Gaza situation ‘beyond catastrophic’, says UN agency chief
The British-born official, who spent a week in the besieged Palestinian territory last month, said even when aid got through...Geostrategy
Iran calls for ‘international community response’ after Israel’s Syria attack
In a statement, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani "strongly condemned" the attack and said that Iran "reserves the right...Geostrategy
Step aside US: China’s road to global leadership goes through Middle East
If China successfully mediates the Israel-Palestine peace talks, it will cement its status as a global peacemaker, a role that...Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has expressed readiness to help facilitate peace talks between Israel and Palestine
He made separate phone calls to Israeli and Palestinian foreign ministers, emphasizing China's push for peace talks
Afghans below poverty line doubled under Taliban, says UN
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released on Tuesday a stark new assessment of 2022 data estimating 34 million Afghans...Vast foreign subsidies were halted and aid programs dramatically cut back after the US-backed republic fell in 2021.
"Some have been compelled to sell their homes, land, or assets that generate income," the UNDP report said.
Israeli army shoot, injure seven during West Bank raid
NABLUS, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Israeli forces shot and wounded seven people in a raid Tuesday in the occupied West Bank, the...The Palestine health ministry reported "six minor injuries from live fire" reached Jenin governmental hospital.
There was no immediate confirmation of the identity of those wounded in Jenin, a hotbed for Palestinian armed groups.
Middle East thaw: Now Qatar and UAE to reopen embassies
"The technical committees are now doing their work in this context, and it is expected that there will be exchange...The two countries re-established relations in Jan 2021, after the UAE took part in a nearly four-year Gulf blockade of Qatar, but they are yet to restore the diplomatic missions.
Opening the embassies would be just the latest in a series of reconciliatory steps for Gulf relations since heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Iran moved to restore ties last month.
Sound Saudi-Syria relations should be norm, says Bashar al-Assad
The Syrian president met with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in Damascus. This is the first visit to...Assad was politically isolated in the region since the conflict began but Saudi-Iran rapprochement has shifted regional relations.
Assad and Prince Faisal discussed steps to "achieve a comprehensive political settlement that... contributes to Syria's return to the Arab fold," the Saudi foreign ministry said.
Civil Society groups under ‘severe restrictions’ in Libya, says HRW
TRIPOLI, LIBYA - Libyan authorities have imposed "severe restrictions" on local and international civil society groups, obstructing their work in the...The rights watchdog said authorities must take step like adoption of a "civil society organization law that guarantees the right tot freedom of association."
Human Rights Watch called for a reform of the penal code, and “redefining criminal acts to exclude peaceful exercise of the right to express opinions."
Tunisia shuts offices of opposition party Ennahdha
The move came a day after the arrest of the party's leader, Rached Ghannouchi, 81, at his home in the...Since early February, authorities in the North African country have arrested more than 20 political opponents and personalities.
Ghannouchi was the speaker of Tunisia's parliament before Saied dissolved it and went on to seize wide-reaching powers through a series of moves opponents have dubbed a "coup".
Turkey president Erdogan’s chief rival defends Kurds ahead of vote
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief rival in next month's election defended Kurdish rights on Tuesday and accused the...Kemal Kilicdaroglu leads a six-party alliance that is posing one of the stiffest electoral challenges of Erdogan's two-decade rule.
Kilicdaroglu's comments followed weeks of attempts by Erdogan to link the opposition with Kurdish militants fighting the Turkish state.
Saudi top diplomat heads to Syria for first visit since war
Recent months have seen increasing Arab engagement with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been politically isolated in the region...The visit of Saudi diplomat comes less than a week after Syrian Foreign Minister visited Saudi Arabia, also on the first such visit since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011
Prince Faisal said in February that a consensus was building in the Arab world that a new approach to Syria requiring negotiations would be needed to address the conflict
Kuwait dissolves parliament, to hold new general election
Seeing no way out of a political crisis that has prevented the country from having an effective government, Kuwait's emir...In 1962, Kuwait embraced a parliamentary system, but repeated political crises have caused state paralysis
The rich country, unlike other Gulf Arab states, has a vigorous political life in which MPs and civil society regularly take the authorities to task