World

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will not attend the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos this week because its organizers had “abruptly changed its agenda”, its foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday. “He was scheduled to attend … but they abruptly changed the schedule and it was not …

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will no longer be working members of Britain’s monarchy and they will pay their own way in life as they embark on an independent future, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday. They will also no longer use their “Royal Highness” titles, the palace said in …

A car bomb targeting a group of Turkish contractors exploded on Saturday in Afgoye, northwest of the Somali capital Mogadishu, wounding at least six people, police said. It was not known who carried out the attack but residents and police said al Shabaab fighters had tried to attack Afgoye, about …

France has deployed a radar system on the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia to beef up its ally’s defenses after missile attacks on the kingdom’s oil infrastructure in September, French officials said. Paris has blamed Iran for carrying out the drone and missile attack, which crippled the world’s biggest oil …

Britain expanded the scope of its asset-freezing measures against Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah on Thursday to cover the entire organization as well as its military wing. The finance ministry move follows Britain’s decision last year to classify the whole group a terrorist organization due to its destabilizing influence in the …

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday Moscow has been urging Gulf countries to consider a common security mechanism for the region. “We have been suggesting to the Gulf countries to think about collective security mechanisms … starting with confidence building measures and inviting each other to military exercises,” …

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, witnessed today the signing of the UAE-Japan Strategic Energy Cooperation Agreement between the Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council, represented by Abu …

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that the victims of the Ukrainian airliner shot down in Iran would still be alive if the recent escalation of tensions in the region had not happened, according to a transcript of an interview with Global News TV. The U.S. killing of …

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet decided on Tuesday to use about 507 million yen ($4.6 million) from this fiscal year’s budget reserves for the Self-Defense Forces in the Middle East, the finance ministry said. The move is aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the Middle East and the …

Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should work together to de-escalate the tense situation in the Gulf, a Japanese foreign ministry official said on Monday, relaying comments by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The official said Japan’s strong relationship with both the United States and Iran enabled it …

Libya’s warring leaders held indirect peace talks in Moscow on Monday with Russia and Turkey urging the rivals to sign a binding truce to end a nine-month-old war and pave the way for a settlement that would stabilize the North African country. The Russo-Turkish push, which appeared to involve laborious …

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed on Monday a ceasefire in Libya initiated by Turkey and Russia, but cautioned that the United Nations must lead the process of rebuilding the country. “A ceasefire, yes it is a first step in the right direction, but what you need is …

Maple Leaf Foods Inc Chief Executive Officer Michael McCain criticized the U.S. government for escalating tensions in the Middle East, after an Iranian missile accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner killing 176 people onboard, including an employee’s family. “A MLF colleague of mine lost his wife and family this week …

Britain must invest in military hardware to become less reliant on U.S. air cover and spy planes in future conflicts, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was quoted as saying in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper. A steadfast ally of the United States that places its “special relationship” with Washington …

Libyan eastern forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar announced on Saturday a ceasefire in the western region, which includes the capital Tripoli, starting 00:01 a.m. on Sunday (22:01 GMT) and the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) agreed to the truce. Since April, Libyan National Army forces loyal to …

German chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday repeated a call for all parties to respect the Iranian nuclear accord, despite Iran’s decision to intensify its enrichment of uranium and moves by the United States to impose economic sanctions. Under a deal brokered in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Libyan peace talks will be held in Berlin, as Turkey and Russia appealed to the north African nation’s warring factions to enter a ceasefire. “We hope that the joint efforts by Russia and Turkey will lead to success, and we will soon send out invitations …

A Russian navy ship “aggressively approached” a U.S. Navy destroyer in the North Arabian Sea on Thursday, the U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said in a statement on Friday. The Fifth Fleet said the U.S. destroyer USS Farragut sounded five short blasts and requested the Russian ship alter course. “The …

Iran could have nuclear weapons in one to two years if the country carries on violating the 2015 nuclear accord, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday. “If they continue with unravelling the Vienna agreement, then yes, within a fairly short period of time, between one and two …

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is proceeding as planned with a trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman from the weekend, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Friday. Media had reported this week the trip could be canceled amid heightened tensions in the …

Turkey and Russia urged Libya’s warring parties on Wednesday to declare a ceasefire on Sunday as warring factions clashed and carried out air strikes in a conflict drawing increasing foreign involvement and concern. Turkey backs Fayez al-Serraj’s Tripoli-based, internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and has said it will …

Ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said on Wednesday he was ready to use his expertise if asked to help Lebanon, which is reeling from a deep economic and financial crisis. Speaking at a Beirut news conference, Ghosn said he had no political aspirations “but if it is asked of me …

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu held telephone talks with Turkish national intelligence chief and chief of Iran’s general staff, local news agencies reported citing Russian defense ministry. Shoigu and Head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan discussed possible joint actions to reduce tensions in the Middle East after the …

Germany still wants to save Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers despite Tehran’s announcement on Sunday that it would abandon limitations on enriching uranium, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday. “That would be a further breach of the JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) but not …

Britain’s navy will accompany UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz to provide protection after the U.S. killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani inflamed tensions in the region. Britain’s defence minister, Ben Wallace, ordered the HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to prepare to return to escort duties in the …

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif over the phone on Friday to discuss the killing of Iran’s military chief Qassem Soleimani, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. “Lavrov expressed his condolences over the killing,” the statement said. “The ministers stressed that …

The United States and its allies have suspended training of Iraqi forces due to the increased threat they face after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on Friday killed a top Iranian general, the German military said in a letter seen by Reuters. In the letter to German lawmakers, a …

Turkey’s bill allowing troop deployment in Libya marks a dangerous escalation in the North African country’s civil war and severely threatens stability in the region, a joint statement by Greece, Israel and Cyprus said late on Thursday. “This decision constitutes a gross violation of the UNSC resolution…imposing an arms embargo …

A Swiss diplomat delivered a message from the United States to Iran on Friday over the U.S. killing of senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, the Swiss foreign ministry said. “The chargé d’affaires was informed of Iran’s position and in turn delivered the message of the United States,” the ministry …

Britain has increased its security and readiness at military bases in the Middle East after the United States killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, Sky News reported on Friday without citing sources. Britain has about 400 military personnel in Iraq, who help provide training in the country. They are mostly located …

Greece, Cyprus and Israel on Thursday are expected to sign a deal to build a 1,900 kilometer (1,180 mile) subsea pipeline to carry natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean’s rapidly developing gas industry to Europe. They aim to reach a final investment decision in 2022 and completion by 2025. European …

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has devised technology to restrict the use of anti-aircraft missiles after they leave American hands, a researcher said, a move that experts say could persuade the United States that it would be safe to disseminate powerful weapons more frequently. The new technology is intended for …

Former Nissan and Renault Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was barred from leaving Japan whilst awaiting trial on charges of financial misconduct, on Tuesday said he was in Lebanon. “I have not fled justice – I have escaped injustice and political persecution,” Ghosn said in a statement. He said would “no …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed efforts to reach a diplomatic solution for the Libyan conflict in separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whose government intends to send troops to Libya, a government spokesman said on Monday. Turkey’s foreign minister has warned that the …

Bulgaria will start receiving natural gas from Russia’s Gazprom via Turkey from Jan. 1 and would no longer use the route through Ukraine and Romania, Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said on Monday. Petkova said the new route via the TurkStream pipeline would be more economically viable and could result in …

A Turkish military cargo plane landed in the Somali capital on Sunday to evacuate people badly wounded in a devastating truck bombing in the city a day earlier that killed at least 90 people including two Turkish nationals. The plane also brought emergency medical staff and supplies, according to a …

Greece’s Prime Minister said in remarks published on Sunday that if Athens and Ankara cannot solve their dispute about maritime zones in the Mediterranean they should turn to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to settle the disagreement. Turkey signed an accord with Libya’s internationally recognized government …

At least 90 people were killed in a truck bombing in Mogadishu on Saturday, according to a report from an international organization working in Somalia. The death toll from the blast had earlier been reported as 61. Source: Reuters

Italian state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri (FCT.MI) won a contract worth approximately $1.3 billion from the U.S. Navy to build four ships for Saudi Arabia, it said on Friday. The order is part of a multi-billion contract awarded to a consortium led by defense group Lockheed Martin – which includes Fincantieri’s unit …

Japan will send a warship and patrol planes to protect Japanese ships in the Middle East as the situation in the region, from which it sources nearly 90% of its crude oil imports, remains volatile, Japan’s top government spokesman said on Friday. Under the plan approved by Prime Minister Shinzo …

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte agreed on Thursday that the situation in Libya must be resolved in a peaceful way, the Kremlin said. In a phone call, Putin and Conte also discussed Syria and the results of the Normandy summit on Ukraine, the Kremlin said …

China, Iran and Russia will hold joint naval drills starting on Friday in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman, China’s defense ministry said on Thursday, amid heightened tension in the region between Iran and the United States. China will send the Xining, a guided missile destroyer, to the drills, …

Talks in Moscow between a Turkish government delegation and Russian diplomats lasted for three days, much longer than expected, as the two sides tried to find compromises on Syria and Libya, the Vedomosti daily reported on Thursday. A Turkish delegation traveled to Russia on Monday for talks on Syria, following …

Pope Francis urged the world to let the light of Christmas pierce the “darkness in human hearts” that leads to religious persecution, social injustice, armed conflicts and fear of migrants. In his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) Christmas Day message, the 83-year-old pope called for peace …