Syrian leader meets Emmanuel Macron in first European visit
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday met French leader Emmanuel Macron on his first visit to Europe since overthrowing longtime...Geostrategy
Indian PM vows to stop waters key to rival Pakistan
New Delhi, India - Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday that water from India that once flowed across borders will...Geostrategy
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.
UAE, Egypt central banks ink currency swap deal
ABU DHABI, UAE - The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) on Thursday...The CBUAE is keen to deepen its cooperation with the CBE to positively impact the trade and investment, said the Governor of UAE’s central bank.
This step will bolster cooperation between the financial sectors in both the currencies, said the Governor of Egypt’s central bank.
Israel sells Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany for US$3.5bn
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - Israel's US$3.5-billion sale of its Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany, sparked by security fears after...Israeli arms exports reached a new record of $12.5 billion dollars last year, double the amount from three years earlier, says its defense ministry.
Israel, together with its top ally the United States, has developed hi-tech systems designed to knock incoming rockets and missiles out of the sky.
Israel top court hears appeals against rules for removing prime minister
Israel's top court debated appeals against a law restricting how a prime minister can be removed from office, as current...The legislation says that a prime minister can be declared unfit for office due to health reasons.
The law says a two-thirds majority in cabinet is required to take such a step, before the move is approved by at least 80 of the parliament's 120 members.
US allows visa free entry for Israelis citing less discrimination
The Biden administration made the decision after Israel in July promised a series of steps to comply with longstanding US...By the end of November, Israelis will be in the same league as citizens of most Western nations by not needing visas for trips of 90 days or less to the world's largest economy
A number of lawmakers from Biden's own Democratic Party had urged Blinken not to go ahead before a Saturday deadline and instead exert pressure for greater change.
Iran successfully test fires military satellite, says state media
Wednesday's launch was carried out by the aerospace wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of..."The Nour-3 imaging satellite... was successfully placed in orbit 450 kilometers (280 miles) above earth," the IRNA news agency said.
The United States has repeatedly warned Iran against such launches, saying the same technology can be used for ballistic missiles.
World Bank chief vows to tackle ‘dysfunctionality’ at development lender
The former Mastercard chief executive told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York that the bank should alter its...Banga has previously called on World Bank to collaborate more closely with the private sector to meet the enormous costs associated with climate change mitigation and adaption
On Tuesday, Banga said the bank should carefully target where it wants to encourage private investment to help cap carbon emissions in order to have the biggest impact
Saudi envoy seeks to reassure Palestinians amid Israel talks
Sudairi's delegation, which crossed overland from Jordan, was the first from Riyadh to visit the West Bank since the 1993...In a sign of the thaw, Israel's Tourism Minister Haim Katz visited Riyadh on the same day, for the first such high-level public mission to the oil-rich kingdom
Speaking at a ceremony Tuesday marking the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "many states in the Middle East want peace with Israel"
