Author: News Desk

The Biden administration’s plan to sell four large, armable drones to Ukraine has been paused on the fear its sophisticated surveillance equipment might fall into enemy hands, according to two people familiar with the matter. The technical objection to the sale was raised during a deeper review by the Pentagon’s Defense Technology Security Administration charged with keeping high value technology safe from enemy hands. Previously the plan, which has been circulating since March, had been approved by the White House, three people said. The plan to sell Ukraine four MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones that can be armed with Hellfire missiles…

Lithuanian authorities said a ban on the transit through their territory to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad of goods that are subject to EU sanctions will take effect from Saturday. News of the ban came on Friday, through a video posted by the region’s governor Anton Alikhanov. The EU sanctions list notably includes coal, metals, construction materials and advanced technology, and Alikhanov said the ban would cover around 50% of the items that Kaliningrad imports. Its immediate start was confirmed by the cargo arm of Lithuania’s state railways service in a letter to clients following “clarification” from the European Commission…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited soldiers on the southern front line during a working trip to the Mykolaiv region, he said on Saturday, without specifying when the visit took place. In his trademark khaki t-shirt, the president handed out medals and posed for selfies with the servicemen in what appeared to be an underground shelter, according to a video posted to his official Telegram account. “Our brave men. Each one of them is working flat out,” he said. “We will definitely hold out! We will definitely win!” Russian forces reached the outskirts of the regional capital Mykolaiv in early March…

Bahrain’s National carrier Gulf Air, started its services to Milan. The maiden flight left Bahrain International Airport (BIA) on June 1 inaugurating the airline’s direct and indirect operations to Italy’s second-largest city. Gulf Air held a celebratory lunch in Milan which was attended by Ambassador of Bahrain to Italy Dr. Nasser Al Balooshi, Paola Amadei Ambassador of Italy to Bahrain, Andrea Tucci Head of Business Development Aviation at SEA – Milan Airport. The luncheon also included trade and travel representatives and members of the media.

Council of Representatives Speaker Fawzia bint Abdulla Zainal met Senator James E. Risch, Chairman of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on the sidelines of her official visit, along with a parliamentary delegation, to the United States of America. She stressed the importance of stepping up parliamentary cooperation and building on strategic alliance and historic relations binding the Kingdom of Bahrain and the USA. The Speaker highlighted Bahrain’s development and democratic strides, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, stressing efforts to promote human rights and the values of tolerance, coexistence, dialogue and moderation. She underscored the importance…

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the UAE’s independent nuclear regulator, has today issued the Operating Licence for Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant to Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s (ENEC) subsidiary responsible for the operation of the nuclear power plant located in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi Emirate. The licence, with an estimated duration of 60 years, authorises Nawah to commission and operate Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, Emirates News Agency (WAM) repored. The decision to issue the licence is a culmination of efforts made by FANR…

Lebanon will sign a “final” agreement to import gas from Egypt on June 21, its energy ministry told Reuters, after months of delays to a plan viewed as critical to boosting power supplies for Lebanon’s stricken economy. The plan, first floated in summer 2021, is part of a U.S.-backed effort to address Lebanon’s crippling electricity shortages using Egyptian gas supplied via Jordan and Syria, Reuters reported. A U.S. official said earlier this week that final approval of the agreement between the countries would allow Washington to evaluate whether the deal was in compliance with U.S. sanctions on Syria, after which…

The Egyptian Supreme Committee for the Management of the Epidemiology and Health Pandemic Crisis has announced the lifting of  all COVID-related entry restrictions that had been imposed on Egyptians and foreign travellers. This came during a meeting organised by the Committee under the chairmanship of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, with the participation of a number of ministers and officials concerned.

The Group of 20 (G20) major economies aims to raise $1.5 billion this year for a fund set up to better prepare for future pandemics, the health minister of current G20 president Indonesia said on Friday. G20 countries have provisionally agreed to set up a multi-billion dollar fund that health officials have said will finance efforts like surveillance, research, and better access to vaccination for lower-to-middle income countries, among others. Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in an interview the United States, European Union, Indonesia, Singapore and Germany have pledged about $1.1 billion to the fund so far. “If…

The wife of Julian Assange vowed to fight using every possible legal avenue after British Home Secretary Priti Patel on Friday approved the WikiLeaks’ founder’s extradition to the United States to face criminal charges. Assange is wanted by U.S. authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks’ release of vast troves of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables which Washington said had put lives in danger. His supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised because he exposed U.S. wrongdoing in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that his prosecution is a politically…