Saudi Arabia has indirectly reached out to Israel for intelligence assistance against the Houthis through US Central Command, despite Riyadh not recognising Israel or maintaining diplomatic relations with it, as per a report by The Jerusalem Post. The move comes as Houthi forces intensify attacks on Saudi targets and impose maritime restrictions that have created...
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on Monday wherein they agreed to implement the important consensus reached by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting on the sidelines of BRICS Summit. The two leaders, in a bilateral meeting held on Saturday, had agreed to “expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic and trade fields, properly address...
Elected representatives of three devolved UK legislatures – Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales – signed ahistoric pact on Monday, declaring their intent to break free of Westminster’s control. “The political landscape across these islands is changing. For the first time ever, there are first ministers in Scotland, inWales and in the North of Ireland who...
Fresh attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi Arabia and renewed pressure on the kingdom’s infrastructure pushed oil prices higher. Gulf Arab states also postponed planned talks with Iran, raising concerns about wider disruption to global oil supplies. Crude oil prices rose more than 4% on Monday before settling about 1% higher. At 0026 GMT...
Saudi Arabia requested the postponement of a key meeting on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson has said. Oman’s foreign minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi announced yesterday that the meeting with other Gulf nations to discuss navigation in the strait had been postponed “in the interests of consensus” (more in 8.31 post). The Iranian...
Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in New Delhi today to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received him at the airport. During his visit, President Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in a series of bilateral meetings. In...
US President Donald Trump has capped opening night of the unusual Republican midterm convention by making the extraordinary pledge to pay every adult American $5,000 if his party retains its control of both chambers of Congress after November. The billionaire leader coupled his claim with a plea for his supporters to “pretend” he was on...
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday on a three-day visit during which he will hold talks with the country’s top leadership to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in defence and maritime security. During the visit, India and Sri Lanka are set to sign three bilateral agreements, including one on air...
US forces struck five Iranian tankers on Tuesday, sinking one, in response to Tehran twice targeting an American warship, US Central Command (Centcom) said. Four Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were targeted, as well as another near Kharg Island, a major oil terminal off Iran’s...
Iranian authorities on Sunday announced they were raising the price of petrol for heavier consumers, as the United States steps up sanctions seeking to isolate the country’s economy. Iran’s quota system prices petrol in three tiers – 1,500 tomans per liter for a consumer’s first 60 liters in a given month, 3,000 tomans per liter...