Special to WorldTribune.com TEL AVIV — Israel’s military, in what has been termed a drastic step, has canceled reserve operations for 2013. Officials said the order by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz came in wake of what was termed deep cuts in the military budget over the next 18 months. The officials said […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has become a training center for foreign security forces. The Interior Ministry has overseen the training of hundreds of Western and Asian security forces in the state-owned Prince Nayef University for Security Sciences in Riyad. Officials said the training for officers from such countries as Austria, Britain, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com CAIRO — The United States has warned its citizens of rampant criminal attacks in Egypt. The U.S. embassy in Cairo urged Americans not to travel to popular tourist sites where they could be targeted by criminals. The embassy cited the area around the Giza pyramids, said to lack security. The U.S. warning […]
Special to WorldTribune.com CAIRO — Yemen has reported a foiled plot to bomb its liquefied gas export terminal. Officials said Yemeni security forces stopped a car bombing of the LNG export terminal in Balhaf on June 2. They said the car exploded prematurely outside the $4.5 billion facility and killed the suspected suicide attacker. The […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Brian M Downing The Assad government, having lost control of large swathes of the country and deemed near collapse only a few months ago, has put together a surprising counteroffensive. The operation seeks to reestablish the ground route between the capital Damascus and the Mediterranean coast, where the regime’s Alawi and […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council is expected to award natural gas exploration and development deals that total $68 billion. The Western consultant, Deloitte, issued a report that the six GCC states were moving to develop gas resources to preserve crude oil assets. Deloitte said Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Norman Bailey The Iran of the Shah was friendly to Israel, but the theocracy that overthrew it is not. The Turkey of the Ataturk secularists was friendly to Israel, but the Turkey of the Islamists is not. The Egypt of Mubarak was friendly to Israel, but the government of the Muslim […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has reported record oil production. The state-owned Saudi Aramco said crude oil production reached 3.47 billion barrels in 2012. Aramco said the figure, which amounted to more than 9.1 million barrels per day, marked the highest production in its history. “Demand for oil and gas products is […]
Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Iraq is pressing its investigation into an allegedly corrupt Russian arms deal. Iraq’s judiciary has been hearing testimony into alleged corruption of officials connected to a $4.2 billion project to purchase Russian attack helicopters and air defense systems. The Iraqi parliament has already identified several officials suspected of taking bribes. […]
Special to WorldTribune.com CAIRO — Egypt and Hamas were said to be coordinating in a crackdown on Al Qaida-aligned militias. A leading Salafist commander asserted that Egypt and Hamas were cooperating in identifying and arresting dozens of Salafists over the last two months. The commander said the crackdown was taking place in the Hamas-ruled Gaza […]