• EU pledges $1 bn for Lebanon, urges curbs against illegal migration
    The EU Commission's spokesman said in Brussels the aid will be disbursed "in grants", with 736 million euros earmarked to support Lebanon "in response to the Syrian crisis".

    "I can announce a financial package of $1 billion for Lebanon that would be available from this year until 2027," the European Commission chief said

    She said the aid was designed to strengthen basic services such as education and health amid a severe economic crisis

  • In times of recession, understanding motivations, meticulous planning, recognizing broader benefits, and prioritizing employee well-being are vital, says Nathan Farrugia, Managing Director of Vistage International.
    "Leadership teams must recognize that the livelihoods of their employees' families hinge on the stability of the business. Understanding that the survival of the business goes beyond mere profitability can serve as a powerful motivator" he adds.
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  • Nathan Farrugia

  •
    United Nations estimates rebuilding Gaza will cost $30bn to $40bn
    "The scale of the destruction is huge and unprecedented... This is a mission that the global community has not dealt with since World War II," UN assistant secretary-general Abdallah al-Dardari said. He added that if Gaza's reconstruction were to be carried out through the normal process, "it could take decades, and the Palestinian people do...
  • Oil prices fall amid Israeli Palestinian cease-fire hopes, US crude stockpile building
    Oil prices fell on Wednesday over growing hopes for a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas and rising crude inventories in the US, the world's biggest oil consumer, Anadolu Agency reported. International benchmark Brent crude traded at $85.28 per barrel at 10.45 a.m. local time (0745GMT), down 1.22% from the closing price of $86.33 per...

    International benchmark Brent crude traded at $85.28 per barrel

    Increase of 4.9 million barrels in US crude oil inventories

  •
    Blinken urges Hamas to agree truce to help Gazans
    A Hamas official said the group would respond "within a very short period" to a plan proposed by mediators to halt the fighting for 40 days and to exchange dozens of hostages for many more Palestinian captives. But the group's aim remains an "end to this war", senior Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi told AFP.
  • More war debris in Gaza than Ukraine: UN Mine Action Service
    And the danger for clearance work is restricted not just to unexploded ordnance but includes possible exposure to toxic substances such as asbestos. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimated the amount of debris in Gaza at 37 million tons in mid-April, or 300 kgs per square meter.

    "There's estimated to be over 800,000 tons of asbestos, for instance, alone in the Gaza rubble," said Mungo Birch, head of the UNMAS program in the Palestinian territories.

    Birch said he hoped UNMAS, which works to mitigate the threats posed by all types of explosive ordnance, would become the coordination body for mine action in Gaza.

  •

    Meet Middle East tourism’s power players

    Tourism industry accounts for 9 percent of GCC region's GDP and it is expected to grow annually at 7.7 percent. Trends looks at some of the influential industry players driving this growth.
    Business
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    Blinken says US ‘determined’ to get Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal ‘now’
    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed calls for Hamas to accept a ceasefire deal Wednesday as he started talks with Israel's leadership. "Even in these very difficult times we are determined to get a ceasefire that brings the hostages home -- and to get it now. And the only reason that that wouldn't be...
  • Blinken presses for Gaza aid on Jordan visit
    Blinken, on his latest tour of the region since the Gaza war erupted in October, observed Jordan's efforts to bring in food and supplies and praised the "extraordinary work" led by the United Nations.

    Blinken observed Jordan's efforts to bring in food and supplies and praised the "extraordinary work" led by the United Nations

    Blinken met separately with King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi both on aid and on diplomacy for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

  •

    Audi’s sustainable Middle East luxury drive

    The Arab countries are experiencing a significant surge in the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), particularly favoring premium models, says Rene Koneberg, MD Audi Middle East.
    Business
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  • "Leadership teams must recognize that the livelihoods of their employees' families hinge on the stability of the business. Understanding that the survival of the business goes beyond...
    By Nathan Farrugia

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