US trading partners hit back on steel, aluminum tariffs
The steep 25-percent levies came into place after midnight with no exemptions despite countries' efforts to avert them, in a...Economy Geostrategy
Hamas pushes for phase two of Gaza truce talks
Hamas said its representatives met with mediators in Cairo at the weekend, emphasizing the need for humanitarian aid to re-enter...Geostrategy
Kuwaitis told to avoid European travel over Omicron surge
Kuwait has called on its citizens to avoid travel to several European countries hit hard by the Omicron coronavirus variant....The oil-rich Gulf state also urged Kuwaitis already there to return home because of the surge in cases on the continent.
Europe has in the past few months again become the pandemic's epicentre and is battling an upsurge of cases spurred on by the highly transmissible Omicron strain.
Sudan PM resigns as deadly crackdown on protests continue
Abdalla Hamdok, a former UN official and Prime minister of Sudan, resigned just six weeks after being reinstated.Sudan’s PM resigned two months after a coup following another deadly crackdown on pro democratic protestors
57 people demanding a civilian government have been killed in protests which were become regular since the coup
Several Gulf countries renew weather advisories after heavy rains
Authorities in several Gulf countries renewed weather warnings on Sunday as several days of heavy rains batter the usually arid...In Sharjah, pedestrians and vehicles were caught up in brown-colored water.
The Saudi civil defense warned that moderate to heavy rain was expected to continue in several regions.
UAE bans travel for unvaccinated citizens from Jan 10
Travel is permitted for non-vaccinated citizens, if the cases include medical exemption from taking the vaccine, humanitarian cases, and individuals...The announcement follows the UAE’s vision in the recovery phase of the pandemic and enhancing national efforts in all sectors
This is being done to ensure that health and safety are prioritized by the leadership and the country's proactive efforts to confront COVID-19
Grave violations surge against children in conflict: Unicef
Unicef Director Henrietta Fore said “parties to conflict” have continued to “demonstrate a dreadful disregard for the rights and wellbeing...In October, Unicef said around 10,000 children had been killed or maimed in Yemen since fighting escalated in March 2015
Meanwhile, the Middle East and North Africa, in the first 6 months of 2021, saw the highest number of verified attacks on schools and hospitals
Thousands rally in Iraq to mark 2020 killing of Iran general
Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Hashed commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport...Iraq marks the second anniversary of General and his Iraqi lieutenant death in a US drone strike, rallied against US
Former US president Donald Trump ordered the strike that killed Soleimani, saying it was for attacks on US interests in Iraq
Turkish-Armenian writer to be deported after arrest in Greece
The writer was jailed in Turkey in 2014 on charges of illegal construction, which he claims were punishment for his...A prominent Turkish-Armenian writer living with temporary permit in Greece after fleeing a Turkish prison faces deportation
The blogger had been convicted in Turkey of blasphemy over a 2012 blog defending an anti-Islam film
Russia, Iran eye trade and economic collaboration
Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi in Moscow for discussion over expanding strategic cooperation.A treaty on mutual relations and principles of cooperation between Iran and Russia turned 20 on March 12, 2021
The diplomatic apparatus of Russia and Iran described the treaty as a turning point in both countries’ relationship
US pledges $99 million to cash-strapped UNRWA
Last week, a top UNRWA official said long-running budget shortfalls had forced the agency to introduce austerity measures.The UN agency is suffering an unprecedented financial shortfall
It has already called on donors for long-term funding to continue working
UN asks Yemen govt to add new equipment to Sanaa airport
Flights into the rebel-held capital Sanaa have been largely halted by a blockade since August 2016, but there have been...Yemen has been wracked by civil war since 2014, with the government supported by the Saudi-led coalition
On the other side are the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who control much of the north, and reopened the airport on December 27
