Author: Saalim al-Dajani

In a major move to boost Saudi Arabia’s defense sector, the Kingdom’s General Authority for Military Industries has unveiled a series of investment opportunities in the military industries sector. GAMI’s strategic expansion includes an initial offering of 10 investment prospects with applications in both military and civilian domains. The announcement was jointly made by GAMI and the Invest in Saudi Arabia initiative, in collaboration with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Investment, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. This latest initiative is a direct outcome of the Military Industries Enabler initiative, which was launched by the authority earlier this year. It…

Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate General Authority will transform the housing sector by introducing its inaugural facility management regulation in the first quarter of 2024, according to its CEO. The landmark act is expected to elevate the industry’s trustworthiness and investment allure while overseeing real estate facilities. This initiative exemplifies the authority’s commitment to standardizing and regulating facility management operations, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The announcement was made by Abdullah Al-Hammad during his address to the Middle East Facility Management Association Confex 2023 in Riyadh from Oct. 15-16. The event was assembled under the banner “Facility Management in the Digital…

The European Union and Aga Khan Foundation Partner for Rural Development in Tajikistan High in the mountains of Central Asia, villagers can only dream of easy access to water for drinking and irrigation, as the river waters glisten in the snaking valleys below. That dream is about to become a reality as the European Union and the private, not-for-profit Aga Khan Foundation team together to promote agricultural development and improve access to clean and safe drinking water in Tajikistan’s Zarafshonvalley, a region characterized by mountain ranges with peaks reaching 4,000 – 5,000 meters high. The EU and Aga Khan Foundation…

Budapest (12/8 – 33) Mahmadzohir will theoretically be eligible to run for president in 2027. In Tajikistan, only the president is permitted to enjoy an unfettered public profile. An intriguing exception to this norm is emerging, however, with another figure amassing huge levels of apparent popularity and prominence. This person too is a member of the ruling family. Ismoil Mahmadzohir, who turned 26 last month, is the grandson of President Emomali Rahmon. His mother, Firuza, is one of Rahmon’s seven daughters. He attended the Elite British Prep School Queen Ethelburga’s College and is the CEO of IM Group. Mahmadzohir – a visually…

Israeli spy agency, Shin Bet, yesterday claimed it had arrested four Palestinian citizens of Israel who had been recruited to work for the Lebanese Hezbollah group, Channel 12 reported. Shin Bet identified the detainees as: Muhammad Issa, Nour Asam, Jalal Harsa and Ahmed Issa from the cities of Lod and Kafr Qasim, adding that they were arrested in July, during a night raid. The detainees had Iranian-made explosive devices, and many other weapons suspected of being used for combat purposes, it added. Source : Middle East Monitor

Berlin (21/08 – 50) A small community of bird enthusiasts in Astana have been setting ecological trends, advocating for ethical observation practices and environmental responsibility, and fostering camaraderie through shared sightings and insights. Ruslan Urazaliev, researcher and photographer, Kulyanda Tulebaeva, birdwatcher and photographer, and Vera Voronova, the executive director of the Association for Biodiversity Conservation of Kazakhstan (ASBK), shared their experiences supporting the city’s avian residents. Astana’s rough climate does not deter avian species, making it an unexpected winter haven for colorful birds like bullfinches, goldfinches, and snow buntings. As winter wanes, migratory birds stop in urban parks to recharge…

Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Ben-Gvir must be dismissed and replaced, and a new minister, who wants to and can deal with the crisis, must be appointed, Gantz said. Every minute that passes is a ticking time bomb, Gantz warned. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Gantz wrote: “The wrong person, in the wrong place, backed by someone who has not been doing what is right for the State of Israel for a long time.” Gantz’s remarks come against the backdrop of rising murder…

Colombo (25/7 – 30.77) In his book “Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday Massacre: Lessons for the International Community,” terrorism expert Dr. Rohan Gunaratna emphasizes the importance of de-radicalizing Islamic ideology to effectively combat Islamic terrorism. He identifies Wahhabism or Salafism as the root of Islamic terrorism, rapidly spreading worldwide through modern communication tools. Gunaratna warns that merely arresting perpetrators after attacks is insufficient; the focus should be on preventing radicalization in the first place. The Easter Sunday bombings in April 2019, which claimed over 200 lives, were fuelled by extremist ideologies inspired by events in the Middle East and Islamic extremists…

Khaled Meshaal, head of the “Hamas” movement abroad, said that the Gaza Strip is being punished by the blockade imposed on it since 2006 for choosing Hamas in the general elections. This came in a speech he made during his participation in a festival of the Algerian Peace Society Movement, on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of its founding and the Algerian Independence Day. Meshaal stressed the importance of the concept of multi-directional partnership, pointing out that this is rooted in the thought and literature of Islamic movements. He said: The open political partnership on the results of the…

Brussels, Frankfurt (16/6 – 33) The European Union declared late last year that it intended to investigate how Russia acquired so-called “kamikaze drones” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, for battlefield deployment. While the production of these game-changing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was not reported until after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, numerous media claim the Russian military is deploying Iranian-made Geran-2 drones on the battlefield. This was confirmed through analysis of fragments from Russian Geran-2 drones shot down by Ukrainian forces; experts conclude that these UAVs are identical to the Shahed-136 kamikaze drones produced by Iran. While the West…