A Pakistani cabinet minister says Islamabad will continue to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar under a 15-year agreement, despite the severing of diplomatic ties with Qatar by Saudi Arabia and some other countries.
Shahid Khaqan Abb
A Pakistani cabinet minister says Islamabad will continue to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar under a 15-year agreement, despite the severing of diplomatic ties with Qatar by Saudi Arabia and some other countries.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the federal minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, said Qatar and Pakistan last year signed a $1 billion agreement, under which Qatar's Liquefied Gas Company Limited will sell LNG from 2016 to year 2031 to state-run Pakistan State Oil.
He said since no sanctions have been imposed on Qatar by the United Nations, Pakistan and Qatar were bound to abide by the agreement.
Qatar has released an initial report into the alleged hack of its state-run news agency, an incident which helped spark a diplomatic crisis between the energy-rich country and Arab nations.
The Qatari Interior Ministry said late Wednesday that the website of the Qatar News Agency was initially hacked in April with "high techniques and innovative methods."
It said hackers installed a file and then published a fake news item attributed to Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, just after midnight May 24.
The ministry did not say who it suspected carried out the attack. It also thanked the FBI and the British National Commission for Combating Crime for assisting it in its investigation.
The alleged fake news item, which had Sheikh Tamim making controversial comments on Iran and Israel, immediately was picked up by Saudi and Emirati media, laying the groundwork for the crisis that began Monday (05.06.2017.)
Kuwait's emir has traveled to Qatar and met that country's leader as part of his efforts to mediate an end to a crisis that's seen Arab nations cut ties to the energy-rich country and attempt to isolate it.
Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah was met planeside by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, when he arrived on Wednesday night.
The two held talks, though details of their discussions were not released. Sheikh Sabah earlier Wednesday traveled to Dubai where he met with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as prime minister and vice president of the UAE.
Sheikh Sabah also has traveled to Saudi Arabia in his efforts.
It said hackers installed a file and then published a fake news item attributed to Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, just after midnight May 24.
The ministry did not say who it suspected carried out the attack. It also thanked the FBI and the British National Commission for Combating Crime for assisting it in its investigation.
The alleged fake news item, which had Sheikh Tamim making controversial comments on Iran and Israel, immediately was picked up by Saudi and Emirati media, laying the groundwork for the crisis that began Monday (05.06.2017.)
Kuwait's emir has traveled to Qatar and met that country's leader as part of his efforts to mediate an end to a crisis that's seen Arab nations cut ties to the energy-rich country and attempt to isolate it.
Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah was met planeside by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, when he arrived on Wednesday night.
The two held talks, though details of their discussions were not released. Sheikh Sabah earlier Wednesday traveled to Dubai where he met with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as prime minister and vice president of the UAE.
Sheikh Sabah also has traveled to Saudi Arabia in his efforts.
Most of the almost $100 million raised to influence the vote, heavily favoring Democrats, comes from nonprofits that don’t have to disclose their donors.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made revising the constitution a priority amid rising security threats in Asia, but any change is highly sensitive.
The president did not specify which leaders. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials were working to extend the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and arrange new negotiations.
Several EU countries possess islands and insular territories. Various EU islands constitute world famous tourist destinations as they are home to considerable natural, heritage and cultural wealth. Certain islands also produce renowned agricultural products and handcrafts. However, islands also face considerable challenges. They struggle for adequate transport links with the nearest mainland. Their ecosystems are vulnerable, and natural resources are often scarce. Some of them are small and mountainous. Many are located on the periphery of a Member State, or constitute border regions, placing considerable limitations on their potential for economic growth. Islands are usually too small to allow economies of scale. They may lack human capital and possess limited public resources in health, education, research and innovation. In most cases, islands are not self-sufficient in agricultural and industrial products or tertiary-sector services. They are usually reliant on imported fossil fuels and dependent on mainland energy networks. As most products and services are transported to islands, prices are usually considerably higher, adding to the cost of living in insular territories. In recent years, the EU's southern islands have seen an influx of migrants, whilst lacking the resources needed for their accommodation and integration. However, although the state of insularity creates many problems, various studies suggest that islands can become 'lands of opportunities' by investing in their relative strengths. Solar, sea and wind energy opportunities can be explored to create sustainable energy communities. Tourism, agriculture and fisheries, as well as the high quality of life that many EU islands offer, in combination with the digitalisation of work bring more opportunities for their growth. Recent geopolitical uncertainties have also elevated the strategic role of islands, as many of them are based in strategic locations and host important military bases. The European Commission has declared that it will present in the near future a strategy on islands and coastal territories, as well as an updated strategy on outermost regions, which include insular territories. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
On 3 February 2026, the European Commission adopted the first delegated regulation supplementing the Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products with its first methodology for certification. Covering permanent carbon removals, the methodology paves the way for three types of removal activities to become EU certified: direct air capture with carbon storage (DACCS); biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage (BioCCS); and biochar carbon removal (BCR). With permanent carbon removals due to play a role in the post-2030 climate policy frameworks, the potential release in late 2026 or 2027 of EU certified carbon removal units is an important step. From the Commission's adoption of the delegated regulation, a two-month period starts, during which the European Parliament and the Council can object to the text. Parliament's Committee on the Environment Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) considered two motions for a resolution to object to the delegated act. Neither were successful. With no objection from the Council, the delegated regulation is awaiting publication in the Official Journal; it will enter into force 20 days after publication. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
Alireza Sheikh warned the United States and Israel, saying that Iran’s Armed Forces would «undoubtedly retaliate if the enemy attempts any new operation»
The new meeting of the two countries' delegations is expected to take place at the end of this week or the beginning of next week, the sources specified
According to Pavel Kuznetsov, this practice has already raised legitimate concerns among local residents
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Mohsen Rezaei said there are currently reasons to maintain the ceasefire and hold talks simultaneously
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[allAfrica] A Chinese national, Zhang Kequn, has been sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen garden ants out of Kenya.
[allAfrica]
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