Syria rebel leader vows to pursue former officials for torture, war crimes
Syria's Islamist rebel leader on Tuesday vowed to pursue former senior government officials responsible for torture and war crimes, a...
Assad’s fall reshapes Middle East politics, redefining power dynamics across the region
The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels shocked the world by swiftly seizing Aleppo and Damascus, overshadowing global focus on the...
Arts & Culture
Clowns try to put smiles back on faces of Gaza children
Palestinian Territories - The children of Gaza have little to eat, have had to flee their homes and have survived...
- Clowns and acrobats performed for children in the Nuseirat refugee camp's school where their displaced families have been sheltering the bombing.
- Wassim Lobed, whose support group organized the show, said they are trying to provide psychological relief to trauma-hit children.
Business
Yen plunges to 34-year low, mixed results for equity markets
Hong Kong, China - The yen plunged Wednesday to a 34-year low against the dollar after a top Bank of Japan...
- The fall raised speculation that authorities would step into markets to support the currency after officials warned in recent days against speculation
- The weaker yen helped spur a rally in the Nikkei as exporters benefited, making the index the region's best performer
Business
Hyundai to invest $50bn in South Korea
The automaker will make a bigger push to produce EVs.
- With the $50.5bn investment announced, Hyundai said it wants to "secure future growth engines in an uncertain business environment through constant change and innovation"
- Under the plan, Hyundai will create 80,000 jobs in South Korea and build three new EV factories, with the aim of increasing annual EV production to 1.51 million units by 2030
Business
California looks to Europe to rein in deployment of AI
The richest state in the United States by GDP, California is a hotbed of no-holds-barred tech innovation, but lawmakers in...
- Lawmakers in California are looking to recent European legislation on AI, especially given the little hope of equivalent national legislation out of Washington
- There are at least 30 different bills proposed by California state legislators that relate to various aspects of AI, according to senior policy advisor
UN Palestinian agency chief says funding secured until end of May
Gaza has endured almost six months of war and a siege that has cut off most food, water, fuel and...
- UNRWA is in crisis since Israel accused that a dozen of its employees were involved in October 7 Hamas attack
- UNRWA chief warned last month that the funding crunch was so great the organization might not be able to operate beyond March
Geostrategy
Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza dead, say families
Jerusalem--One of the Israeli hostages kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas attack has been killed and his body is being...
- The slain hostage, Uriel Baruch, 35, a father of two, was taken from the Supernova music festival by Hamas fighters
- Fighters from Hamas seized 253 Israeli and foreign hostages during the October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war
Geostrategy
Syria strikes kill 17 including Iran Guard, WHO worker
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, an Iranian Revolutionary Guards adviser, his two Iranian security escorts, and...
- A US defence official told AFP the United States "did not conduct any airstrikes" overnight
- WHO chief announced on social media "the tragic loss of another one of our own in an air strike in Syria"
Business
BYD posts record 2023 profit
The Shenzhen-based firm is now moving quickly overseas.
- BYD overtook Elon Musk's Tesla in the fourth quarter of 2023 to become the world's top seller of EVs.
- The figure is in line with a forecast issued by the firm in late January of 29-31 billion yuan ($4bn - $4.3bn)
Geostrategy
Qatar says negotiations ‘ongoing’ for Gaza truce
Doha, Qatar - Mediator Qatar said on Tuesday that talks between Hamas and Israel on a Gaza truce and hostage release...
- Qatar, with the United States and Egypt, has been engaged in weeks of behind-the-scenes talks in a bid to secure a truce in Gaza
- Since the UN adopted a resolution on Monday demanding an "immediate ceasefire", Hamas and Israel have traded blame for their failure to agree a deal.
Geostrategy
US defense chief tells Israeli counterpart that Gaza toll is ‘too high’
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant that civilian casualties in Gaza are "too high". A...
- A senior Pentagon official said that US Defense Secretary had discussed his hopes that negotiations would "soon produce the release of all hostages."
- The United States has backed Israel with both military and diplomatic support.
Syria rebel leader vows to pursue former officials for torture, war crimes
Syria's Islamist rebel leader on Tuesday vowed to pursue former senior government officials responsible for torture and war crimes, a...
Company News
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Libya’s eastern administration lifts oil production, export blockade
The Benghazi-based administration, which controls most of Libya's oilfields, said in a Facebook post it was "lifting the force majeure...
Geostrategy
Updates: President Biden says ‘discussing’ possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities
Oil prices shoot up as Biden suggests that Israel might target Iranian oil facilities, while GCC Arab states, including Qatar,...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Israel declares UN chief ‘persona non grata’ over Iran attack response
"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," said...
- Following Iran's missile attack on Israel late Tuesday, Guterres condemned the "broadening conflict in the Middle East", slamming "escalation after escalation" in the region.
- Israel has been a harsh critic of the UN, with ties between the state and the international body souring even more after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Geostrategy
G7 says diplomatic solution is still possible in Middle East
Rome, Italy -- The G7 on Wednesday vowed to work together to reduce tensions in the Middle East and said a...
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called a telephone meeting of the body Wednesday to address the escalating Mideast crisis.
- "In a constantly evolving scenario, it was agreed to work together to promote a reduction of tensions at the regional level," said the statement released by the Italian government.
Geostrategy
Hezbollah says it clashed with Israeli troops who tried to ‘infiltrate’ Lebanon
Hezbollah said Wednesday it clashed with Israeli soldiers who tried to infiltrate into Lebanon, and also targeted Israeli troops across...
- Israeli military said that troops had started "targeted ground raids" in south Lebanon
- Israeli strikes killed a further 55 people on Tuesday