Battles in Gaza’s Rafah as US warns Israel over Lebanon
Top Israeli officials have suggested they are open to a diplomatic resolution of the border tensions, though Gallant said Israel...Geostrategy
Lebanon Transport minister denies Hezbollah weapons at Beirut Airport
Lebanon's transport minister denied on Sunday that Hezbollah was storing weapons at Beirut airport, as fears grow of all-out war...Geostrategy
EU backs WTO deal banning harmful fisheries subsidies
Brussels, Belgium -- The European Union approved a historic agreement banning harmful fisheries subsidies on Thursday, joining a small group...Canada and the United Arab Emirates accepted the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement earlier this month, following the United States in April.
The agreement bans subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, with a two-year exemption for developing countries within their exclusive economic zones.
Cargo ship grounded for a short while in Egypt’s Suez Canal
ISMAILIA, EGYPT - A cargo ship ran aground on Thursday in Egypt's Suez Canal before it was quickly refloated without interrupting...Hong Kong-flagged Xin Hai Tong 23 bulk carrier was refloated after "a sudden malfunction of the machinery".
The Suez Canal Authority said three tugboats and a marine rescue team were sent to refloat the vessel.
Sudan refugees tread difficult path on way to safety in Egypt
Sudanese who cross into Egypt's south must then buy a bus ticket to take them to the nearest major city,...Cairo refuses to set up refugee camps for Sudanese and instead says the new arrivals are given the right to work and move freely
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly said that his country is hosting "not war refugees" but "guests"
Iran shows off new ballistic missile designed to carry 1,500 kg warhead
Tehran, Iran--Iran has displayed a new long-range missile capable of carrying 1,500 kg warhead with the capacity to hit targets...The ballistic missile designed by the country's Aerospace Organization is seen as one of the most advanced missiles with a range of 2,000 km
Iran claims the missile has a liquid-fuel engine fitted in the fuel tank, which reduces the length of the missile to about 13 meters
Duchess of Edinburgh makes a rare visit to Iraq
The Iraqi presidency said the duchess delivered a written message from King Charles III -- who had himself visited Iraq...Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, spent two days in Baghdad, where she met President Abdul Latif Rashid and his wife Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, the Iraqi presidency said
The duchess delivered a speech at a conference on women's rights organised by the British embassy in Baghdad, during which she met representatives of women's rights groups
Kuwait’s court upholds dissolution of 2022 parliament
Kuwait - Kuwait's Constitutional Court has upheld a previous ruling that declared the September 2022 parliamentary election void, in which...The court rejected an appeal against this decision filed by members of the 2022 parliament
As a result of the court's decision, legislative elections are set to proceed on June 6
GCC secretary general exhorts boosting trade relations with UK
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--The GCC has called for the strengthening of trade and investment relations with the United Kingdom amid the...The GCC secretary general made the remarks during a meeting with Kemi Badenoch, UK business secretary in Riyadh
Albudaiwi and Badenoch reviewed joint preparations for holding the fourth round of negotiations to be held in London, in July
Saudi Arabia, Canada to restore full diplomatic ties following 2018 rift
On Wednesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said the two countries will "appoint new ambassadors". A Canadian foreign ministry statement named...The decision of restoring diplomatic ties came after talks last year between Saudi Crown Prince and Canadian PM on the sidelines of the summit of APEC Forum in Bangkok
The reconciliation was based on "the desire for both sides to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and common interests."
Three days before election, Russia hopes for Erdogan’s win
In a world where Turkey and Russia are both sceptical of Western military, political and economic dominance, Putin and Erdogan...The winner in Turkey will have leverage over key areas for Moscow, such as Russia's large-scale military campaign in Ukraine, the war in Syria and the Kremlin's standoff with NATO
For the Kremlin, Erdogan is a known quantity who has collaborated closely with Putin over the past 20 years, while Kilicdaroglu has recently blamed Moscow for meddling in the vote
Iran appoints envoy to Saudi Arabia after seven years
The new envoy, Alireza Enayati, previously served as Iran's ambassador to Kuwait, assistant to the foreign minister and director general...Saudi Arabia and Iran, after years of discord, signed a surprise reconciliation agreement in China on March 10.
Saudi Arabia had severed relations with Iran in 2016, after its embassy in Tehran and consulate in the second city of Mashhad were attacked.
