed eight of the dead were its members.
- Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire intended to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities.
Geostrategy
US–Iran tensions escalate toward war as Gulf military buildup and Israeli preparations intensify
Indirect talks in Geneva have yielded what officials call “guiding principles” for a possible agreement, but the framework remains skeletal...
- Israel is intensifying emergency preparedness across its healthcare system, armed forces and civilian infrastructure as tensions with Iran escalate
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blunt warning to Tehran, saying any attack would draw an “unimaginable” response