Iran says will not send forces to confront Israel
An Israeli strike on Beirut Friday killed Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that has been...Geostrategy
More than 100 killed in Lebanon as Israel attacks south and central Beirut
Israeli fighter jets pounded parts of Lebanon and a drone attacked a Sunni neighborhood in central Beirut killing dozens across...Geostrategy
Israeli leaders visit Jordan to seek calm ahead of Ramadan
Jordan king called on Gantz to "lift all obstacles that could prevent (Muslims) from performing prayers" at Al-Aqsa.Jordan king called on Gantz to "lift all obstacles that could prevent (Muslims) from performing prayers" at Al-Aqsa
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is also due to visit Amman on Wednesday
Blinken in Morocco for security talks, meets UAE leader
Blinken also said he was "encouraging partners to speak out against Russian aggression" and said he doubted Russia's "seriousness" in...Blinken also said he was "encouraging partners to speak out against Russian aggression" and said he doubted Russia's "seriousness" in talks with Ukraine held in Turkey
Washington's top diplomat had flown into Rabat late Monday from Israel where he met his counterparts from the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Egypt
Saudi-led coalition announces Yemen ceasefire amid peace talks
The Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government against Huthi rebels in Yemen's conflict Tuesday announced a ceasefire from Wednesday morning...The coalition's announcement comes after an official told AFP that Saudi Arabia was waiting for "serious steps" from Yemen's rebels on a potential prisoner swap
On Sunday, the Huthis said an agreement had been reached to free 1,400 of their fighters in exchange for 823 pro-government personnel, including 16 Saudis
Qatar to invest $5bn in Egypt, with an eye on offshore gas
The move is being seen as another sign of a growing rapprochement between the two countries following last year's restoration...A Cairo statement said Qatar was to plough $5 billion in ‘investments and partnerships’ in Egypt, but did not give specifics
However, QatarEnergy announced an agreement with ExxonMobil to acquire a 40% interest in a gas exploration block off Egypt
Iran says Houthi ceasefire plan can end Yemen conflict
Iran offered its support on Tuesday for a ceasefire plan put forward by rebels it backs in Yemen's war, saying...The Houthi rebels on Saturday announced the proposal and offered peace talks on condition Saudi Arabia stops its air strikes and blockade of Yemen and removes "foreign forces"
On Tuesday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the Houthi "plan contained a strong message of determination to end the war"
US Special Envoy for Yemen to visit Gulf for conflict resolution
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking will travel to the Gulf starting March 28 to continue leading U.S. diplomatic...Yemenis deserve a more peaceful, prosperous country where they can live in safety and dignity, the US State Department said.
In Riyadh, Special Envoy Lenderking will also participate in the opening of the Gulf Cooperation Council-led Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue and engage with Yemeni participants.
Social media’s rocky ride through conflict zones
Activists in Arab Spring countries now lament how the platforms they once lauded have been retooled to serve the powerful....Younger companies like TikTok and Telegram have been criticized for continuing to host Burmese military propaganda.
In Ukraine too, TikTok and Telegram have both been accused of failing to tackle Russian disinformation.
€120m frozen in money-laundering probe in Lebanon
Prosecutors are probing links Lebanon's central bank chief's link to criminal associations and money laundering.French investigators launched investigation against five individuals for embezzling public funds in Lebanon worth of $330 million between 2002 and 2021
People of Lebanon suspect Riad Salameh who was the chief of Lebanese central bank and other high officials of transferring money abroad during a 2019 uprising
Ukraine retakes Kyiv suburb, as negotiations for peace resume
Ukrainian troops "liberated" the suburban town of Irpin, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky said, wresting a key gateway to the capital's...It is now more than a month since Russian President Vladimir Putin's tanks rolled into Ukraine to oust the government
The fighting has already killed an estimated 20,000 people on both sides, and forced more than 10 million from their homes
Blinken arrives in Morocco to hold talks with UAE leader
Blinken flew in from Israel, where he joined a historic meeting of fellow top diplomats from the Jewish state, UAE,...Blinken flew in from Israel, where he joined a historic meeting of fellow top diplomats from the Jewish state, UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Egypt
US officials said talks in Morocco on Tuesday, and in a follow-up stop Wednesday in Algeria, would deal with the economic fallout from the Ukraine war
