Explosions reported near two ships off Yemen
Two ships reported nearby explosions on Tuesday off the coast of Yemen, maritime security agencies said, though neither event resulted...Geostrategy
US orders carrier group to hasten Middle East arrival
He said Austin, who spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Sunday, had also ordered the USS Georgia guided missile...Geostrategy
Jordan scuttles attempt to smuggle drugs from Syria
Amman, Jordan--Jordanian security forces have scuttled an attempt to smuggle narcotics from Syrian territories to Jordan.According to the Jordan News...The kingdom's border guards swooped down on the border to foil a concerted attempt to smuggle captagon pills and hashish into Jordan
Confiscating the big haul of drugs, the kingdom said it would respond with full force to any threats to its borders, security and stability
Turkey’s leader Erdogan in Hungary for NATO, energy talks
Hungary has still not voted to approve the Nordic country's entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, having aligned itself...The two countries have also discussed strengthening their energy cooperation, given that Hungary already receives a large proportion of its gas via the TurkStream pipeline
Budapest and Ankara will also be deepening their "strategic partnership", an announcement due to be made official during a visit by Erdogan scheduled for December
Syria’s economic challenges persist despite Arab League return: MEI
Damascus, Syria - Syria's reentry into the Arab League in May was anticipated to herald positive changes for the country's...The Syrian pound's value has plummeted by over 80% against the dollar since May, currently resting at an all-time low of 15,500 to the dollar
The instability of the Syrian pound and the lack of investor confidence have raised concerns about the country's economic viability
Iran-China bilateral relations moving forward in right direction: FM
Tehran, Iran--Iran-China bilateral relations and the 25-year strategic cooperation program between the two countries are moving forward in the right...The two foreign ministers discussed the latest developments in bilateral relations between the two countries in a telephone conversation
The Iranian FM also gave his assessment on the comprehensive 25-year cooperation and how it was progressing in the right direction
Rival branches of Central Bank of Libya reunite
Libya's central bank announced that its two rival branches in the west and east are reuniting after nearly a decade...Libya has seen 12 years of stop-start conflict since the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled strongman Moamer Kadhafi.
The Central Bank of Libya said it has "again become a unified sovereign institution", in a statement issued by the governor and his deputy.
Japan prepares to hold foreign ministers meet with GCC nations in Sept
Tokyo, Japan -- Japan is preparing to hold a foreign ministers' meeting with the six member states of the Gulf...Japan relies on the six countries that make up the GCC -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- for over 90 percent of its crude oil.
Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is expected to attend the meeting, with visits to Egypt and Jordan also under consideration, Kyodo News said.
Saudi Arabia’s football rise ‘long-term project’, says top official
The Saudi Pro League has a years-long commitment from the kingdom's rulers in its goal to become one of the...The Saudi league's rapid expansion has drawn comparisons with the Chinese Super League, which sucked in players for exorbitant sums until clubs hit financial problems.
The no-expense-spared revamp is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious Vision 2030 project, which aims to reshape the economy of the world's top oil exporter.
25 teams attending Afro-Arab Esports League 2023 in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Afro-Arab Esports League, which opened Saturday in Saudi Arabia, will see participation from over 25...These teams will compete for three days in a variety of tournaments tailored for both men and women, covering popular games such as eFootball and Valorant.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan said the arrangement of the Afro-Arab Esports League demonstrated of the sector's importance in both the Arab and African realms.
Hungarian companies want to expand work in Russia, says PM Orban
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that companies from his country plan to expand their activities in...Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made the statement at a meeting with the head of Russia’s Tatarstan region Rustam Minnikhanov in Budapest.
The head of Tatarstan came to Budapest at the invitation of Orban in connection with the Hungarian national holiday, St. Stephen's Day.
Widespread tree felling turns Syria’s forests into ‘barren land’
On a riverbank in war-ravaged Syria's north, felling has reduced what was once a lush forest to dispersed trees and...Fuel shortages and rampant poverty during the war have pushed many Syrians to chop the trees to sell or use for heating, dealing a blow to the nature surrounding Jaabar
Latakia, Hama, Homs and Idlib provinces lost at least 36 percent of their trees in the decade following 2011, when the conflict erupted, according to PAX
