Saudi Arabia, which is leading a four-country blockade of Gulf neighbour Qatar, on Thursday accused Doha of being behind over 23,000 Twitter accounts it blames for trying to stoke dissent in Saudi Arabia. “We found over 23,000 Twitter accounts driven by Qatar, some of them linked to accounts calling for ‘revolution’ in Saudi Arabia,” Information … Read more
Qatar Airways announced on Thursday that it had won exemption from a US ban on passengers taking laptops and tablet computers on flights from its Doha hub. It is the latest carrier after Abu Dhabi’s Etihad, Dubai’s Emirates and Turkish Airlines to meet new rules imposed by Washington in March for direct flights from 10 … Read more
French President Emmanuel Macron said he supported a two-state solution to end the Middle East conflict as he welcomed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the Elysee Palace Wednesday. Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time, Macron said any deal “must recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinians to have an independent state, but … Read more
Jerusalem is a good distance from the sea, but residents and visitors will soon be able to view specimens of Israel’s marine life in a mass aquarium to open in the Holy City. The new compound, part of the city’s Biblical Zoo, contains 30 tanks comprising a 7,000 square-metre aquarium with fish and sea creatures … Read more
A senior Palestinian official on Wednesday blasted US President Donald Trump’s United Nations envoy, accusing her of carrying out a “crusade” against the Palestinian people. Hanan Ashrawi, an senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said Nikki Haley was leading a “one-woman crusade … against Palestine and the Palestinian people individually and collectively.” “Through an … Read more
Foreign funding for Islamist extremism in Britain mostly originates from Saudi Arabia, a think-tank report said on Wednesday in claims that were branded as “categorically false” by the Saudi embassy. “While entities from across the Gulf and Iran have been guilty of advancing extremism, those in Saudi Arabia are undoubtedly at the top of the … Read more
An Indian court Wednesday allowed disciples of a spiritual guru to preserve his body in a freezer, as they believe he is in a deep state of meditation and will return to life. Ashutosh Maharaj, founder of the multi-million dollar sect, Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan (Divine Light Awakening Mission), apparently died of a cardiac arrest … Read more
Powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey sought Wednesday to hammer out a plan for four safe zones in Syria at a fifth round of peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana. Moscow and Tehran, which back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and rebel supporter Ankara agreed in May to establish four “de-escalation” zones in a potential breakthrough … Read more
Arab states that have cut ties with Qatar meet in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss their next move in the Gulf diplomatic crisis, after Doha said their demands were impossible to meet. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt are holding the talks a month after they severed ties … Read more
Emirates airline announced Wednesday that it had won an exemption from a US ban on passengers taking laptops and tablet computers on flights from its base in Dubai. Emirates is the third carrier after neighbouring Abu Dhabi’s Etihad and Turkish Airlines to win a reprieve from the new rules Washington imposed three months ago on … Read more
The United States lifted Wednesday a ban on carrying large electronic devices such as laptops in the cabin of US-bound flights from Turkey’s main international airport, Turkish Airlines and local media reported. “Dear Passengers, #WelcomeOnBoard to our US-bound flight. Please fasten your seatbelts and enjoy your own electronic devices,” Turkish Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, … Read more
Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are to discuss the Qatar crisis, a month after they severed ties with the Gulf state. The meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo comes on the day a deadline expires for Qatar to accept a list of demands or face further sanctions. The demands to Qatar … Read more
Qatar’s foreign minister said Tuesday that demands put to Doha by Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Gulf diplomatic crisis were impossible to meet. “The list is unrealistic and is not actionable,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told reporters in Doha. “It’s not about terrorism, it’s talking about shutting down the freedom of speech,” … Read more
Founder of E-Crime Bureau, Mr. Albert Antwi Boasiako, has been appointed Cyber Security Advisor to the Communications Ministry. According to a statement from the communication ministry, Mr. Antwi-Boasiako is to support the ministry to implement the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy (NCSPS) by building a comprehensive cyber security management architecture that will coordinate cybersecurity services whilst … Read more
Powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey on Tuesday focused on shoring up a plan for safe zones in Syria at a fifth round of talks they are pushing in Kazakhstan to help end the six-year conflict. Moscow and Tehran, which back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and rebel supporter Ankara agreed in May to establish four “de-escalation” … Read more
Under-pressure Qatar vowed a major boost to gas production Tuesday as a deadline approached for Doha to meet the demands of Arab countries engaged in a blockade against it. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt — who accuse Qatar of supporting extremism — gave Doha an extra 48 hours to address their … Read more
US-backed forces have penetrated the heavily fortified heart of jihadist bastion Raqa for the first time, in a key milestone in the war against the Islamic State group in Syria. Air strikes by the US-led coalition battling IS punched two holes in the mediaeval wall surrounding the Old City of Raqa, allowing fighters of the … Read more
At a curry house in central Israel, a poster welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets patrons even before they encounter the rich scent of spices wafting from the kitchen. Modi’s three-day visit beginning Tuesday — the first ever of an Indian premier to Israel — is a landmark moment for the Jewish state, a … Read more
The UN Security Council has told Qatar to sort out its differences with its Gulf neighbors, China’s ambassador said Monday, indicating the top UN body would not get involved in the dispute. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met with Security Council members on Friday to discuss the rupture in ties with Saudi … Read more
Nearly a month since Qatar was isolated by its Gulf neighbours, residents of the emirate have learned to adapt to the daily realities of living with the embargo. They buy vegetables and milk that come from Iran and Turkey, complain about price increases for staples while those travelling abroad face longer-than-usual flights as most neighbouring … Read more