World Bank estimates Syria reconstruction costs at $216 billion
"The conflict has damaged nearly one-third of Syria’s pre-conflict gross capital stock, with direct physical damages to infrastructure, residential buildings, and...
Geostrategy
Southern EU countries call for ‘immediate release’ of Gaza aid
Countries of the so-called MED9 group -- Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain -- met on...
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Libya court sentences 37 traffickers to prison over migrant deaths
A statement from the prosecution said that the appeals court pronounced the verdict against a "criminal gang" whose members organized...
- According to the prosecutor's office, five of the guilty were sentenced to life in jail and nine other to 15 years
- A United Nations report in March said that some migrants had been subjected to sexual slavery
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Migrants stranded on Tunisia-Libya border moved: NGO
Racial tensions flared into violence against migrants from sub-Saharan African countries in Tunisia's port city of Sfax last week, with...
- Refugees International said foreign nations should “suspend security assistance to Tunisia until further expulsions cease and the abuses are investigated"
- Tunisia has seen a rise in racially motivated attacks after President Kais Saied in February accused "hordes" of undocumented migrants of bringing violence
Turkey unblocks Sweden NATO bid, setting stage for summit
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's block on Sweden's membership bid had cast a cloud over preparations for Tuesday's meeting, but...
- Erdogan on Monday upped the stakes, demanding that the European Union revive Turkey's stalled EU membership bid as a precondition for Sweden joining NATO
- In a statement after the three-way talks between Erdogan, Kristersson and Stoltenberg, Sweden vowed to boost bilateral trade and anti-terrorism coordination
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Israel parliament adopts key clause of controversial judicial overhaul
Tel Aviv, Israel - Israel's parliament adopted in a first reading a controversial bill that would limit court powers, in...
- The changes, proposed by the hard-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have sparked one of the country's biggest ever protest movements
- Tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in weekly rallies, demanding a halt to the planned overhaul of Israel's justice system
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GCC countries, Russia sign five-year joint action plan
The GCC countries and Russia have adopted a joint statement and a joint action plan for 2023-2028 following their meeting,...
- Russia and the GCC countries, traditional US allies, sign a five-year cooperation agreement in a major policy shift
- Arab countries are increasingly cosying up to the US archrivals such as China and Russia
Geostrategy
‘Turkiye should not link joining EU to Sweden’s NATO entry’
The United States supports Turkey's bid to enter the European Union but does not believe Ankara should link that to...
- Erdogan held talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius in a push to get Ankara to lift its year-long block on Stockholm.
- Diplomats said that meeting was then put on hold while Erdogan sat down with European Council head Michel.
UN warns Sudan faces ‘full-scale civil war’ as air raid kills 22
The health ministry reported "22 dead and a large number of wounded among the civilians" from what it described as...
- Around 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict, while survivors have reported a wave of sexual violence and witnesses have spoken of ethnically targeted killings
- Egypt, a close ally of Burhan's, said it will host a summit of Sudan's neighbours on Thursday to seek an end to the conflict and its regional "repercussions"
Swedish PM to meet Erdogan in a last-gasp attempt to get NATO membership
Erdogan has voiced repeated frustrations with what he calls Sweden's failure to keep its promise to deal with suspected Kurdish...
- The high-stakes talks on the eve of an alliance summit in Vilnius come with NATO keen to demonstrate unity in the face of Russian Invasion
- NATO and the White House both fear the Kremlin is trying to use its strong ties with Turkey to seed divisions among Western allies
HRW says TotalEnergies oil project ‘a disaster’ for Ugandans
TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation signed a $10-billion agreement last year to develop Ugandan oilfields and ship...
- TotalEnergies says those displaced by the project have been fairly compensated for their land, while measures have been taken to protect the environment
- HRW says the mega-project will irreparably harm fragile ecosystems, and alleges that some of the 100,000 people are expected to be displaced
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Work underway to normalize relations between Syria and Turkey: Russian envoy
Tehran, Iran-- Hectic efforts are underway for the restoration of ties between Syria and Turkey and also to pave way...
- The envoy said there are roadblocks on the path to restore relations between Syria and Turkey because of the latter's military presence in the Syrian territories
- Last year, defense ministers of Russia, Syria and Turkey met in Moscow for consultations on normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus
World Bank estimates Syria reconstruction costs at $216 billion
"The conflict has damaged nearly one-third of Syria’s pre-conflict gross capital stock, with direct physical damages to infrastructure, residential buildings, and...
Geostrategy
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Fatah urges Hamas to cede power to safeguard ‘Palestinians’ existence’
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah movement called on Hamas on Saturday to relinquish power in...
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Russia hopes for ‘progress’ at upcoming Saudi talks: negotiator
Moscow has rejected a joint US-Ukraine proposal of a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, instead suggesting just to halt aerial...
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Istanbul Bar Association board dismissed over ‘terror propaganda’
The Istanbul Bar Association's executive board was dismissed Friday on grounds of "terrorist propaganda" and "publicly spreading false information", according...
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UN warns of ‘massive trauma’ for Gaza’s children amid renewed fighting
Sam Rose, the senior deputy field director in Gaza for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, highlighted the psychological...
- James Elder, a spokesman for the UN children's agency UNICEF, said traumatized children usually only start to process their trauma when they begin returning to normalcy.
- Humanitarians warned the situation has been made worse by Israel's decision earlier this month to cut off aid and electricity to Gaza over the deadlock in negotiations.
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Macron announces new Ukraine ‘coalition’ summit in Paris on March 27
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said the leaders of a coalition of Ukraine backers would meet again in Paris...
- Macron, together with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has been leading efforts to form a coalition in support of Ukraine
- Starmer on Thursday hosted talks with around 30 senior military planners from nations interested in the coalition
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Israel deepens Gaza offensive, shuts key routes, and orders evacuations amid heavy civilian casualties
US President Donald Trump "fully supports" Israel's renewed Gaza operations, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when asked...
- The offensive has drawn widespread condemnation and shattered a relative calm in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory where a ceasefire began on January 19
- Israel earlier said it had closed off the territory's main north-south route as part of expanding ground operations that resumed on Wednesday