Author: Steven Sahiounie

RIYADH: Business giant Al Habtoor Group has filed an arbitration case against Marriott International, the Dubai-based conglomerate confirmed to Arab News.

RIYADH: Significant investment is needed to unlock the potential 1,400 gigawatts of offshore wind energy in the Middle East and North Africa, an analysis has found.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led the Middle East in mergers and acquisitions in the chemicals sector in the first quarter of 2024, with $500 million worth of deals, according to recent data.

NATO will carry out its mission in Ukraine, but Hungary will not participate in it, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated on the Kossuth radio station. “NATO will set up its mission in Ukraine, but Hungary will not participate in it and will not provide its troops, weapons or financial resources for this purpose,” the prime minister said. He recalled that he had agreed on this with the alliance’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and his likely successor, acting prime minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. Hungary received guarantees from them that it would be able to refrain from participating in possible…

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, urged the international community to act immediately to stop the war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people and lift its inhumanitarian blockade of Gaza to protect the Palestinian people from massacres and famine, and to protect international law and the humanitarian values that Israel has violated because of its continued immunisation from accountability and impunity. During a phone call on Thursday with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, Safadi stressed that the war crimes documented by many…

The Palestinian Presidency has commended the Republic of Armenia’s decision to officially recognize the State of Palestine as an independent and sovereign nation. In a press statement, the Presidency expressed deep appreciation for “this courageous and significant decision,” viewing it as a “pivotal step towards enhancing bilateral relations and fostering peace and stability in the region.” The Presidency thanked Armenia for its “bold and wise move, which underscores the strong bonds of friendship between the two nations.” It also commended the commitment of the government and people of Armenia to supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to their…

The peace initiative that Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined on June 14 is Moscow’s fourth proposal on settling the Ukraine conflict, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. “Now we have come up with the next, actually fourth proposal from Russia [on Ukrainian settlement] in the form of an initiative by President Putin on June 14,” the top diplomat said at a press conference after a session of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) Council of Foreign Ministers. Had the agreement on the political settlement not been disrupted in February 2014, Ukraine would have now been within the 1991…

The Republic of Armenia has officially recognized the State of Palestine, raising the number of countries that recognize Palestinian statehood to 149 out of the 193 member states of the United Nations General Assembly. In a statement released today, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing war as critical issues on the international political agenda that necessitate resolution. “The Republic of Armenia has joined United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement read. The ministry emphasized Armenia’s pursuit of a peaceful and comprehensive resolution to…

Earlier on Saturday, El-Sisi extended his sincere gratitude to King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the warm reception in the kingdom during his Hajj pilgrimage. Around 1.8 million pilgrims from various countries worldwide have already arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, according to the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry.  Source: Ahram News

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will visit the Middle East next week, Berlin said Friday, as the Gaza war grinds on and fears grow of a wider regional conflict.Baerbock will travel to Israel Monday immediately after a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, a foreign ministry spokeswoman said.On arrival in Israel, Baerbock — who has visited the region several times since the start of the Israel-Hamas war — will give a speech at the Herzliya Security Conference.On Tuesday, she will hold talks with Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Mustafa in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.Baerbock will also meet…