Israel’s Gantz says military focus needs to shift to Lebanon
"We have enough forces to deal with Gaza and we should concentrate on what is going on in the north,"...Geostrategy
Israel set for general strike after Gaza hostages found dead
A nationwide strike aimed at ramping up pressure on Israel's government to secure the release of the remaining hostages in...Geostrategy
China top diplomat terms war in Gaza a ‘disgrace for civilisation’
The foreign minister said that the catastrophe in Gaza once again reminded the world that "the fact that the Palestinian...Wang Yi said that no reason can justify the continuation of the conflict
He also said China supports "full" UN membership for a Palestinian state
Envoys push for Gaza truce before Ramadan begins next week
While negotiators in Cairo tried to surmount tough stumbling blocks, fighting again raged in Gaza where the UN warns famine...US President Joe Biden called on Hamas to accept the truce plan
Hamas has insisted on a complete halt to the fighting in Gaza
Bulk carrier hit by missile from Yemen, crew says three dead
An anti-ship ballistic missile struck the Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned M/V True Confidence, after which its crew reported "three fatalities, at least...The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting merchant vessels transiting the vital Red Sea trade route for months and have previously hit ships in the area
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on social media that the True Confidence was targeted with multiple missiles "after the ship's crew rejected warning messages."
Israel to start building 3,500 settler homes in occupied West Bank
The administrative step forward comes after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich last month vowed to expand settlements, in response to Palestinian...Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said there were 3,426 homes advanced through a planning committee, across Maale Adumim and Kedar, east of Jerusalem, and Efrat.
Despite opposition abroad, Israel has in recent decades build dozens of settlements across the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.
18 killed in suspected IS attack on Syria truffle hunters: Monitor
Beirut, Lebanon - Gunmen thought to be linked to the Islamic State group in Syria killed 18 people searching for truffles...The gunmen attacked the group with machine guns, said the Britain-based monitoring group with a network of sources inside Syria
More than 50 people remained missing after the attack that saw heavy clashes with pro-government forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said
2023 deadliest year in a decade for migrants, says United Nations
"The 2023 death toll represents a tragic increase of 20 percent compared to 2022, highlighting the urgent need for action...The IOM said that because safe and regular migration pathways remain limited, hundreds of thousands of people attempt to migrate via irregular routes in unsafe conditions.
The Mediterranean ocean crossing continues to be the deadliest route for migrants, with at least 3,129 deaths and disappearances registered last year.
BRICS to create blockchain-based payment system: Kremlin aide
Moscow, Russia – BRICS will work to create an independent payment system based on digital currencies and blockchain, Kremlin aide...Ushakov said that the specific task for this year is to increase the role of BRICS in the international monetary and financial system
The BRICS group of emerging economies has welcomed 2024 by officially adding five developing nations
ASEAN, Australia call for ‘immediate and durable’ ceasefire in Gaza
Southeast Asia is home to about 40 percent of the world's Muslim population, and ASEAN heavyweights Indonesia and Malaysia are...The critical situation in Gaza was a topic of fierce debate as leaders from the 10-nation ASEAN bloc convened in Melbourne for a three-day summit
The group also backed the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, despite Australia pausing the group's funding over allegations some of its staff were members of Hamas
‘You’ve got to finish the problem’: Trump supports Israel’s war
The fighting began with an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in about 1,160 deaths, most...Trump voiced support for the war in his most explicit comments yet on the fighting
US protest movements have urged voters to punish Biden at the polls over his support for Israel
Trump comes close to ‘Super Tuesday’ clean sweep: US networks
The former president, bidding for a sensational White House comeback after being unseated by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, hopes...Trump's longshot challenger, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, narrowly won the northeast state of Vermont
Polling averages from RealClearPolitics show Trump two points ahead of Biden in a one-on-one match-up in the November election