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☆ Starbucks Franchise Lays Off Workers in Mideast Amid Gaza-Tied Boycotts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Starbucks franchise operators across the Middle East and Southeast Asia are losing significant business amid boycotts linked to the Israel-Hamas war, and at least one has started laying off employees. Alshaya Group, a Kuwait-based franchise operator that owns the rights to operate Starbucks in the Middle East, confirmed on Tuesday that it planned to cut 2,000 jobs across the region “as a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months.”Alshaya Group, which operates over 1,900 Starbucks shops in the Middle East and North Africa that employ 19,000 workers, said in a statement that it would provide affected employees and their families with “the support they need.”The cuts added to drama playing out in the United States, where Starbucks management and a union of Starbucks workers sued each other after the union expressed solidarity with Palestinians.

Persons: ” Organizations: Starbucks, Alshaya, ” Alshaya Locations: East, Southeast Asia, Israel, Kuwait, North Africa, United States

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Middle East franchisee of Starbucks said Tuesday it has begun firing around 2,000 workers at its coffee shops across the region after the brand found itself targeted by activists during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Alshaya runs about 1,900 Starbucks branches in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. Since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7, Starbucks has found itself alongside other Western brands targeted by pro-Palestinian activists over the war. “We do not use our profits to fund any government or military operations anywhere — and never have.”In October, Starbucks sued Workers United, which has organized workers in at least 370 U.S. Starbucks stores. Starbucks isn't the only brand targeted by activists in the war.

Persons: Alshaya, “, Boycotters Organizations: United Arab Emirates, East, Starbucks, Reuters, Workers United, Israel, McDonald's Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Israel, Gaza, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Seattle, U.S

☆ Mideast Starbucks franchisee firing 2,000 workers after being targeted in Israel-Hamas war boycott
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Middle East franchisee of Starbucks said Tuesday it has begun firing around 2,000 workers at its coffee shops across the region after the brand found itself targeted by activists during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Alshaya runs about 1,900 Starbucks branches in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. Since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7, Starbucks has found itself alongside other Western brands targeted by pro-Palestinian activists over the war. In October, Starbucks sued Workers United, which has organized workers in at least 370 U.S. Starbucks stores. Starbucks isn't the only brand targeted by activists in the war.

Persons: Alshaya, Boycotters Organizations: East, Starbucks, Reuters, Workers United, Israel, McDonald's Locations: Israel, Gaza, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Seattle, U.S

☆ OPEC to Extend Oil Production Cuts Through June
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said Sunday that it would extend cuts in oil production through June, noting that it was acting “in coordination with some” other states. The decision to keep output cuts in place was expected and appears intended to bolster what might otherwise be weak oil prices. Some analysts forecast that the supply of oil will exceed demand in the first half of this year. Without continued cuts, prices might sink. Saudi Arabia described the move as “precautionary.” Holding back oil production has “the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the kingdom said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Persons: ” Organizations: Organization of, Petroleum, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Press Agency Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Kuwait

☆ OPEC+ members extend oil output cuts to Q2
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —OPEC+ member nations have agreed to extend their voluntary cuts to crude oil production through the second quarter, the group announced Sunday. The move is a part of the group’s perpetual balancing act to stabilize oil prices by reducing supply. OPEC+, a coalition of the world’s top oil producing countries, had announced voluntary oil cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day in November. The Energy Information Administration reported last month oil refinery inputs, crude oil stock, and gasoline production were all increasing. Oil prices fell on the agency’s announcement US commercial crude oil inventory was sitting at 447.2 million barrels.

Persons: Brent, Goldman Sachs Organizations: CNN, OPEC, The United Emirates, AAA, Energy Information Administration, EIA Locations: OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Oman, United States

☆ Dubai wants to build the biggest airport in the world. Here’s how that’s going
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Miquel Ros | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

To put that in perspective, that’s nearly 63 million more travelers than the world’s current busiest airport, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International, handled in 2022 and nearly 100 million more than Dubai International. philipus/Alamy Stock PhotoThe recent Dubai Air Show, held at a purpose-built venue at Al Maktoum International Airport in 2023, offered some intriguing hints about what’s ahead for DWC – and some insights into Dubai Airports’ long-term strategy. “We have prioritized expansion and investments at DXB to meet our customers’ requirements and plans,” Paul Griffiths, Dubai Airports CEO, tells CNN. Changing the business modelNew artist renderings haven't been released in a decade, but Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths says the team will soon be working on ambitious new designs. It will have capacity for 185 million passengers per year, or almost seven times the number it handled in 2022.

Persons: Al Maktoum, it‘ll, that’s, Hartsfield –, let’s, DWC, ’ Al Maktoum, DWC –, ” Paul Griffiths, ”, Griffiths, ” Griffiths, “, haven't, Paul Griffiths, “ We’re, Mohammed bin Rashid, Nadine Itani, Abu Dhabi’s, Foster Organizations: CNN, Al, Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai World, Dubai Airports, Dubai International, Al Maktoum International, Hartsfield, Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International, Emirates Cargo, UAE, ‘, ’ Al Maktoum International, Dubai Air, Dubai, AFP, Traveller, Emirates, University of Surrey, Hamad International Airport, Kuwait International, Partners, Sharjah International Airport, Air, Riyadh Air Locations: Budapest, Al Maktoum, Dubai, Dubai’s, Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Emirates, England, India, Middle, Europe, Qatar, Muscat , Oman, Bahrain, Gulf, Kuwait, British, Sharjah, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi

☆ Leaders should consider using frozen Russian assets to bolster Ukraine’s military, EU's von der Leyen says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The European officials and Canada's Prime Minister are visiting the capital Kyiv on the second anniversary of the start of the Russian full-scale invasion in Ukraine. (Photo by STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)European leaders should discuss using the profits from frozen Russian assets to boost Ukraine's military in its defence efforts against Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday. "It is time to start a conversation about using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to jointly purchase military equipment for Ukraine," she said in a speech before the European Parliament. "There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live," von der Leyen noted. Crucially, frozen assets are, by definition, temporarily retained rather than fully seized with the ability for reallocation.

Persons: Ursula von der, Belgium Alexander De Croo, Giorgia Meloni, Canada Justin Trudeau, Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Von der, Janet Yellen, Russia's Organizations: Canada's, Getty Images, European Union, Treasury, . Security, Bank Locations: Belgium, Italian, Canada, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Moscow, Europe, Kuwait

☆ Wall Street's favorite recession gauge has been flashing for 16 months, but the other key ingredient of a downturn is nowhere to be seen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A key recession signal has been flashing for 16 months, but the other half of a downturn is missing. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The firm pointed out that the spread between the 10-year and three-month treasury yields has been inverted for 16 months. Advertisement10-year minus 3-month Treasury yields from 1982 Federal Reserve Bank of St. LouisThat said, the inverted curve only accounts for 50% of a solid recession call. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley's chief economist, Ellen Zentner, warned that a "hard landing" downturn is guaranteed as the impact of Fed rate hikes still hasn't been felt fully throughout the economy.

Persons: —, Louis That, Jamie Dimon, Morgan Stanley's, Ellen Zentner Organizations: Service, DataTrek Research, Treasury, Reserve Bank of St, Fed, JPMorgan Locations: downturns, Kuwait

☆ South Korea digital nomad visa: what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

According to a report in the Korea Herald, South Korea’s Justice Ministry says the digital nomad visa will make remote work and vacations smoother for visitors. The site ranks South Korea highly for nightlife and youth culture, but gives lower marks for LGBT acceptance and English-language accessibility. Meanwhile, South Korea places 49 out of 113 countries on the English Proficiency Index, which puts it in the “moderate” category. Still, Humphries is undeterred in his quest for the South Korea “workation” visa and plans to base himself in Seoul if approved. “The South Korean digital nomad visa is a great step forward for allowing foreigners to reside in the country,” he says.

Persons: Ashley Humphries, he’s, Humphries, Jungho Suh, ”, Suh, ” Jeong Hyun Cho, Jeong, Ed Jones, Gawon Bae, Veronica Lin Organizations: CNN, South Korean, Korea Herald, Korea’s, Ministry, Korean Management Institute, George Washington University, Korea –, Statistics Korea, Human Rights Commission, South Korean Society, Digital Nomads Korea WhatsApp, Getty, Foreigners, South Locations: South Korea, Asia, Dubai, Cayman Islands, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesian, Bali, South, Seoul, AFP, Korean, expats, Turkey, Norway, Kuwait, North America, Singapore, Japan

☆ That ‘Unimaginable’ Smell in Cape Town? A Docked Ship With 19,000 Cows.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Lynsey Chutel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

When a smell so foul that locals called it “unimaginable” wafted over Cape Town this week, a search for the source of the stench choking the scenic South African tourist destination led to the city’s harbor. Nearly a mile from the dock on Monday morning, Terence van der Walt, a local wine distributor, was stuck in traffic when the odor, made worse by the hot summer weather, began to drift into his car. With a smell so enveloping, rolling up his windows felt pointless. “It was so putrid,” Mr. van der Walt said on Tuesday, describing his experience. “It would have been green if this were a cartoon.”After the smell hovered over Cape Town for several hours, a team from the local environmental health department discovered the source: a 623-foot-long livestock carrier registered in Kuwait — with 19,000 cows onboard.

Persons: Terence van der, van der Walt Organizations: Terence van der Walt, Town Locations: Cape, Kuwait

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Sunday that the military would soon enter Rafah, which is bracketed by a closed Egyptian border. Images and videos on social media, which could not immediately be verified, showed injured people and damage to buildings in Rafah. On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu promised to offer Palestinians “safe passage” to northern areas of Gaza before the planned ground invasion, though he offered no details. On Wednesday, Mr. Netanyahu spurned an offer from Hamas to free Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel withdrawing from Gaza, abiding by a long-term cease-fire and freeing Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Asked during an interview broadcast on Sunday how many of the remaining hostages were still alive, Mr. Netanyahu said, “Enough to warrant the kind of efforts that we’re doing.”

Persons: ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Daniel Hagari, Wafa, Ziad Obeid, Netanyahu, Israel, Mohammed Abed Organizations: Hamas, Local, Palestinian Authority, ”, Kuwait Hospital, United Nations, ., Agence France Locations: Gazan, Rafah, Israel, Kuwait, United States, Britain, Gaza, Egypt

☆ Israel Says It Conducted ‘Wave of Attacks’ on Rafah
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Andrés R. Martínez | More About Andrés R. Martínez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Israel’s military said early Monday that it had conducted a “wave of attacks” on Rafah, the city in Gaza to which more than a million displaced Palestinians have fled. At about 3 a.m. local time, the military said on Telegram that its strikes on “quality targets” were over. Images and videos on social media, which could not immediately be verified, showed injured people and damage to buildings. News outlets reported deadly attacks on two mosques in Rafah and said people were being taken to Kuwait Hospital in the city. Israel’s most important allies, including the United States and Britain, have warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to go ahead with a plan to send troops into Rafah.

Persons: ”, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Kuwait Hospital, United Nations Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Kuwait, United States, Britain

☆ Italy's Amalfi Coast will get a new airport
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

That rule is about to get a little less hard and fast as the Amalfi Coast gets its “own” airport. Technically it’s a reopening rather than a new airport built from scratch. ‘An important moment for the region’The Amalfi Coast is stunningly beautiful -- and it is one of the most overtouristed parts of Italy. GI_ELLE/iStock Editorial/Getty ImagesAnd while the Amalfi Coast has struggled with overtourism with authorities introducing major restrictions on cars to ease congestion, locals seem pleased. Fausto Salsano, owner of Vietri Centro B&B in Vietri sul Mare, the first village on the famous coastline, told CNN: “I’m thrilled that we will have an Amalfi Coast airport.

Persons: CNN —, Volotea, “, ” GESAC, Frank Bienewald, Carlos Muñoz, GESAC’s Roberto Barbieri, Fausto Salsano, “ I’m, it’ll, ” Organizations: CNN, Amalfi Coast, Volotea, Aircraft, Nantes, Cagliari, Catania, GESAC, Vietri Centro Locations: Italy, Amalfi, Salerno Costa, Salerno, Airlines, Spanish, France, Sardinia, Verona, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam Schiphol, Kuwait City, Naples, Vietri sul Mare, Amalfi Coast

☆ Nikki Haley goes after Trump and Biden as ‘grumpy old men’ even as she courts older voters in South Carolina
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Aaron Pellish | Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

But the Haley campaign is also courting the support of South Carolina retirees, a growing portion of the Republican primary voter pool. She said on Twitter that this was her first Christmas card when she announced she would be running for the South Carolina state legislature. Nikki Haley/Twitter Haley celebrates with her family after being elected governor of South Carolina in November 2010. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Haley and her family walk back into the South Carolina State House after her inauguration in 2011. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post/Getty Images Haley visits a farm during a campaign stop in Grand Mound, Iowa, in September 2023.

Persons: Hilton, Nikki Haley, ” Haley, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Joe Biden, Haley, Maureen Bulger, intently, ” Bulger, “, ”, Biden, NBC’s, Ron DeSantis, Anna Memmo, it’s, ” Memmo, Ray Makalous, he’s, ” Makalous, Laura Holtzman, “ Trump, ” Holtzman, ” ‘, ’ Haley, aren’t, Larry Greenwold, ” Greenwold, Greenwold, he’d, Travis Dove, Michael, Nalin, Rena, Twitter Haley, Gerry Melendez, AP Haley, Chip Somodevilla, Tim Dominick, Getty Images Haley, Mitt Romney, Justin Sullivan, Alex Wong, Michael Haley, Rainier Ehrhardt, Jaswinder Singh, Narinder Nanu, Bobby Jindal, Jindal, Win McNamee, Sean Rayford, Saul Loeb, Mike Pence, Drew Angerer, State Rex Tillerson, Matthew Rycroft, Boris Johnson, Bryan R, Smith, Raad Adayleh, Brendan Smialowski, Spencer Platt, Evan Vucci, Kevin Lamarque, Don Bolduc, Brian Snyder, Jonathan Ernst, Jake Tapper, Will Lanzoni, Demetrius Freeman, Rachel Mummey, Jonathan Newton, Ed Spears, Spears, ” Spears, Carol Carty, ” Carty, “ It’s, that’s, “ I’ve, Trumper Organizations: , South Carolina CNN, South, Republican, Census Bureau, Biden, Hilton Head, New, Democratic, Republican Party, Trump, Florida Gov, Washington Post, Monmouth University, United Nations, CNN, State House, New York Times, Twitter, AP, Capitol, South Carolina State House, Getty Images, Conservative Political, Conference, Army National Guard, Getty, Louisiana Gov, National Governors Association, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, United Nations Security Council, UN, State, British, Norwegian Refugee Council, Gali Tibbon, UN Security, West Bank, The United States, Anadolu Agency, Republican National Convention Locations: , South Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, United States, New Hampshire, Trump, Iowa, Virginia, Hilton Head, Kansas, New York, CNN’s New Hampshire, Columbia , South Carolina, Afghanistan, Amritsar, India, AFP, Charleston , South Carolina, Columbia, State, Syrian, Jerusalem, Gali, Kuwait, Gaza, Londonderry , New Hampshire, Des Moines , Iowa, Grand Mound , Iowa, Miami

☆ McDonald’s says Middle East turmoil is hurting its business
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —McDonald’s said growing tensions in the Middle East have hurt its business. The Middle East doesn’t make up a huge part of its overall business. McDonald’s noted that it provided an insignificant amount of financial assistance for franchisees impacted by the war in the Middle East. That was far worse than the more-than 4% growth in the United States and other international businesses. Many McDonald’s operators in the region quickly distanced themselves from the Israeli operator’s actions.

Persons: New York CNN — McDonald’s, McDonald’s, McDonald’s Israel, Chris Kempczinski, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, East, Hamas, Starbucks Locations: New York, East, United States, Israel, Kuwait, Pakistan

Roughly 40,000 American troops are stationed across the Middle East, mostly in countries with close ties to the United States. There were more than 160,000 American troops in Iraq alone in 2007, during the war that followed the U.S. invasion. Image Al Asad Air Base in western Iraq in 2019. Credit... Nasser Nasser/Associated PressWhy are so many troops there? A military coalition led by the United States, including forces in Syria and Iraq, defeated it. President Biden has retaliated with attacks on Iran-aligned militants, hitting groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Persons: Jan, Al, Nasser Nasser, Biden, Israel —, Al Tanf, ” Gen, Hossein Organizations: U.S, Al Asad, Al Asad Air Base, Hezbollah, Army, Air Force, Washington, Operations, Navy’s, U.S . Central Command, Associated, Islamic, U.S ., Pentagon, ”, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps Locations: Jordan, Iraq, United States, State, U.S, Al Asad Air, Iraq’s, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Azraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Gaza, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, China, American, Islamic State, Mosul, Raqqa, Israel, Yemen

☆ A look at how stocks perform before and after the Fed's first rate cut — and how it may be different this time
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

How markets perform after the first Fed rate cut may be more complicated this time than investors expect. The S & P 500 rose just 3.5% in 2007 before collapsing 38% in 2008. A year after the Fed cut rates in 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic weighed on markets. How stocks perform will be especially important as Wall Street assesses when the central bank will cut rates. Markets are currently pricing in a 46% likelihood the Fed will cut rates by a quarter percentage point at its March meeting.

Persons: Ned Davis, Ed Clissold, Sam Stovall, Bear Stearns, Lehman, Stovall Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Dow Jones, Ned Davis Research, Dow, Ned, CFRA Research, Storm, Lehman Brothers Locations: U.S, Iraq, Kuwait

☆ Iran-backed groups in the Middle East and major US military deployments
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | Abbas Allawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The US has attacked Iranian-backed groups in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, while Iran-linked groups have targeted American personnel in Iraq and Syria. The US, having been trying to pivot away from the Middle East for years, finds itself drawn back into the region. And in some places, including Iraq and Syria, the US military presence overlaps that of Iran and its allies. The US has around 13,500 US forces in Kuwait, the largest American military presence in the region. The US this month quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence for another 10 years at the base.

Persons: Yemen’s, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Harakat, Sayyid, Al, Haq, Asad, Bashar al, Assad, Israel, Ali, Dalton Williams Organizations: UAE CNN, Hamas, Islamic, Navy, Marine Expeditionary Unit, Institute for National Security, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, National Intelligence, Badr Organization, Asad Air Base, Erbil AB, Al, Force, Fatemiyoun, ISIS, Syria Security, Syrian Democratic Forces, Syrian Free Army, CNN, Gaza, US Air Force, Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, Ali Al Salem Air Base, U.S . Air Force, Washington, United Arab, US, Udeid, Base, Forward Headquarters, Combined Air Operations Centre, Prince Sultan Air Base, UAE, Al Dhafra, Al Dhafra Air Base, Gulf Air Warfare Center, US Naval Forces Central Command Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Israel, Iran, US, Iranian, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Tehran, Pakistan, Islamic Republic, Washington, Lebanon Lebanon, East, Lebanon, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Iraq Tehran, Baghdad, Al, Erbil, Syria Iran, Syrian, Pakistani, ”, Red, Saudi, Yemen’s, Kuwait, U.S, Palestinian, Arab, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Doha, Al Dhafra Air, Bahrain, Jordan, Incirlik

JERUSALEM (AP) — A liquor store has opened in Saudi Arabia for the first time in over 70 years, a diplomat reported Wednesday, a further socially liberalizing step in the once-ultraconservative kingdom that is home to the holiest sites in Islam. The store sits next to a supermarket in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter, said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a socially sensitive topic in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia remains one of the few nations in the world with a ban on alcohol, alongside its neighbor Kuwait and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has banned alcohol since the early 1950s. As Saudi Arabia prepares for a $500 billion futuristic city project called Neom, reports have circulated that alcohol could be served at a beach resort there.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, King Abdulaziz, Prince Mishari, Cyril Ousman Organizations: JERUSALEM, Washington Post, Workers, Saudi, Arab News, Saudi Research, Media, U.S . State Department, United Locations: Saudi Arabia, Islam, Riyadh, Saudi, haram, Islam . Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Jeddah, Mecca, Neom

☆ U.S. Troops Are Injured in Attack on Air Base in Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Eric Schmitt | Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Israel and Iran have been locked in a shadow war for years, long before the latest war in Gaza began. They have traded covert attacks by land, sea and air, as well as online. Israel has conducted targeted killings of key Iranian figures and strikes aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities. Syria is a close ally of Iran and a conduit for Iranian weapons shipments to its proxies, especially Hezbollah. Iran and Pakistan Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza Clashes along Israel-Lebanon border Qatar Iranian strike targeting militants Saudi Arabia U.A.E.

Persons: Israel, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel —, SANA, Hojatallah Omidvar, Haj Sadegh Omidzade, General Omidvar, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, Ronen Bergman, Victoria Kim Organizations: Guards, Quds Force, Islamic, Hamas, Revolutionary Guards, Human Rights, SYria AFghanistan IRAQ Israel Iran Clashes, West Bank, Qatar, Qatar INdia Saudi Arabia U.A.E, Red Sea, TURKEY U.S, EGYPT Qatar Saudi Arabia U.A.E, SYria IRAQ Iran Israel Clashes, West Bank KUWAIT PAK, Qatar Iranian, Saudi Arabia U.A.E, Quds Forces, Brig, Senior Locations: Iran, Damascus, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza . Israel, Syrian, Britain, East TURKMENISTAN Syria, Iraq TURKEY Iran, SYria AFghanistan IRAQ Israel Iran, West, Gaza PAKISTAN KUWAIT Iran, Pakistan EGYPT, Qatar INdia Saudi Arabia, OMAN Red, YEMEN Sudan, Red, Red Sea U.S, Iraq TURKMENISTAN Iran, TURKEY, Gaza Iran, Pakistan KUWAIT PAKISTAN, EGYPT Qatar Saudi Arabia, Sudan YEMEN U.S, SYria IRAQ Iran Israel, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, OMAN, YEMEN, Iranian, Gen, Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq, Israeli, United States

☆ Nikki Haley wants a two-person race. New Hampshire’s independents just might give her one
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Arit John | Jeff Zeleny | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Haley and her family walk back into the South Carolina State House after her inauguration in 2011. Tim Dominick/The State/MCT via Getty Images Haley campaigns for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Haley waves to the crowd during the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2013. Alex Wong/Getty Images Haley hugs her husband after his Army National Guard unit returned in 2013. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post/Getty Images Haley visits a farm during a campaign stop in Grand Mound, Iowa, in September 2023.

Persons: Hollis, Hollis , New Hampshire CNN — Danielle Brown, John McCain, Barack Obama, Nikki Haley, ” Brown, Haley, “ Haley, Chris Sununu, Trump, Trump . Sen, Tim Scott of, ”, ” Haley, Sununu, “ Nikki Haley, ” Trump, Greg Moore, Charles Koch, Moore, “, ” Moore, Susan Rice, Trump . Rice, “ I’m, ” Rice, ” Michael Lewis, Donald Trump, ” Lewis, “ There’s, “ MAGA, GOP Sen, J.D, Vance of, Sylvia, ” Bill Jackson, “ She’s, She’s, we’ve, they’re, Trump –, Biden, Joe Biden, Ron DeSantis, Travis Dove, Michael, Nalin, Rena, Twitter Haley, Gerry Melendez, AP Haley, Chip Somodevilla, Tim Dominick, Getty Images Haley, Mitt Romney, Justin Sullivan, Alex Wong, Michael Haley, Rainier Ehrhardt, Jaswinder Singh, Narinder Nanu, Bobby Jindal, Jindal, Win McNamee, Sean Rayford, Saul Loeb, Mike Pence, Drew Angerer, State Rex Tillerson, Matthew Rycroft, Boris Johnson, Bryan R, Smith, Raad Adayleh, Brendan Smialowski, Spencer Platt, Evan Vucci, Kevin Lamarque, Don Bolduc, Brian Snyder, Jonathan Ernst, Jake Tapper, Will Lanzoni, Demetrius Freeman, Rachel Mummey, Jonathan Newton, Nikki Haley Prev, CNN’s KFile, “ You’re, Nancy Protzmann, ” Protzmann, –, don’t, Ebony Davis, Ali Main Organizations: Hollis , New Hampshire CNN, New Hampshire Republican, Democratic, South Carolina Gov, Trump, Hampshire GOP, Republican Party coalesces, Trump ., Republicans, Republican, AFP, White House, Republican Party, Hollis, NATO, Republican National, Convention, Fox News, GOP, Vance of Ohio, “ Republican, Marist, Biden, Florida Gov, State House, New York Times, Twitter, South, AP, Capitol, South Carolina State House, Getty Images, Conservative Political, Conference, Army National Guard, Getty, Louisiana Gov, National Governors Association, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, United Nations, United Nations Security Council, UN, State, British, Norwegian Refugee Council, Gali Tibbon, UN Security, West Bank, The United States, Anadolu Agency, Republican National Convention, CNN, Washington Post, Social Security, Social Locations: Hollis , New Hampshire, Granite, New Hampshire, Haley’s, Hampshire, South Carolina, Trump, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Concord, Washington, Newfields, Hampton, Manchester, Portsmouth, Rochester, Maine, Kingston, Nashua, she’s, Iowa, Columbia , South Carolina, Afghanistan, Amritsar, India, AFP, Charleston , South Carolina, Columbia, State, New York, Syrian, United States, Jerusalem, Gali, Kuwait, Gaza, Londonderry , New Hampshire, Des Moines , Iowa, Grand Mound , Iowa, Miami, Hollis

How Houthi Attacks Have Upended Global ShippingShipping routes before attacks After attacks EUROPE ASIA Suez Canal Red Sea Gulf of Aden Malacca Strait AFRICA Area of Houthi attacks Continued traffic South Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Ships diverted after attacks Cape of Good Hope Shipping routes before attacks After attacks EUROPE ASIA Suez Canal Gulf of Aden Red Sea AFRICA Area of Houthi attacks Continued traffic South Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Ships diverted after attacks Cape of Good Hope Shipping routes before attacks After attacks EUROPE Suez Canal Gulf of Aden Red Sea AFRICA Area of Houthi attacks Continued traffic Ships diverted after attacks Cape of Good Hope Note: To show the changing paths of ships that regularly traverse the Red Sea, 3,461 cargo vessels recorded at entrances to the Red Sea in the last three months are shown. Those detours, and the Houthi attacks, have persisted despite airstrikes by the United States and its allies against the Houthis. Houthi attack involving commercial vessels Other Houthi attacks in the Red Sea Three commercial vessels were struck in one day on Dec. 3. Nov. 15, 2023 Dec. 1 Dec. 15 Jan. 1, 2024 Jan. 15 Houthi attack involving commercial vessels Other Houthi attacks in the Red Sea Nov. 15, 2023 Armed Houthi fighters boarded a commerical vessel. The Houthi attacks have delayed China’s annual surge in exports before its factories are idled next month for the Lunar New Year.

Persons: Cape, Jan, JPMorgan Chase, Port Said Organizations: Global Shipping Shipping, Atlantic, Ships, Good Hope Shipping, Shipping, United States Central Command Shipping, Ikea, East, JPMorgan, Maersk, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Rotterdam EUROPE Venice, Good Hope, EUROPE Venice, International Monetary, Trade, Galaxy Leader, U.S . Navy, America Locations: ASIA Suez, Aden Malacca Strait AFRICA, ASIA Suez Canal Gulf, Aden Red, Suez Canal Gulf, Suez, Africa, Yemen, Israel, Gaza, United States, U.S, Asia, Europe, China, Northern Europe, East Coast, Maersk Hong Kong, The Singapore, Singapore, Slovenia, Port Said, Egypt, Port, Russia, Ukraine, India, Rotterdam EUROPE, Rotterdam EUROPE Venice Barcelona, Istanbul ASIA SYRIA LEBANON IRAN ISRAEL IRAQ Strait, Hormuz GAZA Suez, Kuwait, Red, Mumbai Malacca, YEMEN AFRICA, Aden, Good, Good Hope EUROPE ASIA SYRIA LEBANON ISRAEL IRAN IRAQ GAZA Suez, Strait, Hormuz Red, YEMEN, EUROPE, EUROPE Venice Tokyo Barcelona, Istanbul Shanghai ASIA SYRIA LEBANON IRAN ISRAEL IRAQ GAZA, Hormuz Hong, Suez Canal Kuwait, AFRICA Red, Mumbai Bangkok YEMEN Malaca, Istanbul Shanghai SYRIA LEBANON IRAN ISRAEL IRAQ ASIA GAZA, Suez Canal AFRICA Kuwait City Red, Red Sea, Beijing

☆ US Says Houthis Launched Missiles at Tanker Ship but No Damage Caused
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Kanishka Singh and Costas PitasWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Iran-backed Houthi militia launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a U.S.-owned tanker ship late on Thursday that hit the water near the vessel but caused no injuries or damage, the U.S. military said. The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, earlier on Thursday claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they targeted the ship Chem Ranger with naval missiles that caused "direct hits". The Houthis say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians under attack from Israel in Gaza. Since last week, the United States has launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, and this week returned the militia to a list of "terrorist" groups. President Joe Biden told reporters on Thursday that air strikes would continue even if they may not be halting the Houthi attacks.

Persons: Kanishka Singh, Costas Pitas WASHINGTON, TankerTrackers.com, Joe Biden, Eric Beech, Ahmed Tolba, Costas Pitas, Dan Whitcomb, Miral Organizations: U.S, U.S . Central Command, AIS Locations: Iran, U.S, Yemen, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Gaza, United States, Washington, Cairo, Los Angeles

☆ Americans are canceling trips that are thousands of miles from Gaza. Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Israel-Hamas war is affecting travel across the Middle East and beyond. Canceling plans a continent awayYet, the war's effect on travelers extends far beyond the Middle East, according to a survey from Morning Consult. Respondents said these plans included visits to the Middle East (12%) and North Africa (7%), as well as Western Europe (14%), according to the survey. Cancelations were high for domestic trips because most Americans travel within the 50 states, thus "there are simply more trips on the table to disrupt," the report stated. Some 52% of respondents with knowledge of the war said they viewed traveling to the Middle East as "very unsafe," compared to 29% of those who had not heard about it.

Persons: Saudi Arabia —, —, Olivier Ponti, Cancelations, Ponti Organizations: Middle East, United, United Arab Emirates, U.S . State Department, U.S, Department of State, Travel, Consular Affairs Locations: Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, North Africa, Western Europe, United States, Cyprus, Lebanon, Kuwait, Malaysia, Colombia, Oman, South Africa, United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark

☆ One of the most well-funded federal agencies has lost track of billions of dollars worth of military aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Pentagon hasn't kept proper tabs on $1 billion in weapons the US sent to Ukraine, a watchdog report found. More than $1 billion of a $1.69 billion worth of weapons sent to Ukraine remain "delinquent." The Defense Department inspector general's report comes as Republicans in Congress have been blocking new aid to Ukraine. Advertisement"Things are showing progress, but it's not enough," Defense Department Comptroller Mike McCord told reporters at the time, according to Reuters. Update January 12, 2024: This story has been updated with comments made by Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder at a press conference Thursday evening.

Persons: Pentagon hasn't, It's, —, General's, Vladimir Putin, general's, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, Mike McCord Organizations: Pentagon, Department of Defense, Service, Russian, Defense, Ukraine, The Defense, US, Department, Amnesty International, Office, Washington Post, Reuters Locations: Ukraine, States, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, Afghanistan

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