UAE, France discuss bilateral ties, sign AI cooperation deal
Paris, UAE - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron of France explored various...Geostrategy
West Bank’s Jenin camp going in ‘catastrophic direction’: UNRWA
The Israeli military launched a major offensive in the West Bank on January 21 aimed at rooting out Palestinian armed...Geostrategy
Gaza civil defense says new Israel strike kills 21 in West Rafah camp
Israel launched its controversial assault on Rafah earlier this month, dismissing concerns for the safety of the 1.4 million Palestinian...21 people had been killed in an "occupation strike targeting the tents of displaced people west of Rafah"
An Israeli strike on Sunday set ablaze a crowded camp in Rafah, killing 45 people
Saudi king chairs cabinet meeting after ‘recovery’
The meeting comes nearly 10 days since the royal court said the king had a lung infection and was undergoing...King Salman "thanked his sons and daughters, the people of the kingdom, for their kind prayers" during his recovery
He also expressed his gratitude to everyone who sent him wishes of health and well-being
Egypt military says guard killed in ‘shooting’ at Rafah border
Al-Qahera News, which has links to Egyptian intelligence, quoted a defence official as saying an initial probe of the shooting...The Israeli military reported a "shooting incident" on the Egyptian border and said it was discussing the incident with Egypt
Since May 7, Israeli forces have been operating in Rafah, a city in the far south of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt
Spain, Ireland and Norway recognize Palestinian state
The plans were unveiled last week in a coordinated announcement by their prime ministers, with formal recognition to take place...The three European countries believe their initiative has strong symbolic impact, which will likely encourage others to follow suit
"Recognising the state of Palestine is about justice for the Palestinian people," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Monday in Brussels
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...Across the region, the Israeli attack sparked strong protests from mediators Egypt and Qatar as well as from Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "we will do everything possible to hold these barbarians and murderers accountable".
Hamas armed wing says fired ‘large rocket barrage’ at Tel Aviv
Rocket sirens blared in Tel Aviv for the first time in months, with an AFP correspondent reported hearing at least...The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a post on Telegram that they had targeted Tel Aviv "with a large rocket barrage in response to the Zionist (Israeli) massacres against civil
Israel's army said at least eight rockets were fired towards central areas of the country from Rafah, where its forces have been battling Palestinian fighters
Hamas claims to have taken Israeli soldier ‘prisoner’
The armed wing of Hamas said it had taken "prisoner" at least one Israeli soldier in an ambush on Saturday....Hamas also broadcast images of a soldier being dragged along the ground, presenting the soldier as a captured Israeli
In a statement on Telegram, the Israeli army said it "clarifies that there is no incident in which a soldier was abducted".
Modi’s struggling rivals to vote as India election resumes
New Delhi, India - India's six-week election resumes Saturday, with top rivals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to vote in...Modi, 73, remains roundly popular after a decade in office and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to win a third term next month
His prospects have been further bolstered by several criminal investigations into his opponents, sparking concerns from UN rights chief Volker Turk
Israel launches deadly Gaza strikes, says ready for new truce talks
Palestinian Territories - Israel launched devastating air strikes on Gaza Thursday, while also expressing readiness to resume stalled talks on...The Gaza Strip's civil defence agency said two pre-dawn air strikes had killed 26 people, including 15 children, in Gaza City
Israel has angrily rejected those moves, voicing "disgust" over the ICC request and labelling any recognition of Palestinian statehood a "reward for terrorism."
Tens of thousands bid farewell to Iran’s Raisi ahead of burial
Men and women thronged the main boulevard of Mashhad, Iran's second city in the northeast where Raisi was born, bidding...Posters of Raisi were raised along the streets of Mashhad, particularly around Raisi's final resting place
Massive crowds had gathered for a funeral procession in the Iranian capital on Wednesday to pay their final respects to the president
