Author: Steven Sahiounie

RIYADH: Middle Eastern airlines saw a 9.7 percent annual growth in passenger demand in May fueled by an increase in Asia-related travel

Students at the University of Toronto have cleared out an encampment ahead of a court-ordered deadline to leave. The move came a day after the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted the university an injunction to tear down the encampment, and gave Toronto police the authority to remove and arrest anyone who did not comply with the 6pm (22:00 GMT) deadline, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported. It quoted Mohammad Yassin, an encampment organiser, as saying: “We refuse to give the Toronto Police Service any opportunity to brutalise us.” “We are leaving on our own terms to protect our community…

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer formally took office as UK prime minister and received a mandate from King Charles III to form a cabinet, according to a video of the king’s audience released by Buckingham Palace. Starmer, 61, will now go to his Downing Street residence and address the nation as prime minister. He is the third UK prime minister during the reign of Charles III who took the throne less than two years ago. Starmer’s predecessor as prime minister, Rishi Sunak, led the cabinet from October 25, 2022 until this Friday. Starmer took over as head of cabinet following the…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today that the ruins of Gaza are emblematic of the lost legitimacy of the international order. In a passionate address at the 24th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, Erdogan highlighted that over 16,000 Palestinian children have been killed and nearly 90,000 others injured as a result of Israel’s indiscriminate attacks in Gaza. Calling for immediate action, Erdogan called for pressuring Israel to accept a ceasefire to halt the destruction, asserting, “Pressure must continue and increase on its government.” He emphasized the necessity for justice and global fairness, acknowledging states that earnestly advocate…

Iranians have headed to the polls in the runoff presidential election, a week after none of the candidates could secure the majority of votes in the snap election. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) on Friday and are scheduled to close at 6:00 p.m. (1430 GMT), with the possibility of extensions by Interior Ministry. The final result will be announced on Saturday, although initial figures may come out sooner. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei cast his ballot at a polling station in Tehran just as the voting began The runoff follows the June 28 election…

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Russia next Monday and Tuesday, the Kremlin announced on Thursday. The two leaders will discuss “prospects for further development of traditionally friendly Russian-Indian relations, as well as relevant issues on the international and regional agenda,” the Kremlin said in a statement. Russia and India have had strong bilateral relations since the Cold War, and New Delhi has acted as Moscow’s key trading partner since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. However, the relationship between the two countries has become tense due to Russia’s close developments with India’s primary competitor, China.…

Sources disclosed to Al Mayadeen on Friday that the Chinese ambassador in Doha has conveyed to the Hamas leadership that President Mahmoud Abbas has approved the resumption of Palestinian national dialogue in Beijing. The same sources also reported that Hamas has once again accepted China’s invitation for another round of national Palestinian talks. Additionally, they indicated that the Fatah movement is seeking another meeting with the Hamas delegation before proceeding to expanded talks, while Hamas intends to build upon the outcomes of the previous talks. Al Mayadeen’s sources further stated that while no specific date has been set for the national dialogue in Beijing,…

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a critical discussion on Thursday about the ongoing negotiations for a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza, Axios reported. Biden has been advocating for a resolution he suggested to secure the release of Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance. Despite the fact that Biden had claimed that his latest suggestion garnered Israeli approval and the disapproval of the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas, the actual statements and actions of both parties showed the opposite. The latest discussions between US and Israeli officials aimed to facilitate the completion of a deal, especially…

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares in Madrid on Thursday. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations, discussed Saudi-Spanish relations and ways to enhance them in various fields. The foreign ministers also discussed regional and international developments including the situation in the Gaza Strip and efforts made in this regard. Source: Arab News

The second round of the Iranian presidential elections commenced early Friday morning, featuring candidates Saeed Jalili from the conservative movement and Masoud Pezeshkian from the reformist movement. At the start of voting, Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei cast his ballot at a polling station in the capital, Tehran. Sayyed Khamenei emphasized the importance of the Iranian people exercising their “will and determination” to conclude the electoral process and elect a new president for the republic, adding that there is greater incentive than ever for people to participate in the elections. “I’ve heard that people’s enthusiasm and interest have increased more than before,”…