Netanyahu eyes hostage breakthrough as Gaza families mourn victims
His comments lifted hope for a new ceasefire in the devastating conflict in the Palestinian territory, after US President Donald...Geostrategy
Morocco’s Atlantic gambit: linking restive Sahel to ocean
Dubai, UAE -- A planned trade corridor linking the landlocked Sahel to the Atlantic is at the heart of an...Geostrategy
Syria landmine blast kills 19 truffle hunters, says war monitor
BEIRUT, LEBANON – At least 19 people searching for truffles in the north Syria desert were killed on Saturday after their...Between February and April each year, hundreds of impoverished citizens risk their lives searching for truffles in the vast Syrian desert.
Recent weeks have seen repeated deadly mine blasts as Syrians hunt for truffles even as authorities have warned against the practice.
Noura Al Kaabi leads UAE’s delegation to UN Commission on the Status of Women
NEW YORK, US – Minister of State Noura Al Kaabi led the United Arab Emirates’ delegation to the 68th session...Delivering the UAE’s national statement in the CSW68 General Debate, Al Kaabi emphasised the need to protect Palestinian women and girls.
She participated in a ministerial roundtable on mobilizing financing for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls
Houthi, Hamas mull ‘encircling’ Israel in Lebanon meet
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels discussed "expanding confrontations and encircling" Israel in a meeting in Lebanon with Hamas and other Palestinian...The two groups discussed "mechanisms to coordinate their actions of resistance" for the "next stage" of the war in Gaza.
They discussed the "complementary role of Ansar Allah (the Houthis) alongside Palestinian factions, especially in the event of an Israeli offensive on Rafah".
Gaza strike kills 36 relatives in first Friday of Ramadan
Palestinian Territories - Displaced by Israeli bombardment, the Tabatibi family gathered in central Gaza to eat together during the first...An air strike hit the building where they were staying as women prepared the pre-fasting meal, killing 36 members of the family, survivors said.
Because there were not enough body bags, some of the dead - including at least two children - were wrapped in white cloth stained with blood.
Fatah rejects Hamas criticism of new prime minister’s appointment
Ramallah, Palestinian Territories - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party hit back at criticism by Hamas and other factions over his...Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appointed Mohammed Mustafa as prime minister and tasked him with forming a new government.
Mustafa replaces Mohammed Shtayyeh, who resigned less than three weeks ago citing the need for change after the Hamas attack of October 7.
Massive fire destroys prestigious Arab film studio in Egypt
CAIRO, EGYPT – A major fire here destroyed one of the Arab world's most prestigious and oldest film production houses, founded...Flames overtook the Al-Ahram Studio in Giza district, burning everything inside and spreading to three surrounding buildings.
Residents of the neighboring buildings were still sleeping on the ground in nearby streets at dawn on Saturday
US charity says aid unloaded, ready for delivery in Gaza
A US charity said its team in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip had finished unloading the first maritime aid shipment to...The group is preparing a second boat of 240 tons of food to set sail from Cyprus, the starting point of a new maritime aid route across the eastern Mediterranean.
The humanitarian effort is intended to mitigate food shortages that have prompted famine warnings in Gaza from the UN and aid workers.
Saudi Arabia takes part in global mineral and mining meet in Canada
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – A delegation comprising several entities from the Kingdom’s industry and mineral resources' system participated in PDAC...The Saudi delegation held meetings with teams from Canada, the Czech Republic and Ecuador.
These are part of the 85 meetings they will hold with officials of countries and global firms participating in the event.
Netanyahu okays plan for operation in Gaza’s packed Rafah
Netanyahu "approved the plans for action in Rafah," his office said in a statement, without giving details or a timeline....The statement from Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the military was "prepared for the operational side and for the evacuation of the population."
Biden, who has supported Israel during the war, has said an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a "red line" without credible civilian protection plans in place
US sanctions network smuggling American tech to Iran’s central bank
US Treasury sanctioned a number of alleged ISC subsidiaries and front companies based in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates,...The sanctions relate to Informatics Services Corporation (ISC), the technology arm of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), the Treasury Department said in a statement
Treasury's move freezes any US assets associated with the sanctioned individuals and entities, and generally prohibits Americans from doing business with them
