Page 58 - West Asia

Reliance likely to switch back to West Asia oil if Russian supply dries up

India's biggest buyer, Reliance, operates the world's largest refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat where it can process about 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd)

Israel begins pause in fighting in 3 Gaza areas as hunger concerns mount

The military said it would begin a daily "tactical pause" in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, three areas of the territory with large populations

No meals, fainting medical staff: Gaza hospitals haunted by starvation

After months of warnings, international agencies, experts and doctors say starvation is now sweeping across Gaza amid restrictions on aid imposed by Israel for months

Wealthy investors bet on Dubai, Abu Dhabi despite regional risks

The cities, both part of the United Arab Emirates, have become irresistible for the world's richest people

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff to visit West Asia in push for ceasefire in Gaza

President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was heading to the Middle East as the U.S. tries once again to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, a breakthrough that has eluded the administration for months as conditions worsen in Gaza. Tammy Bruce, the State Department spokesperson, told reporters Tuesday that Witkoff was going to the region with a strong hope that the U.S. can deliver a ceasefire deal as well as a new humanitarian corridor for aid distribution. I would suggest that we might have some good news, but, again, as we know, this could be a constantly changing dynamic, Bruce said. Bruce didn't have other details about where Witkoff would be going or what he had planned. It comes as Gaza saw its deadliest day yet for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war, with at least 85 Palestinians killed while trying to reach food Sunday. The Israeli army has said it fired warning shots, but says the reported death toll was greatly inflated. The United Nations' fo

Wizz Air exits Abu Dhabi amid instability and lack of market access

Wizz CEO József Váradi said returning to Wizz's "bread and butter" of central and eastern Europe, where it competes with Europe's biggest airline Ryanair, would boost profits

At least 30 killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza Strip, say officials

Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 30 people on Sunday, including six children at a water collection point, local health officials said, despite attempts by mediators to bring about a ceasefire. Israel and Hamas appeared no closer to a breakthrough in talks meant to pause the 21-month war and free some Israeli hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington last week to discuss the deal with the Trump administration, but a new sticking point has emerged over the deployment of Israeli troops during the truce, raising questions over the feasibility of a new deal. Israel says it will only end the war once Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something it refuses to do. Hamas says it is willing to free all the remaining 50 hostages, less than half said to be alive, in exchange for an end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces. Gaza's Health Ministry said Sunday that more than 58,000 people have been killed in the war. The ...

India aims to import about 10% of its LPG from US starting 2026: Report

India had rarely bought U.S. LPG in the past due to higher freight costs, but state retailers began buying U.S. LPG in May after China imposed retaliatory import tariffs on U.S. propane

Yemen's Houthis claim first ship sinking this year in Red Sea attack

The ship's Greek operator Stem Shipping told Reuters it had no independent verification. Reuters could also not immediately verify whether the ship had sunk

Executions in Saudi Arabia hit record high mostly over drug cases: Amnesty

Executions in Saudi Arabia surged last year to a record high, Amnesty International said Monday, as activists increasingly warn about the kingdom's use of the death penalty in nonviolent drug cases. Saudi Arabia executed 345 people last year, the highest number ever recorded by Amnesty in over three decades of reporting. In the first six months of this year alone, 180 people have been put to death, the group said, signalling that record likely will again be broken. This year, about two-thirds of those executed were convicted on non-lethal drug charges, the activist group Reprieve said separately. Amnesty also has raised similar concerns about executions in drug cases. Saudi Arabia has not offered any comment on why it increasingly employs the death penalty in the kingdom. Saudi officials did not respond to detailed questions from The Associated Press about the executions and why it is using the death penalty for nonviolent drug cases. However, it conflicts with comments from Crown

Ship attacked in Red Sea near Yemen amid ongoing regional tensions

A ship came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, a group overseen by the British military said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and after the Iran-Israel war and airstrikes by the United States targeting Iranian nuclear sites. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said that an armed security team on the ship had returned fire and that the situation is ongoing. Authorities are investigating, it said. Yemen's Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killi

Russia won't back down from Ukraine war objectives: Putin tells Trump

Putin says Russia remains committed to its Ukraine war aims in phone call with Trump but is open to talks; US pause in military aid shocks Kyiv and Western allies

US' approach to Pak terror raises questions on Quad's effectiveness

The fact that a Quad foreign ministers' meeting was held a day after Mr Trump was sworn in for a second term and talks began for a New Delhi summit later this year is seen as a sign of hope

Reliance Power participates in global bids for 1,500-MW energy project

Anil Ambani's Reliance Power Ltd is planning to set up a 1,500-MW gas-based power project overseas and is actively participating in several international tenders for its development, according to sources. Sources said, Reliance Power has submitted competitive bids for gas-based power projects in Kuwait, UAE, and Malaysia as part of its selective global expansion strategy. The company has recently secured two mega power projects in Bhutan - a 500-MW solar project and a 770-MW hydropower project. Based on the outcome of the ongoing international bids, Reliance Power plans to relocate two 750 MW modules of world-class equipment currently in its possession in India. The proposed project is expected to create significant value in Reliance Power's balance sheet, as the company aims to realise up to Rs 2,000 crore through the monetisation of these assets. When contacted, a Reliance Power spokesperson confirmed the company's participation in global tenders. Originally, the company had ..

India's engineering exports see marginal decline of 0.82% in May: EEPC

The country's engineering exports conceded a marginal fall of 0.82 per cent year-on-year to USD 9.89 billion in May due to a higher statistical base and geopolitical tensions in West Asia, EEPC India said in a statement. According to EEPC, the share of engineering goods in the country's overall merchandise exports increased to 25.53 per cent during this period. India's engineering exports to the US, a top destination among major exporting countries, remained positive in May 2025 with total shipments growing 4.6 per cent to USD 1.74 billion year-on-year. Engineering shipments to China registered a 5.1 per cent year-on-year decline to USD 207.36 million in May this year as compared to USD 218.59 million in the corresponding month last year, the statement said. To countries like Germany, the UK, Japan, Italy and Italy, engineering goods exports showed positive growth in May this year, while shipments to Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam showed negative growth. On a cumulative basis, India's

Evacuated over 3,400 Indian nationals from Iran in 14 flights so far: MEA

India has evacuated over 3,400 Indian nationals from Iran so far in 14 flights under Operation Sindhu launched on June 18 to bring home its citizens amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, according to data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. At his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to queries on Operation Sindhu, also said, New Delhi was "assessing the situation on ground" and depending on that a decision would be taken whether to "continue with it or not". On June 24, while India remained "deeply concerned about the prospects for overall and sustained regional security and stability" she welcomed reports of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Hours after US President Donald Trump's claims of an Iran-Israel ceasefire, the MEA in a statement said "India stands ready to play its part" to resolve the situation and insisted on "dialogue and diplomacy" as the way forward. Jaiswal was asked if India would continue Operation Sindhu .

An uneasy truce between Iran-Israel may be best-case scenario: Vandana Hari

True rapprochement between Israel and Iran remains elusive, complicated further by the Gaza conflict that has pitted Israel against Iran-backed groups like the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah, says Hari

Qantas jet takes 15-hour flight to nowhere due to West Asian crisis

The Boeing Co. 787 jet departed Perth for the usual 17-hour haul to Paris at 7.35 p.m. local time Monday

West Asia conflict sends India tourists to safer Southeast destinations

Online travel portals, tour operators, agents have reported a sharp rise in rescheduling over the past few days, with 25-30% of Indian travellers postponing or altering plans to Western destinations

No impact on CV exports due to the West Asia tensions: Ashok Leyland

Ashok Leyland says CV exports remain unaffected by West Asia tensions and aims to raise market share in northern India to 30 per cent in two to three years