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...
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Geostrategy
Govt source: Canada halting arms shipments to Israel
On Monday, the Canadian Parliament passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the international community to work toward a two-state solution...
- The move comes as Ottawa has only exported "non-lethal" shipments such as communications equipment to Israel since the deadly October 7 attacks
- Israel has historically been a top receiver of Canadian arms exports, with CAN$21 million worth of military materiel exported to Israel in 2022
Geostrategy
Hamas leader blames Israel for sabotaging truce talks
Ismail Haniyeh said that the Israeli actions at Al-Shifa Medical Complex "confirm their intent to obstruct the recovery of life...
- Negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release were underway in Doha
- Mossad head David Barnea had flown in for talks with the Qatari prime minister on Monday
Geostrategy
EU members to discuss Bosnia entry into Union
Brussels, Belgium - A group of EU countries including Germany on Tuesday pushed for a green light to start membership negotiations...
- The EU's 27 leaders will debate at a summit on Thursday a proposal from the bloc's executive to launch the talks with the Balkan country
- Balkan country Bosnia has been an official candidate for membership since 2022 but needed to implement a string of major reforms
Geostrategy
Israel strikes ammunition depot of Hizbollah in Syria
Beirut, Lebanon - Israeli raids hit warehouses storing weapons for the Lebanese Hizbollah group in Syria Tuesday, a war monitor said,...
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the latest strikes near the capital Damascus Tuesday had destroyed weapons and ammunition
- The Britain-based Observatory said it was the second such strike in two days, coming after raids on Sunday hit another Hizbollah weapons depot
Geostrategy
S.Africa says Israel war undermining top UN court
South Africa's top diplomat accused Israel of setting a precedent for leaders to defy the top UN court, as she...
- South Africa has again petitioned the court in The Hague to order measures for Israel to stop "widespread starvation".
- Israel hit out as the South African plea as "outrageous" and "morally repugnant," pointing to its initiatives, including humanitarian pauses in fighting.
Geostrategy
UN says Israel may be using starvation as weapon of war
"The situation of hunger, starvation and famine is a result of Israel’s extensive restrictions on the entry and distribution of...
- The comments came after a UN-backed assessment determined that the war-torn Palestinian territory is facing imminent famine.
- Meanwhile, Israel's spy chief left Doha but talks over a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release are continuing in Qatar's capital.
Business
UAE investments abroad reach US$2.5trn in beginning of 2024, says UAEIIC
ABU DHABI, UAE – The United Arab Emirates has solidified its position as a leading regional and global player in...
- This robust financial footprint positions the UAE as a significant economic force with strong potential for continued expansion.
- The focus on emerging markets and the creation of strategic partnerships further amplifies this momentum.
Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt to discuss Gaza ceasefire: spokesman
Blinken will hold talks with Saudi leaders in Jeddah on Wednesday before travelling to Cairo on Thursday for talks with...
- During his visit, Blinken will discuss "a political path for the Palestinians with security assurances with Israel, and an architecture for lasting peace and security in the region
- Blinken will also raise the imperative issue of ending attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships, to restore stability and security in the Red Sea, spokesman Matthew Miller said
Biden summons Israeli team in bid to avoid Rafah assault
The move is one of the clearest attempts yet by Biden to rein in the key US ally, amid fears...
- US president also "reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal to free hostages, lasting several weeks, so we can get hostages home"
- Biden has supported Israel since the October 7 attacks, sending billions of dollars in military aid, but has become frustrated by Netanyahu's failure to curb civilian deaths
Geostrategy
US destroys Houthi missiles, drones in new Yemen strike
United States Central Command forces operated "in self-defense" when they engaged and destroyed the anti-ship missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles,...
- Iran-backed Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea region since November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's war against Palestinians in Gaza
- The United States and Britain have launched repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response but the attacks against the ships have not been deterred
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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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ATP and Saudi Arabia’s PIF launch new tennis tech platform
NEW YORK and RIYADH — The ATP Tour, in a landmark partnership with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has unveiled...
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United Nations declares famine in Gaza, first ever in Middle East
Tom Fletcher, the UN's emergency relief coordinator, blamed Israel, accusing it of "systematic obstruction" of aid deliveries to the war-ravaged...
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21 countries sign joint statement condemning Israel’s West Bank settlement project
Israel has approved the plans for the roughly 12-square-kilometre parcel of land known as E1 just east of Jerusalem, which...
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Geostrategy
Trump raises pressure on central bank, calls for Fed governor to resign
Washington, United States -- President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the US central bank Wednesday, calling for Federal Reserve...
- The Trump administration has pursued allegations of mortgage fraud against high-profile Democrats who are seen as political adversaries of the president.
- It was not immediately clear if such a probe will take place targeting Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the central bank's board.
Geostrategy
Antarctic climate shifts threaten ‘catastrophic’ impacts globally
Paris, France -- Abrupt and potentially irreversible changes in Antarctica driven by climate change could lift global oceans by meters...
- After increasing slightly during the first 35 years that satellite data was available, Antarctic sea ice cover plunged dramatically over the last decade.
- Since 2014, sea ice has retreated on average 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the continent's shoreline.
Geostrategy
Israel approves major West Bank settlement project, sparks international outcry
Israel has long had ambitions to build on the roughly 12-square-kilometre parcel known as E1 just east of Jerusalem, but...
- Critics say the settlement would effectively cut the West Bank in two, undermining hopes for a contiguous Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
- UN chief Antonio Guterres warned last week that constructing Israeli homes in the E1 area would "put an end to" hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.