Author: Badri el-Shaban

DUBAI, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Non-oil business activity in the United Arab Emirates eased in July as new orders slowed from a four-year high the previous month, a survey showed on Thursday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index slowed to 56.0 in July, from 56.9 in June, but remained firmly above the 50 mark, which signals growth in activity. The slowdown was attributed in part to an easing of growth in new orders, although demand remained strong, with the sub-index falling to 57.4 in July from 61.0 the previous month, which was the fastest rate of expansion…

The port of Odesa, one of the main export points for Ukrainian grain on the Black Sea, was hit by a barrage of six Russian Kalibr cruise missiles overnight, Kyiv said Tuesday — hours after Moscow pulled out of a U.N.-backed deal designed to allow Ukraine to continue feeding the world. Ukrainian air defense shot down all the Russian rockets, but “the fragments of the downed missiles and the blast wave damaged port infrastructure and several private homes” in Odesa, Ukraine’s Operational Command South said in a statement. One person was injured. Twenty-one Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones were shot down by air defense…

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed ties and financial support over a phone call on Wednesday. The call came one week after economically dire Pakistan received a $1 billion deposit from the UAE to shore up its foreign reserves. Neighboring Saudi Arabia also deposited $2 billion. The transfers were made ahead of an IMF bailout of $3 billion that the South Asian country received on July 12. The money from the two GCC countries strengthened Pakistan’s foreign reserves to $7.5 billion – more than double its account balance from a week before. During the call between the two…

Women who became unemployed after the Taliban’s decree banning women from working in NGO have called on the Taliban to remove the restrictions at the earliest. According to Afghanistan-based Tolo News, women who became unemployed after a Taliban decree that banned women from working in non-governmental organizations (NGO), have called on the organisation to remove the restrictions at the earliest. The unemployed women emphasised that providing work opportunities for women was the responsibility of the Taliban. Mashhoda, who worked to support her family financially, said that knowledge and work are the basic right of every person. Mashhoda said, “Most of the family’s breadwinners…

With ongoing strike impacting several flights at Geneva Airport, the UAE’s major airlines on Friday clarified the status of their services to and from the Swiss city. Flights between the UAE and Geneva are operating as usual and are not affected by the workers’ strike, spokespersons of Etihad Airways and Emirates told Khaleej Times. An Etihad spokesperson said: “Our flights are operating as usual.” Dubai-based Emirates issued the same statement. Air traffic at Geneva Airport was at a standstill early on Friday, with dozens of flight arrivals and departures cancelled due to a strike over pay by public service staff…

It’s ‘just’ a civil defamation case, but it has caused thunder in Australia. Soldier Ben Roberts-Smith lost the case against the media accusing him of war crimes in Afghanistan, and to establish this the media had to present evidence of his criminal responsibility. But justice remains to be done while criminal investigations continue in silence. As Ben Roberts-Smith lay stretched out, sunning himself on a Bali pool deck Justice Anthony Besanko of the Federal Court of Australia was putting the finishing touches on a 726 page judgment, published on Monday June 5, that would confirm Roberts-Smith’s fall from revered national hero to a…

At least 11 killed and more than 30 others wounded in blast during memorial for former deputy governor of Badakhshan. An explosion near a mosque in northern Afghanistan killed at least 11 people at a memorial service for the Taliban’s provincial deputy governor, who died in an attack earlier this week, officials said. A former Taliban police official was among those killed and more than 30 others were wounded in the explosion near Nabawi Mosque on Thursday, according to Abdul Nafi Takor, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the interior ministry. Takor said there were concerns that the number of casualties could rise further.…

You are not Forgotten. Berlin, Brussels (15/5 – 40) In the vast and remote mountain lands of Central Asia, the Ismaili Pamiris have long faced systemic discrimination and persecution at the hands of the Tajik government. Despite their proud history, rich cultural traditions, and highly educated populace, they have been targeted for cultural extermination in a chilling campaign of ethnic cleansing. Tajikistan President Imomali Rahmon has demonized them as “inbred” and “criminals” and launched a brutal program to replace their community with ethnic Tajiks. In May and June 2022, the government launched a final assault on the Pamiris to end…

The opening ceremony of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Doha was held on March 20 during the state visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Qatar. The ceremony was attended by members of the government of Turkmenistan, heads and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Qatar, as well as the Foreign Ministry of Qatar. The flag of Turkmenistan was raised and the national anthem was played at the opening ceremony. It was emphasized that the event symbolizes the important role that Turkmenistan assigns in foreign policy to the development of relations with Qatar. It was noted that the work…

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently announced at the G7 Summit that Tokyo would bolster its defense with a hike in military spending over the next five years. The announcement, keeping China’s growing hostility in mind, came against the backdrop of Chinese bombers and ships encircling Japan. Military experts have claimed the People’s Liberation Army Bombers carrying powerful supersonic cruise missiles flew across the Miyako Strait in southern Japan, demonstrating the coordination of China’s air and naval forces last week, South China Morning Post reported. According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, three H-6 bombers crossed the Miyako Strait on June…