A day after Hezbollah’s rebuff, Lebanon cabinet meets again on the group’s disarmament
With Washington pressing Lebanon to take action on the matter, US envoy Tom Barrack has made several visits to Beirut...Geostrategy
Tourists drawn to Oman’s giant sinkholes
The sinkholes are marketed as a tourist attraction in Dhofar, whose temperate climate draws many visitors from the Gulf during...Geostrategy
UN agencies warn of ‘explosion’ in Gaza child deaths
Twenty weeks into Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies warned that food and safe water had...At least 90 percent of children under five in Gaza are affected by one or more infectious diseases, according to a joint assessment by the UN agencies
Seventy percent children had had diarrhea in the two weeks prior to the assessment, marking a 23-fold increase compared to the 2022 baseline
Brazil summons Israeli ambassador as Gaza row escalates
The Brazilian foreign ministry said it has also recalled its own ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations, after Israel summoned...Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lula had "crossed a red line"
The leftist leader has also faced backlash at home over his statements
‘Israeli army tortures and rapes Palestinian girls’
The experts have expressed concern that an unknown number of Palestinian women and children, including girls, have reportedly gone missing...Palestinian women and girls have reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together with family members, including their children, a UN press statement said
Experts have called for an independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, and effective investigation into the allegations and for Israel to cooperate with such investigations.
Israel says Brazil’s Lula ‘persona non grata’ for Holocaust remarks
Lula's remarks on Sunday sparked outcry in Israel after the Brazilian leader said the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip...Brazilian president on Sunday said the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip "isn't a war, it's a genocide" and compared it to "when Hitler decided to kill the Jews"
"He's persona non grata in the state of Israel so long as he doesn't retract his remarks and apologize," Israeli foreign minister Katz said of Brazilian leader
Construction in China-Saudi Arabia ethylene project begins
FUZHOU, CHINA - Construction of the main complex of a joint-investment ethylene project, which involves petrochemicals giant Saudi Basic Industries...The project is being built in the Gulei petrochemicals base in Zhangzhou city, in eastern China’s Fujian Province.
The project entails a total investment of $6.3 billion from SABIC and Fujian Energy Petrochemical Group Co. Ltd.
Iran-EU trade surpasses US$5bn in 2023, says Eurostat
TEHRAN, IRAN - The Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) reported that Iran and the 27 European Union member...Trade between Iran and member states of the EU recorded a decrease of 9 percent from January to December 2023.
During that period, the exchange of products between Iran and the EU member states was valued at US$5 billion.
Gaza war effect: Israel’s GDP shrinks by 20% in the last quarter of 2023
Overall, Israel's GDP grew by 2.0 percent in 2023, short of the 2.3 percent projection made by the Bank of...It was the single worst quarter for the Israeli economy in terms of GDP per capita since the opening quarter of the Covid pandemic in early 2020.
The country has seen massive labor shortages and the collapse of the tourism industry since the outbreak of war.
Norway deal averts Palestinian financial collapse: govt
The portion of the revenues that Israel will transfer to Norway will remain in a Norwegian account until the parties...Under a 1994 agreement, the PA receives taxes that Israel collects on its behalf -- but Israel has withheld some of these since Hamas's attack
The Palestinian Authority has refused to accept any transfers unless Israel changes its decision, an impasse that has lasted for several months
Israel sets Ramadan deadline for offensive on Gazan city Rafah
Fearing the potential for mass casualties, foreign governments and aid organizations have repeatedly urged Israel to spare Rafah, the last...Speaking at the Rafah offensive in Jerusalem conference on Sunday, Netanyahu renewed his vow "to finish the job to get total victory" over Hamas, with or without a hostage deal
Benny Gantz said that an offensive would be carried out in a coordinated manner to facilitate an evacuation to minimize the civilian casualties as much as possible"
US strikes Houthi weapons’ systems in latest attack
According to a statement from CENTCOM, the five strikes included targeting "the first observed Huthi employment of a UUV (unmanned...Maritime security firm Ambrey said a cargo vessel came under attack on Sunday.
The Houthi attacks have raised insurance premiums for shipping companies
