Africa Asia Energy International

KSA: Aramco to Build Refinery in South Africa

Saudi Arabia’s oil giant Aramco will build an oil refinery in South Africa part of the pledge made by Riyadh last year to invest $10 billion in the African country, Bloomberg reports. According to Bloomberg, an agreement of intent was signed Friday by South Africa’s Energy Minister Jeff Radebe and his Saudi counterpart Khalid Al-Falih. […]

Asia International

Israel: Malaysia widens ban in solidarity with Palestinians

Malaysia Wednesday said in solidarity with the Palestinian cause will no longer host any international event involving Israel after barred Israeli athletes to take part in July para swimming event, reports say. Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah Times of Israel reports told a group of Muslim organizations seeking the Asian country’s tougher stance on banning Israelis […]

Asia International

Iran: 15 people killed in cargo Boeing 707 crash near Teheran

An Iranian cargo, Boeing 707 carrying from Kyrgyzstan crashed on Monday after skidding off on the runway at an airfield during an emergency landing near capital, Teheran, leaving 15 people dead except one crew member, reports say. The narrow body jet dating back to 1979 crashed into residential area after making an emergency landing at […]

Asia International

Gulf Crisis: U.S calls for end of spat, expands military base in Qatar

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Sunday in Qatar urged America’s feuding allies; Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on one side and Qatar on the other, to end regional diplomatic row has been going on over 18 months after the Saudi-led side accused Doha of supporting terrorism. Pompeo who is on regional tour in […]

Asia International

Vatican demands terrorism removal before Pope’s visit to Iraq

The Vatican has urged Iraqi authorities to stamp out terrorism before Pope Francis could visit the country as part of his inter-faith dialogue campaign. The Vatican Secretary General, Cardinal Pietro Parolin upon visiting Iraq the previous week told the Catholic TV channel TV2000″the problem of terrorism has not been resolved”. The second man in command […]

Asia International

Syria: Bashar al-Assad gives Baghdad green light to strike ISIS

Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has given authorization to the Iraqi Prime Minister to conduct airstrikes against Islamic State group (ISIS) fighters inside Syria as Baghdad seeks coordination between both countries in the fight against terrorism, reports say. The green-light comes after Adel Abdul-Mahdi on Saturday sent a letter of Bashar calling for “coordination” on the […]

Asia Headlines International Tunisia

Syria Breaking out its Isolation

Just after the United Arab Emirates announced the reopening of its embassy in Damascus, an aircraft departed from Damascus and landed in the airport of the Tunisian city of Monastir on Thursday (Dec.27). The plane was carrying more than 150 Syrian tourists who chose Tunisia to spend the year’s end holidays. This was the first […]

Africa Asia Business Headlines

Africa, Middle East & Turkey Wearable Devices Market Scores Strong Growth, IDC

Shipments of wearable devices in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region reached 1.13 million units in the third quarter of 2018, according to the latest insights from International Data Corporation (IDC). The global technology research and consulting firm’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker shows that shipments were up 77.6% on the corresponding period […]

Asia Headlines International Morocco

Sahara: Tokyo Deals Hard Blow to Polisario Separatists & Their Allies

Japan’s top diplomat reaffirmed on Monday that his country’s government does not recognize the so-called “SADR”, which is armed, funded and sheltered by Algeria. At a press briefing held after meeting in Rabat his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, the Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono said his country’s position on the Sahara issue had been clearly […]