Syria sets date for new transitional parliament, local bodies to elect two-thirds of lawmakers
Syrian autorities led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa -- dissolved the former longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad's rubber-stamp legislature and adopted a...Geostrategy
Urgent need for ‘global approach’ on AI regulation: UN tech chief
Geneva, Switzerland -- The world urgently needs to find a global approach on regulating artificial intelligence, the United Nations' top...Technology Business Economy Geostrategy
Spain PM Sanchez says Gaza in ‘catastrophic situation of genocide’
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday said Gaza was in a "catastrophic situation of genocide" and urged the European...The comments represent the strongest condemnation to date by the Socialist leader, an outspoken critic of the Israeli offensive in Gaza sparked by Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel
Sanchez mentioned a recent human rights review by the bloc's diplomatic service which, he said, addressed "the catastrophic situation of genocide unfolding in Gaza".
WHO delivers its first medical aid to Gaza since March 2
The shipment of supplies, plasma and blood will be distributed among hospitals in the Palestinian territory in the coming days,...Israel imposed a total blockade on the Gaza Strip on March 2. More than two months later, it began allowing some food in, but no other aid items until now.
Last week the WHO said only 17 of Gaza's 36 hospitals were minimally to partially functional, with the rest unable to function at all.
Iran strikes damage hard to assess under Israeli military censorship
Such regulations are nothing new in Israel, where any written or visual publication deemed potentially harmful to the loosely defined...But with the recent missile barrages from Iran that managed to breach Israel's vaunted air defenses and kill 28 people, the restrictions were further tightened.
Most of the government's communication during the war focused on its military successes, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday praising a "historic victory" over Iran.
US hits back at accounts Iran moved enriched uranium before bombing
Trump, seeking credit for ordering military action and then quickly announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, has lashed out...Trump has lashed out angrily at media accounts of a classified report that doubted the extent of damage to Iranian nuclear sites
Vice President JD Vance, asked about the uranium on Sunday, had sounded less definitive and said the United States would discuss the issue with Iran
Israeli commandos operated in Iran during 12-day war: military
The war erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise bombing campaign that it said aimed to stop Iran..."We achieved full control over Iranian airspace and in every location where we chose to operate," chief of staff Eyal Zamir said in a televised address
"This was made possible thanks to, among other things, coordination and tactical deception carried out by our air force and ground commando units," he added
Hezbollah hails Iran’s ‘divine victory’ over Israel
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Wednesday hailed what it called its ally Iran's victory over Israel after 12 days of...In a statement, Hezbollah offered its "most sincere congratulations" to the Islamic republic, praising its "glorious divine victory."
The victory, it said, was "manifested in the precise and painful strikes it launched" against Israel, as well as "the lightning response to the American aggression
Iran lawmakers back suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
Tehran, Iran -- Iranian lawmakers voted Wednesday in favor of suspending cooperation with the United Nations' atomic energy watchdog, state...The decision still requires the approval of the Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation.
Should it be ratified, Ghalibaf said "the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend its cooperation with the IAEA until the security of the nuclear facilities is guaranteed".
Trump sees ‘progress’ on Gaza, raising hopes for ceasefire
"I think great progress is being made on Gaza," Trump said, adding that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had told...Key mediator Qatar announced Tuesday that it would launch a new push for a ceasefire, with Hamas on Wednesday saying talks had stepped up.
Gaza's civil defense agency, meanwhile, said Wednesday that Israeli fire killed another 35 people, including six who were waiting for aid.
What does NATO’s 5% spending deal really mean?
The Hague, Netherlands - NATO leaders are set to sign off Wednesday at their Hague summit on a defence spending...Trump has insisted NATO countries hit the five-percent bar -- well beyond the current two percent baseline level currently required by the alliance
Only a handful of allies -- such as Poland and the Baltic states -- are coming close to five percent at the moment, with the United States itself under 3.4 percent in 2024
China calls CIA videos ‘absurd’ attempt to recruit spies for America
China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) said the placement of what amounted to job advertisements on social media platform X...China said the placement of what amounted to job advertisements on social media platform X was an "amateurish gambit" to convince people to spy for America
CIA director John Ratcliffe said that the videos posted last month -- which implored the sharing of state secrets -- were aimed at "recruiting Chinese officials to help the US".
