Netanyahu and Rubio align on aggressive strategies toward Hamas and Iran in Jerusalem talks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pledged to "open the gates of hell"...
Geostrategy
Three Gaza hostages set for release after ceasefire crisis abates
Jerusalem, Undefined - Israel said Friday it had received the names of three hostages to be freed by militants in exchange...
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Geostrategy
UN urges ‘free and fair’ elections in Syria post-Assad ouster amid ongoing challenges
Turkey's Foreign Minister warned Syria's new government to address Kurdish militancy, signaling potential intervention if unresolved with tensions rising with...
- UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called for a massive aid boost by donor countries to respond to "this moment of hope" for Syria
- Years of civil war have also left the country heavily dependent on aid, deeply fragmented and desperate for justice and peace
UN envoy warns Syria conflict not over yet
United Nations' special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, referring to fighting between the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and...
- Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syrian military assets since Assad's overthrow
- Large-scale returns of refugees to Syria could destabilize the country further
Geostrategy
TikTok under fire: Espionage claims, election influence campaigns and controversies
The platform faces accusations of espionage in the United States, while the European Union has launched an investigation into claims...
- The United States in April passed a law obliging TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to sell off the platform by January 19 on the grounds it allowed China to access data on US users.
- Its editing features and powerful algorithm have kept it ahead of the game, attracting an army of creators and influencers as well as creating many of its own.
Syria since Assad’s overthrow: latest developments
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani said that all rebel factions in Syria would "be disbanded and the fighters trained to...
- Assad denounced the country's new leaders as "terrorists"
- President Elect Trump said Turkey did an unfriendly takeover, without a lot of lives being lost
Jolani vows to disband rebel factions, integrate fighters into Syria’s Defence Ministry for unity
Jolani emphasized unity in Syria, advocating a social contract among religions for justice, while urging diplomats to lift sanctions to...
- Assad fled Syria on December 8, as rebels led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) captured the capital Damascus, ending decades of dictatorship and years of civil war
- HTS leader Jolani has sought to reassure minorities at home and governments abroad that the country's interim leaders will protect all Syrians, as well as state institutions
Business
US stocks mostly rise ahead of expected rate cut, bitcoin hits new record
The Fed is widely expected to cut its key lending rate for a third straight time, reducing it by a...
- Bitcoin hit a new record high at $106,493.43 as it continues to gain support from Donald Trump's backing of cryptocurrencies.
- Investors are turning their attention to Wednesday's US Federal Reserve decision on borrowing costs at its last policy meeting of the year before Trump takes office next month.
Nations step up outreach to Syria’s post-Assad rulers
Governments worldwide are stepping up efforts to engage with Syria's new interim rulers, just over a week after Islamist-led rebels...
- Diplomats have urged an inclusive new administration focused on nation-building and justice
- The interim government insists they will protect the rights of all Syrians, and the rule of law
Geostrategy
Israel approves plan aiming to double annexed Golan population, Saudi calls it ‘sabotage’ of Syria
The occupied Golan is home to about 23,000 Druze Arabs, whose presence predates the occupation and most of whom retain...
- The government had "unanimously approved" the 40 million shekel ($11 million) "plan for the demographic development of the Golan., Netanyahu office said
- Israel has occupied most of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau, since 1967 and annexed that area in 1981 in a move recognised only by the United States
Geostrategy
Key Libya oil refinery halts operations after clashes: state firm
Tripoli, Libya -- A key oil refinery in western Libya suspended operations after armed clashes erupted early on Sunday, causing fires...
- The Zawiya refinery, built in 1974, is Libya's second largest with a refining capacity of more than 120,000 barrels per day (bpd).
- It is the only refinery supplying the local market with fuel products. Zawiya city is the third largest in Libya's Tripolitania region, after the capital and Misrata.
Business
US Federal Reserve expected to cut rates in last meeting of Biden era
Washington, United States -- The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to announce a quarter point cut to its key lending...
- The Fed is also tipped to signal a slower path of cuts going forward amid uncertainty over the impact of President-elect Donald Trump's economic proposals.
- Trump has vowed to tackle the high cost of living, a top concern of voters who sent him back to the White House in November's election.
Netanyahu and Rubio align on aggressive strategies toward Hamas and Iran in Jerusalem talks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pledged to "open the gates of hell"...
Geostrategy
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Norway nears 100% goal of all-electric cars
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Trump condemned for ICC sanctions over Israel, US probes
The United Nations and the European Union also urged Trump on Friday to reverse the decision ordering asset freezes and...
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Israel orders army to prepare Gaza exodus plan as Trump rules out US troop deployment in the territory
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prepare a plan for voluntary" departures from Gaza, saying Palestinians could...
West Bank’s Jenin camp going in ‘catastrophic direction’: UNRWA
The Israeli military launched a major offensive in the West Bank on January 21 aimed at rooting out Palestinian armed...
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Norway nears 100% goal of all-electric cars
By comparison, the share of electric cars in Europe was just 13.6 percent in the full-year 2024, a decline for...
- A total of 9,343 new cars were sold in January, of which 8,954 were all-electric, the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) said.
- Of the 50 most-sold models, only two were non-electric, the first of which came in 33rd place, the OFV said.
Business
OPEC+ sticks to oil output plan after Trump’s price demand
In a bid to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and Russian-led allies...
- In December, eight OPEC+ countries announced they would start phasing out 2.2 million bpd of voluntary supply cuts from April.
- The decision to stick to the alliance's timetable to unwind cuts comes after Trump said last month that he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower oil prices.
Palestinian Authority suspends Al Jazeera broadcasts
The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday ordered the suspension of broadcasts by Qatar-based Al Jazeera across the Palestinian territories, accusing the...
- Militant group Hamas condemned the decision to ban the network
- Tensions between the two sides followed recent coverage of clashes between Palestinian security forces and militants in Jenin