Page 20 - Middle East

Brent oil broadly steady at $80 as fears over West Asia conflict ease

Brent crude futures slipped 10 cents, or 0.1 per cent, to $80.59 a barrel by 1057 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 19 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $78.16 per barrel

'Grim forecast for next 5 years': S Jaishankar on current global challenges

EAM S Jaishankar acknowledged that, despite his generally optimistic outlook, the world is currently facing an exceptionally challenging period

US beefs up naval, air forces in West Asia ahead of Gaza truce talks

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to speed up its arrival in the region

Lloyd Austin orders submarine to Mideast, tells aircraft carrier to hasten

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and is telling the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to sail more quickly to the area, the Defense Department said Sunday. The moves come as the US and other allies push for Israel and Hamas to achieve a cease-fire agreement that could help calm soaring tensions in the region following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut. Officials have been on the lookout for retaliatory strikes by both Iran and Hezbollah for the killings, and the US has been beefing up its presence in the region. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant earlier in the day, and reiterated America's commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel and noted the strengthening of US military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle .

Air India suspends Tel Aviv flights till further notice as tension soars

Air India on Friday announced suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv till further notice amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The Tata Group-owned carrier had suspended services from the national capital to Tel Aviv till August 8. "In view of the current situation in parts of the Middle East, scheduled operation of our flights to and from Tel Aviv are suspended with immediate effect until further notice. We are continuously monitoring the situation," the airline said in a post on X. The carrier is offering a full refund to its passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv. Tensions continue to remain high in the Middle East amid conflict between Israel and various terror groups, including Hamas. Earlier this year also, Air India had briefly suspended flights to Tel Aviv at different points of time due to the Middle East tensions. After nearly five months, the carrier had recommenced the services to the Israeli city on March 3. Air India had

Bangladesh, Israel, Russia, & more: Avoid visiting these countries for now

Recent student-led protests in Bangladesh against government hiring rules have escalated into widespread violence, resulting in over 260 deaths

US General arrives in Middle East as Iran prepares for attack on Israel

Three US and Israeli officials said that they expect Iran to launch an attack on Israel as early as Monday

US to boost military presence in W Asia; to send fighter jets, keep carrier

The US Defense Department will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region, the Pentagon said as President Joe Biden made good on his promise to beef up the American military presence to help defend Israel from possible attacks by Iran and its proxies and safeguard US troops. In a statement, the department said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also ordered additional ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers to the European and Middle East regions and is taking steps to send more land-based ballistic missile defence weapons there. The shifts come as US leaders worry about escalating violence in the Middle East in response to recent attacks by Israel on Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, which triggered threats of retaliation. Biden in a call Thursday afternoon with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed new US military deployments to protect against possible attacks from ballistic missiles and drones, according t

Air India suspends Tel Aviv flights until Aug 8 amid Middle East tensions

Air India said that it is continuously monitoring the situation and extending support to passengers with confirmed bookings

Power Grid planning Rs 40,000 cr undersea interconnection with Middle East

State-run Power Grid is planning an undersea interconnection worth up to Rs 40,000 crore with countries in the Middle East, a top official said on Monday. After the soft June quarter, which witnessed revenues being almost flat, the company sees the topline inching by only 4-5 per cent in FY25, its chairman and managing director R K Tyagi told reporters here after the earnings announcement on Friday. The company plans to invest Rs 18,000 crore this fiscal year, which will help accelerate the growth rate going forward, Tyagi said, explaining that as projects become older, the earnings from transmission projects go down and the company has to keep commissioning new projects to have higher revenue growths. On the interconnected projects front, it is looking at companies beyond the immediate neighbourhood and will be looking at countries in the Middle East, Tyagi said. He specified that discussions are ongoing with Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the interconnection. The company has

EAM S Jaishankar discusses bilateral ties with Turkey counterpart

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held a meeting with his Turkiye counterpart Hakan Fidan during which the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and global issues. Jaishankar is in the capital of the Laos People's Democratic Republic to participate in the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The two leaders met on the sidelines of the meetings. "Met with FM @HakanFidan of Turkiye on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in Vientiane. Discussed our bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and global issues," Jaishankar posted on X. Jaishankar on Friday met leaders from Russia, the European Union, South Korea, Singapore, Laos, Brunei, and New Zealand and discussed various aspects of bilateral collaboration. "Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of India Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met on the sidelines of #ASEAN events Vientiane, July 26, 2024 #RussiaIndia #DruzhbaDosti," the Russian ...

Sanctioned Iranian crude oil finds new markets in city of Dalian in China

Analysts estimate China imported 1.2-1.4 million bpd of Iranian crude during the period. Vortexa said the imports hit a record 1.52 million bpd last October

2nd India-Japan consultations on Middle East discuss developments in region

The second India-Japan consultation on the Middle East was held in the national capital on Thursday, and both sides discussed the challenges and political developments happening in the Middle East and West Asia region.The delegation was led by Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary, West Asia & North Africa (WANA) Division, and the Japanese delegation was led by Ando Toshihide, Director General, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau."The consultations covered a wide range of topics, including political developments, economic opportunities and challenges in the Middle East/West Asia region," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.Moreover, participants engaged in constructive discussions, sharing their perspectives and insights on the situation in the Middle East, including Gaza.Both sides agreed to remain in touch and continue their consultation on issues concerning the Middle East region.MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, stating that the discussions were ...

Jordan safe to visit, West's perception a problem: Tourism Minister Queisi

Jordan is facing the brunt of the West's perception of the Middle East being one unit, says Tourism and Antiquities Minister Makram Mustafa A Queisi while stressing that his strong and resilient country is safe to visit notwithstanding the Israel-Hamas conflict. The number of tourists to the country has been steadily declining since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel last year and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza. The sector contributes 14.6 per cent to Jordan's gross domestic product (GDP) by generating USD 7.3 billion and employs 55,000 people directly, The dip in the number of tourists is what Queisi hopes to address. "Jordan has always been strong and resilient... It is the problem of perception in the West, especially in Europe and the US -- maybe Canada and Australia as well. They look at the Middle East as one unit, Queisi told PTI. If a bullet is fired in the southern part of the Middle East, the eastern part, the western part and the northern part are affected and

You have officially become Iran's useful idiots: PM Netanyahu to protestors

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday slammed Iran for funding and supporting groups against Israel and asserted that defeating the brutal enemies requires both courage and clarity. For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this buildingnot that many, but they're thereand throughout the city. Well, I have a message for these protesters: When the Tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran's useful idiots, Netanyahu said. It's amazing, absolutely amazing. Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming 'Gays for Gaza'. They might as well hold up signs saying 'Chickens for KFC'. These protesters chant 'From the river to the sea'. But many don't have a clue what river and what sea they're talking about. They not only get an F in geography, they get an F in history. They call Israel a colonialist ..

Oil price continues to drop amidst growing ceasefire hope, demand concerns

War in Gaza has lent support to oil prices as investors priced in the risk of potential disruptions to global crude supply in the key producing region of the Middle East, but peace now seems close

Iran moving forward on key aspect of developing a nuclear bomb, claims US

Iran is talking more about getting a nuclear bomb and has made strides in developing a key aspect of a weapon since about April, when Israel and its allies overpowered a barrage of Iranian airstrikes targeting Israel, two top Biden administration officials said Friday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, speaking at separate panels during a security forum in Colorado, said the United States was watching closely for any signs that Iran had made a decision to pursue actual weaponization of its nuclear program. However, Sullivan said, I have not seen a decision by Iran to move in a way that signals it has decided to actually develop a nuclear bomb right now. "If they start moving down that road, they'll find a real problem with the United States," Sullivan said at the Aspen Security Forum, which draws U.S. policymakers, journalists and others. Iran resumed progress on its nuclear program after the Trump administration ended US cooperation wit

Houthi militants strike, damage Singapore-flagged vessel in Gulf of Aden

A Singapore-flagged vessel was damaged in an attack allegedly by Houthi militants southeast of Yemen on Friday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a statement. The MPA said it was informed that container vessel the LOBIVIA was hit by "unidentified projectiles" while transiting the Gulf of Aden, resulting in a fire onboard that was subsequently extinguished by the crew. There are no Singaporeans among the crew, Channel News Asia reported, citing the authority and adding that all crew are accounted for and safe. Despite being hit, the vessel was able to set sail and arrived at Somalia's Berbera Port. Damage assessment and repairs, if needed, will be carried out, it said. MPA said it is in contact with the vessel manager to provide any assistance that might be needed. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has also alerted its security partners in the Gulf of Aden region to provide help, it added. In a televised speech, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea s

Argentina's show of support to Israel, designates Hamas a terrorist group

Argentina designated Hamas a terrorist organisation on Friday and ordered a freeze on the financial assets of the Palestinian group, a largely symbolic move as President Javier Milei seeks to align Argentina strongly with the US and Israel. Announcing the decision, Milei's office cited the militant Palestinian group's cross-border attack on Israel last October 7 that killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage, in the deadliest assault in Israel's 76-year history. The statement also mentioned Hamas' close ties to Iran, which Argentina blames for two deadly militant attacks on Jewish sites in the country. The move comes just days before the 30th anniversary of one of those attacks, the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires. It killed 85 people and wounded hundreds more in the worst such attack in Argentina's modern history. The other attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, in 1992, killed more than 20 people. Argentina's judiciary has accused memb

Palestinians return to rubble in Gaza City after Israeli withdrawal

Palestinians returned to breathtaking scenes of destruction in the Gaza City district of Shijaiyah after Israeli troops withdrew, ending a two-week offensive there. Civil defense workers said Thursday that so far, they had found the bodies of 60 people in the rubble. Families who fled the assault ventured back into Shijaiyah to see the condition of their homes or salvage whatever they could. Nearly every building was flattened to rubble for block after block, leaving giant piles of concrete and twisted rebar. Here and there, grey gutted concrete frames still stood a few stories high. The ever-present buzzing sound of Israeli military drones hung in the hot summer air as people on bicycles or horse-drawn carts made their way over dirt paths where the streets had apparently been bulldozed away. Sharif Abu Shanab found his family's four-story building collapsed. I can't enter it. I can't take anything out of it, not even a can of tuna. We have nothing, no food or drink, he said. Since