The United States has given its approval for the sale of over $8.6 billion worth of arms to its Middle East allies without the consent of the Congress. According to the US Department of State, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made this decision in an emergency situation, eliminating the requirement for congressional review. The four countries that will receive these arms from the US are Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait, according to a report by Reuters.
Under this agreement, Qatar will receive a $4.01 billion missile defense system and $992.4 million in new weapons. Kuwait will be provided with a $2.5 billion war command system, while Israel will receive $992.4 million in arms. The United Arab Emirates will receive $147.6 million in arms. This development comes at a time when the US and Israel have been at war with Iran for nine weeks, and a fragile ceasefire was reached three weeks ago. Reuters reports that the US has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its allies in the region.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has announced that its member countries will reduce their daily oil production by 1.8 million barrels in response to the United Arab Emirates’ decision to leave the group. The US has announced the start of “Project Freedom” in the Middle East, starting from today. US Secretary of the Treasury Scott M. Bennett has said that the US is a major winner in the energy markets.
A US military ship, USS Millie, was attacked in the Persian Gulf, but all personnel on board are safe. Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the US Central Command, visited the ship yesterday. Iran has confirmed that the US has responded to its 14-point proposal, which was submitted through Pakistan.
US President Donald Trump was swatted by a bee while speaking to reporters. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on Israel to immediately release Palestinian-Spanish activist Sayed Abu Khishik, who has been held illegally by Israel. A training exercise in Cape Drago, South Africa, went awry when a parachute failed, and the instructor was injured.
Iran has revealed new details of its proposed peace plan, which was sent to the US. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Iran should completely give up its nuclear weapons. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has said that China, Russia, and Europe are changing their tone against the US, limiting its ability to make decisions. The Asian Development Bank has announced plans to promote power grids and electricity trade in the region, with a budget of $70 billion by 2035.
A flight from Sharjah to Dubai became chaotic when a passenger jumped out of the plane’s emergency exit after landing. Two people were killed in a blast in a house in Bristol, UK, at 6 am today. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) final match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings ended in a thrilling 5-wicket victory for Zalmi, with Zalmi winning the title for the second time. Captain Shadab Khan of Islamabad United was named the best all-rounder, while Sufiyan Maqsood was awarded the Fazal Mahmood cap as the best bowler. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met with Nawaz Sharif, the president of the PML-N, in a closed-door meeting.
