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,...
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...
Geostrategy
Business
Saudi minister says 6,225 industrial firms from Kingdom invest US$30bn in Egypt
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - A total of 6,225 Saudi industrial businesses are operating in Egypt with US$30 billion worth of...
- At least 518 Egyptian companies are operating in the Saudi market, the minister said.
- He said that over 285 Egyptian brands are spread out across the Kingdom.
Geostrategy
Gaza focus as French foreign minister meets China’s PM, FM
Beijing has this year sought to play a greater role in the Middle East, facilitating a historic rapprochement between Saudi...
- Colonna's talks in Beijing come the same day that a truce between Israel and Hamas took effect, with the group set to release a first group of 13 hostages
- "China is an actor with growing weight in the region" due to its "strong relationship" with Iran, a French diplomatic source said this week
Geostrategy
39 Palestinians freed in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages as truce sets in
Weeks of talks involving Israel, Hamas, Qatar, Egypt and the US saw three girls and a boy, aged from two...
- Israel is set to release three times as many Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails -- women and teenage boys.
- A dozen Thai hostages kidnapped during Hamas's October 7 raids into Israel were also released on Friday, Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced.
Business
Qatar posts trade balance surplus of US$16.7bn in Q3 2023
DOHA, QATAR - The merchandise trade balance of Qatar (difference between total exports and imports) recorded a surplus of US$6.7...
- In Q3 2023, Asia was the principal destination of Qatar’s exports and imports, representing 74.9 percent and 36.3 percent respectively.
- In Q3 2023, the European Union, accounting for 10.4 percent and 27.5 percent of Qatar's exports and imports respectively.
Business
8 pacts on trade, investment inked in Saudi-Algerian Business Forum
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The Saudi-Algerian Business Forum concluded its activities with the two countries signing eight agreements aiming at...
- The agreements cover trade, investment, information technology, business incubators and accelerators, tourism services, elevators, and spare parts.
- The pacts were signed by the Federation of Saudi Chambers, the Council for Algerian Economic Renewal and several Saudi and Algerian firms.
Afghan embassy in India announces ‘permanent closure’
Most foreign nations -- including India -- do not officially recognize Afghanistan's Taliban government but acknowledge them as the de...
- New Delhi evacuated its entire mission from Kabul as Taliban closed in on Afghan capital in August 2021, but last year sent back a small team to reopen its sprawling embassy
- Most foreign nations similarly withdrew diplomatic staff at the time and have not returned, although a handful of embassies including Pakistan, China and Russia never closed
Germany says raided homes of Hamas supporters
Germany on November 2 banned Hamas and Samidoun. According to official figures, Germany hosts an estimated 450 members of Hamas,...
- Around 500 members of the security forces led the operation, with 13 places searched in the capital Berlin, the interior ministry said
- Four other regions were targeted to a lesser extent as police seized smartphones, laptops and various writings, the ministry added
Geostrategy
Israel-Hamas truce begins, hostages to be released
An Egyptian security source told AFP that Israeli security officials, International Red Cross-Red Crescent staff and an Egyptian team would...
- The deal, facilitated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, is to take effect in stages that can be extended and broadened.
- The agreement follows weeks of war in the Gaza Strip after Hamas members attacked Israel on October 7.
Lebanon’s Hizbollah intensifies attacks on Israel
Hizbollah says it has been acting in support of Hamas since the Palestinian Islamist movement's October 7 attacks on Israel,...
- Hizbollah said it carried out more than 20 attacks on Israeli military positions and claimed to have caused casualties
- The violence between Israel and Hizbollah has claimed at least 109 lives in Lebanon, most of them Hizbollah fighters
Geostrategy
Iran foreign minister meets Hizbollah leader in Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has met with Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbollah, which has traded cross-border...
- Iran's foreign minister, who warned that the war could spiral out of control, left Beirut for Doha after his meeting with Hizbollah.
- Hizbollah says it has been acting in support of Hamas since the Palestinian group's October 7 attacks on Israel.
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,...
Geostrategy
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Risk of wider conflict flare up as US claims strikes ‘devastated’ Iran’s nuclear program
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters in Istanbul the United States and Israel had "crossed a very big red...
Geostrategy
Saudi says ‘no radioactive effects’ detected, more US embassy staff leaves Iraq
"No radioactive effects were detected on the environment of the Kingdom and the Arab Gulf states as a result of...
Geostrategy
US attacks three key Iranian nuclear facilities, mega bombs likely used in strikes
Trump called on Iran to "agree to end this war," saying that "now is the time for peace." But it...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
India will ‘never’ restore Pakistan water treaty: minister
New Delhi will "never" reinstate a key water treaty it suspended with Pakistan over deadly violence in India-administered Kashmir, the...
- India halted the agreement following an April attack on civilians which it accused Pakistan of backing, a charge denied by Islamabad
- Despite a ceasefire holding, India's interior minister said his government would not restore the treaty which governs river water critical to parched Pakistan
Geostrategy
Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian marches across Europe
Protesters in the British capital waved Palestinian flags, donned keffiyeh scarves and carried signs including "Stop arming Israel" and "No...
- There have been monthly protests in the British capital since the start of the 20-month-long war, which has ravaged Gaza.
- Saturday's march comes amid heightened global tensions as the United States mulls joining Israel's strikes against Iran.
Geostrategy
Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian marches in London and Berlin
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched in London and Berlin on Saturday calling for an end to the war...
- Protesters in the British capital waved Palestinian flags, donned keffiyeh scarves and carried signs including "Stop arming Israel" and "No war on Iran."
- There have been monthly protests in the British capital since the start of the 20-month-long war between Israel and Hamas, which has ravaged Gaza