Author: Steven Sahiounie

The Palestinian delegation to the United Nations is pushing for a vote to be recognized as a full member state next month, Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Wednesday, a move opposed by the United States.“We are seeking admission. That is our natural and legal right,” Mansour said, adding that he was pushing for an April 18 vote at the Security Council.“Everyone is saying ‘two-state solution,’ then what is the logic of denying us to become a member state?” he added.Any request to become a UN member state must first pass a vote by the Security Council — where Israel’s ally the…

Polling areas opened Thursday in Kuwait’s first election since Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah assumed power late last year, as voters choose representatives from five electoral constituencies for the National Assembly’s 18th legislative term. The polls, fourth since December 2020, and will close at midnight local time, according to state news agency KUNA. Some 834,733 eligible voters would choose 50 Members of Parliaments, from 200 candidates, that would serve for a term of four years. Kuwait bans political parties and candidates run as independents. There are 104,038 voters in the first constituency with 41 candidates competing, 95,302 voters in the second…

The US, Britain and France on Wednesday opposed a Russian-drafted UN Security Council statement that would have condemned an attack on Iran’s embassy compound in Syria, which Tehran has blamed on Washington’s ally Israel.Press statements by the 15-member council have to be agreed by consensus. Diplomats said the US, backed by France and Britain, told council colleagues that many of the facts of what happened on Monday in Damascus remained unclear and there was no consensus among council members during a meeting on Tuesday.“This serves as a clear illustration of the double standards employed by the Western ‘troika’ and their…

RIYADH: Saudi low-cost carrier flynas has received its 50th jetliner from Airbus out of an order of more than 100 aircraft, as it continues to pursue its growth and expansion plans.   

SINGAPORE: Oil prices steadied on Wednesday as investors eyed concerns around crude and fuel supplies, following Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries and the potential for a widening of the Israel-Hamas war to more directly include Iran.

RIYADH: Climate change, natural disasters and other global challenges have prompted a new regional food security strategy from the Gulf Cooperation Council. Faisal Al-Rawas, chairman of the Federation of the GCC Chambers, said the strategy is focused on developing agricultural, livestock, and fishery projects to achieve added value to the food industries, enabling the countries to achieve food security and sustainability for their citizens, the Saudi Press Agency reported. This comes amid challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, natural disasters, and population growth, prompting GCC governments to implement strict policies to limit the export of agricultural and livestock products to achieve self-sufficiency. Al-Rawas also…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia issued 118 new industrial licenses in February – a 72 percent annual increase as the Kingdom’s manufacturing sector continues to strengthen,

Russia’s government and businesses have been steadily reducing the amount of money they owe to foreign lenders, the latest official data suggests.

Three tankers loaded with Russian Sokol-grade oil have arrived at Indian ports, despite being targeted by Western sanctions, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing vessel-tracking data.

Addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council on “threat to international peace and security”, held in New York on Tuesday, the ambassador and deputy of permanent representative of Iran to the UN called on the Security Council to vehemently condemn the Israel regime’s unjustified criminal act and terrorist attack that resulted in the martyrdom of seven Iranian military advisers in Damascus. What follows is the full text of the speech by Zahra Ershadi: Madam President, At the outset, allow me to congratulate you for assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We thank Russia for requesting…