Author: Steven Sahiounie

Selling weapons to Israel that murder more Palestinian civilians is a “war on human rights” and nothing justifies continuing arms sales, according to the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders. In an op-ed published yesterday by the British daily The Guardian, Mary Lawlor condemned the continued arms sales to Israel in the face of the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 32,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7th last year. “There exist no moral arguments that can justify the continued sale of weapons to Israel by states that respect the principle of…

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel for what are expected to be fractious talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza as public differences over the conflict have intensified.It’s the final stop in Blinken’s sixth urgent diplomatic mission to the Middle East, in which he’s expected to hold meetings with Netanyahu and his war cabinet aimed at convincing them not to proceed with plans for a large-scale military offensive in the southern city of Rafah that many fear could make an already disastrous humanitarian crisis in Gaza even worse.“A major military…

French President Emmanuel Macron believes that Ukraine’s fall is imminent, says the European edition of Politico, referring to its sources. According to the paper, on Wednesday Macron held a political event at the Elysee Palace, where, among other things, the upcoming elections to the European Parliament were discussed. “Ukraine could fall very quickly,” Macron said during the event, as relayed to the newspaper by a participant at the gathering. Earlier, at a press conference with Czech President Petr Pavel, Macron said that European countries should not place limits on themselves when talking about helping Ukraine to prevent the spread of…

Jordan’s King Abdullah held talks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the president of the UAE, on Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Their discussions included regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the war in Gaza, and ways to enhance the ties between their countries, the Emirates News Agency reported. Regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed and King Abdullah called for the safe and unimpeded delivery of aid by land, sea and air. They also stressed the urgent need for international efforts to help maintain regional stability and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace between Israel and…

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote today on a US-drafted resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire the Gaza Strip. According to Anadolu Agency, the US resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protecting civilians from all parties, allowing the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, alleviating humanitarian suffering, and reaching an agreement on prisoners. The resolution, which the United States has been negotiating for some time, emphasizes that Gaza is part of the territories occupied in 1967 and expresses support for a two-state solution. Supporting ongoing international diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire, the resolution calls on…

The Presidency’s spokesperson highlighted that these concerted efforts have positively influenced the international credit rating agencies’ outlook on Egypt’s economic future

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Tuesday ordered the implementation of the 2024 state budget law.

US-based African venture capital (VC) firm P1 Ventures has completed the second close of $35 million for its Fund II.

Most stock markets in the Gulf closed higher on Thursday, led by the Saudi index, joining a global rally as investors cheered the U.S. Federal Reserve’s indication that it will still deliver three rate cuts this year. The Fed kept borrowing costs unchanged on Wednesday and signaled they still expect to ease interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point by the end of 2024.

WASHINGTON: IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned on Thursday that central banks face growing political pressure to cut interest rates during a major election year but policymakers need to maintain their independence.