Kazakhstan to join Abraham Accords as Trump pushes Mideast peace
Washington, United States - Kazakhstan said Thursday it will join the Abraham Accords between Israel and mainly Muslim nations, in...
Geostrategy
World on track to dangerous warming as emissions hit record high: UN
Scientists are in broad agreement that warming above 1.5C relative to pre-industrial times risks catastrophic consequences, and every effort must...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
As Qatar World Cup glory fades, Arab legacy remains
Experts say Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host 2034 World Cup might not have been possible if there had not...
- Tiny Qatar was transformed for the tournament, with a new metro, airport expansion, upgraded roads and new hotels, plus eight world-class stadiums, at a cost of $220 billion.
- It was billed as the most expensive World Cup in history but organizers reject that tag, saying much of the infrastructure expedited for the tournament was already budgeted.
Geostrategy
Qatar burnishes role as specialist hostage negotiator with Israel-Hamas deal
Paris, France -- The emirate of Qatar has further boosted its status as a specialist power in resolving delicate hostage situations...
- In its work Qatar has now largely overshadowed Egypt, which helped secure the 2011 release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after more than five years being held by Hamas.
- The emirate had also invited the Taliban to open an office in Doha with the approval of the US, making it possible to negotiate the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.
Geostrategy
Turkey to ask UNSC, IAEA: Verify whether Israel possesses nukes
Erdogan went on to reiterate his claim that Israel was a “terrorist state”: “We need to know this once and for all....
- Erdogan stressed that Turkey will not allow the issue of nuclear weapons and atomic bombs, whose existence is denied by Israeli ministers, to be forgotten
- Israeli Minister of Heritage Amihai Eliyahu’s had remarked earlier this month about the option of launching a nuclear strike on the Gaza Strip
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Is Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza a genocide or not?
Some world leaders like Ramaphosa and Erdogan use the term genocide to describe Israeli actions in Gaza. Israel has also...
- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who currently chairs the BRICS group, strongly calls for an immediate ceasefire, describing the situation in Gaza as 'a genocide.'
- Pronouncements of several Israeli politicians, who openly called for extermination of Palestinians, have added to the fears of a genocide in Gaza.
Geostrategy
‘First good news’: World welcomes Gaza hostage deal
US President Joe Biden thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their "critical leadership" in reaching the deal. "I...
- The Kremlin said "it is only on the basis of these kinds of pauses that some outlines of future attempts at a sustainable settlement can be built."
- Beijing hoped "that it will help ease the plight of the humanitarian crisis, de-escalate the conflict and ease tensions", said foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.
Economy
Afghan border trade resumes after Pakistan suspends new visa rule
Commercial traffic ground to a halt Tuesday when Pakistan began requiring the crew of commercial vehicles to have passports and...
- The media office of the governor of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan confirmed that cross-border trade had resumed
- Landlocked Afghanistan is heavily dependent on its neighbor for imports, both locally made goods and foreign items
Displaced Gazans search for warm clothes as cold draws in
When Khulud Jarboueh and her children fled their home in the northern Gaza Strip under Israeli bombardment in early October,...
- On a road lined with stalls, hundreds of Palestinians held up items to check sizes or compare fabrics
- Adel Harzallah, who runs a clothes shop, said his stock of winter pyjamas sold out in two days
Geostrategy
Pakistan applies for BRICS membership in 2024: envoy to Russia
Moscow, Russia - Pakistan has filed an application to join the BRICS group of nations in 2024 and is counting...
- When asked whether the country has filed its BRICS membership bid, the diplomat replied that Pakistan has done it
- He confirmed that Islamabad plans to join the group under Russia’s presidency in 2024
Business
Indonesia unveils plan to bring $20bn energy investment from West
Jakarta, Indonesia - Indonesia on Tuesday launched an investment plan to attract $20 billion pledged by Western nations in a renewable...
- The roadmap, which comes less than two weeks before the COP28 summit in Dubai, outlines Jakarta's vision to reach net-zero power sector emissions by 2050.
- Under the plan, Indonesia will seek to slash its carbon dioxide emissions to 250 million metric tons for its on-grid power sector by 2030.
Geostrategy
Fishing nations pledge to protect sharks, rays
CAIRO, EGYPT - Atlantic fishing nations have agreed to better protect sharks and rays by limiting the retention of several bycatch...
- Sharks and rays are facing what conservationists have called an extinction crisis, with nearly two thirds of coral reef species at risk.
- Sharks and rays must be better protected by governments and fisheries said an advocacy coalition advancing conservation policies.
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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
Kazakhstan to join Abraham Accords as Trump pushes Mideast peace
Washington, United States - Kazakhstan said Thursday it will join the Abraham Accords between Israel and mainly Muslim nations, in...
Geostrategy
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Tehran readies counter-proposal as Iran-US nuclear talks set to resume Sunday in Muscat
Iran has said it will present a counter-proposal to the latest draft from Washington, which it had criticised for failing...
Geostrategy
MENA brief Jun 11: Umrah returns, ADGM surges, Abu Dhabi property market up
China has extended visa-free entry for up to 30 days to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain—boosting bilateral...
Geostrategy
Israel deports Greta Thunberg after intercepting Gaza-bound aid boat
Tel Aviv, Israel - Campaigner Greta Thunberg arrived home in Sweden late Tuesday, after Israel detained her and other activists aboard...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
EU removes UAE from ‘high-risk’ money-laundering list, adds Monaco
The European Commission said it added Algeria, Angola, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Namibia, Nepal and Venezuela, along with Monaco,...
- In addition to the UAE, it removed Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal and Uganda.
- The moves come after a money-laundering watchdog said in February it had removed the Philippines from its list of countries that face increased monitoring.
Geostrategy
Israel says Gaza-bound aid boat activists awaiting deportation after their vessel intercepted
Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and other activists detained aboard a Gaza-bound aid boat have been taken to a Tel Aviv...
- The activist group departed Italy on June 1 aboard the Madleen carrying food and supplies for Gaza, whose entire population the UN has warned is at risk of famine
- "The passengers of the 'Selfie Yacht' arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries," the Israeli foreign ministry said on X
Geostrategy
Trump warns of decision time as Iran prepares nuclear counter-proposal
In a key sticking point, Iran has insisted on the right to enrich uranium at low levels for civilian use...
- Trump spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose office said the US leader informed that he had made a "reasonable offer" to Iran
- Netanyahu has threatened to strike the nuclear sites of Iran, whose cleric-run government he sees as Israel's existential enemy, but Trump has said he has held him back