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☆ Egyptian army says border guards hurt in accidental hit by Israeli tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBAI, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Several Egyptian border guards sustained minor injuries on Sunday after being accidentally hit by fragments of a shell from an Israeli tank, a spokesperson for the Egyptian army said. Israel's military earlier said one of its tanks accidentally hit an Egyptian position near the border with the Gaza Strip. Israel's defence force "expresses sorrow regarding the incident," which is being investigated," it said in a statement, giving no further details. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Mahmoud Mourad; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ari Rabinovitch, Mahmoud Mourad, John Stonestreet Organizations: Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Gaza

☆ Kuwait re-appoints Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah as PM - state news agency
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUWAIT, March 5 (Reuters) - Kuwait's crown prince re-appointed Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah as prime minister and asked him to nominate a cabinet, state news agency KUNA reported on Sunday, more than a month after the government resigned due to renewed friction with parliament. Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who has taken over most of the ruling emir's duties, moved last year to end feuding by naming Sheikh Ahmad as premier, dissolving parliament and calling early polls, in which opposition members made gains. Kuwait bans political parties but has given its legislature more influence than similar bodies in other Gulf monarchies. While Kuwait has strong fiscal and external balance sheets, frequent political bickering and institutional gridlock have hampered investment and reforms aimed at reducing its heavy reliance on oil revenues. Reporting by Mahmoud Mourad; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Algeria arrests one person who threatened to blast Saudi embassy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 15 (Reuters) - Algerian security forces arrested one person who threatened to blast the headquarters of the Saudi embassy in Algiers, Algerian state TV reported on Wednesday. The Saudi embassy received a call at 3 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) on Wednesday from a person who threatened to bomb its headquarters, the TV added, citing a statement from the capital's security forces. The capital's security forces arrested the suspect after investigations, the report said adding that the person was subjected to medical checks and psychological tests before being prosecuted. There was no immediate comment from the Saudi embassy in Algeria or the Saudi authorities. Reporting by Mahmoud Mourad and Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Quake halts UN cross-border aid to Syria, unclear when will resume
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Even before the quake struck in the early hours of Monday, the United Nations estimated that more than 4 million people in northwest Syria, many displaced by the war and living in camps, depended on cross-border aid. Sun-Suon said aid workers were also struggling with limited access to water and power as well as looking for their own colleagues and loved ones. Aid already positioned within the northwest will likely be rapidly depleted, aid officials said. "We have heard there are some supplies in the system for the next 3 - 5 days however our concern is that these will be exhausted rapidly," Kieren Barnes, country director for Mercy Corps Syria, told Reuters. "We will need to significantly increase resources for northwest Syria and ensure supply lines are clear for us to respond."

☆ TotalEnergies says well drilling in Lebanon's offshore Block 9 to begin in Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Following months of talks, QatarEnergy has taken a 30% stake in the consortium, leaving TotalEnergies and Eni with 35% each. "From a geological point of view, I am positive" about a discovery in Lebanon's Block 9, Descalzi told reporters. Pouyanne and Qatar's energy minister Saad al-Kaabi, also the CEO of QatarEnergy, said they were discussing possible coordination on renewable energy in Lebanon. Lebanon's first licensing round in 2017 saw a consortium of TotalEnergies, Eni and Russia's Novatek win bids to explore. Pouyanne said the maritime border agreement had ended the "deadlock" facing exploration activities in Block 9.

☆ Oman's drilling services firm Abraj plans March listing on Muscat exchange
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 22 (Reuters) - Oman's oil and gas drilling services firm Abraj Energy Services plans to list up to 49% of its shares on the Muscat stock exchange in March through an initial public offering (IPO), a company statement said on Sunday. The IPO forms part of an exit plan recently announced by sovereign wealth fund, the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), the state news agency said. State energy company OQ, the selling shareholder, is wholly-owned by the OIA, which expects to exit eight investments in 2023 to generate about $1.3 billion. A diversified oil and gas services firm, Abraj is the largest drilling contractor in Oman with a market share of almost 30 percent. States such as Qatar and Oman are now seeking to capitalise on investor appetite for Gulf IPOs and compete with more active regional exchanges.

☆ Foreign investors pour $925 mln into Egypt since Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAIRO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Foreign investors transferred more than $925 million dollars into the Egyptian foreign exchange market in the three days since its currency sharply depreciated last week, Egypt's central bank said in a statement on Monday. Additional foreign currency from local sources, remittances from Egyptians working abroad and tourism also flowed into the market over the past three business days, the central bank statement added. Banks were able to fulfil more than $2 billion in requests by Egyptian importers over the past three days, in addition to the requests other clients, the central bank statement added. Goods began backing up in Egyptian ports after the central bank placed restrictions on imports in February. Last month the central bank removed those restrictions, and importers have been scouring for dollars to get their goods released.

☆ Traffic in Suez Canal normal after ship breakdown dealt with- SCA
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] An aerial view of the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal are pictured through the window of an airplane on a flight between Cairo and Doha, Egypt, November 27, 2021. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah DalshCAIRO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Shipping traffic in the Suez Canal was proceeding normally on Monday after tugs towed a cargo vessel that broke down during its passage through the waterway, the Canal Authority said. The M/V Glory, which was sailing to China, suffered a technical fault when it was 38km into its passage southward through the canal, before being towed by four tugs to a repair area, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement. The Suez Canal is one of the world's busiest waterways and the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. In 2021, a huge container ship, the Ever Given, became stuck in high winds across a southern section of the canal, blocking traffic for six days before it could be dislodged.

☆ Efforts under way to refloat ship stuck in Suez Canal, authority says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Efforts are under way to refloat a cargo vessel carrying grain from Ukraine that has run aground in the Suez Canal, the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority told Al-Arabiya TV on Monday. The M/V Glory ran aground while joining the southbound convoy transiting through the canal and tug boats are trying to refloat the vessel, Osama Rabie told Al-Arabiya. The ship is a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier, data from trackers VesselFinder and MarineTraffic showed. It departed Ukraine's Chornomorsk port on Dec. 25 bound for China with 65,970 metric tonnes of corn, according to the Istanbul-based Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) overseeing Ukraine grain exports. The Suez Canal is one of the world’s busiest waterways and the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.

☆ Egypt's new IMF agreement aims to reduce government debt - cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The new International Monetary Fund (IMF) $3 billion financial support package for Egypt aims to reduce government debt to less than 80% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium term, a cabinet report released on Saturday said. The fund didn't require the Egyptian government to cut spending on subsidies, the report said, adding the new programme aims to strengthen the social protection network for citizens. The IMF executive board has approved a 46-month $3 billion financial support package for Egypt, saying it will catalyse additional funding of about $14 billion. read moreReporting by Moamen Saied Attalah; writing by Mahmoud Mourad; editing by Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ IMF executive board approves $3 bln Egypt extended arrangement
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Amr Abdallah DalshCAIRO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board has approved a 46-month $3 billion financial support package for Egypt, saying it will catalyse additional funding of about $14 billion, the fund said in a statement. The package, Extended Fund Facility (EFF), includes a flexible exchange rate regime and enhanced social safety nets to protect the vulnerable, the statement said. It is expected to catalyse additional financing of about $14 billion, including investments, from Egypt’s international and regional partners, the statement said. It also provides for upfront monetary policy tightening and fiscal consolidation. Reporting by Mahmoud Mourad; Writing by Patrick Werr; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

DOHA/RABAT, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Moroccans slumped with disappointment on Wednesday after their team's semi-final defeat to France, but were still pumped with pride for a World Cup run that spurred tears of joy across Africa and the Arab world. In the first World Cup held in an Arab country, and one already marked by upsets, Morocco won supporters far afield as the first Arab team to reach the quarter-finals and the first African team to reach the semis. It is already an honour and we are proud to see people from different countries root for the Moroccan team," said Taoufiq Ouchikh. We lost to a world Cup champion and we dominated," said Abdelilah Sair, another fan watching in the same cafe. Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch lauded a team he called heroes that brought joy to Moroccans and made the country's name "resonate on every tongue during the World Cup".

☆ Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Pakistani embassy in Kabul
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 4 (Reuters) - Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on Pakistan's embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, a statement carried by one of the militant group's affiliated channels on Telegram said on Sunday. The embassy came under attack on Friday with gunfire wounding a Pakistani security guard, officials said, in what Islamabad called an attempt to assassinate its head of mission, who was unhurt. Islamic state claimed the attack was carried by two of its members armed with "medium and sniper weapons" and was targeting the ambassador and his guards who were present at the courtyard of the embassy. The attack injured at least one guard and caused damage to the building, the group said. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

He said Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi was killed while "fighting enemies of God", without elaborating. The spokesman urged Islamic State members in all countries to pledge allegiance to the new leader, adding that "he is one of the loyal sons of the (Islamic) state". The White House welcomed the news that Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi had been killed, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. Islamic State announced Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi as its new leader in March after the death of predecessor Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi. Islamic State emerged from the chaos of the civil war in neighbouring Iraq and took over vast swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

☆ Egypt's Sisi to attend Qatar World Cup opening ceremony – state TV
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will head to Qatar to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony on Sunday, state TV quoted the presidency as saying. Qatar has thawed ties with Egypt and its Gulf neighbours after a resolution early last year to end a political row that had seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt boycott Doha for over three years. Reporting by Yasmin Hussein; Writing Mahmoud Mourad; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to attend Qatar World Cup on Sunday
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Doha late on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup on Sunday, the Amiri Diwan of Qatar said. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have improved ties after a resolution early last year to end a political row that had led to Saudi Arabia, along with UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, boycotting Doha for over three years. Reporting by Omar Fahmy and Mahmoud MouradOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Turkish air strikes target Kurdish militants in Syria and Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Turkish defence ministry said early on Sunday it carried out air strikes on outlawed Kurdish militant bases in northern Syria and northern Iraq, which it said were used to carry out attacks on Turkey. The strikes targeted bases of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey says is a wing of the PKK, the ministry added in a statement. Turkey said on Tuesday it plans to pursue targets in northern Syria after it completes a cross-border operation against the PKK militants in Iraq, following a deadly bomb last weekend in Istanbul. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said late Saturday that Turkish aircraft shelled two villages populated with internally displaced people in northern Syria. Turkey has conducted three incursions so far into northern Syria against the YPG militia.

☆ Turkish air strikes hit villages in northern Syria, SDF says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Turkish aircraft shelled two villages populated with internally displaced people in northern Syria, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Twitter late on Saturday. Turkey said on Tuesday it plans to pursue targets in northern Syria after it completes a cross-border operation against outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in Iraq, following a deadly bomb last weekend in Istanbul. "In addition to the Dahir al-Arab village, which is populated with Ras al-Ain IDPs who were also forcibly displaced by the Turkish occupation in 2019," he added. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast on the busy pedestrian avenue, and the PKK and SDF have denied involvement. Turkey has conducted three incursions so far into northern Syria against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which it says is a wing of the PKK.

☆ IMF and Egypt reach $3 bln, 46-month deal, IMF representative says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO, Oct 27 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Egypt have reached a $3 billion funding deal that will run over 46 months, the IMF's representative in Egypt, Ivana Holler, said on Thursday in remarks aired on state TV. The state television's translator had said the agreement would last six months but an IMF statement published shortly after outlined it would last 46. Reporting by Mahmoud Mourad, Enas Alashray Nadine Awadalla; Writing by Lina Najem; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Egypt's currency slides to record low after new FX regime unveiled
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAIRO, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Egypt's currency slid by more than 14% to a record low against the dollar on Thursday, Refinitiv data showed, after the central bank said it had moved to a "durably flexible exchange rate regime" and raised interest rates by 200 basis points. Egypt is trying to secure a new loan from the International Monetary Fund after its economic woes deepened due to the war in Ukraine. The fund has long been urging Egypt to allow greater exchange rate flexibility. Shortly after the central bank statement was issued, the pound weakened rapidly to around 22.5 to the dollar from an opening level of 19.67, data from Refinitiv showed. The central bank said it would continue to announce inflation targets "along the predetermined disinflation path that began in 2017".

☆ Saudi king names crown prince as prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not pictured) at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Louiza VradiSept 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziznamed his son and heir Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the kingdom's prime minister and his second son Prince Khalid as defense minister, a royal decree said on Tuesday. The reshuffle kept another son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, as energy minister, theroyal decree, carried by state news agency SPA, said. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan and Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih remained unchanged, the decree showed. Prince Khalid bin Salman, MbS's younger brother, previously served as deputy defense minister.

☆ UAE central bank raises base rate by 75 bps to 3.15% –statement
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Sept 21 (Reuters) - The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it was hiking its base rate by three quarters of a percentage point to 3.15% effective from Thursday, moving in parallel with the U.S. Federal Reserve's third straight hike of that size as its currency is pegged to the dollar. The bank said it would maintain the rate on borrowing short-term liquidity from the CBUAE through all standing credit facilities at 50 basis points above the base rate. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Alaa Swilam and Mahmoud Mourad in Cairo; Writing by Yousef Saba; Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lebanon's progress in implementing reforms remains very slow - IMF
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERSBEIRUT, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Lebanon's progress in implementing reforms required to unlock relief funds from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains very slow, the IMF said in a statement on Wednesday. "Despite the urgency for action to address Lebanon's deep economic and social crisis, progress in implementing the reforms agreed under the April (staff-level agreement) remains very slow," the IMF said at the end of its delegation's visit to Beirut. The IMF said Lebanon's small depositors must be fully protected and recourse to public resources should be limited. After meeting the IMF delegation on Wednesday, Lebanon's President Michel Aoun said that "domestic actors" had slowed progress towards reform. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Andrea Shalal, Mahmoud Mourad, Aidan Lewis and Maya Gebeily; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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