‘The time for peace has come:’ Macron recognizes Palestinian state at landmark UN summit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state and far-right members of his cabinet have...
Geostrategy
Who recognises the State of Palestine, who doesn’t, and why does it make a difference?
Here is an overview of diplomatic recognition of the state, which was unilaterally proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Kuwait urges Europe to facilitate Schengen visas for its citizens
Kuwait-- Kuwait has urged European states to facilitate the granting of Schengen visas for Kuwaiti citizens. The call was made...
- The call was made by Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah who received at a luncheon several European ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions.
- The Schengen area is a group of European countries that have agreed to allow passport-holders from one country to travel freely within the area without border controls.
Geostrategy
EU offers Tunisia more than $1bn to boost economy, reduce migrant flows
The EU is ready to offer Tunisia a 900-million-euro package plus 150 million euros in immediate support, European Commission head...
- EU governments, under pressure to reduce migrant arrivals, last week agreed on steps to fast-track migrant returns to their countries of origin or transit countries deemed "safe".
- Tunisia lies less than 150 km from the Italian island of Lampedusa, and has long been a steppingstone for migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries.
Geostrategy
Iran’s supreme leader urges cooperation with IAEA
Iran's supreme leader urged continued cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, while warning against succumbing to "bullying" based on "unfounded...
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said agreements could be reached in certain fields, but "the existing infrastructure of the nuclear industry should not be touched".
- Iran's Atomic Energy Organization "need not succumb to the pressure of unfounded claims and demands based on bullying", Khamenei said.
Geostrategy
Three Iraqi soldiers killed in country’s north, says military official
Three Iraqi soldiers were killed and four others wounded in a pre-dawn attack in the country's north blamed on the...
- The attack occurred in an area disputed between Iraq's federal government, which holds Kirkuk, and the country's autonomous northern region of Kurdistan.
- IS groups seized swathes of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014, declaring a "caliphate" which they ruled before their defeat in late 2017.
Geostrategy
Donald Trump terms indictment ‘fake’ in address to supporters
The 37 counts of the indictment -- released on Friday and focused on his alleged mishandling of classified materials --...
- In Columbus, Georgia, Trump railed against Biden and the Department of Justice and what he called a "fake indictment"
- Trump has already responded to the indictment with a string of posts on his Truth Social platform calling Smith "deranged"
Economy
Desperate Syrians recycle plastic waste to make living
Recycling, in rebel-controlled Syria, is rather a grim lifeline than environmental impulse for desperate residents searching for work or items...
- In northern Idlib province, workers at a factory making mats and rugs churn out brightly coloured recycled plastic
- The mats made from recycled plastic cost between $5 and $15, while traditional Persian-style rugs are around $100
Geostrategy
Egypt tightens visa requirements for Sudanese fleeing war
Since the eruption of violence some 200,000 Sudanese nationals have entered Egypt, most of them through land crossings. Egyptian authorities...
- Cairo's foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday announcing the new regulations, justifying the move as a crackdown on "illegal activities" including fraud
- The authorities introduced visa procedures aimed at regulating "the entry of the brotherly Sudanese (people) into Egypt after more than 50 days of crisis" in their country
Geostrategy
UAE, Turkish presidents discuss bilateral, economic relations in Istanbul
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived here on Saturday for a working visit and...
- The UAE and Turkish presidents discussed their shared interest in advancing sustainable economic growth and social development.
- Both the leaders applauded the recent progress witnessed in UAE- Turkey relations and discussed the benefits of CEPA.
Geostrategy
Iran’s Raisi, France’s Macron discuss ways to promote ties
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a lengthy phone call discussed ways to promote ties,...
- A 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers gave the Islamic republic relief from international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
- In 2018 the United States withdrew unilaterally from the deal and reimposed sanctions, prompting Tehran to suspend implementing its own commitments.
Geostrategy
45 governments endorse doubling energy efficiency by 2030
PARIS, FRANCE - Forty-five governments have endorsed doubling the average global rate of energy efficiency improvements by the end of...
- The meeting stressed as to how energy efficiency can help accelerate clean energy transition toward reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
- The meeting underscored that effective policies must be fully leveraged to encourage behavior change among consumers and businesses.
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‘The time for peace has come:’ Macron recognizes Palestinian state at landmark UN summit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state and far-right members of his cabinet have...
Geostrategy
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Syria since Assad’s overthrow: latest developments
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani said that all rebel factions in Syria would "be disbanded and the fighters trained to...
Jolani vows to disband rebel factions, integrate fighters into Syria’s Defence Ministry for unity
Jolani emphasized unity in Syria, advocating a social contract among religions for justice, while urging diplomats to lift sanctions to...
Nations step up outreach to Syria’s post-Assad rulers
Governments worldwide are stepping up efforts to engage with Syria's new interim rulers, just over a week after Islamist-led rebels...
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Geostrategy
US contacts Syria’s HTS, Turkey reopens embassy, as Assad allies Iran and Russia face setbacks
The United States said Saturday it had made contact with Syria's victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, despite previously designating the...
- US Secretary of State Blinken's comment on "direct contact" with the HTS rebels came despite the US having designated the group as terrorists
- While Blinken and other diplomats held talks on Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus
G7 meeting to address Syria’s challenges following Assad’s ouster
Damascus, Syria - G7 leaders will meet virtually Friday to discuss the momentous changes underway in Syria, where the interim government...
- Assad fled Syria after a lightning offensive spearheaded by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and its allies
- The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said Thursday that 1.1 million people, mostly women and children, had been displaced since the rebels took over
UNRWA warns of ‘apocalyptic’ conditions as Israeli airstrikes target aid, refugee camps, kill 58
The latest bloodshed came despite growing optimism that negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal might finally succeed, with...
- The UN and aid agencies have repeatedly warned about the acute humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, exacerbated by the war that has persisted for over 14 months
- Families of the 96 hostages still in Gaza since the Hamas attack that triggered the war, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead, are pressing for their release