US senators push for improved press access in Gaza
Washington, United States - A group of 17 US Senators sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday...Geostrategy
Indian PM Modi to visit China, security chief says
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China later in August, his security chief said on Tuesday during talks with...Geostrategy
Opposition parties stage rare rally in South Sudan
Two years after attaining statehood, the world's newest nation collapsed into a civil war that claimed 400,000 lives before a...The coalition of 12 opposition parties gathered in Juba to demand unimpeded access to participate in the country's first national elections since 2011
President Salva Kiir, South Sudan's only ruler since independence, has vowed to hold elections in 2024 -- nine years behind the original schedule
Foreign firms race to open offices in Saudi Arabia before deadline
Announced in February 2021, Saudi Arabia's regional headquarters (RHQ) program is widely seen as a bid to compete with Dubai...So far, 162 regional headquarters licenses have been granted in sectors including pharmaceuticals, IT and construction, "with many others being processed", the ministry said.
The program is "an early litmus test of the degree to which foreign businesses are prepared or willing to comply with and buy into Saudi initiatives", an analyst said.
Turkey FM warns of escalation in nuclear arms race
Tehran, Iran-- Expressing deep concern over Israel's possession of nuclear weapons, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned of a...Fidan said the failure to denuclearize the region will ramp up the nuclear arms race in the region and the wider world, leading to increased nuclearization in the area
The foreign minister said the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation were playing crucial roles in addressing the Gaza crisis on the international stage
No deal between Israel and Hamas on hostages: US
The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, said all parties would halt combat operations for at least five days while some...A White House official said they were continuing to work hard to get to a deal
Times of Israel quoted PM Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that "as of now there is no deal"
Gaza, West Bank should be ‘reunited’ under Palestinian Authority: Biden
Israel's top ally Washington has given its full backing to the country's response to the October 7 shock attack by..."A two-state solution is the only way to ensure the long-term security of both the Israeli and Palestinian people", Joe Biden wrote
Netanyahu did not reject Biden's plan, but said the Palestinian Authority "in its current form is not capable of receiving responsibility for Gaza
‘Significant’ pause in Gaza war if hostages freed: US official
The White House said Biden and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani discussed "the urgent need for all hostages...Brett McGurk said there will be a surge in humanitarian relief once hostages are released
Jordan's FM said it was "unacceptable" to link humanitarian pauses to release of hostages
War in Gaza represents serious setback for efforts to reduce tension: Gargash
Manama, Bahrain-- The ongoing war in Gaza represents a serious setback for the efforts to reduce tension in the region...The diplomatic adviser to the UAE president expressed concern that the violence in the Gaza Strip will only fuel further extremism and instability in the region
He said a two-state solution is the only "viable path" to peace for both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, and it demands strong and sustained international participation
WHO calls Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital death zone
The UN health agency said that it led an assessment mission to the hospital and determined it was a "death...The team could only spend an hour inside the hospital due to the security situation
WHO said that there were 32 babies in the hospital "in extremely critical condition"
GCC leads in climate action despite fossil fuel reliance
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar outperform 17 other countries in key areas of green investment, sustainable infrastructure, and energy...The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar outperform 17 other countries in key areas of green investment, sustainable infrastructure, and energy transition, says a report.
Leading the green transformation is the UAE, which has been proactively funding a variety of clean energy projects, including solar, wind, and nuclear energy.
EU chief says union against ‘forced displacement’ of Palestinians
Cairo, Egypt - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday said she was opposed to the "forced displacement of...Visiting Egypt, Von der Leyen "thanked Egypt for its key role in providing and facilitating humanitarian aid to vulnerable Palestinians"
She discussed with Egyptian president "the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza" and a "political horizon based on a two-state solution"
