Saudi Arabia seeks to attract 55,000 Korean tourists as it boosts worldwide awareness of its tourism opportunities
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is planning to quintuple this year the number of visitors from South Korea to the kingdom. In 2022, around 11,000 South Koreans visited Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi plan is to increase the number to 55,000 in 2023. Direct flights from the capital Riyadh to Seoul are consolidated by a new route […]
European Union: War in Ukraine is not West versus Rest of the World
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: The War in Ukraine should not be framed as a European issue or as ‘West versus the rest of the world’, a European Union (EU) diplomat has stressed. “Supporting Ukraine and working for peace go hand in hand. In all this, the EU does not ask anyone to ‘pick a side’. […]
No future for newspaper columns, opinions?
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Sipping an orange juice with friends as the world celebrated World Press Freedom Day, I was confronted with a “negative” attitude that underestimates writing in the realm of nonfiction. “Writing editorials and columns is no longer relevant,” some of them said during our conversation. Their logic is that no columnist should expect […]
Empowering media to embrace challenges, opportunities holds key to brighter future
By Habib Toumi DUBAI: Speaking softly, but firmly and convincingly, Abdullah Al Shehi stressed the significance of grooming young journalists to embrace the challenges and opportunities lying ahead as the media world moves into the future. The head of the Dubai Bureau of the Emirate News Agency (WAM) explained that in a rapidly-changing world fraught with […]
Kyrgyzstan presidents’ meeting: Bold initiative for national unity or enlivening drama?
By Habib Toumi BISHKEK: What do Askar Akaev, Kurmanbek Bakiev, Roza Otunbaeva, Almazbek Atambaev, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Sadyr Japarov have in common? The five men and one woman are the presidents who have led Kyrgyzstan since 1991 until the present day. Some were nemeses and some have left the Central Asia country. Yet, the current president, […]
Ambassador: Türkiye will never forget Bahrain’s solidarity
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Bahrain’s response to the earthquake emergency in Türkiye is not just humanitarian. It is also a reflection of the deep friendship between the two countries, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Bahrain Esin Çakıl has said. “In the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Türkiye on February 6, the immediate response of Bahrain was […]
World’s geopolitics shift towards Central Asia, seeking deeper engagement, greater lucrative connectivity
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: This growing status, strengthened by grave security considerations, has been attracting several major and other state actors seeking to build political, business, energy and cultural foundations and joint initiatives conducive to close cooperation and robust partnerships. For non-regional actors, mainly European countries, the growing interest in Central Asia also seeks to […]
Women’s achievements hailed as Bahrain looks forward to further successes
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Intelligent, educated, ambitious and determined to succeed, Bahraini have women tenaciously refused to be like driftwood on the waters of the Gulf and instead decided to energetically paddle towards political, educational, social and economic success. And on Thursday, amid pride of what has been achieved and what will be accomplished, Bahrain celebrated with […]
Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan explore opportunities for closer ties
By Habib Toumi MANAMA: Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan are set to enhance relations and expand cooperation across several areas, the Kyrgyz foreign minister has said. “Talks with HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Speaker and the Minister of Foreign Affairs were highly successful,” Jeenbek Kulubaev said. “There was full understanding and we had agreements […]
Kyrgyzstan among Asia’s top five in World Press Freedom Ranking 2022
By Habib Toumi BISHKEK: The lush greenery is nothing short of spectacular, providing a soothing and refreshing sentiment. Oak Park, one of Bishkek’s oldest parks, is home to very large trees, an open-air 90-sculpture exhibition, and several important monuments. I envy the journalists, photographers and the staff working at Kabar News Agency, the official news […]
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Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
