Tehran says it ‘kept its word’ as Trump threatens to ‘decimate’ Iran if targeted
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says compliance with the US-Iran memorandum of understanding must be mutual. Tehran denies seeking new talks...
Geostrategy
OPEC+ agrees fresh August output hike as Gulf oil production slowly recovers
The producer group approved another increase of 188,000 barrels per day for August, signaling confidence that Gulf oil output can...
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Geostrategy
More than one million Syrians return to their homes: United Nations
Geneva, Switzerland -- More than one million people have returned to their homes in Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad,...
- The returnees include 280,000 Syrian refugees and more than 800,000 people displaced inside the country.
- Syria's war has killed more than half a million people and displaced millions from their homes.
Israel army pulls out of Lebanon border villages, holds five positions: source
Israel's army has pulled out of southern Lebanese villages but remains in five positions as a deadline for the withdrawal...
- Authorities estimate reconstruction costs in Lebanon's South could reach more than US$10 billion
- More than 100,000 remain internally displaced
Geostrategy
Netanyahu commits to Trump’s Gaza plan as Rubio seeks Arab backing in Saudi talks
In a statement on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "committed to US President Trump's plan for...
- Arriving in the kingdom after talks in Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio - on his first visit to the Middle East - met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
- A Saudi source had earlier told AFP that Riyadh would host a regional summit later this week "to discuss Arab alternatives" to President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza
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Saudi Arabia’s sports fund invests in DAZN streaming service
Paris, France - Saudi Arabian sports investment fund SURJ, linked to the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, has acquired a minority stake...
- SURJ, originally named SRJ, was established in August 2024 by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) "to invest in acquiring and creating new sports events
- SURJ and DAZN will work closely to establish DAZN MENA, a joint venture that will unlock new broadcasting opportunities for Saudi Arabia's growing sports sector
Geostrategy
War-weary Gazans reel from ‘500 days of humiliation’
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- For 500 days since an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza Strip's deadliest war,...
- The United Nations has said more than $53 billion will be required to rebuild Gaza and end the "humanitarian catastrophe" that has gripped the territory.
- The Israeli military campaign by land, air and sea has killed at least 48,284 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians.
Geostrategy
Netanyahu and Rubio align on aggressive strategies toward Hamas and Iran in Jerusalem talks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pledged to "open the gates of hell"...
- The pledges came during a joint address to reporters in Jerusalem, where Rubio began his first Middle East trip as secretary of state in President Donald Trump's new administration
- "Hamas cannot continue as a military or a government force... they must be eliminated," Rubio said of the Palestinian group that fought Israel for more than 15 months
Geostrategy
Sisi discusses Middle East peace with World Jewish Congress chief
Cairo, Egypt -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder on Sunday that...
- During his meeting with Lauder in Cairo on Sunday, Sisi called for starting the reconstruction of war-battered Gaza "without displacing its residents from their land".
- "The establishment of a Palestinian state... is the only guarantee to achieve lasting peace," Sisi told Lauder on Sunday.
Geostrategy
BRICS summit planned for July in Rio, says current chair Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Leaders of the countries known as BRICS will hold a summit in Rio de Janeiro in...
- Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said that the summit will be held July 6-7 and feature leaders of 20 countries with full or associate status in the bloc
- The BRICS group has expanded significantly since its inception in 2009, and now includes countries such as Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates
Geostrategy
Lavrov, Rubio pledge to restore dialogue and work on settling Ukraine conflict, says Moscow
The call came ahead of an expected summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin amid mounting concern from Ukraine and...
- The call came days after the US president's call to Putin ended almost three years of no contact between Moscow and Washington during the Ukraine conflict
- According to Moscow, Lavrov and Rubio pledged to "maintain a channel of communication to resolve the accumulated problems in US-Russian relations".
Geostrategy
Three Gaza hostages set for release after ceasefire crisis abates
Jerusalem, Undefined - Israel said Friday it had received the names of three hostages to be freed by militants in exchange...
- The hostages due for release Saturday are Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, Israeli-Russian Sasha Trupanov and Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn
- The January 19 ceasefire has been under massive strain since US President Donald Trump proposed a takeover of the territory
Tehran says it ‘kept its word’ as Trump threatens to ‘decimate’ Iran if targeted
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says compliance with the US-Iran memorandum of understanding must be mutual. Tehran denies seeking new talks...
Geostrategy
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US treasury secretary signals deal to ease trade war with China
Washington, United States -- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday signaled a tentative deal with China to de-escalate their...
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TotalEnergies approves restart of $20-bn Mozambique gas project
Paris, France -- France's TotalEnergies said Saturday the consortium it leads to build a $20-billion liquified natural gas project in...
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Mamdani in touching distance of becoming NY mayor
New York, United States -- An unknown local lawmaker just a few months ago, leftist Zohran Mamdani has burst onto...
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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...
- Some of these groups are criminal gangs, others consist of members of historically influential Gaza families, and some combine both elements, experts told AFP
- Armed gangs in Gaza are reportedly acting under Israeli protection, and allegedly loot aid convoys entering the territory, where shortages remain dire after Israel's blockade
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Afghanistan, Pakistan seek to firm up truce in Istanbul talks
Afghan and Pakistani negotiators were locked in talks to hammer out a lasting ceasefire Saturday, with Islamabad warning that if...
- Two weeks ago, the Taliban government launched a border offensive following explosions in Kabul which it blamed on its Pakistani neighbour
- Vowing a strong response, Islamabad then carried out "precision strikes" against armed groups on Afghan soil which are at the heart of the dispute
Geostrategy
Trump heads for Asia and Xi trade talks
US President Donald Trump left on Friday for Asia and high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping -- adding...
- Trump is set to meet Xi in South Korea on the last day of his regional swing in a bid to seal a deal to end the bruising trade war between the world's two biggest economies
- He will also visit Malaysia and Japan on his first trip to Asia since he returned to the White House in January in a blaze of tariffs and international dealmaking