EasyJet said it was able to mitigate the impact of the war in Gaza thanks to capacity growth in areas where demand was rising, and that bookings had recovered since late November
Workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu constitute the majority of labour force from India in the construction industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, according to a report. Going by the data of Huntr, the UAE-based marketplace connecting migrant workers with enterprises, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu are the highest contributors to the migration of construction workers from India to the GCC countries. Workers with proficiency in construction skills such as masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works, and welding and having prior experience in construction projects, are highly valued by the industries in the GCC countries, the report stated. Further, the report revealed that certifications from the National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC) and good physical fitness are essential as well for workers who work in the GCC region. Workers with basic communication skills in English and adaptability to different working
More than 30 Palestinians, including young children, were killed in Israeli bombardments overnight into Saturday in the Gaza Strip, officials said, while a new US strike against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen heightened fears that the Israel-Hamas war could escalate into a regional conflict. Fears of a wider conflagration have been palpable since the start of the war, triggered by the deadly October 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas and other Gaza militants. New fronts quickly opened, with Iran-backed groups Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria carrying out a range of attacks. From the start, the US increased its military presence in the region to deter an escalation. Following a Houthi campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the US and Britain launched multiple airstrikes against the rebels on Friday, and the US hit another site on Saturday. In another fallout from the war, the International Cou
A US official said more than a dozen locations were targeted in strikes that were not just symbolic but intended to weaken the Houthis' military capabilities
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his latest urgent Mideast tour on Thursday in talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi as American officials claimed modest success in getting wide regional support for planning for reconstruction and governance in Gaza after Israel's war with Hamas ends. Blinken secured buy-in from previously reluctant Arab and Muslim nations to begin such planning in discussions with the leaders of Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain over the weeklong mission, his fourth to the Middle East since the war began in October. Each country along with Greece, which Blinken also visited pledged to participate in the general planning, although precise contributions have yet to be determined. On our previous trips here, I think there was a reluctance to talk about some of the day-after issues in terms of long-term stability and security on a regional basis, Blinken told reporters at Cairo's airport after his .
Robert Kaplan's latest book aims to offer a fresh survey of the 'Greater Middle East', but in doing so, it grossly simplifies complex political issues, reflecting American interests and prejudices
Brent crude futures rose by $2, or 2.63%, to $78.12 a barrel at 1312 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained $2.09, or 2.95%, to $72.86 a barrel
A Lebanese security official said on Monday that an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed a senior commander of the militant group Hezbollah. The assassination comes as clashes between Iran-backed Hezbollah militants and the Israeli military along the Lebanon-Israel border have intensified. It comes nearly a week after an Israeli strike killed top official with the militant Palestinian group Hamas in Beirut, and two days after Hezbollah launched a wide-ranging missile attack on an Israeli military base in Mount Meron in north Israel in retaliation. The Israeli military did not immediately comment about the attack. It said fighter jets have targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said that Israel struck a commander from Hezbollah's elite Radwan Forces, without giving his name. The strike hit a Honda SUV in the southern village of Khirbet Selm, while he was driving it, t
Brent crude slid 2.2%, or $1.74, to $77.02 a barrel by 1024 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures shed 2.3%, or $1.73, to $72.08
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has kicked off his latest urgent Middle East diplomatic mission in Turkiye, as fears mount that Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza may explode into a broader conflict. Blinken's fourth visit in three months comes amid worrying developments outside of Gaza, including in Lebanon, northern Israel, the Red Sea and Iraq, that have put intense strains on what had been a modestly successful US push to prevent a regional conflagration in the weeks after the war began, and growing international criticism of Israel's military operation. Blinken was meeting on Saturday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss what Turkiye and others can do to exert influence, particularly on Iran and its proxies, to ease soaring tensions, speed up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and begin in earnest to plan for reconstruction and governance of postwar Gaza, much of which has been reduced to rubble by three months of intense
Shipping giant Maersk said it will divert all vessels away from the Red Sea for the foreseeable future, warning customers of disruptions
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri said there had been no disruption in supplies due to the attacks by Houthi rebels on oil tankers transiting the Suez
"Hezbollah looks at what is happening in Gaza and it understands very well - what we did in Gaza can also be done in Beirut," declared Israel's Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant
India spent $157.5 billion on importing 232.7 million tonnes of crude oil with West Asia contributing 58% of all supplies
Iran-backed Houthi attacks lead to rerouting of vessels which can result in higher oil prices
Yemen's Houthi group strikes two Liberian vessels with missiles in Red Sea
Invoking the end of the truce on December 1, Hagari emphasised that the terror group chose war by rejecting the release of hostages and breaking the agreement
Netanayhu, who had warned all along that the campaign would resume, was similarly unsparing in his description of Israel's goals
Two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen came near a US warship after it aided a tanker that had been seized in the Gulf of Aden, the US military said on Monday, raising the stakes amid a series of ship attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas war. A statement from US Central Command said the missiles splashed down in the water some 10 miles (16 kilometers) away from the USS Mason as it aided the tanker Central Park. There was no damage or reported injuries from either vessel during this incident," Central Command said. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack. Central Command also said it apprehended five armed attackers who targeted the Central Park.