Pro-Gaza protests flare in UK on anniversary of Hamas attack
London, United Kingdom - Thousands of students protested in London and other UK cities on Tuesday, defying a plea from...
Geostrategy
Bangladesh deploys warships to protect prized hilsa fish
Dhaka, Bangladesh -- Bangladesh's defense force said it has deployed warships and patrol aircraft as part of a special surveillance...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Tunisia arrests bakery union chief for ‘monoply’ amid bread shortage
Tunis, Tunisia - Tunisian authorities have arrested the head of the national bakery owners' union, accusing him of a "monopoly" as...
- Bakeries' union chief Mohamed Bouanane was arrested on Wednesday "on suspicion of monopoly and speculation with subsidized foodstuffs".
- Economists told AFP the current supply crisis stems from an inadequate reserve of subsidized flour held by the highly indebted Tunisian government.
Geostrategy
Libya’s militia chief released after ceasefire pact with government
Videos circulated on social media on Wednesday night showed Mahmoud Hamza dressed in military fatigues and surrounded by his fighters...
- Hamza "was released on Wednesday night and returned to his headquarters south of Tripoli", an official at army headquarters in western Libya told AFP
- "He was released under a government-sponsored ceasefire agreement" which also provides for the "withdrawal of fighters from the front lines", said the official
Geostrategy
WHO’s maiden traditional medicine summit opens in India
"WHO is working to build the evidence and data to inform policies, standards and regulations for the safe, cost-effective and...
- Traditional medicines are a "first port of call for millions of people worldwide", the World Health Organization said.
- The two-day WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit takes place alongside a meeting of G20 health ministers in India.
‘Fuel of the future’: Gulf states bet on ‘green’ hydrogen
The investment in green hydrogen has not curbed expansion in oil and gas, with both the UAE and Saudi Arabia...
- In July the UAE, which will host the COP28 climate conference this year, approved a hydrogen strategy that aims to make it one of the top 10 producers by 2031
- According to Deloitte, Gulf nations will lead global clean hydrogen trade in the short-term, exporting around half of their domestic production by 2030
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia executes US national convicted of killing Egyptian father
The death sentence for Bishoy Sharif Naji Naseef was carried out in the Riyadh region, the official Saudi Press Agency...
- A court found that Naseef beat and strangled his Egyptian father to death and mutilated him after he died, and that he also used drugs
- The mode of execution was not specified, but Saudi Arabia has in the past often used beheading when implementing the death penalty
Geostrategy
Iran Foreign Minister stresses unity on first Saudi visit since ties restored
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also took the opportunity to reiterate the Islamic republic's support for the Palestinian cause at a time when...
- Ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran "are progressing in the right direction," Amir-Abdollahian told reporters at a press conference with Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
- Thursday's meeting in the Saudi foreign ministry's Islamic Solidarity Hall "will be a prelude to the meeting of the heads of the two countries", he added.
Geostrategy
Truce holds in Libya after deadly clashes leave 55 dead
Fighting raged from Monday night between the influential 444 Brigade and the Al-Radaa, two of the myriad of militias that...
- The clashes with rocket launchers and machine guns followed the detention of the 444 Brigade head, Colonel Mahmud Hamza, by the rival Al-Radaa Force on Monday
- During the fighting, 234 families were evacuated from frontline areas in Tripoli's southern suburbs, along with dozens of doctors and paramedics trapped while caring for wounded
Risk of renewed conflict in Yemen: UN sounds alarm
The poorest country on the Arabian peninsula, Yemen's economy has collapsed in the eight years of war between Iran-backed Houthis...
- UN special envoy for Yemen warned of "public threats to return to war" in the Middle Eastern nation while the US and UK warned of escalating attacks and threats from Houthi rebels
- US Ambassador said Washington "strongly" condemns "senseless" maritime attacks by Houthis "on maritime shipping which are also exacerbating the humanitarian crisis"
Economy
Syria doubles salary of civil servants, military personnel
In a separate statement late Tuesday, the commerce ministry announced the total lifting of subsidies on petrol and a partial...
- In two decrees issued late Tuesday, Assad doubled the salaries and pensions of those currently and formerly employed in the civil service and military
- Prior to the decision, the monthly salary of civil servants had been between around $10 and $25, depending on the Syrian pound's street value
Economy
Economists convened by COP28 lay out steps to reform global climate finance
ABU DHABI, UAE - A two-day meeting of world leading economists and finance leaders convened by the COP28 Presidency has...
- Particular areas of focus for the new framework will include addressing debt distress in vulnerable countries.
- Group said that private finance flows need to grow much faster to meet the $2.4 trillion investment estimated nnually.
Most Read
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
Pro-Gaza protests flare in UK on anniversary of Hamas attack
London, United Kingdom - Thousands of students protested in London and other UK cities on Tuesday, defying a plea from...
Geostrategy
Company News
Iran picks new president at turbulent time
Geostrategy
Latest News
Iran says it has responded to Trump’s nuclear talks letter
Iran has sent a response to a letter from US President Donald Trump that called for nuclear talks and warned...
Geostrategy
Lawyer complains Turkish student held in US ‘abducted’
A lawyer representing a Turkish university student detained in the United States and facing deportation said Thursday that his client...
Geostrategy
Palestinian sources say Hamas, mediators in new talks to revive Gaza truce, hostage release deal
Negotiations between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt along with Qatar and the United States, have been deadlocked for weeks...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
From cars to champagne: Trump’s expanding tariffs trigger trade war fears
Paris, France -- From champagne to steel and now cars: it is getting harder to keep up with US President...
- In early March, Trump imposed a 20 percent tariff on products from China, which has a huge trade surplus with the United States and was already his top target during his first term
- Trump announced earlier he would slap 25-percent tariffs on imports from countries buying oil and gas from Venezuela, a punitive measure that could hit China and India.
Geostrategy
Israel PM threatens to seize parts of Gaza over fate of hostages
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Wednesday to seize parts of Gaza if Hamas did not release hostages, while the militant...
- Israel's resumption of intense bombardment and ground operations across Gaza shattered weeks of relative calm brought by a fragile ceasefire
- According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, 830 people have been killed in the territory since Israel restarted its strikes on March 18
Geostrategy
Macron hosts European leaders to discuss Ukraine’s security amid ceasefire talks with Russia
The meeting is seeking to set out what security guarantees Europe can offer Ukraine once a ceasefire deal is agreed,...
- Speaking alongside Zelensky in Paris on Wednesday ahead of the talks, Macron said this was now a "decisive phase to put an end to the war of aggression"
- Macron also announced a new French two billion euro ($2.2 billion) military aid package for Ukraine, with Paris ready to rapidly ship existing hardware from its stocks