Palestinian fighters release video of Israeli hostage alive in Gaza
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group identified him as Alexander (Sasha) Trupanov, and called on the Israeli authorities...Geostrategy
Israel faces global outcry over Gaza strike that set ablaze tent city
The UN called on Israel to conduct a "thorough and transparent" investigation into the Rafah strike, as the Israeli military...Geostrategy
Dutch refinery looks to boost production of sustainable aviation fuel
Sustainable aviation fuels are being made from different sources such as municipal waste, leftovers from the agricultural and forestry industry,...EU plans to impose the use of a minimum amount of sustainable aviation fuel by airlines, rising from two percent in 2025 to six percent in 2030 and at least 63 percent in 2050
Neste's Lehmus said there was a great need to mature the technologies to make sustainable aviation fuel from diverse sources such as algae, nitrocellulose and synthetic fuels
Israeli air strike near Homs injures five Syrian soldiers
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the strikes targeted several military positions of Syrian government...According to the agency, the attack was Israel's third in recent days after Damascus was targeted on the nights of March 30 and 31
The country's air defence intercepted several missiles, but five soldiers were wounded and some material damage was reported, the source added
Ukraine terms Russia UN presidency a ‘slap in the face’
Kyiv, Ukraine--Ukraine on Saturday branded Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of April "a slap in the...As part of its monthly rotation between the Security Council's 15 member states, Russia takes on the presidency with ties with the West embittered by its invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine's foreign minister described Russia's tenure as a "slap in the face to the international community" and called on UNSC members to stop Russia from abusing its presidency
WTO 2023 to put spotlight on trade role in sustainable future
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The WTO’s annual Public Forum 2023 will focus this year on how trade can contribute to a...The Forum will examine in particular how the services sector, digitalization and inclusive trade policies can support global environmental goals.
Sessions at the Public Forum are organized by representatives from civil society, academia, business, government and international organizations.
Man killed by police in old Jerusalem, says Israel
Israeli police said they shot dead an Arab Israeli who grabbed a gun from an officer and fired it in...The attack occurred hours after thousands of Palestinians had packed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound.
Since the beginning of 2023, violence between Israel and Palestinians have increased rapidly.
Syrian foreign minister on a visit to Egypt
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad in Cairo, a first since Syria's civil war...Several Arab countries rushed to Syria's aid after a February 6 earthquake killed tens of thousands in the war-torn country.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in an unprecedented show of support.
Iran puts two women behind bars for refusal to wear hijab
Iranian authorities ordered the arrest of two women, the judiciary said after a viral video appeared to show them being...The new incident comes after the death in custody of Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in September sparked months of protests
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated calls affirming that Iranian women should wear the hijab as a "religious necessity".
Norway contributes US$23.7m of flexible funding to FAO
ROME, ITALY -  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a US$23.7 million contribution from...The funds will be channeled through FAO’s Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities - a funding mechanism with streamlined procedures.
With this, FAO aims to reach around 600,000 food insecure people with farming inputs, livestock supplies, fishing inputs and cash assistance where needed.
Pakistani businessman exports food products to Israel
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - The American Jewish Congress celebrated the arrival of the first shipment of food products from Pakistan to...While Israeli authorities and buyers have no issue with direct shipments from Pakistan, officials in Islamabad have not issued any comment.
The transaction reportedly involved Pakistani-Jewish businessman Fishel BenKhald and three Israeli entrepreneurs.
US President Joe Biden calls for release of reporter held in Russia
Washington, United States--President Joe Biden on Friday called for Russia to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being...In a hard-hitting editorial in the Wall Street Journal, its board of opinion editors called for the expulsion of Russia's ambassador to the US as well as all Russian journalists
While condeming the arrest, the White House warned Americans not to travel to Russia and also advising those inside the country to leave for their own safety
