Page 12 - Middle East

Palestine ready to assume 'full responsibility' in Gaza: President Abbas

Presidency urges the international community to offer urgent humanitarian aid to enable the government to shoulder its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people, a statement said

IOC buys 7 million barrels of Middle Eastern, African crude oil via tenders

Indian refiners are increasing Middle Eastern crude purchases from the spot markets after Washington last Friday announced sweeping sanctions targeting Russian producers

Israel's cabinet postpones key vote for ceasefire in Gaza to January 18

As per an Israeli official, the full cabinet vote on the agreement is now expected to take place on January 19, but the smaller security cabinet will meet on Friday to vote on the deal

Cabinet won't meet over ceasefire until Hamas drops new demands: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday his Cabinet won't meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down, accusing the group of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. His office did not elaborate. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength. Under the deal expected to begin Sunday, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second ..

Donald Trump, Joe Biden both claim credit for Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal

President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump are both claiming credit for Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal in Gaza after the White House brought Trump's Middle East envoy into negotiations that have dragged on for months. Trump wasted no time in asserting he was the moving force behind the deal, whose final details were still being ironed out, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump wrote on social media. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Trump added that his incoming Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, would continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a ...

Following Gaza ceasefire deal, IMEC Corridor can become reality: Biden

With the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip, the path-breaking IMEC Corridor that stretches from India to Europe through the Middle East could now become a reality, US President Joe Biden said Wednesday. At the G20 in Delhi on September 23, I rallied key countries behind a vision of an economic corridor from India across the Middle East to Europe. That vision can now become a reality, Biden told reporters at the White House as he announced the agreement between Israel and Hamas on Gaza and hostages. The India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) is seen as an alternative to China's One Belt, One Road Initiative. Signed by eight countries India, US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, European Union, France, Germany and Italy in New Delhi on September 9, 2023, it aims to bolster transportation and communication links between Europe and Asia through rail and shipping networks. The IMEC Corridor project immediately hit a roadblock with the Hamas attack on Israel in October ...

Sale of luxury homes, priced Rs 4 cr and above, rises 53% in 2024: CBRE

Luxury homes, each costing Rs 4 crore and above, were in much demand last year with sales rising 53 per cent to 19,700 units across seven major cities, according to CBRE. In the 2023 calendar year, the sales of housing units, each priced Rs 4 crore and above, stood at 12,895 units. Sales of luxury homes in this price category were maximum in Delhi-NCR at 10,500 units during 2024 as compared to 5,525 units in the preceding year. Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO - India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, said, "The residential real estate market is driven by strong fundamentals underpinned by robust end-user demand. We expect this momentum to continue, with both sales and new housing unit launches to remain steady in the coming quarters." Furthermore, Magazine noted that many cities traditionally associated with mid-end developments, such as Noida, Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai, are increasingly witnessing a shift towards high-end projects. Commenting on the report, ..

Harris to travel to Asia, Mideast, Europe during her final week in office

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to close out her term with an around-the-world trip making stops in Singapore, Bahrain and Germany, her office said. The trip, which is scheduled to last from Jan 13 to Jan 17, will be a final opportunity for Harris to address US foreign policy challenges before Donald Trump takes office. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff is expected to join the vice president. Although she has not disclosed her next steps after losing the presidential election, the expansive travel suggests that Harris might want to continue playing a role on the global stage. There's also speculation that Harris could run for governor of her home state of California. Dean Lieberman, Harris' deputy national security adviser, said in a written statement that "the vice president felt it important to spend some of her final days in office thanking and engaging directly with US service members deployed overseas, which as she has said, has been one of her greatest privileges as vice ...

Trump announces Ortagus as dy special Prez envoy for peace in West Asia

Ortagus worked at the Department of the Treasury as a financial intelligence analyst and, from 2010-2011, was the Deputy US Treasury Attache to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

GCC region 2024: India deepens ties with first PM visit to Kuwait in 40 yrs

India has deepened its diplomatic and economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council region this year with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting three of the six GCC countries including Kuwait where no Indian PM had been after Indira Gandhi. As 2024 unfolded, a renewed focus on strategic partnerships in the region took centre stage, with Abu Dhabi serving as the pivotal gateway to this robust alliance. From high-profile visits to pivotal agreements, the story of India and the GCC, an influential grouping comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, is a dynamic one. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, became Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first GCC destination in 2024. The India-UAE bonhomie has been an ongoing story in recent years, and some layers were added this year. PM Modi's Abu Dhabi visit may have hogged the limelight due to the much-talked-about inauguration of BAPS Hindu Mandir; it also gathered momentum on substantive bilateral ..

BPCL buys Middle East crude oil to replace declining supply from Russia

India became a top buyer of Russian seaborne oil after the European Union shunned purchases and imposed sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022

Syria's embassy suspends services as Lebanon hands over its army officers

Syria's embassy in Lebanon suspended consular services on Saturday, a day after two relatives of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad were arrested at the Beirut airport with allegedly forged passports. Also on Saturday, Lebanese authorities handed over dozens of Syrians including former officers in the Syrian army under Assad to the new Syrian authorities after they were caught illegally entering Lebanon, a war monitor and Lebanese officials said. The embassy announced on its Facebook page that consular work was suspended until further notice at the order of the Syrian foreign ministry. The announcement did not give a reason for the suspension. Two Lebanese security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, said the suspension was ordered because the passports belonging to Assad's relatives the wife and daughter of one of his cousins were believed to have been forged at the embassy. Assad's uncle, Rifaat Assad who has

Israel, Hamas accuse each other of complicating ceasefire talks in Qatar

Israel and Hamas accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts on Wednesday, as the two sides inch closer to a deal that could wind down the 14-month war in Gaza. The two sides appear closer than they have been in months to reaching an agreement that would bring home dozens of hostages being held in Gaza. However, talks have come close before, only to collapse. Although Israel and Hamas have expressed optimism that progress was being made toward a deal, sticking points remain over the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, people involved in the talks say. On Wednesday, Hamas accused Israel of introducing new conditions related to the withdrawal from Gaza, the prisoners and the return of displaced people, which it said was delaying the deal. Israel's government accused Hamas of reneging on reneging on understandings that have already been reached. Still, both sides said discussions are ongoing. Israel's negotiating tea

May we become pilgrims of hope, peace, and unity: Pope on Christmas

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message Wednesday urged all people of all nations to find courage during this Holy Year to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions plaguing the world, from the Middle East to Ukraine, Africa to Asia. The pontiff's Urbi et Orbi To the City and the World address serves as a summary of the woes facing the world this year. As Christmas coincided with the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that he dedicated to hope, Francis called for broad reconciliation, even (with) our enemies. "I invite every individual, and all people of all nations ... to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions,' the pope said from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica to throngs of people below. The pope invoked the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, which he opened on Christmas Eve to launch the 2025 Jubilee, as representing God's mercy, which unties every knot; it tears down every wall of division; it dispels hatred and

State refiners may buy Middle East spot oil to replace Russian shortfall

The refiners fear continued problems in securing Russian oil in the spot market could continue in coming months

Wipro names Ranjita Ghosh as global chief marketing officer effective Feb 1

IT company Wipro on Monday said it has appointed Ranjita Ghosh as its new Global Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective February 1 next year. Ghosh takes the chair from Laura Langdon, who has decided to explore career opportunities outside Wipro, a company statement said. Previously CMO of Wipro's Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA) strategic market unit, Ghosh will now lead all marketing activities for Wipro across its geographies. She will report to the Chief Strategist & Technology Officer Hari Shetty. With about two decades of experience in the global technology services industry, she has held various roles in sales, business development, growth marketing, buyer experience, and ecosystem partnerships. Additionally, she has managed marketing for several high-value portfolios and led teams across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Shares of Wipro settled at Rs 307.90 apiece on the BSE on Monday, 0.90 per cent higher than the previous close.

Israel's airstrikes on Gaza kill at least 20, say Palestinian medics

Palestinian medics say Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 20 people. One of the strikes overnight and into Monday hit a tent camp in the Muwasi area, an Israel-declared humanitarian zone, killing eight people, including two children. That's according to the Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, which received the bodies. Hospital records show another six killed in a strike on people securing an aid convoy and another two killed in a strike on a car in Muwasi. One person was killed in a separate strike in the area. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah said three bodies arrived after an airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli military says it only strikes militants, accusing them of hiding among civilians. It said late Sunday that it had targeted a Hamas militant in the humanitarian zone. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, ..

Middle East share of India's Nov oil imports at 9-month high; Russia down

Refiners in India have been gorging on cheaper Russian oil despite problems posed by sanctions aimed at reducing Moscow's oil revenue

Will not let Hezbollah rebuild terror infrastructure: Israel minister

Under the terms of a two-month ceasefire that went into effect on November 27, Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw its armed presence from areas of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River

2 US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident

Two US Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent friendly fire incident, the US military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels. Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become, with ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite US and European military coalitions patrolling the area. The US military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels at the time of the friendly fire incident, though the US military's Central Command did not elaborate on what the pilots' mission was and did not respond to questions from The Associated Press. The F/A-18 shot down had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Central Command said. On December 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had .