Latest news with #NearEast
Bloomberg
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Trump Hosts Netanyahu as Israel, Hamas Issues Remain 'Unresolved'
Barbara Leaf, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, says she is hopeful but not optimistic peace talks between Israel and Hamas will reach the phase because the "fundamentals that have divided the sides for months haven't altered." She speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg's "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)
Asharq Al-Awsat
29-06-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia, IFAD Partner to Fight Hunger
Amid a widening global food gap and the mounting impacts of climate change, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has underscored the vital importance of boosting support for agricultural and food-related activities to drive sustainable development in rural areas. The UN agency praised its strong and multifaceted cooperation with Saudi Arabia, highlighting key areas of focus that include food security, rural development, and strengthening resilience to environmental changes. IFAD is also ramping up efforts to promote the 'blue economy' as part of its broader strategy to support sustainable development, particularly in rural and coastal communities, a senior official told Asharq Al-Awsat. Naoufel Telahigue, IFAD's Regional Director for the Near East, North Africa and Europe, said the Rome-based UN agency is working to scale up sustainable use of oceans, seas, and water resources to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods, and safeguard marine ecosystems. 'The blue economy is an emerging development approach that recognizes the economic potential of our marine and aquatic resources—when used sustainably,' he said. According to Telahigue, IFAD has implemented more than 100 projects across 35 countries over the past four decades, with total investments exceeding $3.4 billion, of which the Fund contributed $1.5 billion. These projects have reached over 80 million beneficiaries, including fishers, aquaculture farmers, seafood processors, traders, as well as women, youth, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities. Currently, over 75 active IFAD-supported projects target fisheries, aquaculture, and livelihoods in coastal zones. The blue economy spans a range of sectors, including sustainable fishing, aquaculture, coastal tourism, marine renewable energy, maritime transport, and waste management. Telahigue said IFAD is focused on helping rural populations reduce poverty, boost food security, improve nutrition, and build resilience to environmental shocks. Since its establishment in 1978, IFAD has provided more than $25 billion in low-interest loans and grants to fund development projects in low- and middle-income countries. Telahigue pointed to a set of challenges hampering IFAD's mission, including limited funding amid rising global crises, the growing impact of climate change on livelihoods, and poor infrastructure in targeted regions. He also highlighted political instability and armed conflict as key obstacles to project implementation and sustainability. 'The lack of inclusivity and equal access to resources remains a major concern,' he added. To address these issues, Telahigue called for strengthening partnerships, adopting innovative financing solutions, and developing flexible, community-based interventions. He stressed the importance of improving monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure long-term sustainability and maximize impact. Saudi Arabia continues to provide robust and diversified support to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with a focus on rural development, food security and climate change adaptation, a senior official at the UN agency said. As a founding member of IFAD, the Kingdom has contributed more than $485 million since 1977, reflecting its long-standing commitment to poverty reduction and strengthening food systems in developing countries, said Telahigue. He described the opening of IFAD's liaison office in Riyadh in 2019 as a pivotal step toward deepening partnerships with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, facilitating knowledge exchange, and rolling out innovative initiatives. Among them is the 'reimbursable technical assistance' program, which supports smallholder farmers in Saudi Arabia's Jazan region with climate-smart production models for crops such as coffee and mango. In 2021, IFAD signed a cooperation agreement with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to combat hunger and malnutrition in the world's most vulnerable countries by improving sustainable access to food. Telahigue said IFAD's goals align closely with Saudi Arabia's flagship environmental initiatives, including the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, which aim to restore ecosystems and promote environmental sustainability—both on land and across marine and coastal zones.
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
PETER HITCHENS: Don't celebrate this ultra-violence. Trump's broken all the rules and plunged us into a forever war
Well, yes, it may be that it will work this time. Perhaps the Angels of Peace and Love will float down onto the arid plains and jagged mountains of ancient Persia, borne on the wings of a B2 bomber, or riding on the fins of a bunker-busting bomb. It is about time one of these high explosive interventions in the Near East turned out well. Just because everything went wrong in Suez, Baghdad, Kabul, Damascus and Tripoli, there's no reason to be sure it won't work this time. Operation 'Midnight Hammer' may have hit the nail on the head. But there is good reason to be cautious.
Fox News
12-06-2025
- Science
- Fox News
Archaeologists uncover 4,500-year-old baby rattles that reveal ancient parenting techniques
Recent research shows that parents have long looked for ways to keep their children entertained – including during the Bronze Age. The National Museum of Denmark recently announced the discovery of 4,500-year-old baby rattles from Syria. The research, which also involved historians from Archéorient CNRS in France and the University of Milan, was recently published in the journal Childhood in the Past. In the May 19 press release, the Danish museum said the rattles were mass-produced by professional potters in the ancient city of Hama. A total of 19 rattles were found in a residential quarter of the city, making the discovery the largest of its kind in the Near East. The rattles contained small pebbles or pieces of clay. They were made from the same mixture of clay as professionally made pottery in Hama, which suggests the rattles "were part of the potters' professional range alongside other ceramic wares," the museum said. "They were probably sold at the market to parents who wanted to entertain – or distract – their children," the press release noted. "Today, we use screens. Back then, it was rattles." How do archaeologists know the toys were designed for children? For one, the rattlers make such a low noise it's unlikely that they were used as musical instruments. Experts also observed that the handles are "very small and not suitable for adults, but they fit exactly into a small child's hand," the release said. National Museum of Denmark researcher Mette Marie Hald, one of the co-authors of the study, said the material culture of children is often overlooked in archaeology. "When you find items such as these, the tendency in archaeology has been to interpret them as musical instruments or even cultic objects when, really, they are something much more down-to-earth and relatable such as toys for children," Hald said. She said that the millennia-old toys aided the sensory and motor development of young ones, just as rattles do today. "It shows us that parents in the past loved their children and invested in their well-being and their sensorimotor development, just as we do today," she said. "Perhaps parents also needed to distract their children now and then so that they could have a bit of peace and quiet to themselves. Today, we use screens. Back then, it was rattles." Hald said she hopes the discovery "provide[s] us with a greater insight into the world of children in the past … From an economic point of view, it is fascinating that already 4,500 years ago, there was an actual market for commercial toys." "At the same time, it is touching to get a glimpse of a family's everyday life – perhaps a parent stopped at a market stand on their way home and bought a rattle as a present for their child." "This scenario is entirely recognizable to us today." Many remnants of the Bronze Age still survive after thousands of years. Earlier this year, a Bronze Age settlement was uncovered by archaeologists in the United Kingdom amid highway construction. In Turkey, a well-preserved loaf of 5,000-year-old bread was recently discovered, inspiring local bakers to develop a copycat recipe.
LBCI
27-05-2025
- Business
- LBCI
Culture Minister at Arab Media Summit: Rebuilding Syria and Gaza benefits Lebanon, and vice versa
At the Arab Media Summit, Culture Minister Ghassan Salame emphasized that Lebanon is no longer the sole focus of reconstruction efforts; instead, the entire Near East is in urgent need of rebuilding. He stressed the importance of cooperation rather than competition among countries seeking foreign aid, highlighting that the recovery of Syria and Gaza directly benefits Lebanon and vice versa.
