Author: Steven Sahiounie

The Council discussed several reports and agenda topics, including a comprehensive analysis by the Ministry of Economy and Planning on local and international economic developments

His Highness made these remarks during a session of the ‘Zero Government Bureaucracy’ programme

GCC interest rates will remain high but fall by 1% by year-end

The Palestinian Presidency Thursday expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the decision made by US House of Representatives that called for banning the entry of members of the Palestine Liberation Organization into the United States of America. The presidency said that this decision contradicts the declared decisions of the US administration, and will negatively affect its role and credibility in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the foundations of international legitimacy in accordance with the two-state solution. It added that the decision of the US House of Representatives is dangerous, affects the rights of the Palestinian people, denies the UN resolution…

The decision came down to a single vote in Chicago, cast by Mayor Brandon Johnson, as the council reached an impasse with 23 votes in favor and 23 votes against. A resolution in support of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and calling for the immediate release of all captives, was approved by the Chicago City Council. This decision came on Wednesday, with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson breaking a 23-23 tie with his vote. The resolution advocates for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the prompt and unconditional release of all captives, and the provision of humanitarian aid to the enclave. Additionally, it…

Hamas is scheduled to be in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discuss a new ceasefire proposal. The head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas is scheduled to visit Cairo for discussions on a new ceasefire proposal, while the Israeli occupation continues its aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip. Ismail Haniyeh is set to participate in a meeting in Cairo on Thursday to deliberate on a proposed six-week truce plan. The plan was presented by senior Qatari and Egyptian officials during recent meetings in France. According to a Hamas source cited by AFP, the proposed three-stage plan would commence with an initial…

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron is meeting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut to discuss defusing tensions on the Lebanon-Israel border, which is seeing daily exchanges of fire. UK Foreign Secretary and Mikati discussed “ways to restore calm in southern Lebanon as well as the political and diplomatic solution that is needed”, the prime minister’s office said. Mikati discussed with Cameron “ways to implement UN Resolution 1701”, his office said. The UN Security Council passed the resolution to end the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. It called for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon and the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah. “Lebanon…

The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia weighed plans for closer cooperation between the two Muslim states and discussed the pressing regional issues, including the Israeli atrocities against Palestine and the developments in the Red Sea. In a telephone conversation on Wednesday evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan talked about a range of issues on which Tehran and Riyadh can cooperate as well as the latest regional developments. The two diplomats discussed the resumption of the Umrah (minor Hajj) flights and a visit by a Saudi technical delegation to Iran. Amirabdollahian underlined…

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, stressed his strong commitment to continue working to meet humanitarian needs and implement early recovery projects in Syria, attaching great importance to cooperation between the UN and Syria, especially in light of the challenges that the world is witnessing today. During a Ceremony of Presentation of the Letters of Credence, Ambassador Qusay Al-Dahhak presented his credentials to the Secretary-General as Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, which took place at the headquarters of the international organization in New York. Guterres voiced his aspiration for the return of security and stability to Syria and the well-being…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, said “We are not looking for a war with Iran.” He added, “What we want is a stable, secure, prosperous Middle East, and we want these attacks to stop.” Kirby was referring to the January 28 drone attack on Tower 22, killing three US troops and wounding at least 34 at their living quarters in a secretive outpost on the Jordan-Syria border near Iraq. Kirby forgets the White House policy on the Middle East promotes chaos and death. The 350 US Army and Air Force troops…