Israel launches strikes in Syria’s Druze area in defence of religious minority
Israel has sought to portray itself as a defender of the community, while also warning the Syrian government against maintaining...
Geostrategy
Trump gives Russia 50 days to make Ukraine deal or face new economic sanctions
US President Donald Trump told Russia on Monday to end its Ukraine war within 50 days or face massive new...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Lebanon running out of passport stocks
Authorities concerned say that since 2020, requests for passport renewals have been ten times higher than in previous years.
- Grappling with its worst-ever financial crisis, Lebanon has undergone a massive population exodus that is only worsening as politicians fail to chart a path towards recovery.
- According to an Arab Barometer survey published this month, around half of Lebanon's population is looking to exit the country.
Geostrategy
Erdogan tells Putin ‘ready to do more’ to end Ukraine war
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russia's Vladimir Putin on Thursday that Ankara was ready to do more to end...
- Erdogan's office said that Putin "thanked" the Turkish leader for helping arrange the exchange of ex-Marine Trevor Reed for the former Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko
- Turkey hosted a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul and another between Lavrov and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Antalya last month
Geostrategy
US calls for ‘immediate’ end to Libya oil shutdowns
Libya's reduced output also comes as global oil prices remain under pressure since Russia, an OPEC+ producer, invaded Ukraine in...
- Libya's output of oil have been halved to around 600,000 barrels per day because of the closing of several sites this month
- Eastern Libyan have forced the closure of oil facilities to force Tripoli-based premier Abdulhamid Dbeibah to step down
Business
Algeria threatens to cut gas contract with Spain
Gas giant Algeria threatened Wednesday to break a contract to supply gas to Spain if Madrid transferred it onwards to...
- Algeria, Africa's largest gas exporter, previously also supplied gas through a second GME (Gaz Maghreb Europe) pipeline, which links Spain to Algeria via Morocco
- But Algiers in November shut supply through the GME due to a diplomatic rupture with Rabat, depriving Morocco of Algerian gas
Geostrategy
Turkey may still buy missile system from Russia
NATO member Turkey said it was still talking to Russia about procuring the second batch of one of its most...
- Turkey's leading role in trying to mediate an end to the conflict through direct negotiations has helped to improve its relations with Washington
- Turkey is looking to modernize its airforce after being kicked out of the F-35 fighter jet program because of its purchase of the Russian missiles
Geostrategy
Israel air strikes kill 10 in Syria, deadliest in 2022
Israeli air strikes near Damascus on Wednesday killed 10 combatants, among them six Syrian soldiers, in the deadliest such raid...
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an ammunition depot and several positions linked to Iran's military presence in Syria were among the targets
- The other four killed were not members of the Syrian military but belonged to Iran-backed militia, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, adding he could not verify their nation
Geostrategy
Fugitive uncle of Jordan king sentenced to 18 years in prison
A Jordanian court on Wednesday sentenced a fugitive uncle of King Abdullah II to 18 years in prison in a...
- Kurdi is the former CEO of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Co, one of the world's largest suppliers
- In addition to the new jail term, the court fined him 190 million dinars ($268 million), the judicial official said on condition of anonymity
Economy
India launches outreach programmes on UAE-India CEPA pact
The CEPA was signed in New Delhi on February 18 in the presence of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed...
- The CEPA was signed in New Delhi on February 18 in the presence of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- The first in a series of countrywide outreach programmes was held in Hyderabad in India this week, organised by the Government of Telangana state
Geostrategy
Lebanon tells military to probe deadly migrant boat capsize
Families have reported at least 23 still missing, all women and children while Lebanese govt asked armed forces to investigate...
- Survivors blamed military for boat carrying 84 capsized and six migrants crossing sea including a kid were killed
- Lebanese armed forces said 48 people rescued from the boat and insisted that the smugglers attempted reckless escape
Geostrategy
Two Iranian students jailed for 16 years on sabotage charges
They received 10-year terms for "destruction of public installations", five years for plotting against national security and "cooperation with hostile...
- Local media named them as Ali Younessi and Amir-Hossein Moradi of Tehran's Sharif University of Technology.
- In May 2020, the judiciary said the pair were accused of having been in contact with "counter-revolutionary groups".
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Israel launches strikes in Syria’s Druze area in defence of religious minority
Israel has sought to portray itself as a defender of the community, while also warning the Syrian government against maintaining...
Geostrategy
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Israeli strikes kill 10 including six civilians in Syrian city of Homs
"Ten people, including six civilians and two Hizbollah fighters, were killed in Israeli strikes on a building in the Hamra...
Geostrategy
Blinken in Israel voices hope for Gaza truce deal to free hostages
"There's a lot of work to be done, but we are very much focused on doing that work and hopefully...
Geostrategy
New round of Gaza negotiations to start in Cairo: Egypt source
Cairo, Egypt -- Egypt and Qatar are sponsoring a new round of negotiations to start Thursday in Cairo aimed at achieving...
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Geostrategy
US lawmakers reject US$17.6 billion Israel aid bill
Republicans in the House of Representatives scheduled the vote after the Democratic-led Senate released a bipartisan bill Sunday pairing billions of dollars for...
- The standalone Israel bill would have provided $17.6bn in military aid for the country
- 167 Democrats voted no after Biden had threatened to wield his veto
Geostrategy
Canada announces sanctions against Hamas leaders
The move comes two weeks after Britain and the United States unveiled new coordinated asset freezes and travel bans on...
- The 11 individuals targeted by the Canadian measures include Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and its military chief Mohammed Deif
- All the sanctioned individuals were said in a statement to be "integral to the planning, funding and execution of the October 7 attacks
Geostrategy
Israel says studying Hamas response to truce deal
Last week, a Hamas source said the truce deal calls for a six-week pause to fighting as Hamas frees hostages...
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his fifth tour of the region since the war broke out, arrived in Israel to discuss an "essential" agreement
- Hamas confirmed it delivered its response to proposals hammered out a week ago in Paris between Qatar and other mediators