Author: Steven Sahiounie

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will discuss the war in Ukraine and the Black Sea Grain Initiative during a visit to Ankara by the Russian leader, Turkiye’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.Speaking at a news conference in Valletta, Hakan Fidan said Turkiye was working with Ukraine and Russia to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Turkiye to allow the safe export of Ukrainian grains via the Black Sea, after Moscow withdrew from the accord in July 2023.A Turkish official told Reuters last week that Putin would visit Turkiye on…

King Charles III has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and has begun treatment, Buckingham Palace said Monday. Less than 18 months into his reign he will suspend public duties but will continue with state business, and won’t be handing over his constitutional roles as head of state.The palace said the cancer is not related to the king’s recent treatment for a benign prostate condition. It did not say what form of cancer the 75-year-old monarch has.The palace said “a separate issue of concern was noted” during Charles’ treatment for an enlarged prostate last month, when he spent three…

RIYADH: Banks in Saudi Arabia are expected to witness strong credit growth ranging between 8 to 9 percent in 2024, according to credit rating agency S&P Global. 

The Russian president Putin delivered his address on achievements in 2022 to the Federal Assembly on February 21, 2023, citing the rapid development of events and the difficulties in “stating [future plans] for the record at a given moment in time” Russian President Vladimir Putin may deliver his traditional State of the Nation Address to a joint session of both houses of the Federal Assembly, the Russian parliament, in late February or early March, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “We cannot rule it out,” he said, when asked to comment on reports that the traditional address by the head of…

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riyad al-Maliki, has briefed a Swiss delegation on the latest political developments during a meeting at the ministry’s headquarters in Ramallah. Al-Maliki emphasized the catastrophic and unbearable conditions that the Palestinian people have been subjected to as the brutal Israeli aggression in Gaza enters 123rd day in a row. He highlighted that the ongoing genocidal war has affected the lives of several civilians, the majority being children and women, along with thousands of wounded and sick individuals. Al-Maliki addressed the widespread massive destruction in Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli shelling. He also pointed out to the horrific situations the Palestinians in the enclave are…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and its portfolio companies have attracted SR96 billion ($25.6 billion) worth of investments in under three years, according to its top official. 

Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji on Monday received Palestine’s envoy to the Kingdom, Basem Al-Agha, in Riyadh. During the meeting, Saudi Deputy Minister and Palestine’s envoy, discussed recent developments in the Palestinian territories with a focus on continuing efforts to bring about the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and related international resolutions. Source: Arab News

The German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab has called for further strengthening of links between his country and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The envoy discussed ways to step up dialogue and cooperation during a meeting on Monday with OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha at the organization’s headquarters in Jeddah. Kindsgrab was accompanied by Dr. Eltje Aderhold, consul general and special envoy of Germany to the OIC. Their talks also covered the Palestinian issue and situation in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the OIC said: “Both sides discussed ways and means to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between…

Yandex Holdings will sell its Russian businesses to a consortium of private investors, the company has announced

Netherlands-registered Yandex NV has agreed to sell its Russian operations to a consortium of local investors and spin off its main international projects