Podcasts about Gulf Cooperation Council

U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed California National Guard troops to Los Angeles to respond to immigration protests. Israeli fire kills at least 12 near aid distribution centers in Gaza. China is implementing a visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from four more countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council.

China, ASEAN, and Gulf Cooperation Council nations held their first summit and pledged to integrate markets amid global trade uncertainties. What were the key messages from this summit (00:40)?Moody's has downgraded the US credit rating due to years of rising debt and deficits. What implications does this have for the U.S. and global economies (19:15)?

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Countries including Italy, Ireland and France want the EU to fast-track negotiations with the Trump administration to avoid US tariffs. The ASEAN group of SE Asian nations meets with China and the Gulf Cooperation Council in a bid to hedge against growing trade uncertainty. And, France makes arrests after a series of violent kidnapping aimed at extorting cryptocurrency moguls.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has pledged to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council on free trade and the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative (1:02). Some European countries have removed the range limit for weapons supplied to Ukraine, a move that Russia has called dangerous (21:37). And activities marking Jerusalem Day have drawn condemnation from the Israeli opposition and the Palestinian Authority (22:16).

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has arrived in Jakarta for a three-day official visit to Indonesia at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto. Following his visit, Premier Li will travel to Malaysia to attend the first-ever summit between China, ASEAN, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

In today's hypercompetitive job market, organizations are looking for change-ready project talent that can add value from the get-go. In a group discussion, three project professionals share which must-have skills and acumen—from artificial intelligence proficiency and data analysis to communication and active listening—have bubbled up in 2025. They also explain how to market your skills, experience and the value you've delivered on your résumé or CV and during job interviews. Plus, how you can upskill through certifications and online courses. Our guests include: Fernanda Bertino, PMP, lead project manager, Cirion Technologies, Rio de Janeiro; Mutaz Said, PMP, PgMP, PfMP, project controls manager, AtkinsRéalis, Denver, Colorado, USA; Mohamed Swydan, PMP, head of projects, Gulf Cooperation Council region, Engie Solutions, Dubai.  Key themes[02:08] The skills you need: AI acumen, communication and data analysis  [06:40] Using online courses and group discussions to upskill[10:11] What hiring managers are looking for in project talent[13:54] How to best market yourself on your résumé or CV [15:45] Ways to stand out in 2025's job market

AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson sits down with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, for a live discussion in Washington, D.C., to introduce AJC's Center for a New Middle East. They cover plans for rebuilding Gaza, the future of Israeli-Arab relations, and the evolving geopolitical landscape, including the impact of the Abraham Accords and shifting regional alliances. Tune in for insights on diplomacy, security, and what's next for the Middle East. The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Resources: AJC Center for a New Middle East Initiatives and Policy Recommendations Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. People of the Pod:  Why Germany's Antisemitic Far-Right Party is Thriving Instead of Disappearing Spat On and Silenced: 2 Jewish Students on Fighting Campus Hate University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker: When Antisemitism Hits Home Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. __ Transcript of Conversation with Jason Isaacson and Steve Witkoff: Manya Brachear Pashman: This week, AJC's Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, Jason Isaacson, sat down for a live conversation with Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East. They discussed plans to rebuild Gaza, political upheaval in Syria and Lebanon and expansion of the Abraham Accords. For this week's episode, we bring you that live conversation to you. Jason Isaacson:   Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here, and thank you Special Envoy Witkoff for participating in this evening's program, introducing AJC Center for New Middle East, and extension and refocusing of the work that we've been doing for decades to advance Arab Israeli understanding, cooperation and peace. Your presence here means a great deal to us.  As you've heard from my colleagues, AJC looks forward to working with you and your team in any way that we can to help ensure the success of a secure Israel, fully integrated in the Middle East. Now let me begin by thanking you again, renewing our thanks and thanking President Trump for your relentless efforts, which began even before the President took office, to assure the liberation of the hostages still held by Hamas and Gaza now for 508 days, we know how dedicated you are and the President is, to gaining the release of Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage, and the remains of the four other Americans, Itai Chen, Gadi and Judy Weinstein-Haggai, and Omer Neutra, and all of the hostages living and dead, still held captive by the terrorists.  So I want to point out that leaders of the Hostage Families Forum are with us here this evening. As is Emmet Tsurkov, whose sister Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq two years ago. We are all counting on your and your colleagues' continued efforts to free them all. Thank you again, Steve.  Now my first question to you, how does a successful real estate developer make the transition to Middle East diplomacy, as you certainly have. Clearly, there are profound territorial issues at play here, but there are also powerful and tangible factors, perhaps less easily negotiated, factors of historical narrative, of religion, of nationalism. How do you cut through all that? How do you achieve success given the very different career that you've pursued up to this point? Steve Witkoff:   Well, first of all, Jason, thank you for having me, and welcome everybody and to the hostage families, I just want to welcome you here. Some of the people I probably have talked to already, and just know that my heart is always with you. You know, President, I'm a very close friend of President Trump's, and I think he felt that, hopefully, that I could do a good job here. And so I think the job had a lot to do with miscommunication and correcting that. It had a lot to do with getting over to the region and understand what was happening, and maybe most importantly, it had a lot to do with his election and peace through strength and the perception that he was not he was going to take a different path, that the old policy prescriptions that that had not worked in the Middle East were not going to be tolerated by him anymore. And I think that's in large part what allowed us to get a positive result.  Adding to that, of course, was all of the good work that Prime Minister Netanyahu in his administration had achieved with Nasrallah Hezbollah in Lebanon, he had basically gutted Hamas. So many good things that happened. And you know, on top of that, the raids in Iran, and it created this perception that a lot of the a lot of what emanated out of October 7 was never going to be tolerated again. And that began the, you know, that began the pathway to achieving the result we achieved in the first phase. But that's just half of the problem. So we've got a lot more to go. Jason Isaacson:   I've got some questions about that, as well as you can imagine. Help us understand the President's priorities and therefore your focus in this very complicated region. There's the continued trauma of October 7, 2023 dozens of Israeli and other hostages still held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, and the deep wounds inflicted on Israeli society in that attack. There's the need to rebuild Gaza and to assure it is no longer governed by Hamas.  There's the prospect of advancing normalization between Israel and Arab states building on the Abraham Accords of the first Trump administration. There are also political upheavals and some hopeful signs, although the jury is still out in Lebanon and in Syria, and there's the ongoing threat to peace and stability posed by the Iranian regime. How do you prioritize? What are your expectations for success on these many tracks. It's an awful lot to deal with. Steve Witkoff:   That was, I think I counted like 14 questions. Jason Isaacson:   This is my specialty, by the way. Steve Witkoff:   I can see. I have to, now you're testing my memory on all of this. Jason Isaacson:   Priorities.  Steve Witkoff:   Yeah, I would say, How does the President think about it? Well, first and foremost, he wants something different for the region, yeah, and different in the sense that the old way of thinking we've they've rebuilt Gaza three or four times already. Like that's just an unacceptable use of resources. We need to do it in a much more in a much better way, a. B, we need to get rid of this crazy, ideological, psychopathic way of thinking that Hamas thinks. What they did, it can never be tolerated. I saw a film that many in this in this room did not see, made by Southern Command when I was in Gaza, and it's horrific. I mean, it is a horrific film. What happened in this film and what they did to people.  So this is not, this is not the act of people who are going to war. This is the act of barbarians, and it can never be tolerated. Normalization is critical for the region. Saudi Arabia embraces it because they can't finance in their own markets today. And why? Because there's so much war risk. I actually saw Jamie Diamond today, and I discussed it with him, and I said to him, you know, think about an area like Saudi Arabia. They have tons of money, but they can't leverage their money. And they can't because the underwriting risk on war, it can't be underwritten. So you're not going to see typical senior financing. Go into those marketplaces they can finance if they do a deal in New York and they can't finance in their own country. Makes no sense. And that's going to lead to a lot of stability.  In terms of the Iranian crescent, it's basically been decimated. Look at what's happened with Syria. No one ever thought that that was going to happen. We've got an epic election in Lebanon. And so tons of things happening. Lebanon, by the way, could actually normalize and come into the Abraham Peace Accords, as could even potentially Syria. So so many profound changes are happening there, and yet it's been a flash point of conflict, and I think that there's a possibility that we end it. Now, do we have to make sure that Egypt is stabilized? Yes, they've got some issues, economic and financial issues, and also on their streets. Same thing with Saudi Arabia, and we have to be cognizant about that. But all in all, I think there are some really good, good things that are happening.  Jason Isaacson:   Yeah, and I hope with your intervention and the president's power, more good things will happen in the coming months.  Steve Witkoff:   We're hopeful.  Jason Isaacson: So you've recently returned from your latest trip to the region with meetings at the highest levels in Israel, in Saudi Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates, next Tuesday in Cairo, will be a meeting of the Arab League to discuss the future of Gaza. What is your sense of, drills down on your last answer, what is your sense of the region's readiness to advance to the next phase of negotiations, to free the Israeli hostages, to shift to a new Israeli force posture in and around Gaza, and put a governing structure in place that excludes terrorists. Can we assure that Hamas no longer rules, no longer poses a threat, that its missiles, tunnels and other infrastructure in Gaza are destroyed? Steve Witkoff:   Well, you know, central to the May 27 protocol that was signed with the Biden administration and the Israelis. Central to that is that Hamas cannot have any part of  a governor governing structure in Gaza. And that's from that's a red line for the Israelis, but it's a red line for us, too. You see the film. And we have to thread that needle in phase two of the negotiations.  Jason Isaacson: How do we get there?  Steve Witkoff:   We're not entirely sure yet, but we are working. You know, we're making a lot of progress. There is, Israel is sending a team right now as we speak, it's either going to be to Doha or to Cairo, where negotiations will begin again with the Egyptians and with the Qataris, and I may if that negotiation goes positively enough. This is the initial phase of the negotiation where we've set, we've set some boundaries, some contours about what we want to talk about and what the outcomes we expect to happen. This is from the United States at the direction of President Trump. If it goes well, maybe I would be able to go on Sunday to execute and finish an arrangement. That's what we're hoping for. Jason Isaacson: Put phase two on track.  Steve Witkoff:   Put phase two on track and have some additional hostage release, and we think that that's a real possibility. We had a lot of conversation this morning about that, and with all of the parties I'm talking about, and people are responsive. Doesn't mean it's going to happen. That's a very chaotic place the Middle East. Jason Isaacson:   But you've got cooperation from the Quint, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar.  Steve Witkoff:   Yes. All of those countries in that region, they want to see, they want to see stability. There's new young leadership there. Everybody understands that it's untenable to be at war all the time. It just doesn't work, and it's setting everybody back. Look at Israel, by the way, they're drafting, they're conscripting people at 50 years old to go to go to the fight. That's, uh… Jason Isaacson:   And reservists are being called back to duty again and again. Steve Witkoff:   Correct. People can't work, by the way, economies are suffering throughout there. But on the other hand, Hamas can't be tolerated either, and yet, we need to get the hostages back to their families. Pardon me? Jason Isaacson:   Israel is still resilient. Steve Witkoff:   Of course it is. Of course it is. But we, you know, look, I don't want to talk about all these things and not acknowledge that the most that the primary objective has got to be to bring those hostages home. It has to be. Jason Isaacson:   I mentioned the Quint before: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar. Egypt and Jordan, longtime peace partners with Israel, were proposed by the president as the possible place in which Palestinians evacuated from Gaza could be housed temporarily, or perhaps more than temporarily. What is your sense of the possibility of the dislocation of Palestinians from Gaza? Is that essential to the idea of rebuilding Gaza, or not essential? Steve Witkoff:   Well, first of all, let me acknowledge King Abdullah, and also the Egyptians, General Hassan, who runs their intelligence unit. President Sisi, their ambassador. They're dug in. They're focused on solutions. It's a complicated situation right now, but they've done a great job, and they've been available, and whenever I call them, they're responsive.  The Jordanians have had a tough trip here, but, you know, they've managed through it. But let's just talk sort of about what the President talks about. Why is he talking about Gaza in the way he's talking about it? Because all the for the last four decades, the other ways of thinking have not worked. We sort of always get back to this place.  First of all, it's a giant slum. It really is, by the way, and it's a slum that's been decimated. On top of that, I was the first American official to go there in 22 years. I was literally there in the tunnels, on the battlefield. It is completely destroyed. There's 30,000 shells that are laying all over that battlefield, in large part because the Biden administration held up munitions shipments to the Israelis, and they were firing 1973 vintage ammunition that didn't explode. Who would let their children wander around these places?  In New York, there would be yellow tape around it. Nobody would be allowed to come in the they were digging tunnels. So everything underneath subterranean is swiss cheese, and then it got hit by 2000 pound bunker bombs. So you could have dust down there. It's so devastated. I just think that President Trump, is much more focused on, how do we make a better life for people? How do we change the educational frameworks? Right now, people are growing up there, in textbooks, in the first grade, they're seeing AK47's, and how you fire them. That's, that's, this is just insanity. What's going on out there.  So we have to directionally change how people are thinking there, how they're going to live together. People talk about two state we at the Trump administration, talk about, how do you get to a better life if you have a home in Gaza in the middle of a slum that hasn't been fixed up correctly, is that as good as aspirationally having a great job and being able to know that you can send your kids to college and they can become lawyers and doctors and so forth? That to me, is what we want to achieve. And when, when we began talking about Gaza, we were not talking about a giant eviction plan.  What we were talking about was the fact, unlike the Biden administration, and this is not a knock on them, it's that they didn't do their work correctly, the Biden administration, that May 27 protocol is based on a five year redevelopment plan. You can't demolish everything there and clean it up in five years, let alone x-ray it on a subterranean level and figure out what foundations exist, or what, what conditions exist to hold foundations, and then what we should build. It's easily a 15 year plan, and it might be 20 or 25 years.  And the Wall Street Journal, one of the most mainstream publications, two days ago, finally came out with a major article talking about that and basically validating what we've been talking about. Once you understand it from that perspective, you understand it's not about an eviction plan. It's about creating an environment there for whoever's going to live there that's better than it's ever been in the last 40 years. Jason Isaacson:   Steve, thank you. Before October 7, 2023 the betting in many foreign policy circles, as you know, was that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Israel were closing in on a deal to normalize relations, coupled with an enhanced security agreement between the US and Saudi governments and Saudi access to the full nuclear fuel cycle under US safeguards. Where would you say that formula stands today? Is that still the framework that you're expecting will describe the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia and between Saudi Arabia and Israel? Steve Witkoff:   Well, that's why I keep on going back to the May 27 protocol, because it's chock full of misinformation. And so the Saudis were operating, as were the Israelis, as if you could redevelop and reconstruct Gaza in five years. You can't. You can finish demolition, you can finish refuse removal, you can do all of that in five years. But for that, there's nothing else is going to get accomplished.  So when the Saudis talked normalization with the Israelis and defense treaty, they were thinking about it on a five year time frame. Once you begin to think about it as a 15 or a 20 year deal, it almost begs the question, are Gazans going to wait? Do they even want to wait?  I mean, if you're a mother and a father and you've got three kids, do you want to wait 20 years to maybe have a nice, safe home there? And this has nothing to do with relocation. Maybe we should be talking about relocation, or, excuse me, the ability to come back and, you know, later on. But right now, right here, right now, Gaza is a long term redevelopment plan, and I think once the Saudis begin to incorporate that into their thinking, and the Egyptians and UAE and everybody who has a vested interest in Gaza, I think you're going to see development plans that more mirror the way the President is thinking than what the May 27 protocol contemplated. Jason Isaacson:   Are you suggesting that the possibility of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia will come after there is a fully formed Gaza redevelopment plan?  Steve Witkoff:   I think so. Because I believe that. I believe it's just sequentially logical, because that's when you begin to think about how Gazans are going to think about it. Right now, we're talking about it in the abstract. And there are many countries, by the way, out there, that from a humanitarian standpoint, we've talked to many of them, are actually extending themselves and saying, Hey, look, we'd, we'd love to be a part of some sort of permanent solution for the Gazan people.  No one wants to see the Gazan people in some sort of diaspora, they're sort of disengaged, and that doesn't work. That only is going to fester and lead to more radicalism in the region. So we've got to get a solution for it, but we need to levelset the facts first. And the facts have not been levelset. They've been thinking about this from a perspective of facts that are inaccurate. Now we've level set those facts. We're going to conduct a summit pretty soon with probably the biggest developers in the Mideast region, many of the Arab developers, lots of master planners. I think when people see some of the ideas that come from this, they're going to be amazed. Jason Isaacson:   Steve, thank you. Final question, from AJC's many contacts and visits over many years across the Arab world, including regular exchanges over three decades in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, we've come to believe in the inevitability of Israel's full integration in the region, that the more the region's leaders and elites focus on the potential advantages to their societies, including their security of normal relations with Israel, the more likely it is that we'll achieve that goal. Is that the sense that you have as well, from where you sit? Steve Witkoff:   I do. I think, look, I think that the people of Israel want to live in peace with with the people of the Middle East. And it could be incredible. Jason Isaacson:   And vice versa.  Steve Witkoff:   And vice versa. I had a discussion with His Royal Highness, His MBs, his brother yesterday, the defense minister, an exceptional man, by the way, and we talked about how Saudi could become one of the best investable markets out there, when it can be financed. Think about this. The United States today has the greatest capital market system that the world knows. And when you have a great capital market system, when. You can borrow, when you can lease a car, when you can buy a home and mortgage it all those different things. It drives an economy. It propels it.  Right now in the Middle East, it's very difficult to finance. The banks don't want to operate it. Why? Because tomorrow a Hootie missile could come in if you're building a data center, and puff it's gone. We don't have to. Banks don't have to underwrite that risk in New York City or Washington, DC or American cities. So I think as you get more stabilization there, I think the real estate values are going to go through the moon. And we talk about this, Israel is a bedrock of great technological innovation. I think you know, all of the Arab countries, UAE, Saudi, Qatar, they're into blockchain robotics. They're into hyperscale data centers. These are the things that interest Israel, and yet they're driving so much of the tech surge out there. Imagine all of them working together. It could be an incredible region, so we're hopeful for that prospect. That's that's the way the President thinks about it. We've we talk at length about this, and he gives us the direction, and we follow it, and that's his direction. Jason Isaacson:   I thought I heard applause about to begin, but I will, I will ask you to hold for a second, because I just want to thank you, Steve whitco, for sharing your vision and the President's vision for how to move forward to build a more stable and prosperous and peaceful Middle East and and you've laid it out for us, and we very much appreciate your Thank you.  Steve Witkoff:   Thank you.  Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in for my conversation with AJC Berlin director Remko Leemhuis about the victory of a centrist right government in Germany's recent election and its plans to build a coalition excluding the far-right, antisemitic political party, Alternative for Germany. Remko and I discussed why that party's unprecedented post war election returns are a cause for concern.

STARTUP NATION, ISRAEL AND THE GULF, AND THE ABRAHAM ACCORDSHEADLINE 1: Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Israel over the weekend.HEADLINE 2: On Friday evening, Hezbollah supporters attacked a UN peacekeeping convoy.HEADLINE 3: The IDF was hard at work in Gaza over the weekend.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Nave Shachar, who serves as the Gulf Cooperation Council and MENA Innovation Diplomacy Director at Startup Nation Central.Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

This episode unpacks several critical issues shaping the future of Syria and its broader regional impact. Gaddam Dharmendra provides a historical context to Syria's crisis, beginning with the Arab Spring, the civil war, and the consolidation of Bashar al-Assad's regime with the support of Iran and Russia. He sheds light on the structural weaknesses in Syria's economy and governance that led to its fragmentation and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a significant player in the ongoing political transition.The conversation also delves into the role of international actors in shaping Syria's future:Regional Players: The ambitions of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran, Turkey, and Israel as they position themselves in a post-Assad Syria.Global Powers: The recalibration of policies by Russia, China, the European Union, and the United States amid Syria's evolving dynamics.Dharmendra examines the cautious optimism surrounding Syria's future, particularly in relation to reconstruction efforts, refugee repatriation, and governance under the HTS. He also highlights India's interests in ensuring regional stability, given its strategic partnerships with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Iran, and Israel, alongside its vast diaspora and economic engagements in West Asia. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

pWotD Episode 2775: Syrian civil war Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 186,659 views on Friday, 6 December 2024 our article of the day is Syrian civil war.The Syrian civil war is an ongoing multi-sided conflict in Syria involving various state-sponsored and non-state actors.In March 2011, popular discontent with the rule of Bashar al-Assad triggered large-scale protests and pro-democracy rallies across Syria, as part of the wider Arab Spring protests in the region. After months of crackdown by the government's security apparatus, various armed rebel groups such as the Free Syrian Army began forming across the country, marking the beginning of the Syrian insurgency. By mid-2012, the insurgency had escalated into a full-blown civil war.Rebel forces, receiving arms from NATO and Gulf Cooperation Council states, initially made significant advances against the government forces, who were receiving financial and military support from Iran and Russia. Rebels captured the regional capitals of Raqqa in 2013 and Idlib in 2015. Consequently, Iran and Russia launched separate military interventions in support of the Syrian government in 2014 and 2015 respectively, shifting the balance of the conflict. By late 2018, all rebel strongholds except parts of Idlib region had fallen to the government forces.In 2014, the Islamic State won many battles against both the rebel factions and the Syrian government. Combined with simultaneous success in Iraq, the group was able to seize control of large parts of Eastern Syria and Western Iraq, prompting the U. S.-led CJTF coalition to launch an aerial bombing campaign against it, while providing ground support and supplies to the Kurdish-majority Syrian Democratic Forces. Culminating in the Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor offensives, the Islamic State was territorially defeated by late 2017. In August 2016, Turkey launched a multi-pronged invasion of northern Syria, in response to the creation of Rojava, while also fighting the Islamic State and government forces in the process. Between the March 2020 Idlib ceasefire and late 2024, frontline fighting mostly subsided, but was characterized by regular skirmishes. Heavy fighting renewed with a major rebel offensive in the northwest led by Tahrir al-Sham in November 2024, during which Aleppo and Hama were seized. Southern rebels who had previously reconciled with the government subsequently launched their own offensive, capturing Daraa and Suwayda.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:44 UTC on Saturday, 7 December 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Syrian civil war on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Ivy.

Exploitative work conditions faced by Indians in the Middle East is not new, but the recent reports emerging from Saudi Arabia's ambitious $500 billion Neom project are shocking: a recent documentary alleges that 21,000 foreign workers have died and 1,00,000 have gone missing since 2017, while working on projects that are part of the country's Vision 2030 initiative. Earlier this week Nadhmi al-Nasr, the long-time chief executive of the Neom project departed, and while there was no reason stated, reports indicate Mr. al-Nasr had earned a chilling reputation managing workers of the project. But despite sometimes horrific work conditions, multiple deaths and the continuing use of the kafala system, around nine million Indians continue to compete for jobs in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. India has one of the highest remittances from its citizens working abroad, in the world, with the figure estimated at $111 billion as of 2022. And yet, policies and laws to protect migrant workers are scarce. Why do young Indians continue to go abroad for semi-skilled or unskilled work – are these last-resort options or are they still seen as lucrative employment offers? Why do there continue to remain minimal protections for those who go to these countries? Has the pattern of migration from India changed? And Does the Indian Emigration Act need an overhaul? Guest: Saurabh Bhattacharjee – associate professor, National Law School, Bengaluru and co-director, Centre for Labour Studies Host: Zubeda Hamid

New Zealand has signed a trade deal with the Middle East Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Trade Minister Todd McClay spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Zealand is getting a leg up in the competitive market of global exports. A free trade agreement has been made between New Zealand and the Middle East countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council. It comprises Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. Trade Minister Todd McClay told Mike Hosking New Zealand will be able to trade more with these countries. He says the tariffs weren't high, but bringing them down to zero gives exporters a competitive advantage. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 1st of November, we've secured a new free trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council, so Trade Minister Todd McClay joined from Doha to discuss it. We give you a sneak peek of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's exclusive chat with Mike. Kate and Tim debate how long is too long to watch sport in the weekend as they Wrapped the Week, and speaking of sport, Patrick Tuipulotu joined for a chat ahead of the All Blacks vs England clash. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 1st of November, a new trade deal has been struck between New Zealand and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council - what does it mean for our exporters, and how hard would negotiations have been? Former NZ trade negotiator Charles Finny speaks to Ryan. A new look All Blacks team are set to face England over the weekend - how are the All Blacks expected to go? Rugby Commentator Tony Johnson joins the show. Pharmac is funding new hormone replacement therapy medication from today - what sort of difference will it make for those going through menopause? Dr Linda Dear from Menodoctor speaks to Ryan. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A free trade deal with the Middle East countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council has come at the right time for exporters. The FTA's expected to provide a sizable boost to the annual $3 billion of two-way trade. If treated as one country, all six countries —including Saudi Arabia and the UAE— would be New Zealand's seventh-largest export destination by value. Former trade negotiator Charles Finny told Ryan Bridge the timing couldn't be better. He says the demand for exports into China is slowing down and there's uncertainty ahead of the US election. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses Mike King's comments about alcohol being a mental health solution and talks about the free trade agreement between New Zealand and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Housing and financial authorities in China are expanding a list of real estate projects eligible for financing, and doubling loans to accelerate the recovery of the property market(01:09). Exhibitions for China's automation and intelligent manufacturing are a priority for buyers at the Canton Fair(07:18). And the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council have held their first summit and agreed on support for the two-state solution to bring peace to the Middle East(14:09).

Autumn Greetings Glocal Citizens! It's a season of transformation from the vibrancy of summer sun to the rest, retreat and make ready energy of winter. Here on the podcast we're taking this time to explore new collaborations in conjunction with events happening in the coming months. First up is a collaboration with the Women of Africa Post-Pandemic Empowerment and Advocacy Programme which is an intitaitve of Glocal Citizen Adebisi Bright's (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/adebisi-bright) LiveWell Initiative based in Lagos Nigeria. This series of conversations with the practitioners partcipating in the progamme is a sneak preview of the upcoming dialogues. My guest this week, Egyptian pharmacist and entrpreneur, Dr. Wael Ali is a distinguished leader in pharmacy and public health with nearly 25 years of experience spanning clinical research, healthcare management, and international collaboration. As the President of the PharmaHelp Foundation Inc. and the Egyptian Organization of Pharmacy, he drives pharmacy practice transformation and workforce development. His roles as Vice President of FIP's EMROpharm Forum and Executive Committee Consultant at the University of Sharjah highlight his commitment to advancing pharmaceutical education and practice. He also has extensive pharmaceutical manufacturing experience as a CEO of American Pharmaceutical Industries based in Farifax, Virginia. His expertise spans community, hospital, military and emergency pharmacy practices as well as social and administrative pharmacy functions across Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC, and the USA. If you ever wondered about what does on behind the counter in your local pharmacy, this conversation will help shine a light on the many roles and responsibilities your neighborhood pharmacist often takes on. As an added bonus, Wael give us the crash course in on the ins and outs of manufacturing and exporting made in the USA products. Where to find Wael? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wael-ali-7944b01a7/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/waelaliali1/) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Dr.waelaliofficial/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@drwaelali6627) Other topics of interest: Historic Cairo, Egypt (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/89/) Gulf Cooperation Council (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Cooperation_Council) On Liposome Manufacturing ([https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169409X20300788#:~:text=Liposomes are manufactured either by,manipulated for size (Section 2.1.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169409X20300788#:~:text=Liposomes are manufactured either by,manipulated for size (Section%202.1.)) About Medwatch (https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program) CIF vs FOP Shipping (https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/020215/what-difference-between-cif-and-fob.asp) International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) (https://www.fip.org) WHO facts on Hepatitis (https://www.who.int/health-topics/hepatitis#tab=tab_1) Special Guest: Adebisi Bright.

This summer, temperatures in India soared beyond 45 degrees Celsius, sparking discussions about the necessity of cooling as a fundamental need rather than a luxury. In India, fans, coolers and later air conditioners have been effectively used for seeking comfort from the heat. But with rising CO2 levels, experts have expressed the need for sustainable cooling methods.  In countries with modern and planned infrastructural settlements such as Japan, Canada, Middle East, Sweden, USA, France and some parts of Europe- ‘District Cooling' has been used as a popular cooling solution. But what exactly is district cooling? How does cooling happen in a typical district cooling setup? How climate-friendly is this solution?  And is it a viable solution for India?  Suno India's Sneha Richhariya speaks to Sudheer Perla who is the Managing Director of Tabreed Asia. Tabreed provides district cooling solutions in the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council. They plan to collaborate with Indian real estate companies and corporations to establish district cooling systems, targeting airports, aero cities, and green buildings. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

It wasn't that long ago the Persian Gulf was a no-go zone for Chinese diplomacy. Back then, China didn't source much energy from Gulf countries, and its diplomats were ill-equipped to handle the region's contentious politics. That is no longer the case. The six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council collectively form one of China's largest trading blocs anywhere in the world... and not just for energy. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others are now major destinations for Chinese investment in tech, autos, and other non-oil sectors. But this relationship is still relatively new and often poorly understood by outsiders. The team at the ChinaMed Project issued a new report this month that provides a helpful country-by-country overview of the key issues that frame China's ties in the Persian Gulf. Enrico Fardella, director of the ChinaMed Project and an associate professor at the University of Naples, along with Andrea Ghiselli, the ChinaMed Project's research director and an assistant professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, join Eric and Cobus to discuss the different narratives about how Chinese and Gulf stakeholders view one another. SHOW NOTES: Download the report: Power Shifts? China's Growing Influence in the Gulf: Key Trends and Regional Debates in 2023: https://tinyurl.com/24e4ks4u  JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @chinamedit Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth  

The Foreign Ministry said in an online statement on Sunday that Beijing has expressed deep concern over the situation in the Middle East following Iran's drone and missile strikes on Israel, and has called for relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint to prevent further escalation of tension.2024年4月14日，外交部在线上发布一则声明表示，中方对伊朗无人机和导弹袭击以色列后中东局势深表关切，呼吁有关各方保持冷静和克制，防止紧张局势进一步升级。The strikes, which started late Saturday, were in retaliation for an airstrike on April 1 that hit an Iranian diplomatic building in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing at least one senior figure in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and several other officers.这场空袭从13日晚间开始，是对4月1日伊朗在叙利亚首都大马士革的一座外交大楼发动的空袭的报复。那次空袭造成伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队至少一名高级官员和其他几名军官死亡。Noting that the situation is the latest increase in hostilities related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza, the ministry said that there should be no more delays in implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728, which calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.外交部指出，这种情况是与加沙地带的巴以冲突有关的敌对行动的最新增加，外交部说，在执行联合国安理会第2728号决议方面不应再拖延，该决议要求在加沙地带立即停火。Beijing called on the international community, especially countries with influence, to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the region, the ministry added.外交部补充说，中方呼吁国际社会，特别是有影响力的国家，在维护该地区的和平与稳定方面发挥建设性作用。The Israel Defense Forces said on its X social media account that its multilayered Aerial Defense Array system, "together with Israel's strategic allies", successfully intercepted the majority of the missiles and drones before they crossed into Israeli territory, where small hits were identified, including at an IDF base in southern Israel.以色列国防军在其社交媒体账户X上表示，其多层防空阵列系统“与以色列的战略盟友一起”成功拦截了大部分导弹和无人机，然后才进入以色列领土，在那里发现了小型袭击，包括以色列南部的一个以色列国防军基地。Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that Israeli military targets were hit.伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队称以色列军事目标被击中。After the launches, Iran's mission to the UN said on its X social media account that Iran's military action was "conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the United Nations Charter" pertaining to legitimate defense, in response to "the Zionist regime's aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus".在导弹发射后，伊朗驻联合国代表团在其社交媒体账户X上表示，伊朗的军事行动是“根据《联合国宪章》第51条”进行的，该条款涉及合法防御，是对“犹太复国主义政权对我们在大马士革的外交场所的侵略”的回应。"The matter can be deemed concluded," it said.“此事可以视为已经结束。”Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in an interview with Israeli Army Radio, said: "We said that if Iran attacks Israel, we will attack it back and this is still effective. We need to deepen our cooperation with our allies. I will lead a political attack against Iran."以色列外交部长以色列·卡茨在接受以色列陆军电台采访时说:“我们说过，如果伊朗攻击以色列，我们将予以还击，这仍然有效。我们需要深化与盟国的合作。我将领导对伊朗的政治攻击。”Israeli media quoted Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer as telling Army Radio that "Iran's audacity in such an attack must be erased".以色列媒体援引移民部长奥菲尔·索弗对陆军电台的讲话称，“伊朗在这种袭击中的胆大妄为必须被抹去”。Iran's mission to the UN warned that "should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe. It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the US must stay away".伊朗驻联合国代表团警告称：“如果以色列政权再犯错误，伊朗的反应将会严重得多。这是伊朗和流氓以色列政权之间的冲突，美国必须置身事外。”In a statement, United States President Joe Biden praised US forces, which he said "helped Israel take down nearly all" the drones and missiles. Biden also condemned the attacks, and was joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.在一份声明中，美国总统乔·拜登赞扬了美国军队，他说美国军队“帮助以色列击落了几乎所有的”无人机和导弹。拜登也谴责了袭击事件，法国总统马克龙和西班牙首相桑切斯也加入了谴责行列。Iran's UN mission said, "Iran's invocation of Article 51 of the UN Charter occurred following a 13-day period marked by the Security Council's inaction and silence, coupled with its failure to condemn the Israeli regime's aggressions."伊朗驻联合国代表团表示，“在安理会13天的无所作为和沉默，加上未能谴责以色列政权的侵略行为之后，伊朗援引了《联合国宪章》第51条。”"Certain countries' precipitous condemnation of Iran's exercise of its legitimate right suggests a reversal of roles, equating the victim with the criminal," it added. “某些国家对伊朗行使合法权利的突然谴责表明了角色的逆转，将受害者等同于罪犯。”The UN Security Council said it had scheduled an open emergency meeting under the agenda item "the situation in the Middle East" to consider the drone and missile attacks by Iran on Israel, according to Vanessa Frazier, permanent representative of Malta to the UN.马耳他常驻联合国代表瓦妮莎•弗雷泽说，联合国安理会表示，已安排在议程项目“中东局势”下召开一次公开紧急会议，审议伊朗对以色列的无人机和导弹袭击。The increase in tensions also prompted Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel and even Iran to temporarily close their airspace after reports of interference with the GPS navigation system, Al Jazeera reported.据半岛电视台报道，紧张局势的加剧还促使约旦、伊拉克、黎巴嫩、以色列，甚至伊朗在受到GPS导航系统干扰的报道后，暂时关闭了领空。Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said in a statement that all relevant parties should commit to upholding regional and global security and peace in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported.据沙特通讯社报道，海湾合作委员会秘书长贾西姆·穆罕默德·阿尔布达维在一份声明中表示，所有有关各方都应致力于维护中东地区和全球的安全与和平。He urged all parties involved to exercise maximum self-restraint to prevent further escalation that could threaten regional stability and the safety of civilians.他敦促有关各方保持最大限度的自我克制，防止可能威胁地区稳定和平民安全的进一步升级。The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia expressed deep concern over the developments in the region and called for all parties to exercise maximum restraint "and to protect the region and its people from the dangers of war".沙特阿拉伯外交部对该地区的事态发展深表关切，并呼吁各方保持最大限度的克制，以“保护该地区及其人民免受战争危险”Ali Khansari, an international affairs analyst and graduate of regional studies at Allameh Tabataba'i University in Teheran, told China Daily that Iran's strikes on Israeli military facilities were "unprecedented".毕业于德黑兰阿拉梅大学区域研究专业的国际事务分析师阿里·汉萨里告诉《中国日报》，伊朗对以色列军事设施的袭击是“前所未有的”。"It can be said that Iran's military action was not an attack but a response to Israel's actions to prevent future Israeli attacks. Iranian authorities consider it a punishment, not a military attack," said Khansari.Khansari also noted that the military action "occurred at a time when Israel and its allies were on high military, security and intelligence alert, indicating that Iran's attack was not a surprise action and that Israel was fully prepared when attacked".汉萨里还指出：“可以说，伊朗的军事行动不是袭击，而是对以色列行动的回应，以防止以色列未来的袭击。伊朗当局认为这是一种惩罚，而不是军事攻击。军事行动发生在以色列及其盟友的军事、安全和情报高度戒备的时候，这表明伊朗的袭击不是一次意外行动，以色列在受到袭击时已经做好了充分准备”。Israeli-Palestinian conflict巴以冲突social media account社会媒体帐户

Join America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio co-hosts Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy with H.E. Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America. Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa was appointed Bahrain's ambassador to the United States in April 2017. Born in 1980, Al Khalifa is the son of Bahraini Interior Minister Lieutenant General Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa. The younger Al Khalifa graduated from Ibn Khuldoon National School in 1997 and came to the United States for college. He earned a B.S. in management from Bentley College (now Bentley University) in Waltham, Massachusetts in 2001 and an MBA from the same school in 2003. Bentley opened a Bentley in Bahrain program in 2002. Al Khalifa returned to Bahrain and was made head of educational affairs for the Royal Family Council. Two years later, he was director of education and the Social Affairs Directorate. In 2007, Al Khalifa was named director of planning and followup for the General Organization for Youth and Sports and the following year became the organization's human resources director. In March 2010, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appointed Al Khalifa to a four-year term as governor of Bahrain's Southern Governorate, the largest such political division. He was reappointed in 2015. Al Khalifa is also a member of the National Commission for Drug Control and the board of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. He was previously president of Bahrain's Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Federation and president of the Asian Bodybuilding Federation and a member of the board of directors of the Bahraini Archery Federation. America's Roundtable conversation with Ambassador Al Khalifa includes the following key topics: 1) The history of the US-Bahrain friendship and partnership. The United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain's longstanding partnership with a strong record of economic, cultural, trade and security cooperation.  2) Opportunities for trade and investment via United States Trade Zone in Bahrain (USTZ), as a regional trade, manufacturing, logistics, and distribution hub for U.S. companies in Bahrain, markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council, and beyond. 3) Bahrain's advances in technology, ranked 4th globally in ‘Internet users' category with 99% penetration, as per the Global Competitiveness Report by World Economic Forum (WEF) 4) US-Bahrain partnership with Bahrain hosting the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet and the headquarters of U.S. Naval Forces. 5) Bahrain joining a coalition of like-minded countries committed to upholding the rules-based order, protecting freedom of navigation and international commerce, and holding the Houthis accountable for their illegal and unjustifiable attacks on mariners and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. americasrt.com (https://americasrt.com/) https://ileaderssummit.org/ | https://jerusalemleaderssummit.com/ America's Roundtable on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-roundtable/id1518878472 Twitter: @AbdullaRAK @ileaderssummit @AmericasRT @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk America's Roundtable is co-hosted by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of International Leaders Summit and the Jerusalem Leaders Summit. America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio program - a strategic initiative of International Leaders Summit, focuses on America's economy, healthcare reform, rule of law, security and trade, and its strategic partnership with rule of law nations around the world. The radio program features high-ranking US administration officials, cabinet members, members of Congress, state government officials, distinguished diplomats, business and media leaders and influential thinkers from around the world. Tune into America's Roundtable Radio program from Washington, DC via live streaming on Saturday mornings via 65 radio stations at 7:30 A.M. (ET) on Lanser Broadcasting Corporation covering the Michigan and the Midwest market, and at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk Mississippi — SuperTalk.FM reaching listeners in every county within the State of Mississippi, and neighboring states in the South including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Listen to America's Roundtable on digital platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other key online platforms. Listen live, Saturdays at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk | https://www.supertalk.fm

Conditions are more stable for sovereigns, banks and companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council region than in North Africa and Levant. An escalation of the Israel-Hamas military conflict is main risk.Speakers: Christian Fang, Vice President – Senior Analyst, Sovereign Risk Group at Moody's Investors Service; Badis Shubailat, Assistant Vice President – Analyst, Financial Institutions Group at Moody's Investors Service; Rehan Akbar, Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance Group at Moody's Investors ServiceHost: Vittoria Zoli, Analyst, Emerging Markets at Moody's Investors Service

Gordon Chang says the Biden Administration's foreign policy is in collapse and we have not seen such a rapid failure of the United States in our lifetimes. President Trump had the most successful Middle East policy of any American President since FDR. We had stable relations with everyone in the region except Iran. Now China has become the dominant power in the Middle East because Biden opened the door for them. We sacrificed our foreign policy, allowed the Chinese to take over the Gulf Cooperation Council and now we're being chased out of the region. What Biden has done is take a stable region that is now aflame because of Iran, China and Iran's proxies. There have been over 100 attacks on American forces in the region. Chang says we know how to protect ourselves, we know who's attacking us but we're not willing to take adequate measures to protect our forces. The Biden Administration doesn't want to take the steps which involve the use of force. Chang says Russia and China have been very clear about what their intentions are when they talk about annexing various countries yet there is no sense of urgency in the Pentagon or in the Biden Administration. Xi Jinping talks about preparing for war. Biden privately tells donors China is a ticking time bomb but he will not tell the American people about the dangers. GUEST: GORDON CHANG, GEOPOLITICAL & NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The latest news from home and abroad, with a close eye on Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula in particular

Gordon Chang says the Biden Administration's foreign policy is in collapse and we have not seen such a rapid failure of the United States in our lifetimes. President Trump had the most successful Middle East policy of any American President since FDR. We had stable relations with everyone in the region except Iran. Now China has become the dominant power in the Middle East because Biden opened the door for them. We sacrificed our foreign policy, allowed the Chinese to take over the Gulf Cooperation Council and now we're being chased out of the region. What Biden has done is take a stable region that is now aflame because of Iran, China and Iran's proxies. There have been over 100 attacks on American forces in the region. Chang says we know how to protect ourselves, we know who's attacking us but we're not willing to take adequate measures to protect our forces. The Biden Administration doesn't want to take the steps which involve the use of force. Chang says Russia and China have been very clear about what their intentions are when they talk about annexing various countries yet there is no sense of urgency in the Pentagon or in the Biden Administration. Xi Jinping talks about preparing for war. Biden privately tells donors China is a ticking time bomb but he will not tell the American people about the dangers. GUEST: GORDON CHANG, GEOPOLITICAL & NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chinese authorities have said the country will work with the Gulf Cooperation Council to promote bilateral trade and investment.

How do you transform GCC economies to a new system that's both sustainable and takes into account the welfare of workers? IHRB's Tamara Juburi discusses this question with Tariq Al Olaimy, as well as the challenges and opportunities in this process, and how the role of finance can incentivise this change.

We crossed to the capital to speak to H.E. Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, Undersecretary of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development about the story behind the numbers. Plus, as DIFC introduces a first-of-its-kind Digital Assets Law, we spoke to their Chief Legal Office Jacques Visser what this covers. And, as we get closer to the busy event season in the UAE, we find out about the headline acts at this year's F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Saif Rashid Al Noaimi of Ethara. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From February 16, 2021: The Biden administration has promised significant changes to the U.S. relationship with Iran that could have a marked impact on the Middle East. What is the likelihood that this new administration will be successful? And how will other regional developments—from the Abraham Accords between Israel and a few Arab states, to the healing of the rift within the Gulf Cooperation Council, to the ongoing morass in Syria—affect the dynamics here?To address these questions, David Priess hosted a panel discussion on February 11 for the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy and International Security at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. He sat down with Norman Roule, a 34-year veteran of the CIA, who served as the national intelligence manager for Iran for more than eight years; Kirsten Fontenrose, formerly the senior director for the Persian Gulf on the National Security Council staff and currently the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council; and Ambassador Dennis Ross, who has served in U.S. government positions pertaining to the Middle East for some 40 years, and who is now a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Jean-Loup Samaan is a senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore, as well as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. He is also an associate research fellow with the French Institute of International Relations. In episode 29 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "New Military Strategies in the Gulf: The Mirage of Autonomy in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar," and in turn touched on, military education in the Gulf, Gulf arms deals with Russia and China, Gulf militaries' reliance on the West, the Yemen War, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/loszDquo-Bs Samaan's book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/new-military-strategies-in-the-gulf-9780755650712/ Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast   Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com              Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast  (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed honoured the winners of the championship in its three categories, where the first place in the category of citizens was won by Mohammed Juma Al Muhairi and Essa Khalifa Al Shaibani, while the first place award for the category of citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries was won by Fahd Bahbahani and Abdulaziz Al Ma'youf from Kuwait, and the Emirati duo Abdullah Al Abdullah and the Spanish Xavi Rodriguez from the professional category. Listen to #Pulse95Radio in the UAE by tuning in on your radio (95.00 FM) or online on our website: www.pulse95radio.com ************************ Follow us on Social. www.facebook.com/pulse95radio www.twitter.com/pulse95radio www.instagram.com/pulse95radio www.youtube.com/pulse95radio

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Saudi Arabia last week for three declared reasons: to make sure the anti-Islamic State coalition maintains its important function, confer with the Gulf Cooperation Council and to improve bilateral ties between Washington and Riyadh. Immediately prior to the summit, the top White House diplomat delivered an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobby group in which he indicated the possibility of further steps toward Saudi-Israeli normalization, while cautioning certain conditions must be met before realization of this long-expected development. Blinken's visit was also held against the backdrop of diplomatic and commercial American competition with Russia and especially China. Though the administration of US President Joe Biden has vowed there will not be a vacuum in the Mideast due to a shift of its top priorities elsewhere, Beijing seems to have already taken advantage of the perceived regional readjustment of American attention. Panel: - Host: Jonathan Hessen. - Amir Oren, Editor at Large, Host of Watchmen Talk and Powers in Play. - Amb. William Roebuck, Executive Vice President of The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, D.C. - Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Mark Kimmitt, Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. - Col. (Ret.) Dr. Eran Lerman, Co-host TV7 Middle East Review and Vice President Jerusalem Institute for Strategy Security. Articles on the topic: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/israel-hoping-for-saudi-breakthrough/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/iran-saudis-to-reopen-mutual-embassies/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/netanyahu-urges-closer-us-saudi-ties/ Articles on the topic: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/israel-hoping-for-saudi-breakthrough/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/iran-saudis-to-reopen-mutual-embassies/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/netanyahu-urges-closer-us-saudi-ties/ You are welcome to join our audience and watch all of our programs - free of charge! TV7 Israel News: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/563/ Jerusalem Studio: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/18738/ TV7 Israel News Editor's Note: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76269/ TV7 Europa Stands: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/82926/ TV7 Powers in Play: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/84954/ TV7 Israel: Watchmen Talk: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76256/ TV7's Middle East Review: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/997755/ My Brother's Keeper: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/53719/ This week in 60 seconds: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/123456/ #IsraelNews #tv7israelnews #newsupdates Rally behind our vision - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/donate/ To purchase TV7 Israel News merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/tv7-israel-news-store Live view of Jerusalem - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/jerusalem-live-feed/ Visit our website - http://www.tv7israelnews.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/tv7israelnews Like TV7 Israel News on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Follow TV7 Israel News on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tv7israelnews/ Follow TV7 Israel News on Twitter - https://twitter.com/tv7israelnews

Saudi Arabia's diplomacy is flourishing after a decade in which Riyadh has been entangled in regional conflicts and rivalries. Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has turned the page on the Gulf Cooperation Council dispute, opened talks with Huthi rebels in Yemen, agreed to re-open diplomatic relations with Iran and welcomed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad back to the Arab League. This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Abdulaziz Sager, Founder and Chairman of the Gulf Research Center and Crisis Group trustee, to talk about Saudi Arabia's foreign policy. They talk about Syria at the Arab League, last March's China-brokered Saudi-Iran deal, how Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program might impact Saudi-Iran relations, and Riyadh's talks with the Huthis. They also discuss the rapprochement within the Gulf Cooperation Council and Saudi Arabia's hosting, with the U.S., of talks between Sudan's warring factions. They examine how Riyadh is positioning itself in an era of friction between its traditional security partner, the U.S., and China, its most important market, and how it has navigated the collapse in Russia-West relations over Ukraine. They ask whether Saudi Arabia's recent diplomacy represents a recalibration and if so, why the change and what is its significance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building Spaceflight: NASA Human Performance Optimization with Maj Danielle Anderson & Christi Keeler, MS, ATCIt's the second week of our Spaceflight mini-series and we're thrilled to bring you an awesome and informative conversation with Maj Danielle Anderson and Christi Keeler, MS, ATC!Maj Anderson is making history being the first active-duty service member to be assigned to NASA. Maj Anderson and her teammate Christi are part of the integrative dream team at NASA Johnson Space Center working daily in astronaut human performance care. We pick their brains about both their roles in the Spaceflight HPO program and break down what exactly it is they do day to day. And spoiler, it's even cooler than you think! In this episode we get into some basics about spaceflight standards, the innovation that comes with being part of the human performance team for astronauts and how rewarding the job truly is. But we don't stop there, we cover an eclectic variety of burning questions:What length of time is required to be considered long duration Spaceflight?How do you rehab someone in space?What type of rehab equipment is available in space?What are the go-to exercises that astronauts have to do daily to maintain health?Mobility.... in space? Why or why not? Come wrap up our mini-series with us and get all the questions you've had since being a little kid about space answered! We can't wait to have them back in the future!Talk to ya later!Guest Bios: Major Danielle Anderson  is a Physical Therapist currently assigned to Johnson Space Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration as the Musculoskeletal Medicine and Rehabilitation Lead. She delivers a spectrum of neuromusculoskeletal care preparing and supporting both U.S and International Astronauts for long duration space flight aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, she provides consultation and management recommendations to Crew and Deputy Crew Flight Surgeons working neuromusculoskeletal conditions on board the ISS. She serves as the Air Force's liaison to the Military Musculoskeletal residency, a tri-service one-year Physical Therapy residency, where she oversees admittance, regional instruction, and successful program completion of Air Force, Army and Navy Physical Therapists. Major Anderson received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Regis University and direct Air Force commission in 2012. During her first assignment to Travis Air Force Base, she deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She provided musculoskeletal care for Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan and NATO partners, earning her the United States Air Force Biomedical Service Corps and Military Health Systems Junior Clinician of the Year. In addition, she served as the sole physical therapist while deployed with Navy Special Warfare Unit Three in Bahrain, supporting the training and assistance to the special operations forces of the Nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council. She has instructed numerous Air Force Physical Therapy courses and currently serves as an Assistant Professor to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Army-Baylor University, Joint Based San Antonio (JBSA), Tx. Lastly, she is published in Military Medicine and the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy and has presented in over ten National Physical Therapy conferences. Prior to her current position, Major Anderson was the Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Flight Commander at 59th Surgical Operations Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Tx., where she led 72 members among six elements across two sites, providing 77k specialty visits and ove If you like what you hear, leave us a 5- star rating and subscribe! Find us on IG and LinkedIn @ Not Your Typical Doctors or reach out to us anytime through: notyourtypicaldoctors@gmail.com

*) Saudi Arabia, Syria discuss ways to end Damascus' diplomatic isolation Saudi Arabia and the Syrian regime's foreign ministers have held talks "to end Damascus' diplomatic isolation", the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported. At a meeting in Saudi Arabia, both sides said they discussed "the necessary steps" to end Damascus's diplomatic isolation in the Arab world since the civil war began in 2011. On Friday, representatives of nine Arab countries will meet in Jeddah to discuss letting the Syrian regime attend an Arab League summit next month. Meanwhile, an Iranian technical delegation arrived in Riyadh for the reopening of Tehran's embassy in the Saudi capital. *) Qatar, Bahrain agree to resume diplomatic ties in Riyadh talks At another meeting in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain have decided to resume their diplomatic ties after talks between their officials in Riyadh. The two sides confirmed that this decision stems from “the mutual desire to develop bilateral relations” and enhance the Gulf Cooperation Council's unity. The move comes over two years after an Arab boycott of Doha was lifted. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt in January 2021 ended a 3-1/2-year embargo of Qatar, however, all but Bahrain had restored travel and trade links with its neighbouring kingdom. *) Zelenskyy seeks Russia's frozen assets to rebuild Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised the efforts of forces defending Bakhmut and other areas in the east as the war enters its 414th day. Addressing a meeting of international financial institutions, Zelenskyy called for faster assistance to help rebuild the country and restore normal life after the war ends. One of his appeals was to use Russia's frozen assets to compensate Ukraine for the damage Moscow inflicted on it. *) Seoul says North Korea's ballistic missile launch 'possibly solid fuel' North Korea appears to have fired a new type of ballistic missile, "possibly solid fuel", South Korea's military has said. South Korea's military said it had "detected one ballistic missile with a medium range or longer fired from the Pyongyang area on Thursday. The launch is the latest in a string of banned weapons tests conducted by Pyongyang, which has fired several of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles this year. *) New York police re-introduce robotic canine for 'risky' tasks New York City officials have unveiled new high-tech policing devices, including a robotic dog, a GPS tracker for stolen cars and a cone-shaped security robot. Digidog, the city's first robot police dog, was leased in 2020 but the city's contract for the device was cut short after critics derided it as creepy and dystopian. But starting this summer, the remote-controlled Digidog will be deployed in risky situations like hostage standoffs.

Featured Speakers: Professor David Des Roches (moderator), Dr. Diana Galeeva, Dr. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Professor Simon Chadwick, and Dr. Paul Michael Brannagan. Synopsis: The six Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council have each affirmed the use of “soft power” as an essential part of their overarching national strategies. Soft power, as outlined by American international relations scholar Joseph Nye, refers to the use of diplomatic and cultural tools in order to promote a country's image abroad and improve its international relationships—usually contrasted with “hard power,” or the pursuit of foreign objectives via direct coercion and military force. Each of the six Gulf states has sought to bolster their international reputations through soft power: each has pursued regional and international mediation efforts, made substantial investments in sports—perhaps best exemplified by Saudi Arabia's LIV golf tournament and Qatar's hosting of the FIFA World Cup—and highlighted domestic art and cultural programs. This strategy has clearly had positive impacts for the GCC states' international relations and their perceptions around the world. However, the use of soft power has also come with controversy. International human rights organizations have accused the six GCC states of using achievement in diplomacy, culture and sports to cover up domestic struggles with political freedoms and labor rights. In particular, the six states' ambitious sports programs have led to accusations of “sportswashing,” or promoting sports development as a way of distracting from human rights concerns. What is the status of soft power in the six GCC states? Has it been an effective tool of statecraft? What benefits are associated with the use of soft power? Have there been any drawbacks to its use?  

This is the second podcast of discussions from a first ever trip to the United Arab Emirates. I attended the Global Media Congress in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, an impressive showcase of regional media with a clear message: “The UAE is reaching out to the world in peace and cooperation”. Amjad Taha is a well-known influencer in the Gulf Cooperation Council with a significant following on social media. The author of The Deception of the Arab Spring, an adviser to key institutions in the Arab world, Amjad was part of the first Bahrain UAE youth delegation to visit Israel as the ink was drying on the historic Abraham Accords. So what drives the UAE and how is this impacting its foreign policy? Also, in this episode, James Cleverly, Britain's Foreign Secretary on his trip to Abu Dhabi, with a very personal experience of why the UAE and the partners of the Abraham Accords are such key allies. This episode of Jonny Gould's Jewish State is brought to you with Strategico, the full service digital marketing agency for your growth focused business.

Chinese president Xi Jinping is in Saudi Arabia for a state visit. He will also attend the first China-Arab States Summit and the summit between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

When it comes to open banking globally, there are several factors that have acted as drivers for the movement, like competition, inclusion, stability and innovation. Although innovation takes a back seat in some regions, there is one place where it is firmly front-and-center: the Middle East. The Middle East and North Africa, a region known by the acronym MENA, has embarked on its own open banking journey, where Bahrain, Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel and Egypt have all introduced some form of open banking initiatives. While they may vary in scope and approach, they all have one thing in common: a laser focus on modernizing their banking sectors with innovation acting as the primary driver. In this episode, Eyal will sit down with guest Hakan Eroglu, the Global Open Banking Lead at Mastercard. With more than 13 years of international experience in open banking strategy, Hakan is global in both title and practice. Eyal and Hakan's focus on a subset of the MENA region, the countries who are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or the GCC.Specifically they discuss: The meaning of the term “over-banked”Key drivers of open banking in the MENA regionHow market vs. regulation is really a spectrumAn open banking tour of the the GCC members The differences between one country and anotherDigital ID, real-time payments and other extensions Open banking as a vehicle for innovation

Venture capital is the fuel that powers an economy's innovation ecosystem, disrupting the old way of doing business and generating growth. In this episode, Uzair talks to Mohamed Eissa about the IFC's perspective on venture capital and the role the IFC is looking to play in Pakistan. Eissa talked about why Pakistan is an attractive market, what investments the IFC is going to make in the near-term, and why failure should be celebrated. Mohamed leads IFC's Global Venture Capital and Direct Investments group. As a member of the investment committee, he leads a team of investment professionals in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern and Central Europe, South Asia and Asia-Pacific region. IFC's portfolio investments include venture capital funds and direct investments in disruptive startups in over 30 countries. Prior to IFC, he led technology investments at Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) – a joint fund with equal ownership by the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries' sovereign wealth funds. Mohamed also held operational roles in technology in the US as well as venture capital investments at Bell Labs' New Ventures Group. Mohamed holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Reading recommendations: - The Greatest: My Own Story by Muhammad Ali and Richard Durham - Deep Simplicity: Bringing Order to Chaos and Complexity by John Gribbin - A Path Forward for Sharing the Nile Water: Sustainable, Smart, Equitable, Incremental by Elfatih Eltahir Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Global VC Outlook 10:00 VC's role in Pakistan's economy 17:55 IFC's VC role in Pakistan 26:36 How to turbocharge the tech ecosystem 31:50 IFC's investment strategy in Pakistan 35:10 Innovating through failure 39:40 Inclusion in entrepreneurship 44:50 Reading recommendations

President Biden, hoping for a boost in oil production, holds talks in Saudi Arabia with regional leaders, but says he doesn't expect immediate results. Also in the programme: Ukrainian soldiers training in Kansas; and keeping cools in a London zoo. (Picture: U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrive for the family photo during the "GCC+3" (Gulf Cooperation Council) meeting in Jeddah. Credit: Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS)

In advance of President Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia, INSS Senior Research Fellow Dr. Yoel Guzansky interviewed Dr. Ebtesam al-Ketbi, founder and President of the Emirates Policy Center and a member of the Consultative Commission of the Gulf Cooperation Council. What challenges confront the relations between the United States and the Gulf states? How do the war in Ukraine and American policy regarding Iran affect these relations?

Next week, I'll travel to the Middle East to start a new and more promising chapter of America's engagement there. This trip comes at a vital time for the region, and it will advance important American interests. A more secure and integrated Middle East benefits Americans in many ways. Its waterways are essential to global trade and the supply chains we rely on. Its energy resources are vital for mitigating the impact on global supplies of Russia's war in Ukraine. And a region that's coming together through diplomacy and cooperation — rather than coming apart through conflict — is less likely to give rise to violent extremism that threatens our homeland or new wars that could place new burdens on U.S. military forces and their families. From the start, my aim was to reorient — but not rupture — relations with a country that's been a strategic partner for 80 years. Today, Saudi Arabia has helped to restore unity among the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, has fully supported the truce in Yemen and is now working with my experts to help stabilize oil markets with other OPEC producers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next week, I'll travel to the Middle East to start a new and more promising chapter of America's engagement there. This trip comes at a vital time for the region, and it will advance important American interests. A more secure and integrated Middle East benefits Americans in many ways. Its waterways are essential to global trade and the supply chains we rely on. Its energy resources are vital for mitigating the impact on global supplies of Russia's war in Ukraine. And a region that's coming together through diplomacy and cooperation — rather than coming apart through conflict — is less likely to give rise to violent extremism that threatens our homeland or new wars that could place new burdens on U.S. military forces and their families. From the start, my aim was to reorient — but not rupture — relations with a country that's been a strategic partner for 80 years. Today, Saudi Arabia has helped to restore unity among the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, has fully supported the truce in Yemen and is now working with my experts to help stabilize oil markets with other OPEC producers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent protest by several members of the Gulf Cooperation Council over inappropriate remarks made by BJP spokespersons has sent the South Block into damage control mode. In episode 1015 of #CutTheClutter, Shekhar Gupta talks about the strategic importance of GCC countries and their relationship with India.  Brought to you by @KiaInd

This event was the launch of three papers authored by Courtney Freer and Spyros Sofos of the LSE Middle East Centre as part of the Global Transitions Series, a research output from PeaceRep – the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform funded by the UK Aid from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). 1. Qatar and the UAE in Peacemaking and Peacebuilding by Courtney Freer 2. Peacebuilding in Turbulent Times: Turkey in MENA and Africa by Spyros Sofos 3. MENA Regional Organisations in Peacemaking and Peacebuilding: The League of Arab States, Gulf Cooperation Council and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation by Courtney Freer. Courtney Freer is Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and Visiting Fellow at the LSE Middle East Centre. Previously, Courtney was Assistant Professorial Research Fellow at the LSE Middle East Centre. From 2015-2020, Courtney was a Research Officer for the Kuwait Programme at the LSE Middle East Centre. Her work focuses on the domestic politics of the Gulf states, particularly the roles played by Islamism and tribalism. Her book Rentier Islamism: The Influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gulf Monarchies, based on her DPhil thesis at the University of Oxford and published by Oxford University Press in 2018, examines the socio-political role played by Muslim Brotherhood groups in Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. She previously worked at the Brookings Doha Center and the US–Saudi Arabian Business Council. Spyros Sofos is a Research Officer on the LSE Kuwait Programme project 'Ecologies of Belonging and Exclusion: An Intersectional Analysis of Urban Citizenship in Kuwait City.' Spyros's research explores the intersection of societal insecurity, identity and collective action and, to date, it has focused on Turkish politics and society, nationalism and populism in Europe and the Middle East, urban citizenship in the Middle East, European Muslim identities and politics, and the theory of populism. His latest book Turkish Politics and ‘The People': Mass Mobilisation and Populism published by Edinburgh University Press explores the emergence of populism in contemporary Turkey and its genealogy as a tradition of action and discourse. His other publications include Nation and Identity in Contemporary Europe published by Routledge, Tormented by History: Nationalism in Greece and Turkey published by Oxford University Press, and Islam in Europe: Public Spaces and Civic Networks published by Palgrave. Greg Shapland is a Visiting Fellow at the LSE Middle East Centre and an independent researcher, writer and consultant on politics, security, resources and environment (including water) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). His entire career has been focussed on the Middle East and North Africa, whether as a commercial representative, university lecturer or government official (in the Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office and FCO). From 1979 until 2015, he served in the MENA Research Group in the FCO. He was also Head of Research Analysts from July 2010 to July 2013. During his time with the FCO, Greg served in British Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Tel Aviv and in the Consulate General in Jerusalem. Since leaving the FCO, Greg has worked on post-conflict stabilisation, Israeli-Palestinian relations, inter-state and intra-state water disputes and the impact of climate change in the MENA region. He is currently working on a book on the politics and geography of the MENA region.

*) Türkiye sees ‘most meaningful progress' in Russia-Ukraine talks The first stage of the Istanbul talks between Kiev and Moscow has seen the "most meaningful progress since the start of negotiations", Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said. Cavusoglu said he was pleased to see increasing "rapprochement" at "every stage". Negotiators from both sides said enough progress had been made at the fresh round of talks on Tuesday. Moscow's negotiators said Russia would "radically" reduce its military activity in northern Ukraine, including near the capital Kiev. *) Ukraine official: Russia is being demilitarised Ukraine's UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya has told the UN Security Council that the “demilitarisation of Russia is well under way”. Kyslytsya said Russia has lost more than 17,000 military personnel, over 1,700 armoured vehicles and almost 600 tanks. Russia has also lost 300 artillery systems, 127 planes and 129 helicopters, almost 100 rocket launcher systems, 54 air defence systems and seven ships, he added. That is “an unprecedented blow to Moscow, where the numbers of Soviet losses in Afghanistan pale in comparison”, Kyslytsya said. *) Saudi-led coalition declares Ramadan ceasefire in Yemen The Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government against Houthi rebels has announced a ceasefire from Wednesday morning. The move is seen as an attempt at creating a fertile environment for political talks and to jumpstart peace efforts during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. But the rebels have shunned a meeting in Riyadh that is hosted by the Gulf Cooperation Council and involves the Yemeni government, as well as the US and the UN envoys to Yemen. Other unilateral ceasefires announced by the coalition over the past two years have swiftly collapsed. *) Deaths in mass shooting spree in central Israel A gunman on a motorcycle has shot dead at least five people in central Israel. The shooter was killed by police. Residents of Bnei Brak town and the neighbouring Ramat Gan town reported late on Tuesday that a man had driven around and opened fire at passers-by. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the country was "facing a wave of murderous" terrorism. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also condemned the killings of the Israelis. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. And, finally... *) Messi signs multi-million dollar deal with crypto fan token firm Socios Lionel Messi has signed an agreement worth more than $20 million to promote digital fan token company Socios.com. Messi becomes the latest global sports personality to enter the crypto world following NFL quarterback Tom Brady and NBA star LeBron James. Socios said in a news release that Argentina superstar Messi will be involved in a publicity and promotion campaign for Socios in the build-up to the football World Cup in Qatar, which starts in November. The 'ambassador' deal for Messi does not include crypto payments and is a three-year agreement, the source said.