Iran sets up new defence council after war with Israel, to be chaired by president
The new body - which will be chaired by the president and include top military commanders among other senior officials...Geostrategy
Dormant Russia volcano erupts for first time in 450 years
Moscow, Russia -- A volcano erupted for the first time in 450 years in Russia's eastern Kamchatka region, the nation's...Geostrategy
Iran vows stronger response if attacked again by US, Israel
It remains unclear how much damage was caused by the US strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities, which came after Israel...The comments appeared to be in response to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened earlier in the day to "wipe out" the Islamic republic's nuclear programme
"If aggression is repeated, we will not hesitate to react in a more decisive manner and in a way that will be IMPOSSIBLE to cover up," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said
Putin stresses Syrian ‘territorial integrity’ in call with Netanyahu after Druze unrest
Russia, a close ally of Syria's former long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, who reportedly fled to Moscow with his family, still...Israel launched strikes this month on Damascus and Druze-majority Sweida province, saying it was acting in support of the religious minority
Putin "emphasised the importance of supporting the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria, said a Kremlin statement
Food arrives in Gaza after Israel pauses some fighting
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- Truckloads of food reached hungry Gazans on Monday after Israel promised to open secure aid...Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a six-week ceasefire broke down. Nothing was allowed into the territory until late May.
Jordan and UAE have begun air-dropping aid packages by parachute over Gaza, while Egypt has sent trucks through its Rafah border crossing to an Israeli post just inside Gaza.
Major Israeli rights groups brand Gaza campaign ‘genocide’, a first for Israeli NGOs
Rights groups B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel have been frequent critics of Israeli government policies, but the language..."Nothing prepares you for the realization that you are part of a society committing genocide. This is a deeply painful moment for us," B'Tselem executive director Yuli Novak said.
The reports from B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel argue that the war's objectives go further.
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...In June, a presidential decree established a 10-member committee to supervise the formation of local electoral bodies to select a new batch of lawmakers
State news agency SANA reported on Sunday that committee head Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad had met with Sharaa to discuss the process
The UN, the Palestinians, Israel and a stalled two-state solution
Ever since the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states in 1947, the United Nations has been inextricably linked...In November 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181 dividing Palestine - which was then under British mandate - into Jewish and Arab states
Israel declared independence in May 1948, triggering the Arab-Israeli war which was won convincingly by Israel the following year
Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel says opening aid routes
UN's World Food Programme said a third of the population of Gaza had not eaten for days, and 470,000 people...Since Israel imposed a total blockade on aid entering Gaza, the situation inside the territory has deteriorated sharply. More than 100 NGOs warned this week of "mass starvation".
Humanitarian officials are deeply skeptical airdrops can deliver enough food safely to tackle the hunger crisis.
Humanoid robots embodiment of China’s AI ambitions
Shanghai, China -- Serving craft beer, playing mahjong, stacking shelves and boxing, the dozens of humanoid robots at Shanghai's World...The Chinese government has poured support into robotics, an area in which some experts think China might already have the upper hand over the United States.
Tech giant Baidu on Saturday announced a new generation of technology for its "digital humans" -- AI agents modelled on real people.
Israel declares Gaza fighting pause amid deepening hunger crisis
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on March 2 after ceasefire talks broke down. In late May, it began...There was no immediate official response from the UN or non-governmental aid agencies operating in Gaza.
And privately skeptical humanitarian sources said they were waiting to see the results on the ground of the Israeli announcement.
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...Doreen Bogdan-Martin, head of the UN's International Telecommunications Union (ITU), said regulation was key as concerns rise over fast-moving technology.
Bogdan-Martin, the first woman to serve as ITU secretary-general in the organization's nearly 160-year history, also stressed the need to get more women into the digital space.
