Baghdad and Arbil agree to resume Kurdish oil exports: government
Baghdad, Iraq -- The Iraqi government announced Thursday an agreement to resume crude exports from the autonomous Kurdistan region after...
Geostrategy
Summit on Palestinian statehood planned for Sept in Paris or New York
The conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, was originally planned for mid-June to revive work on the long-standing diplomatic...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Massive explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port kills 18, injures 800
Although the cause of the blast was not immediately clear, the port's customs office said in a statement carried by...
- The NYT, quoting a person with ties to the Revolutionary Guard, reported that what exploded was sodium perchlorate, a major ingredient in solid fuel for missiles.
- "The intensity of the fire in Shahid Rajaee Port has increased and it is possible that the fire could spread to other areas and containers," state TV said late Saturday.
Business
Trump trade war pushes firms to consider stockpiling
Even if they don't all acknowledge it so openly, firms in many different sectors are stockpiling their products in the United...
- Whether it's the luxury, electronics or pharmaceutical sectors, US President Donald Trump's unpredictability complicates the calculations of firms.
- Some companies didn't wait for Trump's April 2 announcement of massive "reciprocal" trade tariffs: they had already begun shipping more of their goods to the United States.
Geostrategy
Palestinian president Abbas appoints Fatah veteran Hussein al Sheikh as potential successor
Abbas's close aide, 69-year-old Hussein was appointed as the first ever vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization after the...
- The PLO is empowered to negotiate and sign international treaties on behalf of the Palestinian people, while the PA is responsible for governance in parts of the Palestine.
- The PLO is an umbrella organization comprising several Palestinian factions, but not Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which are currently at war with Israeli forces in Gaza.
Geostrategy
Russia says retook Kursk from Ukraine with North Korean help
The Russian army has fully liberated the border Kursk region from Ukrainian control with the help of North Korean soldiers,...
- Gerasimov especially hailed the "heroism" of the North Korean soldiers taking part in the operation, who provided significant assistance in defeating the group of Ukrainian forces
- However, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff acknowledged the situation on the battlefield was "difficult", while insisting Ukrainian forces were still holding positions in Kursk
Geostrategy
Hamas says open to 5-year Gaza truce, one-time hostages release
Cairo, Egypt - Hamas is open to an agreement to end the war in Gaza that would see all hostages...
- The Hamas official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the Palestinian militant group "is ready for an exchange of prisoners in a single batch and a five year truce
- Hamas has consistently demanded that a truce deal must lead to an end to the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a surge in humanitarian aid
Geostrategy
Iran, US discuss nuclear deal in third round of talks
Muscat, Oman - The United States and Iran went into detail about a potential nuclear deal Saturday at their third...
- US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi again led the talks, which this time included a technical-level meeting between experts from both sides
- In an interview released Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington's firm stance against Iran's uranium enrichment
Geostrategy
Trump, Zelensky meet on sidelines of pope’s funeral
US President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine in recent...
- Zelensky said they discussed a possible unconditional ceasefire with Russia and was "hoping for results" from a "very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic."
- The war cast a shadow over preparations for Francis's funeral, and even as it took place, Russia claimed its forces had "fully liberated" the border Kursk region
Geostrategy
India, Pakistan and threats of a water war: what we know
India, furious after a deadly attack, has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, with Islamabad warning any attempt to...
- The 65-year-old pact was considered a rare diplomatic success story between bitter nuclear-armed rivals who have fought multiple conflicts
- But one thing experts on both sides of the border agree on is that while important, its suspension will have limited immediate impact on water
Geostrategy
UN warns of manmade starvation in Gaza as food aid remains blocked by Israeli authorities
The World Food Programme says it has run out of food in Gaza, warning that hot meal kitchens—Gaza’s last major...
- WFP, one of the main providers of aid in the Palestinian territory, said it had "delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meals kitchens in the Gaza Strip" on Friday
- After blocking aid during an impasse over the future of a ceasefire with Hamas, Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18, followed by a ground offensive
Geostrategy
WFP says has depleted all Gaza food stocks as Israel blocks aid
After 18 months of war, the situation in Gaza "is probably the worst" now, the United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA...
- WFP added that all 25 bakeries it supports in Gaza were forced to close on March 31 as wheat flour and cooking oil ran out.
- "This is the longest closure the Gaza Strip has ever faced, exacerbating already fragile markets and food systems," it said.
Baghdad and Arbil agree to resume Kurdish oil exports: government
Baghdad, Iraq -- The Iraqi government announced Thursday an agreement to resume crude exports from the autonomous Kurdistan region after...
Geostrategy
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UAE top court upholds life terms for 24 convicted in mass trial
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- The UAE supreme court has jailed 24 people for life after upholding their convictions for...
Geostrategy
Spain PM Sanchez says Gaza in ‘catastrophic situation of genocide’
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday said Gaza was in a "catastrophic situation of genocide" and urged the European...
Geostrategy
WHO delivers its first medical aid to Gaza since March 2
The shipment of supplies, plasma and blood will be distributed among hospitals in the Palestinian territory in the coming days,...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
US hits back at accounts Iran moved enriched uranium before bombing
Trump, seeking credit for ordering military action and then quickly announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, has lashed out...
- Trump has lashed out angrily at media accounts of a classified report that doubted the extent of damage to Iranian nuclear sites
- Vice President JD Vance, asked about the uranium on Sunday, had sounded less definitive and said the United States would discuss the issue with Iran
Geostrategy
Israeli commandos operated in Iran during 12-day war: military
The war erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise bombing campaign that it said aimed to stop Iran...
- "We achieved full control over Iranian airspace and in every location where we chose to operate," chief of staff Eyal Zamir said in a televised address
- "This was made possible thanks to, among other things, coordination and tactical deception carried out by our air force and ground commando units," he added
Geostrategy
Hezbollah hails Iran’s ‘divine victory’ over Israel
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Wednesday hailed what it called its ally Iran's victory over Israel after 12 days of...
- In a statement, Hezbollah offered its "most sincere congratulations" to the Islamic republic, praising its "glorious divine victory."
- The victory, it said, was "manifested in the precise and painful strikes it launched" against Israel, as well as "the lightning response to the American aggression