Iran fires back at Israel after onslaught targets nuclear facilities
Air raids sirens and explosions rang out across Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the airwaves to warn...Geostrategy
MENA brief Jun 13: Prince Salman to skip G7 meet, OpenAI in funds talks with PIF
In the financial sector, Fitch Ratings has projected a notable uptick in mergers and acquisitions within Saudi Arabia’s insurance industry....Geostrategy
Arab ministers, US envoy discuss Gaza reconstruction amid ongoing ceasefire talks in Qatar
The plan by Muslim-majority nations has been rejected by both Israel and its key ally the United States, but has...The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) formally adopted a plan put forward by the Arab League at an emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia
The Egyptian-spearheaded plan emerged as a proposal to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority
US trading partners hit back on steel, aluminum tariffs
The steep 25-percent levies came into place after midnight with no exemptions despite countries' efforts to avert them, in a...Canada, which is heavily exposed to the US steel and aluminum levies, announced additional tariffs of CAN$29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) on US goods, coming into force Thursday.
Uncertainty over Trump's trade plans and worries that they could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession have roiled financial markets.
Hamas confirms Gaza truce talks in Doha as Yemen’s Huthis threaten Israeli shipping over aid block
The initial phase of the truce brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States began on January 19, and helped...The first 42-day phase of the truce deal expired in early March without agreement on subsequent stages meant to secure a lasting end to the war
There are differing views on how to proceed, with Hamas seeking immediate negotiations for the next phase, while Israel wants to extend the first phase
Syrian presidency announces agreement to integrate Kurdish institutions
The Syrian presidency announced on Monday an agreement with the head of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate...Syria's new authorities under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa have sought to disband armed groups and establish government control over the entirety of the country
The new accord, which is expected to be implemented by the end of the year, comes after days of violence in the heartland of Syria's Alawite minority
Jeddah Talks: Ukraine accepts US proposal of 30-day ceasefire with Russia
The positive response from Ukraine prompted President Donald Trump's administration to lift a freeze on military aid and to predict...We'll take this offer now to the Russians and we hope they'll say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court: Marco Rubio
"I want to thank President Trump for the constructive conversation between our teams," says Zelensky
Hamas sees ‘positive’ signs for ceasefire talks as Israel cuts Gaza electricity, blocks aid flow
In a statement, Netanyahu's office said that Israel had accepted an invitation from US-backed mediators and would "send a delegation...Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would send a delegation to Doha on Monday for truce talks
Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, Hamas has insisted on a transition to the second phase
Hamas pushes for phase two of Gaza truce talks
Hamas said its representatives met with mediators in Cairo at the weekend, emphasizing the need for humanitarian aid to re-enter...The high-level delegation also stressed the need for "moving directly to begin negotiations for the second phase" of the deal, which will lay the groundwork for a ceasefire.
Hamas's demands for the second phase include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an end to the blockade, the reconstruction of the territory and financial support.
Muslim nations meet in Jeddah to unite against Trump’s controversial Gaza takeover proposal.
Trump's plan has already united Arab countries in opposition, with Saudi Arabia also hosting Arab leaders two weeks ago to...At Tuesday's summit in Cairo, Arab leaders backed the proposal to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority
However, the plan, which does not outline a role for Hamas, which controls Gaza, was rejected by both the United States and Israel
Ukraine, US delegations to meet in Jeddah next week: Saudi
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed a meeting between the United States and Ukraine due next week...Saudi Arabia last month hosted a Russian-American meeting -- the first high-level talks between the two governments since the Ukraine war began in 2022.
Relations between the US and Ukraine have rapidly deteriorated after an explosive meeting at the White House led to Washington cutting off military aid and intelligence sharing.
UNRWA warns Israel’s West Bank operation aligns with annexation ‘vision’
The Israeli operation, which the military says targets militants in the northern West Bank, was launched shortly after a truce...Israeli forces carry out regular raids targeting militants in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, but the ongoing operation since late January is already the longest in two decades
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said troops would remain for many months in the evacuated camps to "prevent the return of residents and the resurgence of terrorism."
