Egyptian intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, yesterday kicked off a tour around the Arab North African countries, including the eastern region in Libya, led by the rebel general Khalifa Haftar, to discuss “limiting the Turkish role in the region.” Local sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Kamel’s tour was aiming at discussing ... Read More »
UN: Libyan parties reached draft agreement of permanent ceasefire
Today, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) revealed that the two parties to the Joint 5+5 Military Committee will present a draft permanent ceasefire agreement to Fayez Al-Sarraj, head of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord, and retired Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, noting that a new meeting ... Read More »
Iran elections: Hardliners win every seat in Tehran as they sweep to crushing victory
Hardliners have won a crushing victory in Iran’s parliamentary elections, taking every single seat in the political powerbase of Tehran and leading in regions across the country. One unofficial tally forecasts that the nationalists and religious conservatives have won 178 of the 290 seats in the chamber with the liberals’ ... Read More »
Coronavirus may be ‘Disease X,’ World Health Organization expert warns
The deadly coronavirus is looking a lot like the theoretical “Disease X” that officials have long warned could spark a dangerous pandemic, a World Health Organization expert said. Marion Koopmans, a member of WHO’s emergency committee, said the virus is the first to meet the criteria of the so-called “Disease ... Read More »
IMF Asks Lebanon to Peg Dollar at LBP 1,750 or 2,000
An International Monetary Fund delegation wraps up Sunday a three-day visit to Lebanon during which it met with senior political and financial officials. “The delegation stressed that the starting point for the solutions should be reforms, topped by the electricity file,” media reports said. “The delegation also asked Lebanese officials ... Read More »
IMF extends visit to crisis-hit Lebanon: sources
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will continue meetings with Lebanese authorities on Monday, sources familiar with the process said, extending a visit to provide technical advice that was expected to end on Sunday. The IMF began meetings with Lebanese authorities on Feb. 20 to provide broad technical advice on how ... Read More »
Earthquake in Turkey-Iran border region kills nine, injures more than 100
Nine people were killed and buildings collapsed across southeastern Turkey on Sunday when a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck near the border with Iran, injuring more than a hundred in villages and towns in both countries, government officials said. In Turkey, three of the dead were children, and 50 people were ... Read More »
UAE banks lay off hundreds, close 49 branches due to slow economic growth
The English-speaking Emirati Khaleej Times newspaper reported that in the third quarter of 2019, the merger of two local banks caused licensed commercial banks to drop to 59, including 21 national banks and 38 foreign banks. ADCB merged with Union National Bank in May 2019, as the combined entity took ... Read More »
Information and Public Health Ministers hold joint press conference on Coronavirus
Minister of Information, Manal Abdel Samad Najd, and Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, held a work meeting and joint press conference at the Ministry of Information on Saturday afternoon, to shed light on the Coronavirus issue and the necessary and responsible awareness needed in this regard. Attending the meeting ... Read More »
France: We will be there if Lebanon needs financial aid
France is ready to support Lebanon financially, bilaterally or multilaterally, its finance minister said on Sunday according to a Reuters report, warning against mixing economic recovery in the small Mediterranean state with US-led efforts to counter Iran in the region. “France always stands ready to help Lebanon. It has always ... Read More »