What we know about the rocky ‘roadmap’ to an elusive Gaza ceasefire
Jerusalem, Undefined - Qatari and Egyptian mediators are cajoling Israel and Hamas towards negotiations on a plan to end their war,...Geostrategy
Calling for better ties with West, Iran reformist wins presidency
In the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini in southern Tehran, Pezeshkian gave a speech thanking his supporters, saying their votes have...Geostrategy
Tunisian villages grapple with severe water scarcity
Ouled Omar, Tunisia - Tunisian villager Ounissa Mazhoud ties two empty jerry cans to a donkey and cautiously descends a stony...The World Bank predicts that by 2030 the Middle East and North Africa region will fall below the "absolute water scarcity" threshold of 500 cubic meters yearly per person.
Tunisia, already the 33rd most water-stressed country according to the World Resources Institute, has dropped to 450 cubic meters per inhabitant
Gaza government runs out of children’s vaccines, warns of ‘catastrophe’
The announcement came more than two months into the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza as international aid organizations have warned about...The Gaza health ministry called on international institutions to deliver urgently needed vaccines "to prevent disaster"
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories, Lynn Hastings, said that UNICEF was looking into the issue
World Bank to expand climate funding in MENA by $10 billion
Brhane said the World Bank integrated climate into all its work across the MENA region and is on track to...The funding supports both reducing net emissions and resilience projects, said Meskerem Brhane, the bank's Regional Director for Sustainable Development, MENA.
She added that by embracing green growth strategies, the region's GDP could potentially grow to over $13 trillion by 2050.
UNICEF warns of terrible results on children due to Lebanon crises
Beirut, Lebanon - Lebanon's compounding crises are having a "devastating" impact on children and their education, a United Nations agency said...UN children's agency UNICEF said more than a quarter of households surveyed last month reported children not attending school, compared to 18 percent in April.
For four years, Lebanon has been gripped by a crushing economic crisis that has pushed most of the population into poverty
Israeli army opens fire at hospital wards: Gaza health ministry
"The occupation (Israeli) forces have tightened the siege and the targeting of Kamal Adwan hospital, firing at patient rooms and...The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees Philippe Lazzarini warned that the people of Gaza were "running out of time and options".
Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that the war in the Gaza Strip would continue "with or without international support".
UNICEF exhorts donors for US$9.4bn in funding
The agency said the funding would allow it to reach 17.3m children in need of measles vaccinations, 7.6m children with...Afghanistan was the most expensive project listed, with UNICEF calling for $1.4 billion for 2024
The agency is aiming in 2024 to reach 48 million women, girls and young people across 58 countries
UAE renews call for Palestinian aid, two-state solution
"The Gulf country aims to launch a concrete plan to achieve the two-state solution to the Palestinian crisis with a...The UAE's contribution to Gaza's reconstruction is conditional, tied to the development of a concrete plan for a two-state solution.
During their visit to the Rafah Border, Nusseibeh and UN officials witnessed the devastation in Gaza, underscoring need for ceasefire.
Gaza journalists must be protected from harm: Blinken
AFP and other international media groups had written to Blinken in late October urging his help in protecting journalists on...At least 63 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began in October
French lawmakers urged their PM to call for all efforts to secure the exit of journalists stranded in Gaza
Biden warns Netanyahu risks losing support for Gaza war
Biden told a campaign event in Washington that Israel had "most of the world supporting it" after the Hamas attacks,...The US president told donors that Netanyahu needed to "change" his stance on a two-state solution for the Palestinians
Netanyahu meanwhile said there was "disagreement" with Biden over how a post-conflict Gaza would be governed
UNGA strongly endorses ceasefire in Gaza conflict
The UN General Assembly passes a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, highlighting the Security Council's inaction and putting...The UN General Assembly passes a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, highlighting the Security Council's inaction and putting pressure on Israel and the US.
The resolution, supported by an overwhelming majority, underscores the growing global concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for urgent peace efforts.