Mena Today

The new Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani, announced his plans to visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan next week, following his first official trip to Saudi Arabia.

Russia's Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures from 7:45 a.m. (0445 GMT) on Saturday to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said.

The administration of President Joe Biden has notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a U.S. official said on Friday, with Washington maintaining support for its ally whose war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands.

Syria's new rulers have not yet decided when to hold a landmark national dialogue conference that is meant to bring together Syrians from across society to chart a new path for the nation after the fall of the Assad dynasty, according to five sources.

Israel on Friday defended its raid on a north Gaza hospital last week while the U.N. human rights chief called the justification unsubstantiated and the World Health Organization urged Israel to release the hospital's director from detention.

An Israeli delegation departed for Qatar on Friday to continue indirect negotiations with Hamas over the release of hostages and a potential ceasefire.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) is on track to host an impressive 4.3 million guests in the first 15 days of January 2025, setting the stage for its busiest January on record. 

While many countries worldwide are incentivizing the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) to protect the environment, Israel has taken a different approach. In a surprising last-minute move, the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, has raised the tax rate on electric vehicles from 35% to 45%.

Syria's foreign minister has told Saudi Arabian officials that the new leadership in Damascus wants to set up a government involving all parts of Syrian society following the overthrow of Bashar Al-Assad last month.

The Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), affiliated with the Egyptian Cabinet, released a report on Friday analyzing "International Institutions' Expectations for the Performance of the Egyptian Economy in 2025." 

Turkey's annual inflation rate fell to 44.38% in December 2024, marking the seventh consecutive month of decline since June, according to data released Friday by TurkStat.