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...
Qatar resumes Gaza mediation: source with knowledge of talks
Doha, Qatar - Qatar has resumed its role as a mediator in efforts to secure a truce in the Israel-Hamas war...
Israeli military says 2 hostages rescued in overnight Gaza operation
The military said in a statement that "during a joint IDF (military), ISA (Shin Bet security agency), and Israel Police...
- During the October 7 attacks, Palestinian fighters seized about 250 hostages, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel says around 130 are still in Gaza
- Dozens of captives taken on October 7 were released during a one-week truce in November that also saw the release of more than 200 Palestinian captives held in Israeli jails
Geostrategy
Iraq resumes talks with US on coalition forces exit
According to the military spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, the discussions aim to schedule a timeline for a pullout of...
- The US-led military coalition was set up in 2014 to fight the Islamic State group
- Since October, US and allied troops have been targeted more than 165 times in the region
Geostrategy
Hospitalized Pentagon chief hands duties to deputy
The latest health scare came weeks after it emerged that Austin, 70, had kept previous hospital stays secret and had...
- Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks "assumed the functions and duties" just before 5:00 pm (2200 GMT), Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said
- Austin was "admitted into the critical care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for supportive care and close monitoring," the Pentagon said
Geostrategy
More than 50 people killed in Israeli strikes on Rafah
Witnesses heard an intense series of strikes and saw smoke billowing above the city, which now hosts more than half...
- Israeli military said that it had conducted a series of strikes in the Gaza Strip
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his army to prepare a ground offensive on Rafah
Geostrategy
India says Qatar freed eight ex-navy personnel
"The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained...
- In October, India said it was "shocked" after a Qatari court had sentenced them to death, but the sentence was reduced in December
- The Hindu newspaper reported the men were spying for a "third country", while the Times of India has said that "they were accused of spying for Israel."
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia sends $250m to bolster Yemeni government
Saudi Arabia said it had disbursed $250 million in aid to the internationally-recognized government in Yemen. The money follows an...
- The Yemeni government relocated to Aden, a port city on the southern coast, after the Iran-backed Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014.
- In 2015 Saudi Arabia mobilized an international coalition intended to oust the Houthis.
Geostrategy
IMF chief says Israel-Hamas war ‘devastating’ Palestinian economy
"The Palestinian economy's dire outlook is worsening as the conflict persists," managing director Kristalina Georgieva told the World Governments Summit...
- In the war-ravaged coastal territory, economic activity dropped 80 percent from October through December compared with a year earlier, the IMF chief said.
- The IMFÂ now sees the economies of the region expanding 2.9 percent this year, a decrease of half a percentage point from its October forecast.
Geostrategy
UN’s IMO working ‘tirelessly’ to solve Red Sea crisis: head
Yemen's Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, have launched dozens of attacks against ships in the Red Sea since November, targeting...
- Secretary General Dominguez said IMO is working to ensure that "parties continue to talk so that the situation does not degenerate any further"
- Many shipowners have decided to stop operating in the Red Sea, instead sending their ships on the longer route around the south of Africa
Business
Climate change parches Morocco breadbasket amid policy pitfalls
Berrechid, Morocco -- Around this time every year, Moroccan wheat farmer Abderrahim Mohafid is usually preparing for his spring harvest, but...
- Morocco has seen only about half the rainfall it did during the same period last year, the country's water minister Nizar Baraka told AFP.
- The sector accounts for 14 percent of Morocco's exports, with exported produce seen as more profitable than that sold in domestic markets.
Geostrategy
Israel offensive on Lebanon would ‘spell end’ of Netanyahu, says Iran’s FM
Amir-Abdollahian met top officials in Beirut including Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a powerful ally of...
- The minister said that any move by Israel on Lebanon will spell the "end of Netanyahu"
- He was on his third visit to Beirut in over four months of hostilities
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
Latest News
46,223 structures destroyed, 18,478 severely damaged in Gaza: UNOSAT
Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) has identified 46,223 destroyed structures, 18,478 severely damaged structures, 55,954 moderately...
Geostrategy
Fears of Middle East war grow after Hamas leader’s killing
Israel on Saturday again traded fire with Hezbollah, carried out a deadly raid in the occupied West Bank, and struck...
Geostrategy
US to deploy more warships, fighter jets to Mideast
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the Middle East and areas...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
What next after assassination of Hamas chief Haniyeh?
Jerusalem, Undefined - The killing of Palestinian militant group Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran could embolden hardliners in the...
- Haniyeh's killing could have an impact on flailing ceasefire talks to halt Israeli bombardment of Gaza and to see Israeli hostages freed.
- While some have celebrated Haniyeh's death on social media in Israel, many also fear a military escalation
Geostrategy
Iran to hold funeral for Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh
Khamenei, who has the final say in Iran's political affairs, said after Haniyeh's death that it was "our duty to...
- The Islamic republic's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead the prayers for Haniyeh, having earlier threatened a "harsh punishment" for his killing
- Haniyeh's death was announced on Wednesday by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who said he and his bodyguard were killed in a strike on their accommodation
Geostrategy
Killing of the Palestinian movement’s chief Ismail Haniyeh “will not go unanswered”- Hamas
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Wednesday the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was a "cowardly act" and urged Palestinians...
- Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas strongly condemned the assassination
- Haniyeh's killing came after Israel on Tuesday struck a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, killing a senior commander