Beirut’s suburbs ravaged by Israeli air raids as Blinken urges de-escalation with Iran
Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold destroyed six buildings in the deadliest assault since the war began, despite U.S....Geostrategy Uncategorized
In escalation, Israel bombs Hezbollah-linked finance group
-Israel began bombing Lebanese branches of an association accused of financing the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, Lebanese state media reported late...Geostrategy
British PM Boris Johnson to travel to UAE after president’s death
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will fly to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to pay his condolences following the...In a statement on Friday, Johnson expressed his sadness at the Sheikh's death, calling him "a wise and respected leader who will be missed enormously"
The UAE's long-time de facto ruler Sheikh Mohamed was elected as president of the oil-rich Gulf state on Saturday
Finland seeks to reassure Russia about NATO bid
Finland on Saturday sought to allay Moscow's fears about its bid to join NATO, as fierce fighting raged in Ukraine's...Finland and Sweden are poised to jettison decades of military non-alignment to join NATO as a defence against feared further aggression from Russia
Moscow has warned Finland, with whom it shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border, that it would take "reciprocal steps."
G7 ‘will never recognize’ borders changed by force
The Group of Seven industrialized nations said Saturday they would never recognize the borders Russia is trying to shift by...Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 but Kyiv's forces managed to push Moscow's troops back from the capital
In their joint statement, they vowed to expand sanctions to include sectors on which Russia is dependent and keep supplying Ukraine with weapons
Tutu foundation decries Israeli beating of Palestinian mourners
Israeli police charging the funeral of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is "reminiscent" of violence during apartheid South Africa, the...Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of committing crimes of apartheid against Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and inside Israel
Political analyst Eusebius McKaiser on Twitter said the violence was all too familiar
Finnish President speaks with Putin on NATO membership
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday regarding the Nordic country's application for NATO...The Finnish president and Prime Minister had said on Thursday that they wanted the country to join NATO "without delay"
Neighboring Sweden, like Finland traditionally neutral, is also expected to announce its own membership bid in coming days
Faster UAE growth likely under Mohamed bin Zayed
Under the President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the national economy will witness an acceleration in the implementation of its development...The 61-year-old took office after the death on Friday of his half-brother Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Born in the capital on March 11, 1961, Sheikh Mohamed was sent to military school in Britain, where he graduated from the famed Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1979
Erdogan opposes NATO membership for Finland, Sweden
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey did not have a “positive opinion” on Finland and Sweden joining NATO,...The leader of NATO-member Turkey spoke ahead of expected confirmations from the Nordic nations on Sunday
Turkey has long accused Nordic countries, especially Sweden which has a strong Turkish immigrant community, of harboring extremist Kurdish groups
Sheikh Mohamed is new UAE President
The UAE's Federal Supreme Council today unanimously elected His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as President of the...The UAE's Federal Supreme Council has unanimously elected Sheikh Mohamed as the country's president
Sheikh Mohammed has succeeded the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Jordan king meets Biden, thanks US for ongoing support
King Abdullah expressed appreciation for the US’ ongoing support for Jordan across all sectors, to enable the kingdom to pursue...King Abdullah expressed appreciation for the US’ ongoing support for Jordan across all sectors, to enable the kingdom to pursue economic development and regional stability
President Biden expressed full support for Jordan and commended the Kingdom as a critical ally and a force for stability in the Middle East
US tells ASEAN leaders committed ‘for generations’
President Joe Biden on Friday promised a long-term commitment to Southeast Asia in the face of China's growing clout as...A region that "is free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure is what we're all seeking," Biden told ASEAN leaders
Indonesia, the host of 20 summit has invited Russian and Ukraine's president despite US calls to shun Putin
