Latest news with #ElwelyElwelly
Japan Today
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Death toll in Iran's Bandar Abbas port blast rises to 70
Smoke rises following an explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas, Iran, April 27, 2025. Iranian Red Crescent/WANA (West Asia News Agency) Handout via REUTERS By Elwely Elwelly The death toll from a major explosion in Iran's most important container port of Bandar Abbas rose to at least 70, with over 1,200 injured, state media said on Monday, as firefighters battled a blaze that Iranian officials said was now under control 48 hours after the start of the fire. Saturday's blast took place in the Shahid Rajaee section of the port, Iran's biggest container hub. Efforts to put out the ensuing blaze have continued since with sporadic fires breaking out due to wind and flammable goods in the containers, some releasing toxic emissions in the area, according to state media. "After putting the huge fire under control, rescue operations are underway" Iran's state media said, citing the governor of Hormozgan Province, in which Bandar Abbas is situated. "Removing containers could take up to two weeks", it added. Iran's ISNA news agency cited its interior minister Eskandar Momeni as saying national operations to confront the fire in Shahid Rajaee had ended and the management of firefighting had been handed over to local authorities. "Shortcomings in regards to not respecting security protocols have been identified and some of the individuals at fault have been summoned", Momeni said, according to state media. An initial report by the investigative committee charged with the incident found shortcomings in adherence to principles of civil defence and security. Around 22 people are missing and 22 bodies have not been identified yet, state TV cited the governor of Hormozgan as saying. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday ordered an investigation to "uncover any negligence or intent" behind the incident, an indication that authorities are not ruling out sabotage. The incident occurred as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, but there was no indication of a link between the two events. Iran's Infrastructure Communications Company said on Monday that a large cyber attack against the country's infrastructure had been repelled a day after the blast, without providing more detail. Poor storage of chemicals in containers is suspected of having caused the explosion. A spokesperson for the crisis management organization said on Saturday that earlier warnings had highlighted potential safety risks at the port. Iran's defense ministry dismissed on Sunday international media reports suggesting the blast may be linked to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Factbox-The US campaign against Yemen's Houthis
By Elwely Elwelly DUBAI (Reuters) - The United States intensified strikes on Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis this year to stop attacks on Red Sea shipping, but rights activists have raised concerns over civilian casualties. Here are some facts about the U.S. campaign and a list of some of the biggest strikes. WHAT'S BEHIND THE U.S. STRIKES? The Houthis began launching their attacks on shipping routes in November 2023 as a show of support for Palestinians and Hamas over the war in Gaza. The group, which has controlled most of northern Yemen since 2014, has also launched missiles and drones towards Israel, though most of these have been downed. Under Joe Biden's administration, the United States and Britain retaliated with air strikes against Houthi targets in an effort to keep open the crucial Red Sea trading route - the path for about 15% of global shipping traffic. After Donald Trump became U.S. president in January, he decided to significantly intensify air strikes against the Houthis. The campaign came after the Houthis said they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden. Washington has pledged to continue its attacks on the Houthis until they cease assaults on Red Sea shipping. Those attacks had disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route on longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa. The U.S. air campaign in Yemen follows years of strikes by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, which targeted the Houthis with U.S. help as part of its efforts to support government forces in the country's civil war. HOW HAVE THE STRIKES UNFOLDED? March 15: As Trump orders the start of a military campaign, strikes on Sanaa kill at least 31 people. March 16: Strikes continue, targeting Houthi military sites in the southwestern city of Taiz. March 17: Death toll rises to 53, according to the Houthi-run health ministry, with attacks expanding to targets in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. The Pentagon says the initial wave of strikes targeted over 30 sites, including training sites and senior Houthi drone experts. March 19: Strikes hit targets across Yemen including northern Saada province, the longtime heartland of the Houthi groups. March 20: Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reports at least four U.S. strikes on Hodeidah's port district. April 17: Strike hits Ras Isa fuel terminal on the Red Sea coast, killing at least 74 people, the deadliest attack since the U.S. started its campaign. April 28: Al Masirah television reports at least 68 dead from a U.S. strike on a migrant detention centre in Saada.
Zawya
24-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Lebanon receives $250mln World Bank loan to ease power problems
DUBAI - The World Bank has granted Lebanon a $250 million loan aimed at helping alleviate persistent power cuts worsened by last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah, the country's finance ministry said on Thursday. Even before the conflict, Lebanon had for years been struggling with a severe shortage of imported fuel and poor infrastructure. Following the conflict, however, the World Bank said it would need around $11 billion for reconstruction and recovery. The fighting between the Iran-backed group and Israel ended for the most part in November through a brittle ceasefire brokered by the United States, though the two sides accuse each other of failing to fully implement the deal. Lebanon had said it received preliminary approval to increase a World Bank reconstruction loan to $400 million from $250 million. The loan is part of a $1 billion reconstruction programme, with the remainder of the financing to come from international aid. (Reporting by Elwely Elwelly Editing by David Goodman and Joe Bavier)
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Dubai's du announces 2 billion dirhams hyperscale data center deal with Microsoft
By Elwely Elwelly The Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC ( du ) on Tuesday announced a 2 billion dirhams ($544.54 million) hyperscale data center deal with Microsoft . The hyperscale data center, to be built and operated at a cost of around 2 billion dirhams, will have Microsoft as the main tenant and its capacity will be delivered in tranches, du said in a statement. Hyperscale centers are large facilities that are mainly used to provide data storage and cloud computing services to businesses at scale. The deal, made during Dubai AI Week, "represents a pivotal leap in our strategic goal to revolutionise the digital ecosystem of the UAE", Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du, said. Currently, du operates five data centers across the United Arab Emirates, which has been heavily investing to become a global hub for AI outside of the US.
Zawya
23-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai's du announces $544mln hyperscale data center deal with Microsoft
The Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du) on Tuesday announced a 2 billion dirhams ($544.54 million) hyperscale data center deal with Microsoft. The hyperscale data center, to be built and operated at a cost of around 2 billion dirhams, will have Microsoft as the main tenant and its capacity will be delivered in tranches, du said in a statement. Hyperscale centers are large facilities that are mainly used to provide data storage and cloud computing services to businesses at scale. The deal, made during Dubai AI Week, "represents a pivotal leap in our strategic goal to revolutionise the digital ecosystem of the UAE", Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du, said. Currently, du operates five data centers across the United Arab Emirates, which has been heavily investing to become a global hub for AI outside of the US. ($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham) (Reporting by Elwely Elwelly, Writing by Menna Alaa El-Din; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Shailesh Kuber)
