Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear programme
Iran said on Saturday that it was no longer bound by restrictions on its nuclear programme as a landmark 10-year...
Geostrategy
OpenAI halts MLK videos as deepfakes spark outrage
Washington, United States -- OpenAI has suspended its Sora 2 artificial intelligence tool from creating videos of civil rights icon...
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Oman seizes 6 million captagon pills, arrests members of smuggling network
MUSCAT, OMAN - Oman announced the seizure of over six million captagon pills during a bust aided by Saudi Arabia that...
- Omani authorities did not specify the intended destination of the drug shipment, but neighboring Saudi Arabia is believed to be the largest market for the drug.
- The vast majority of the region's captagon is produced in Syria and Lebanon and smuggled to its main consumer market in the Gulf.
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French envoy meets key Lebanese players on ‘consultative’ mission
Mired in a crippling economic crisis since 2019, Lebanon has been governed by a caretaker cabinet for more than a...
- "This is a consultative mission... to ensure the country moves on from the political impasse," French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters.
- He said he was holding "the necessary talks with all players in order to immediately end the political deadlock".
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AD Ports Group signs 50-year pact with Karachi Port Trust for container terminal
ABU DHABI, UAE/ KARACHI, PAKISTAN - AD Ports Group announced on Thursday the signing of a concession agreement with Karachi...
- Under the terms of the 50-year concession agreement, a Joint Venture has been formed to manage, operate and develop the Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited.
- The JV will undertake significant investments in infrastructure and superstructure over the next 10 years, with the bulk of it planned for 2026.
Geostrategy
French advanced ship to search for missing submersible
The Atalante has begun using its multibeam echo sounder to create a map of the nearby seabed to "allow Victor...
- With just hours of oxygen believed to be left for the five people onboard the submersible Titan, the Atalante ship has begun operations at the scene.
- The Titanic wreck sits at a depth of 3,800 meters, making it a particularly difficult area to search -- or reach for a potential rescue mission.
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Iran foreign minister rounds out Gulf tour with UAE visit
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's visit to the UAE followed stops in Qatar, Kuwait and Oman -- the latest in a flurry of...
- Gulf Arab countries are seeking to ease tensions with Iran, fuelled in recent years by the conflicts in Yemen and Syria.
- In a dramatic shift, China brokered an agreement in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties after a years-long rupture.
Geostrategy
Conflicts, climate change add to humanitarian crisis
More than 110 million people have been forced from their homes, while more than 260 million face daily difficulties getting...
- Worldwide demand for humanitarian aid rises by 30 percent since early 2022
- Over 110 million people displaced and 260 million face daily food insecurity
Geostrategy
UAE and France to deepen partnership in several sectors
Dubai, UAE-- The UAE and France have reiterated their commitment to widening cooperation in important fields and sectors. The resolve...
- The two sides reviewed the status of the bilateral investment partnerships signed in December 2021 and praised Etihad Rail's collaboration with French companies
- In the energy sector both noted with satisfaction the continuing engagement under the Comprehensive Strategic Energy Partnership to deepen bilateral cooperation
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French envoy to hold talks with Lebanese leaders to end divisions
Amid continuous divisions plaguing the country, France's new envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, landed in Beirut to hold talks...
- French President Emmanuel Macron appointed the former foreign minister as special envoy to Lebanon earlier this month
- For months, the international coomunity has exhorted Beirut to elect a new leader capable of enacting reforms
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Iraq to prosecute officials accused of torture under past governments
The probe was launched in December by the current government of Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani after The Washington Post...
- The alleged perpetrators had a free rein in 2020 to interrogate senior officials suspected of having a hand in Iraq's endemic corruption.
- Among the high-profile arrests by Committee 29 were the former director of the Iraqi pension fund, the former president of the Baghdad Investment Commission.
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Iran foreign minister holds talks with Omani counterpart
ran said last week it had been engaged in indirect negotiations with the United States through Oman, with nuclear issues,...
- Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is also making stops later in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates during his tour of the Gulf.
- On Wednesday, he met Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, minister of Oman's royal office, for talks on ties between their countries and "several areas of cooperation".
Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear programme
Iran said on Saturday that it was no longer bound by restrictions on its nuclear programme as a landmark 10-year...
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Gazans face food shortages, price hikes as Israel blocks aid amid ceasefire negotiations stalemate
Despite ceasefire negotiations, Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains critical, with markets facing inflation, displaced residents lacking proper shelter, and aid workers...
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Future of Humanity – TRENDS’ yearly Special Issue now online
Dubai, UAE -- TRENDS’ yearly Special Issue is out. This year’s edition, titled Future of Humanity, explores key global shifts...
Geostrategy
Netanyahu thanks Trump for weapons to ‘finish the job’ against Iran axis
Jerusalem, Undefined - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday thanked US President Donald Trump for sending munitions held up...
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PKK declares ceasefire with Turkey after 40 years of armed struggle
Istanbul, Turkey - Outlawed Kurdish militants on Saturday declared a ceasefire with Turkey following a landmark call by jailed PKK...
- The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has waged an insurgency since 1984 with the aim of carving out a homeland for Kurds
- Turkey's vice president Cevdet Yilmaz said "a new phase" began toward achieving the goal of a "terror-free Turkey", without making any mention of the PKK statement
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Israel endorses plan to extend Gaza truce as first phase draws to close, Hamas wants permanent peace
The first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas was set to expire over the...
- Negotiations have so far been inconclusive, with the fate of hostages still held in Gaza and the lives of more than two million Palestinians hanging in the balance.
- A senior Hamas official told AFP the Palestinian militant group was prepared to release all remaining hostages in a single swap during the second phase
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Two lunar landings in a week for NASA’s private Moon fleet
Washington, United States -- More than fifty years passed between the last Apollo mission and the United States' return to...
- First up is Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1, nicknamed "Ghost Riders in the Sky."
- Blue Ghost's arrival will be followed on March 6 by Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, featuring its lander, Athena.