Netanyahu, Abbas meetings delayed but Egypt denies Mubarak health rumors
CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak’s meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have again been pushed back to next week but speculation that this is…
Kuwait’s NBK booked $81 mln provisions in Q2
KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait , booked 23.5 million dinars ($81.29 million) of provisions in the second quarter and expects a tougher second half, its chief executive said on Wednesday.…
Oil eases below $77 as supplies weigh
LONDON: Oil eased to below $77 a barrel on Wednesday, falling from a two-week high, after a weekly industry report showed a surprise increase in US crude inventories and European…
Iraq offers full Aug crude supply to most Asia buyers
SINGAPORE: Iraq will supply crude to most Asian term buyers at full contracted volumes for August, compared with an average 10 to 15 percent cut for July, traders said on…
Saudi Aramco sells end-Jul VGO into US at firm price
SINGAPORE: Saudi Aramco sold 280,000 barrels of end-July loading vacuum gas oil (VGO) to a European trading house at a much higher price than its previous deal for shipment to…
Peaceful power in Jordan
AMMAN: Jordan is moving forward with plans to develop a civil nuclear program seen as important to meeting the country's energy needs and reducing the reliance on imported fuel. For…
Egypt procrastinates in submitting reports on human rights, says EOHR
CAIRO: The government has always procrastinated in submitting periodic reports on the human rights situation in Egypt before United Nations committees, according to a recent report which claimed that the…
Lion, wolves and bears draw the crowds at Baghdad pet shop
BAGHDAD: Sabah Alazawi is doing a roaring trade these days at his Baghdad pet shop — and not only because he has a lion for sale. Along with dogs, he…
Israel defends right to raid aid ships heading for Gaza
GENEVA: Israel defended during a hearing of the UN Human Rights Committee on Wednesday its right to retaliate against aid ships attempting to breach its blockade of the impoverished Gaza…
Egypt breaks into FIFA top 10 for first time in history
CAIRO: Egypt broke into the top 10 in the FIFA monthly ranking for the first time in history despite failing to qualify to the World Cup. The African champions were…