Hamas-allied official escapes Israeli strike in Lebanon
According to a security source, who did not want to be identified, the target was Mohammad Assaf of Jamaa Islamiya,...Geostrategy
Singapore makes Israel embassy delete ‘insensitive’ Palestinian post
Singapore, Singapore--Singapore made the Israeli embassy in the city-state take down an "insensitive" social media post about the Palestinians over the...Geostrategy
Libya and Italy sign US$8bn gas deal as Europe searches for energy
The agreement was signed in the presence of Meloni and her host Abdulhamid Dbeibah, who heads the UN-brokered Government of...Eni said it was the first major project in Libya since early 2000 and involved the development of two offshore gas fields
During her trip to Libya, Giorgia Meloni was expected to discuss the issue of migration amid rising numbers of irregular migrants from Libya to Italy
Turkey comes out with retaliatory travel alert for US, EU
Ankara has been most recently outraged by anti-Islamic protests by a far-right extremist who was allowed to burn the Koran...The US and major European countries have advised their citizens against attending mass events and to avoid tourist hotspots in Turkey
The Turkish foreign ministry's first travel advisory warned of "dangerous levels of religious intolerance and hatred in Europe"
Iran earthquake kills two, injures hundreds near border with Turkey
Iran's deadliest recorded quake was a 7.4-magnitude tremor in 1990 that killed 40,000 people in the country's north, injured 300,000...The shallow quake hit the city of Khoy in West Azerbaijan province at 9:44pm (1814 GMT), the Seismological Center of the University of Tehran said
Iran sits astride the boundaries of several major tectonic plates and experiences frequent seismic activity
Tunisians to vote in second round of poll for toothless parliament
A total of 262 candidates are competing for 131 seats from Tunisia's 161-member legislature, which was largely stripped of its...The president sacked the government and froze parliament before dissolving it and changing the constitution, abolished the hybrid parliamentary system
Analysts predict low turnout again among Tunisia's 7.8 million eligible voters for the second round as major parties including Saied's arch-rivals
Syria refutes watchdog report of 2018 chemical attack
In the OPCW report, investigators said there were "reasonable grounds to believe" that at least one Syrian air force helicopter...Syria and its ally Moscow say the April 7, 2018 attack was staged by rescue workers at the behest of the United States, which afterwards launched air strikes
The country denies the use of chemical weapons and insists it has handed over its stockpiles under a 2013 agreement, prompted by a sarin gas attack that killed 1,400 in Ghouta
Iran repels drone attack on military site in Isfahan
Claiming that it has repelled a drone attack on a military site, Iran's defense ministry said that an unsuccessful attack...Iranian military officials did not elaborate on the activities at the targeted site, north of the city of Isfahan
The country has accused Israel of carrying out several covert actions on its soil, including an attack, according to Tehran, using a satellite-controlled machine gun
Italy PM Meloni in Libya to discuss energy, migration
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in the Libyan capital Tripoli for talks on energy and migration, Libyan state media...Libya and Italy are key trade partners, particularly in energy, where Italian giant Eni plays a major role in tapping into Africa's largest known oil reserves.
Meloni was accompanied by Eni chief Claudio Descalzi, who is expected to sign a deal with Libya's National Oil Company.
UAE takes part in G20’s first Health Working Group meeting
NEW DELHI, INDIA - The UAE participated in G20'S first health working group session held in India from January 18...The aim of the meeting was to discuss the priorities for the health track within G20 under the Indian presidency this year.
It will also focus on access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medical countermeasures.
New gun attack in east Jerusalem after synagogue mass shooting
An assailant shot and wounded two people in east Jerusalem, Israeli medics said, hours after a Palestinian gunman killed seven...The mass shooting unfolded as a 21-year-old resident of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem drove up to the synagogue and opened fire.
It came a day after one of the deadliest army raids in the occupied West Bank in roughly two decades.
DEWA’s virtual employee ‘Rammas’ responds to over 6.8mn enquiries since 2017
DUBAI, UAE - Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s ( ) virtual employee ‘Rammas’, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), answered over...DEWA CEO said the firm launched Rammas as part of its strategy to employ AI in all its operations and services.
Rammas encourages the use of smart channels, reduces the number of visits to DEWA’s Customer Happiness Centers.