What does NATO’s 5% spending deal really mean?
The Hague, Netherlands - NATO leaders are set to sign off Wednesday at their Hague summit on a defence spending...
Geostrategy
Iran says not seeking nuclear weapons but will assert ‘legitimate rights’
As a fragile ceasefire with Israel took hold after 12 days of fighting that also included US strikes, Pezeshkian told...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
UAE, Canada discuss cooperation for women’s empowerment
During the meeting, the Canadian ambassador was briefed about the initiatives launched by the UAE to strengthen women's rights.
- The meeting discussed the UAE's experience in empowering women since the country was established and the key role women played to support the country
- Grossman emphasized Canada’s keenness to boost cooperation in women’s empowerment and take advantage of the country’s experience in Gender balance
Geostrategy
Dutch police arrest man over Saudi embassy shooting
The 40-year-old suspect was detained in Zoetermeer, 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the Hague, about eight hours after the shooting...
- The 40-year-old suspect was detained in Zoetermeer, 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the Hague, about eight hours after the shooting at 6am (0500 GMT)
- The incident comes a day after a bomb blast struck a World War I commemoration attended by foreign diplomats in the Saudi city of Jeddah
Geostrategy
Governor of Iraq’s Najaf resigns after protests
Louai al-Yasseri resigned from his leadership in Najaf, in central Iraq, a day after the governor of Nasiriyah province in...
- Louai al-Yasseri resigned from his leadership in Najaf, a day after the governor of Nasiriyah province in the south quit following the violent suppression of protests
- Their departures underline the challenges facing war-scarred Iraq and how little has changed despite protests that swept Baghdad and the South two years ago
Geostrategy
World powers urge Libya to reschedule presidential vote ‘swiftly’
The authorities overseeing Libya's first presidential election said earlier this week holding it on Friday as scheduled would be "impossible"....
- Speculation of a delay had been mounting for weeks, with bitter disputes over the vote's legal basis
- Disputes also raged over the powers the winner would have, and the candidacies of several divisive figures
Geostrategy
IMF extends Covid emergency funding by 18 months
The emergency funding was set up to help nations that have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The IMF in April 2020 eased access to such aid, including raising the level of funding that countries could obtain
- The programs have already been extended twice, in September 2020 and again in March this year
Geostrategy
Talks to revive Iran nuclear deal will resume next week: EU chair
Officials have said the deal would become obsolete within weeks if Iran continued to step up its nuclear activities as...
- Negotiations restarted in November after a five-month hiatus to try to restore the deal, which was to offer Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.
- Diplomats from parties to the deal -- China, Britain, France, Germany and Russia -- are in talks in Vienna with Iran and the US, with the two sides refusing direct contact.
Geostrategy
World Bank pledges $37 million to help Lebanon teachers
The World Bank on Thursday said it agreed with its partners to repurpose $37 million in funds to help Lebanon's...
- The "exceptional" financing, which is valid only for the 2021-2022 academic year, came at the request of Lebanon's government, the bank said.
- Public school teachers who were already underpaid before the onset of the economic crisis two years ago have since been pushed deeper into poverty.
Geostrategy
UN will support Iraq’s efforts for development, prosperity: Official
The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, has said the UN will continue supporting...
- Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, says 2021 was an important year for Iraq.
- Hennis-Plasschaert said many challenges remain although there have been achievements too.
Geostrategy
Libya delays long-awaited election seen as key to peace
The election, intended to go hand-in-hand with parliamentary polls, was part of a United Nations-led peace process.
- The election, intended to go hand-in-hand with parliamentary polls, was part of a United Nations-led peace process.
- The political uncertainty has raised tensions on the ground across Libya, which is controlled by an array of armed groups
Geostrategy
Iran announces anti-missile system for its tanks
On Tuesday, Iran's military fired several missiles from land and sea as part of the five-day exercise.
- On Tuesday, Iran's military fired several missiles from land and sea as part of the five-day exercise
- The United States said it was preparing "alternatives" in case negotiations to revive a deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme collapse in Vienna
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What does NATO’s 5% spending deal really mean?
The Hague, Netherlands - NATO leaders are set to sign off Wednesday at their Hague summit on a defence spending...
Geostrategy
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McIlroy surges into two-shot lead at Dubai Invitational
DUBAI, UAE - Rory McIlroy kicked off his year with a sparkling nine-under-par 62 to take a two-stroke lead after the...
Arts & Culture
NEOM announces Aquellum as futuristic lifestyle community
NEOM, SAUDI ARABIA - The Board of Directors of NEOM has announced Aquellum, a luxury and experiential space embedded within...
Business
Israel bombs Gaza as Blinken says no regional escalation
As Blinken wrapped up a whistlestop tour of the region, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard arguments in a...
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Iran’s navy seizes oil tanker off Oman in dispute with US
The announcement came hours after a British-navy maritime security agency said armed men boarded the Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged St Nikolas...
- Iran has responded with tit-for-tat measures in the past after seizures of Iranian oil shipments. US sanctions target Iranian oil sales in a bid to reduce Iran's energy exports.
- The Islamic republic has been under crippling US sanctions reimposed following Washington's 2018 withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal.
Geostrategy
South Africa accuses Israel of genocide at top UN court
A world away from the death and destruction in Gaza and Israel, robed lawyers battled it out over technical legal...
- South Africa has lodged an urgent appeal at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to force Israel to "immediately suspend" its military operations in Gaza
- Top lawyer for South Africa Adila Hassim said Israel's bombing campaign aimed at the "destruction of Palestinian life" and had pushed Palestinians "to the brink of famine"
Business
EU court’s adviser says $2.6bn fine on Google be upheld
Google suffered a legal blow at the European Court of Justice when the body's adviser recommended that a US$2.6 billion...
- The opinion will feed into a legal battle Google has been waging to overturn the fine the European Commission hit it with in 2017.
- The commission determined that Google abused its dominant position by favoring its own Google Shopping service.