Nearly 500 dead in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon
Israeli air strikes on Lebanon killed at least 492 people on Monday, including 35 children, Lebanon's health ministry said, marking...Geostrategy
Lebanon Under Attack: Israel murders 35 kids, death toll rises to 492 including 58 women
Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said the death toll in Israeli strikes Monday rose to 492, including 35 children, the...Geostrategy
Facebook allows calls for violence against ‘Russian invaders’
Facebook has temporarily eased its policy on violent speech after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, allowing statements like "death to Russian...Besides unprecedented sanctions, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also led to a surge of online anger and debates.
The policy decision from Facebook and Instagram's parent Meta was met immediately with controversy, but the social media giant defended its change.
Saudi Arabia rescued 2 US women from Houthi rebels in Yemen
The women were evacuated to the Saudi capital Riyadh, where they were met by US officials and received health checks.The young women were ‘mistreated and had restrictions imposed on their movements’
They were visiting relatives in Sanaa, which was seized by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in 2014
IMF expects to cut global growth forecast due to Ukraine war
The IMF in January cut the global growth forecast for 2022 to 4.4 percent due to the Omicron variant of...Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and sanctions that include a US ban on Russian oil imports, are spilling over to the global economy
These are causing costs for energy and other key commodities like wheat, fertilizers and metals to surge, the IMF has said
Russia, Ukraine fail to make progress at ‘difficult’ Turkey talks
Russia and Ukraine on Thursday failed to find a breakthrough on a ceasefire and other humanitarian issues at the first...Kuleba said "no progress" had been achieved on even a 24-hour ceasefire, expressing frustration that "it seems that there are other decision-makers for this matter in Russia."
He also repeated his vow that the country will not give in, saying "I want to repeat that Ukraine has not surrendered, does not surrender, and will not surrender."
Iran says US made ‘new demands’ in nuclear talks
Tehran is locked in negotiations with world powers to revive the nuclear deal that offered it sanctions relief in return...Tehran is locked in negotiations with world powers to revive the nuclear deal that offered it sanctions relief in return for curbs on its atomic programme
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in major state policies, meanwhile, stressed his country will not give up on elements of "national strength"
UAE reaffirms commitment to OPEC+ pact, production adjustments
The United Arab Emirates on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to OPEC+ alliance agreements, a day after an envoy said it...A surge in prices and supply fears following Russia's invasion of Ukraine have led to calls for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to increase output.
The OPEC+ group plans to boost production by just 400,000 barrels a day in April, the same pace as in recent months.
UN tribunal convicts two in 2005 killing of former Lebanon PM Hariri
A UN-backed tribunal on Thursday found two Hezbollah members guilty on appeal for the 2005 death of former Lebanese prime...Appeals judges at the Netherlands-based court said trial judges "erred" in 2020 by acquitting the two men---Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Oneissi.
Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Hezbollah movement, refused to hand over any of the suspects or to recognize the UN-backed court.
Iran blames US for working to ‘complicate’ nuclear talks
Iran on Thursday accused the United States of working to "complicate" efforts to restore a 2015 nuclear deal, after new...It came on the day Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stressed that his country will not give up on elements of "national strength"
Tehran is locked in negotiations with world powers to revive the nuclear deal that offered it sanctions relief in return for curbs on its atomic program
Russia accuses US of funding biological weapons research in Ukraine
Russia on Thursday accused the US of funding research into the development of biological weapons in Ukraine, as Moscow stepped...Russian defense ministry said that "the purpose of this was to establish a mechanism for the stealthy spread of deadly pathogens
Both Washington and Kyiv have denied the existence of laboratories intended to produce biological weapons in the country
Ukraine war affects green energy transition
The EU, IEA, and NGOs stress that the development of renewable energy sources and biogas must be accelerated.The global demand for the dirty fossil fuel reached a historic high in 2021 as several countries including China prefer it to pricier gas
Some countries could burn coal for longer, using it to transition to renewable energy sources without passing through a gas-power phase
