Oil tanker ablaze off Yemen threatens environmental disaster
An abandoned tanker carrying more than one million barrels of crude oil could contaminate vast areas of the Red Sea...Geostrategy
Hamas urges US pressure on Israel over Gaza truce
Palestinian Territories - Hamas called on the United States Thursday to "exert real pressure" on Israel to reach a Gaza...Geostrategy
Qatar calls for subjecting Israel’s nuclear facilities to IAEA safeguards
Vienna, Austria -- Qatar Friday called for intensifying international efforts to subject all Israeli nuclear facilities to International Atomic Energy...Qatar said this demand was confirmed by international legitimacy resolutions half a century ago, including the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly since 1974.
Qatar said AEA's subjecting Israel to comprehensive safeguards regime is a prerequisite for establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.
GCC, Pakistan ink preliminary free trade agreement
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said that preliminary free trade agreement...The agreement was signed by GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi and Pakistani Commerce Minister Dr. Gohar Ejaz.
The Secretary-General stressed that the GCC countries are proceeding with free-trade negotiations with other countries.
Jailed Tunisia opposition chief Rached Ghanouchi begins hunger strike
The 82-year-old leader of Ennahdha was sentenced to one year in prison on terrorism-related charges in May following his arrest...He is the most prominent of roughly two dozen opponents of President Kais Saied arrested since February, including former ministers and business figures.
Ghannouchi "decided to begin a three-day hunger strike to denounce the arbitrary and unfounded prosecution of the opposition", said Imed Khemiri, Ennahdha spokesman.
Politicians fail to understand scientific facts of climate, says expert
PARIS, FRANCE - Wavering ambition by governments and a growing belief that science is politically subjective are great causes for concern...Several extreme weather events have occurred in 2023, which the European Union's climate monitor says is likely to be the hottest in human history.
These underscores the urgency of slashing planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions to avert the catastrophic impacts of greater global warming.
US State Department says 60,000 emails taken in alleged Chinese hack
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the State Department has not formally assigned blame but had no reason to...Microsoft revealed in July that a Chinese hacking group had breached its email platform and accessed messages from around 25 organizations including US government agencies
"It was approximately 60,000 unclassified emails that were exfiltrated as a part of that breach," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters
US and India discuss India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
Washington, United States - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions in...The corridor comprises two separate routes: the East corridor connecting India to West Asia/Middle East and the Northern corridor connecting West Asia/Middle East to Europe
A critical component of this initiative is a rail line that, upon completion, will establish a reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship-to-rail transit network
East Libya strongman in Moscow talks with Putin
Haftar, who sponsors a rival administration to Libya's UN-backed government in Tripoli, has long cultivated close relations with Moscow and relies...Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Haftar's meeting with Putin, saying the two discussed the situation in Libya and the region as a whole
The eastern strongman, who arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, had already held talks with Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov during his visit
China wants to be world’s strongest nation, says Blinken
WASHINGTON, US  - China is seeking to surpass the United States as the top power in the world, US Secretary of...Asked at a forum about China's intentions, Blinken said, "I think that what it seeks is to be the dominant power in the world -- militarily, economically, diplomatically".
President Joe Biden's administration, while saying it is clear-eyed on China and stepping up pressure, has also been increasing dialogue in hopes of managing tensions.
UAE Council review cybersecurity in Jordan summit
Amman, Jordan - The UAE Cyber Security Council discussed cybersecurity in the inaugural Jordan Cyber Security Summit 2023, known as...The DOT Cyber Summit 2023 explored issues related to cyber policies and strategies, international issues related to cyber risks and threats faced by countries.
This includes mechanisms for addressing and combating their spread, and reviewing the experiences of countries and their progress in the field of cyber security.
EU close to ratify new deal on asylum seeker and migrants
Part of the aim of the revised policy is for European Union countries to act together should they be faced...Once implemented, the new Pact on Migration and Asylum would seek to relieve the pressure on so-called frontline countries such as Italy and Greece.
Those countries opposed to hosting asylum-seekers -- Poland and Hungary among them -- would be required to pay the ones that do take migrants in.
