Iran picks new president at turbulent time
Iranians vote on Friday to elect a new president from six candidates, including a lone reformist who hopes he can...Geostrategy
Gaza health officials say 24 killed in Israeli strikes
Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Basal told AFP that at least 20 were killed in a strike on a...Geostrategy
Oman’s Sultan to visit Iran on President Ebrahim’s invitation
Oman has close ties with Iran and played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington in the build-up to a...The visit which will kick off on Sunday follows a Chinese-brokered rapprochement deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran announced in March.
The visit comes a year after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Muscat -- a trip that saw the two countries sign a string of trade deals.
Libya watchers see signs of progress toward reconciliation
The discord in one of the two rival governments, based in the east and backed by Khalifa Haftar, where the...The political rupture in the east has reversed the fortunes of Bashagha, who a year ago launched an attack on Tripoli that was repelled after a day of deadly street fighting.
Tripoli-based interim PM Abdulhamid Dbeibah has used the "paralysis of the eastern government to consolidate his grip on political and economic life in Libya", said an analyst.
China scammer uses AI to pose as man’s friend, steal millions
The victim, surnamed Guo, received a video call last month from a person who looked and sounded like a close...Guo was persuaded to transfer $609,000 after the fraudster claimed another friend needed the money to come from a company bank account to pay the guarantee on a public tender
Realising his mistake after messaging the friend whose identity was stolen, Guo alerted police who notified a bank to stop trasaction and he managed to recover his 3.4 million yuan
Israel passes budget with controversial cash for ultra-Orthodox
The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent recent weeks cutting deals with his ultra-Orthodox and extreme-right coalition partners, to meet a...Thousands of Israelis marched through Jerusalem on Tuesday to protest the government's plans to hand more cash to the ultra-Orthodox minority
The 2023-2024 budget of Israel was ultimately passed early Wednesday with the support of all 64 coalition lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament
Sporadic shelling as combat eases after Sudan ceasefire
Sporadic artillery fire still echoed in Sudan's capital, but residents said fighting had calmed following a US and Saudi-brokered ceasefire,...The battles since April 15 have killed an estimated 1,000 people, sparked mass evacuations of foreigners and forced over a million people to flee their homes.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a video message that the truce is "backed by a remote monitoring mechanism" supported by the US.
Gazprom 2022 profit at US$15bn
With Europe off limits, Gazprom has turned toward Asia.Gazprom said, "Profit margins were impacted by an increase in tax payments in the second half of the year."
Western sanctions have heavily impacted the company headed by Alexei Miller, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.
UK Business Secretary to visit Gulf countries to boost trade ties
LONDON, UK - British Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch will hold talks for a modern, comprehensive trade deal as...British Business and Trade Secretary said, "We already have a strong trade and investment relationship with the Gulf nations."
She said, "The GCC represents an enormous opportunity for UK firms, whether it’s selling brilliant British food and drink products."
Humans must stay in control of AI, European trade union chief warns
BERLIN, GERMANY — No employee should be “subject to the will of a machine”, European trade union chief Esther Lynch...In the same way that EU treaties protect health and safety in the workplace, rules are needed to guarantee “the human-in-control principle” when it comes to AI, Lynch said.
Lynch, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation since last December, will head the four-day ETUC Congress that kicks off in the German capital.
SCCI discusses trade with Guatemalan, Indonesian delegations
SHARJAH, UAE - The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has discussed strengthening trade and economic ties with diplomatic...The discussions focused on amplifying bilateral relations in industry, agriculture, food security, livestock and broadening trade exchanges.
SCCI invited Indonesian businessmen to visit Sharjah to see the progress on existing projects and experience the facilities the emirate offers.
Iran, Indonesia sign trade agreement during Raisi visit
Indonesia and Iran signed a trade agreement in Jakarta where President Joko Widodo hosted his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi. Tehran...Under the pact, Iran will provide easier access for Indonesian exports including vegetable oil, cocoa, coffee and tobacco.
Jakarta would lower tariffs on Iranian exports to Indonesia, including oil and its derivative products, minerals, chemicals and iron.
