General Motors subsidiary GM Defense said its Infantry Squad Vehicle has completed the eight-day 2023 UAE Armed Forces Summer Trials in the United Arab Emirates. Hosted by the UAE General Maintenance Corps, the event put the off-road vehicle under various trial phases, including operating with maximum payload capacities in extreme heat and diverse terrain and...
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Category: Middle East
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Treasury Designates Companies, Vessels Shipping Commodities to Finance Houthis
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned several foreign companies and vessels for transporting commodities to finance the terror activities of the Houthi militant group. According to the agency, Marshall Islands-based Reneez Shipping and the Hongkong Unitop Group operated Palau-flagged Reneez and Panama-flagged Eternal Fortune, respectively, to ship cargos on...
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US Treasury Designates Entities, Individuals Involved in Iranian Drone, Missile Production
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated 16 individuals and several entities for enabling Iran’s production of unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles used in a weekend attack against Israel. Companies and individuals subject to assets and trade restrictions include Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Co. and its CEO Mohammad Sadegh...
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US Sanctions Money Laundering Network Supporting Somali Militant Group al-Shabab
The United States has sanctioned a network of individuals and entities that raise and launder money for Somalia-based al-Shabaab. According to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the al-Qaida affiliate is a militant group responsible for attacks in East Africa that have killed thousands of innocent civilians. The sanction targeted eight...
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Microsoft Invests $1.5B in Emirati Tech Company G42 to Accelerate AI Innovation in the Middle East
Microsoft is partnering with an Emirati company to develop artificial intelligence for various applications. The Redmond, Washington-based company said it will invest $1.5 billion in g42, an AI company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, is joining G42’s board of directors as part of the deal....
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US Clears $2.2B Bahrain Purchase of Abrams Main Battle Tanks
The U.S. Department of State has approved the government of Bahrain’s request to purchase Abrams main battle tanks for an estimated $2.2 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the procurement includes 50 M1A2 System Enhancement Program version 3 tanks, four M88A2 Hercules combat recovery vehicles and eight M1150 assault breacher vehicles. Other related items...
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US Sanctions Iran-Based Al-Ashtar Brigades Members
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, in coordination with Bahrain, has designated four Iran-based Al-Ashtar Brigades members. Sanctions were imposed on Hussein Ahmad ‘Abdallah Ahmad Hussein Al-Dammami, Ali Abdulnabi Ahmed Ebrahim M Alshofa, Hasan Ahmed Radhi Husain Sarhan and Isa Saleh Isa Mohamed Salman for supporting AAB, including by facilitating lethal,...
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Defense Industry Seeks Clarification on Ottawa’s Arms Export Freeze to Israel
Canadian arms exporters to Israel with permits approved before Jan. 8 can proceed with the transaction, even as Canada’s House of Commons passed on March 18 a measure temporarily halting such sales over human rights concerns from Tel Aviv’s military actions in Gaza. The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, however, still wants specific...
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US, UAE Officials Agree to Expand Collaboration on Space Research
The United States and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to expand cooperation on space research and human exploration. Officials from NASA and the National Space Council met with leaders of the UAE Space Agency and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Washinton to discuss future collaboration. “The UAE is proud to work with partners...
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Elbit Systems Books New Order for C4I Platform Installation in European Artillery Unit
Israeli defense company Elbit Systems announced that a European country has ordered its Artillery Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence solution. Under the C4I purchase order, Elbit will provide digital fires capabilities to the unnamed buyer’s 155 mm howitzer battalions through the integration of the company’s artillery suite featuring the Torch-X Fires solution and E-Lynx...