Jordanians to vote amid woes over economy and Gaza war
Jordanians will head to the polls on Tuesday to vote for a new parliament amid widespread frustrations over a lagging...Geostrategy
Two ships hit off rebel-held Yemeni region: maritime agencies
The Houthis said in a statement they had targeted the Blue Lagoon with "missiles and drones, and it was directly...Geostrategy
UN aid official presses for aid delivery to Gaza by land route
The UN aid coordinator for the Palestinian territory Sigrid Kaag said her message to UN Security Council was that the...She said the diversification of the supply routes via land remains the optimal solution
Kaag noted the complicated border inspection process was the main obstacle
Biden orders US military to set up temporary aid port in Gaza
In the wasteland of Jabalia, northern Gaza, Palestinians gathered to receive meals at a distribution point. "There is no gas...Hopes dimmed for a new truce after Hamas negotiators left talks with mediators in Egypt to consult with the movement's leadership in Qatar
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported 83 more people had been killed over the previous 24 hours, adding to a toll it says has reached 30,800
US President orders military to set up a port in Gaza for aid, say officials
President Joe Biden will tell Congress that he has ordered the US military to set up a port in Gaza...US officials said the "significant capability will take a number of weeks to plan and execute".
US officials were careful to stress that American troops would not be on the ground in Gaza.
Israeli troops ‘likely’ fired on journalist in Lebanon, says report
Paris, France - An Israeli tank crew who killed one journalist and wounded six others in Lebanon in October then "likely"...The strike in southern Lebanon on October 13 instantly killed Issam Abdallah, a 37-year-old journalist for the Reuters news agency.
Six others - two more Reuters journalists, two from Al Jazeera, and two from Agence France-Presse - were injured.
UN agency exhorts Israel to allow port for Gaza aid transfer
Rome, Italy - The UN's food agency on Thursday said it was pressing Israel to allow it to use the Ashdod..."We have several requests with the Israelis," World Food Program (WFP)Â Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau told AFP in Rome.
"We want to use the Ashdod port, which would be much more efficient than going through Jordan or even Egypt," Skau said.
Hamas expresses dissatisfaction over Israel’s stance on Gaza truce
A senior Hamas official confirmed that the group's delegation in talks seeking a Gaza truce left Cairo for consultations in...Hamas has been insisting on a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced people to their homes.
Israel has been asking for a list of all hostages still alive in Gaza, a task Hamas says it is unable to complete.
Gaza confirms Israel returned 47 exhumed bodies of Palestinians
Palestinian Territories - Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said on Thursday that Israel had returned dozens of bodies that had been...Israeli forces have on several occasions taken bodies from Gaza to Israel for examinations as they look for hostages seized during Hamas's October 7 attack.
AFP journalists have previously witnessed the reburial of bodies which Gaza officials said had been exhumed by Israeli forces.
Indian man fighting for Russia against Ukraine killed in action
New Delhi, India - India's embassy in Moscow has confirmed the death of a citizen recruited by the Russian army, days...The embassy did not state the circumstances behind Mohammed Asfan's death but said it was in touch with his family and Russian authorities.
Asfan is the first death confirmed by Indian authorities among its citizens serving with the Russian army and the second confirmed overall.
‘UAE leads humanitarian efforts in Gaza, seeks truce’
“Following the outbreak of the crisis between Palestinians and Israelis, the UAE initiated extensive diplomatic efforts at all levels to...UAE rejects Israel's collective punishment policies against Palestinians.
The Gulf country calls for a truce and establishment of a Palestinian state.
US vows to hold Houthis ‘accountable’ for deadly strike
The Houthi rebels have been defiantly hitting ships in vital commercial waters in professed solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel...Houthi ship strikes "have not just disrupted international commerce but now tragically killed a number of them," State Department spokesman said
Matthew Miller said that US was also encouraging other countries to make clear to the Houthis that "these attacks are irresponsible"