The Iranian regime is using the Houthi militia as a pressure card against the international community and the US administration to extract concessions on the 2015 nuclear agreement, Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani said on Thursday. Al-Eryani claimed that Iran is pressuring the Houthis for a military escalation in …
Read More »Relations finally thaw between Qatar, Egypt
Delegations from Qatar and Egypt met in Kuwait on Tuesday for the first time since an agreement last month to end a rift, both countries’ foreign ministries said, in a further push to bury a Gulf Arab diplomatic feud with repercussions around the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain …
Read More »Shiite militias deny role in anti-US Iraq rocket attack
An Iran-aligned Iraqi militia group on Tuesday denied any role in recent rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq, but said an attack against Saudi Arabia last month was justified. It is a rare direct denial and the first time the Kataib Hezbollah group, one of the Iraqi factions closest …
Read More »Biden says no to lifting sanctions in exchange for Iran nuclear deal
Joe Biden has said Iran must cut its uranium enrichment before any return to talks over the regime’s nuclear program. The US president said he would not ease any of the tough sanctions imposed by Donald Trump after he withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, while Iran is not sticking …
Read More »Blinken warns Iran stone’s throw away from nuclear device
Iran will be weeks away from building a nuclear bomb if it stays on its current path, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Monday. In his first TV interview since his appointment was confirmed last month, Blinken said Tehran was months away from being able to produce enough …
Read More »Zarif hints at way out of nuclear deal deadlock
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested a way on Monday to overcome the U.S.-Iranian impasse over who goes first in returning to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying a top EU official could “synchronize” or “choreograph” the moves. Zarif’s stance was a shift from his position, expressed in a …
Read More »Rafik Al-Hariri’s son lashes out at Hezbollah
Bahaa Hariri, the eldest son of slain Lebanese statesman Rafik Hariri, is calling for a broad alliance — a “supermajority” — to coalesce around a plan to agree on the way forward for Lebanon as it faces multiple crises. Such an alliance is needed to implement the unfinished business of …
Read More »Egypt reopens airspace to Qatar in normalisation bid
Egypt reopened its airspace to Qatari flights on Tuesday and will allow the resumption of air traffic between the two countries as part of a thaw in relations with the Gulf state, officials said. The decision follows moves by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to end …
Read More »Saudi e-visas offer international scholars passage to the Kingdom’s past
Scholars of Islam and the Middle East the world over have long craved a glimpse of the rich collections of artifacts and manuscripts held in Saudi Arabia’s libraries and museums. So, when Saudi authorities launched its e-visa system in September 2019, academics leaped at the opportunity to visit the country. …
Read More »Bahrain mends relations with Qatar, open airspace
Bahrain will open its airspace to Qatar as of Jan. 11, the civil aviation affairs authority said on Sunday, following a U.S.-backed deal by Arab states last week to end a dispute with Doha. The move comes after Riyadh announced a breakthrough at a summit on Tuesday to end the …
Read More »Tunisia takes over at UN Security Council, vows to uphold Palestinian cause
As Tunisia assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of January, the timing could not be more apt. It comes as the North African nation celebrates the 10th anniversary of “the revolution of freedom and dignity,” in the words of Tarek Ladeb, the country’s permanent representative …
Read More »Saudi Arabian pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is complete (with video)
Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is complete. The six-storey building symbolizes the kingdom’s rich history, ancient culture and natural wonders. By the Levant News newsdesk A water feature alongside a 1,320 square metre inclined mirror screen is expected to be a major attraction. An art installation embedded with …
Read More »Legend Maradona dies after brief stint in Saudi football circuit
The debate as to whether Diego Maradona is the best player the world has ever seen will spark back into life with the news of his death at the age of 60 on Wednesday, However, those lucky Saudi fans who saw him in action in Jeddah in 1987 will surely …
Read More »Qatar condemns normalization as betrayal of Palestine
Qatar’s foreign minister said on Monday Arab states that establish ties with Israel undermine efforts for Palestinian statehood, but it was in their own sovereign right to do so. Three Arab countries – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan – set aside hostilities with Israel in recent months to …
Read More »Netanyahu quietly forgets Trump in favour of Biden
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after his election win saying he looked forward to working together with the new administration and strengthening the two countries’ alliance. “Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Joe, we’ve had a long & warm personal relationship for nearly 40 years, …
Read More »Saudi Arabia leads Arab and Muslim world in condemning terrorist murder of French teacher
The Arab and Muslim world was united in its condemnation on Saturday after a teacher in France was beheaded in a terrorist attack. Samuel Paty, 47, was murdered on his way home from school on Friday in the Paris suburb of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. His attacker, Abdullakh Anzorov, 18, a Chechen born …
Read More »Netflix partners with Saudi firm for animation enterprise
Netflix has struck a five-year exclusive partnership with Saudi Arabian animation studio Myrkott to produce Saudi-focused shows and films along with a similar period first-look option on the company’s upcoming projects. The link-up will entail production of new and exclusive seasons of the “Masameer” cartoon series and related upcoming movies, …
Read More »Iran warns against UAE-Israel deal as arms dealers plan for Gulf market
The United Arab Emirates has made a “huge mistake” in reaching a deal toward normalizing ties with Israel, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Saturday. He warned the Gulf state against allowing Israel to have a “foothold in the region.” The UAE-Israel agreement, announced on Thursday, …
Read More »International Aid heading to Beirut after Tuesday’s catastrophic explosions (update)
Russia’s emergency officials said the country will send five planeloads of aid to Beirut after an explosion in the Lebanese capital’s port killed at least 100 people and injured thousands Tuesday late afternoon. Aid from France, Jordan, Qatar already arrived Wednesday morning at Beirut airport. By Arthur Blok International aid …
Read More »Saudi now enjoys wold’s largest camel hospital
Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal on Sunday inaugurated the world’s biggest camel hospital in Buraidah. The Salam Veterinary Hospital will also have a modern research facility to diagnose diseases related to camels. The governor said the project worth SR100 million is a national achievement and it will help enhance …
Read More »Saudi Arabia: UN Aramco attacks report ‘leaves no doubt’ over Iran’s hostile intentions
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed Tuesday a UN report confirming Iranian involvement in attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities in September 2019. A foreign ministry statement said the findings of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ report “leaves no doubt for the international community about Iran’s hostile intentions towards the …
Read More »Russian wants oil majors to push prices up with OPEC
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak is due meet oil majors to discuss the implementation of global oil production curbs and the possible extension of the current level of cuts beyond June, sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The meeting on Tuesday is a further sign that Moscow is committed …
Read More »Russia, Iraq support oil price coordination
President Vladimir Putin discussed Russia’s cooperation with Iraq over an OPEC+ deal to reduce oil supply in a telephone conversation with Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the Kremlin said on Monday. The two men noted the importance of continuing their countries’ joint efforts in the oil markets, the Kremlin said. …
Read More »Corona lockdown awakening
People all around the globe are currently directly, or indirectly, affected by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The Levant News publishes voices from a wide variety of people with different backgrounds. After stories from the Netherlands, Lebanon and Italy today Mohammed Hussein Aldosari writes from Saudi Arabia. The Covid-19 crisis and …
Read More »VAT increased from 5% to 15% in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s government is suspending the cost of living allowance and raising the value added tax (VAT) threefold, as part of measures aimed to shore up state finances, which have been battered by low oil prices and the coronavirus. “Cost of living allowance will be suspended as of June first, …
Read More »Turkish and Italian embassies in Libya under attack
Shells landed near the Turkish and Italian embassies in central Tripoli late on Thursday, they said, in an apparent expansion of bombardment by eastern-based forces to a central district of the Libyan capital. The eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar has been bombarding Tripoli for months as part …
Read More »US authorities want more accountability over nuclear tech given to Saudi Arabia
The U.S. Departments of State and Energy should commit to regular briefings to relevant committees in Congress on talks about nuclear power cooperation with Saudi Arabia, a congressional watchdog said in a report on Monday. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said Congress should consider amending the 1954 Atomic Energy …
Read More »Some lessons to be learned from the current crisis
People all around the globe are currently directly, or indirectly, affected by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The Levant News publishes voices from a wide variety of people with different backgrounds. After stories from the Netherlands, Lebanon and Italy today Saleh Abdulwahed writes from the Saudi capital Riyadh. While driving through …
Read More »G20 to promote healthy foods in face of coronavirus
The group of 20 rich and emerging economies on Sunday launched an international initiative to accelerate access to health tools needed to fight the new coronavirus. The finance minister of Saudi Arabia, the current G20 chair, said the group is still working to bridge an estimated $8 billion funding gap …
Read More »Oil war still persists between Russia, Saudi
Behind a Saudi-Russian truce to stabilise oil markets with a record output cut, market players are seeing the two production heavyweights still trading blows in the physical market. The rivals said last week they were ready to take measures if necessary to balance the market by cutting combined output with …
Read More »Saudi Aramco defering refining payments during corona crisis
Saudi Aramco has offered oil refineries in Asia and Europe the option to defer payments for crude cargo deliveries by up to 90 days as plants struggle with shrinking demand, four refining industry sources said. The credit terms, which Saudi Arabia’s national oil company has offered through unidentified Saudi banks, …
Read More »Trump denies OPEC wants US production cut
President Donald Trump said on Monday that OPEC had not pressed him to ask U.S. oil producers to reduce their output to support global prices, which have been hard-hit by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump said U.S. oil production had already fallen, anyway. “I think it’s happening …
Read More »Saudis and Yemenites join hands to beautify Yemeni capital
The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) launched a program late March aimed at beautification, environmental sanitation and cleaning of the Yemini city of Aden. The 3-month initiative, called ‘Beautiful Aden’, will be carried out in cooperation with the Cleaning and Improvement Fund in Aden (CIFA). By Emad …
Read More »Putin in emergency talks with Russian oilbarons
President Vladimir Putin will meet the heads of Russia’s top oil companies for talks on Friday, the Kremlin said, describing the atmosphere on the global market as “unfavourable”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that the meeting would be held in the same format as one …
Read More »Oil prices on the up thanks to Trump, Putin
Oil prices firmed on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to talks aimed at stabilising energy markets, with benchmarks climbing off 18-year lows hit as the coronavirus outbreak cut fuel demand worldwide. Brent crude LCOc1 was up by 61 cents, or 2.7%, at $23.37 …
Read More »Russia wants new, emergency OPEC deal
A new OPEC+ deal to balance oil markets might be possible if other countries join in, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund said, adding that countries should also cooperate to cushion the economic fallout from coronavirus. A pact between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other …
Read More »Countries everywhere ban travel in corornavirus emergency
Countries around the world on Saturday continued to close borders, impose strict entry and quarantine requirements and restrict large gatherings in efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said it will close all its retail stores worldwide, outside Greater China, until March 27. Apple reopened …
Read More »Iran and the US: A path back from the brink
By Seyed Hossein Mousavian Once the situation is de-escalated, there could be a chance for a breakthrough in relations, especially after upcoming presidential elections Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, containment has been the default Iran policy of every US administration. Presidents, both Democrat and Republican, have pursued an ill-advised …
Read More »NEOM the first completely digitalized city with ‘Solar Dome’ Desalination Plant
Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary project NEOM is set to become the first completely digitalized city in the world. By Dr. Haytham Mouzahem “We are going to be the first place in the world that is fully digitized. We are going to be the first region in the world where we are …
Read More »Neom to construct a ‘Solar Dome’ Desalination Plant
By Dr. Haytham Mouzahem Saudi Arabia will adopt a new solar technology to desalinate seawater at Neom, a mega-city that it is developing along the country’s northern Red Sea coast. Last month NEOM announced that it will rely on a pioneering solar technology to produce clean, low-cost, environmentally friendly …
Read More »Saudi Aramco garners orders worth $38.4 billion
Saudi Aramco has received orders worth 144.1 billion riyals ($38.4 billion) for the institutional tranche of its planned initial public offering (IPO), its financial advisers said in a joint statement on Monday. The institutional bookbuilding began on Nov. 17 and investors have until Dec. 4 to place orders. Aramco plans …
Read More »Saudi in defence talks with Oman
Saudi Arabia’s vice minister of defense visited Oman on Monday and met with ruler Sultan Qaboos, Omani state news agency ONA reported, following a deal to end a power struggle in the south of Yemen. The Saudi defense ministry said Prince Khalid bin Salman, a son of the king, would …
Read More »Rouhani to present Gulf security plan to UN
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will present a plan for creating security in the Gulf in cooperation with other countries in the region when he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Saudi Arabia and the United States accuse Iran of attacking Saudi oil facilities on Sept. …
Read More »Three steps toward resolving Iran’s nuclear crisis
By Seyed Hossein Mousavian The underlying assumptions on the part of Trump administration to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) were the following: 1) by implementing the “maximum pressure” policy, Iran’s oil exports would reach zero; its financial transactions would be fundamentally hindered and Iran’s economy would collapse; …
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