Saudi says ‘no radioactive effects’ detected, more US embassy staff leaves Iraq
"No radioactive effects were detected on the environment of the Kingdom and the Arab Gulf states as a result of...Geostrategy
Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian marches in London and Berlin
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched in London and Berlin on Saturday calling for an end to the war...Geostrategy
Chinese hackers breach mail accounts of US agencies: Microsoft
Microsoft did not identify the targets but a US State Department spokesperson said the department had "detected anomalous activity" and..."The threat actor Microsoft links to this incident is an adversary based in China that Microsoft calls Storm-0558," the company said
Microsoft said Storm-0558 gained access to email accounts at approximately 25 organizations including government agencies
Tunisia protestors demand jailed opposition figures be freed
Around 100 protesters rallied in Tunisia's capital to demand freedom for detained critics of President Kais Saied who has ruled...In addition to the crisis triggered by President Saied's power grab, Tunisia has been shaken by a serious financial crunch and is in search of foreign aid.
European parliamentarians expressed their opposition to any "unconditional agreement" between the EU and Tunisia, citing "the excesses" of Saied.
Climate summit needs private sector to succeed: Sultan Al Jaber
We cannot shut down the energy system of today before we build the new energy system of tomorrow that is...The phase down of fossil fuels is both "inevitable" and "essential", he said, mindful of calls by some countries for a decision at COP28 to phase out fossil fuels.
But "I don't have a magic (wand)" as to when that will happen, he told AFP in Brussels, after outlining his action plan and goals for the year-end summit.
Israeli fire wounds Hezbollah members near Lebanon-Israel border: security source
The Israeli army said in a statement that "a number of suspects approached the northern security fence with Lebanon and...The incident comes amid tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border area, a stronghold of the Shiite movement and the site of sporadic skirmishes
Sources said Hezbollah members had been wounded. One said a sound grenade was fired and that three members were "lightly" hurt
Egypt hosts regional meeting in push to resolve Sudan war
The Egyptian presidency said the meeting in Cairo will be attended by representatives of "Sudan's neighboring countries", but has not...Egyptian President and Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed "discussed ways to settle the crisis in Sudan", Sisi's spokesman announced late Wednesday
The talks aim to "stop the bloodshed of the Sudanese people" and the "negative repercussions on neighbouring countries", Cairo said
India’s quandary in Gulf: How to maintain foothold as China steps into US breach
Dubai, UAE - Indian officials are concerned about China's growing influence in the Middle East and how it will impact...India until now has allowed it to maintain robust relations wit all three poles of power - Israel, Iran, and Saudi Arabia - while countering China's influence.
New Delhi's strategy involves building new institutions, such as the I2U2 grouping, with a focus on geoeconomics and high technology.
EU clears biodiversity bill seeking natural habitat protection
The parliament's biggest political grouping, the conservative European People's Party (EPP), had sought to shoot down the text, arguing that...The text endorsing the Nature Restoration Law passed with 336 votes in favor, 300 against and 13 abstentions.
The Nature Restoration Act, initiated by the European Commission, aims to resuscitate degraded ecosystems.
OECD says sizeable progress made on sharing tax revenue on multinationals
Nearly 140 countries have taken a first step towards reaching agreement on a fairer distribution of tax revenues from multinational...Multinationals, especially tech firms, are currently able to easily shift profits to countries with low tax rates.
In 2021, in talks led by the OECD, an agreement was reached on a minimum tax rate of 15 percent on multinationals.
UN rights council condemns Quran burnings despite splits
Despite overwhelming condemnation of the Muslim holy book being desecrated, the vote brought more division than unity as Western nations...The United Nations' top rights body backed the resolution by 28 votes in favor, with 12 against and seven abstentions.
The wording of the resolution condemns all manifestations of religious hatred, including "public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy Quran"
Syria’s White Helmets say volunteer killed by missile
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a wide network of sources on the ground in Syria,...The first responder was killed "while conducting inspections in areas that had been targeted by artillery shelling from regime forces", the group said
The Observatory said that since the beginning of the year, 243 people including 16 civilians have been killed in the region despite a ceasefire
