Yemen PM Launches Battle for Reform with Central Bank

The Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meeting with the leaders of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden  (Saba News Agency)
The Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meeting with the leaders of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen PM Launches Battle for Reform with Central Bank

The Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meeting with the leaders of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden  (Saba News Agency)
The Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meeting with the leaders of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden (Saba News Agency)

The Yemeni government has embarked on its battle to reform the economy through the Central Bank, four days after its arrival in the temporary capital, Aden, and following the attempt to assassinate its members in the Houthi missile attacks that targeted the airport on Wednesday.

In his first economic move on Saturday, Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik stressed the importance of “accelerating the procedures for assigning an external audit team for the accounts of the Central Bank of Yemen, in line with transparency procedures and adopting the principle of governance and combating corruption, as a necessary step to ensure the continued application of international financial standards and rules.”

Official sources said Abdulmalik chaired a meeting of the leadership of the Central Bank of Yemen, “to discuss the bank’s future plans and the need to invest the current opportunities in forming the government and the willingness of brothers and friends, especially the countries of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, to back the national economy, continue measures to enhance confidence in the national currency and improve stability of the exchange rate, which directly affects the daily lives of citizens.

In addition, the Minister of Transport in the Yemeni government, Abdul Salam Hamid, directed the return of air navigation and the operation of flights to Aden International Airport, starting Sunday, after it was suspended due to the attack on the airport.

The Yemeni minister praised the efforts made by the aviation authority, the airport management, and the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen in equipping the airport and repairing the damage caused to it as a result of the attacks, in record time.



Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar Condemn Israeli Attacks on Gaza, Call on Israel to Comply with Ceasefire Obligations

Palestinians carry the body of a person killed following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, 19 August 2026.EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
Palestinians carry the body of a person killed following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, 19 August 2026.EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
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Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar Condemn Israeli Attacks on Gaza, Call on Israel to Comply with Ceasefire Obligations

Palestinians carry the body of a person killed following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, 19 August 2026.EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
Palestinians carry the body of a person killed following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, 19 August 2026.EPA/MOHAMMED SABER

Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar on Thursday strongly condemned recent Israeli strikes in Gaza, saying in a joint statement that Israel must comply with its obligations under a ceasefire agreement and refrain from steps that could escalate tensions.

"The mediating countries underline that the intensification of Israeli attacks undermines regional and international efforts at a critical juncture, as intensive efforts are under way to implement the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, including the meeting between the Board of Peace and Israeli officials, and constructive steps are being taken in the negotiation process," they said, Reuters reported.

The international community and Board of Peace must take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the ceasefire and prevent further escalation, they added.


Vatican Says 'Serious Concerns' over Israel-Lebanon Deal Implementation

Lebanese Army soldiers monitor the movements of Israeli forces stationed in a neighboring village, in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, Nabatieh Governorate, southern Lebanon, 31 July 2026, following a US-brokered security agreement between Lebanon and Israel.   EPA/STRINGER
Lebanese Army soldiers monitor the movements of Israeli forces stationed in a neighboring village, in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, Nabatieh Governorate, southern Lebanon, 31 July 2026, following a US-brokered security agreement between Lebanon and Israel. EPA/STRINGER
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Vatican Says 'Serious Concerns' over Israel-Lebanon Deal Implementation

Lebanese Army soldiers monitor the movements of Israeli forces stationed in a neighboring village, in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, Nabatieh Governorate, southern Lebanon, 31 July 2026, following a US-brokered security agreement between Lebanon and Israel.   EPA/STRINGER
Lebanese Army soldiers monitor the movements of Israeli forces stationed in a neighboring village, in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, Nabatieh Governorate, southern Lebanon, 31 July 2026, following a US-brokered security agreement between Lebanon and Israel. EPA/STRINGER

The Vatican expressed "serious concerns" Thursday about problems implementing a US-brokered deal between Israel and Lebanon, following a meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

During a private, 30-minute audience at the Vatican, Aoun had urged the pontiff to support Beirut's push to secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon envisaged by the deal, the Lebanese presidency said.

"The Holy See, whilst welcoming the signing of the document, has expressed serious concerns about the difficulties being encountered in implementing it, and has pledged its support for efforts to that end," the Vatican said in a statement.

Lebanon and Israel launched US-sponsored direct talks after the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March by attacking Israel.

Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion.

The framework agreement reached in June calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in "pilot zones".

Despite a weeks-long lull in fighting, Israel has kept up intermittent strikes and heavy demolition operations in south Lebanon.

Its forces are operating in a strip of territory around 10 kilometres (six miles) deep inside the Lebanese border.

At the Vatican, Aoun also met with the Holy See's second-in-command, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and its top diplomat, Paul Richard Gallagher.

The "cordial talks" focused on the US-mediated deal, the Vatican said.

Aoun called on the head of the Catholic Church to "support Lebanon's efforts to achieve a full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories, paving the way for the reconstruction of what Israel has destroyed," according to the Lebanese presidency.

He also urged the Pope and Vatican officials to "continue their diplomatic efforts" to ensure that Israel implements the terms of the deal and ends attacks against civilians, infrastructure, and villages, it said.

It was the second private audience between Pope Leo and Aoun at the Vatican.

The Chicago-born leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics visited Lebanon late last year, and has repeatedly urged de-escalation in the Middle East and a need for a diplomatic solution.

Aoun is also expected to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday.

Rome has hosted the last two rounds of Israel-Lebanon talks.

Italy and France said in June they wanted to set up a multinational coalition to succeed the United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, whose mandate ends this year.


Syria Says No Turkish Build-up Planned

18 August 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani speaks during a press conference with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Raffaele Grossi after their meeting. Photo: Mohammed Al-Rifai/dpa
18 August 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani speaks during a press conference with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Raffaele Grossi after their meeting. Photo: Mohammed Al-Rifai/dpa
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Syria Says No Turkish Build-up Planned

18 August 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani speaks during a press conference with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Raffaele Grossi after their meeting. Photo: Mohammed Al-Rifai/dpa
18 August 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani speaks during a press conference with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Raffaele Grossi after their meeting. Photo: Mohammed Al-Rifai/dpa

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani has said that he made clear to Israel his government wasn't working with Türkiye to amass a military presence at a Syrian airbase — but Israel went ahead and attacked the site anyway.

Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria on Tuesday, warning Syria was on the verge of violating a "status quo agreed with Israel in security matters" by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the airbase.

"[T]here was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, nor to establish a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish forces at the site," Al-Shaibani said in one of eight written responses to questions from Axios on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump told Axios in a phone call that he'd been briefed on the Israeli strike, but did not criticize it.

"I can't talk about it," he said. He declined to say whether his briefing came before or after the strike.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "dragging Türkiye into dangerous adventures in Syria.”

Katz, in a post on X, said his country would not "allow any entity to threaten its security."

The strikes on Tuesday follow worsening security tensions between Israel and Türkiye and increasingly sharp rhetoric between the two countries over Syria, where both countries' militaries are active.

Türkiye firmly rejected on ⁠Wednesday what it called "untenable allegations" by Israel regarding its military position in Syria after Israel said Syria was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy there.