Page 8 - West Asia

India beats rivals in West Asia private capital deals since 2020: Reports

India accounted for more than half of all Asia deals with West Asia investors and 58% of the capital invested in Asia during the period, outpacing China and Southeast Asia

Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpasses 30,000 as strike kills dozens

The Gaza Health Ministry said on Thursday that over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war nearly five months ago, as a strike on a crowd of people waiting for aid in Gaza City killed and wounded dozens, according to local hospital officials. Gaza City and the rest of northern Gaza were the first targets of Israel's air, sea and ground offensive launched in response to Hamas' October 7 attack. The area has suffered widespread devastation and has been largely isolated from the rest of the territory for months, with little aid entering. Aid groups say it has become nearly impossible to deliver humanitarian assistance in most of Gaza, in part because of the crowds of desperate people who overwhelm aid convoys. The UN says a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians face starvation. Dr. Jadallah Shafai, the head of the nursing department at Shifa Hospital, told the Al Jazeera network that around 50 people were killed and 250 wounded. He did not ...

G20 finance leaders eye regional 'conflicts' in tight draft communique

"Risks to the global economic outlook are more balanced," with faster-than-expected disinflation and more growth-friendly fiscal consolidation underpinning growth, the draft said

Used AI to help find targets for airstrikes in West Asia, says Pentagon

Machine learning algorithms that can teach themselves to identify objects helped to narrow down targets for more than 85 US air strikes on Feb. 2

Kerala leading India's healthcare talent migration to MENA: Report

Kerala leads India's healthcare talent migration to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, especially to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which witnessed a 3.3-fold increase in demand in 2023, said a report. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh emerged as the leading states contributing to the migration of healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors, and laboratory technicians, to MENA countries, according to data by blue-collar worker platform Huntr. Migration of healthcare workers from Kerala, in particular, witnessed a notable increase in migration to the UAE, with a 3.3-fold rise in 2023, the report stated. The report is based on data on Huntr platform and employer organisations in the Middle East from 2022 and 2023. It further noted that the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are the most preferred destinations for Indian healthcare professionals seeking job opportunities. These countries offer attractive incentives, including extended residency visas, financial benefits

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 67 Palestinians in civilian area overnight

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah says it received 44 bodies after multiple strikes in central Gaza. Associated Press reporters saw the bodies arriving in ambulances and private vehicles

Crude oil hovers near 3-week high on tensions in West Asia, China demand

There was no settlement for WTI on Monday due to a U.S. public holiday

Bidding pipeline in West Asia remains very strong: Larsen & Toubro

Analysts tracking L&T noted the company was an L1 bidder for a $2.5 billion contract related to this expansion project

Crude oil steadies as demand jitters counter conflict in West Asia

The March contract for U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, which expires on Tuesday, was up 7 cents at $79.26 in tepid trade while the WTI April contract slipped 13 cents to $78.33

Jaishankar, Saudi Arabian counterpart discusses partnership, West Asia

Jaishankar is currently in Munich, Germany, to attend the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2024 from February 16-18. Earlier, he met Atlantic Council President Fred Kempe

5 patients die as oxygen runs out in Gaza hospital seized by Israeli forces

Five patients in intensive care died after their oxygen cut off in southern Gaza's main hospital that was stormed by Israeli troops, causing chaos for hundreds of staff and wounded inside, health officials said on Friday. Troops were searching the complex where the military said it believes the remains of hostages abducted by Hamas might be located. The raid came after troops had besieged Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis for nearly a week, with staff, patients and others inside struggling under heavy fire and dwindling supplies, including food and water. The Israeli military said Friday it had detained dozens from the facility, including some it alleged were involved in Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. Negotiations over a cease-fire in Gaza, meanwhile, appear to have stalled, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday pushed back hard against the US vision for after the war particularly its calls for the creation of a Palestinian state. After ...

Crude oil prices drift up with focus on tensions in West Asian region

Brent futures rose 30 cents to $82.30 a barrel as of 0924 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 31 cents to $77.23 a barrel

Concerned over targeting of commercial vessels in Red Sea: Muraleedharan

India supports freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and it has voiced concerns over targeting of commercial ships in the region impacting trade and endangering the lives of crew of the vessels, the government said in Lok Sabha on Friday. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said India is closely monitoring the developments in the region. "India supports the principle of freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and has expressed concern at the instances of targeting of commercial vessels in the Red Sea impacting our trade/commercial linkages and endangering the lives of crew and ships," he said in a written reply. "India is closely monitoring the developments in the region. The Indian Navy is deployed in the Indian Ocean Region towards safety of vessels and seafarers at sea," he said. Asked whether the government is considering designating the Yemen-based Houthi militant group as a terrorist organisation, Muraleedharan did not give a direct reply. "Designation of an .

Netanyahu rejects Hamas cease-fire demands, vows to fight until victory

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas demands for a cease-fire and vowed to press ahead with Israel's military offensive in Gaza until achieving absolute victory. Netanyahu made the comments Wednesday shortly after meeting the visiting U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken, who has been traveling the region in hopes of securing a cease-fire agreement. We are on the way to an absolute victory, Netanyahu said, adding that the operation would last months, not years. "There is no other solution." He ruled out any arrangement that leaves Hamas in full or partial control of Gaza. He also said that Israel is the only power capable of guaranteeing security in the long term. Netanyahu also called for the replacement of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. Blinken was scheduled to give a news conference later Wednesday.

Welspun Corp Q3 results: Net profit jumps multi-fold to Rs 294 crore

Welspun Corp Ltd (WCL) on Tuesday posted a multi-fold jump in its consolidated net profit to Rs 293.70 crore in the quarter ended December 2023. It had reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 23.22 crore during the October-December period of preceding 2022-23 financial year, the company said in a regulatory filing. The company's total income doubled to Rs 4,758.17 crore over Rs 2,410.33 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Expenses were at Rs 4,438.79 crore as against Rs 2,386.80 crore in the third quarter of the last fiscal. In a statement, B K Goenka, Chairman of Welspun Group, said, "Operational and financial performances continued to remain strong for Q3 and 9MFY24. As per our planned strategy, we have finalised our foray into the plastic pipes segment, which provides us with a huge opportunity to leverage Sintex brand value." The company has also finalised an investment in ductile iron (DI) pipes in the Middle East region, he said. According to the statement, the company's

McDonald's Oct-Dec results: Sales rise 3.4%, hit by West Asia boycotts

A banner year came to a bumpy end for McDonald's, which lost sales in many markets due to the war in Gaza. Global same-store sales or sales at restaurants open at least a year rose 3.4 per cent in the October-December period, well below the 4.7 per cent increase Wall Street was expecting, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Customers in the Middle East were angered after McDonald's Israel which is operated by a local franchisee -- announced in October it was providing free meals to Israeli soldiers. In response, some franchisees, like McDonald's Oman, announced donations to relief efforts in Gaza. Last month, McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski warned that misinformation in the Middle East and elsewhere was hurting sales. In addition to customer boycotts, McDonald's has had to temporarily limit store hours or close some locations due to protests. We abhor violence of any kind and firmly stand against hate speech, and we will always proudly open our doors to anyon

Conflict in West Asia remains growing risk for energy markets: J P Morgan

Recent attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have disrupted international commerce on the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia

Crude oil up on tensions in West Asia, China economy worries limit gains

March Brent crude futures, which are due to expire on Wednesday, rose 8 cents, or 0.1%, to $82.48 a barrel by 1059 GMT

EAM Jaishankar, Israeli counterpart discuss ongoing situation in West Asia

During the telephonic conversation, the two leaders talked about India's views, assessments and interests in that regard. S Jaishankar and Israel Katz agreed to remain in touch

Indian tea exporters tackle West Asia market loss, gain ground in Iraq

'Aggressive promotion' helps companies to regain business share in nation