Israel approves plan aiming to double annexed Golan population, Saudi calls it ‘sabotage’ of Syria
The occupied Golan is home to about 23,000 Druze Arabs, whose presence predates the occupation and most of whom retain...Geostrategy
Transition in Syria: New PM says will ‘guarantee’ rights of all religious groups
With Assad's overthrow plunging Syria into the unknown, its new rulers have sought to assure religious minorities that they will...Geostrategy
Global operation smashes ‘most harmful cyber crime group’
LONDON, UK - An international operation led by UK and US law enforcement has severely disrupted "the world's most harmful cybercrime...LockBit and its affiliates have targeted governments, major companies, schools and hospitals, causing billions of dollars of damage.
LockBit's website -- selling services that allow people to organize cyber attacks and hold data until a ransom is paid appears -- was taken over.
Israeli apartheid against Palestinians worse than in S.Africa: Pretoria
"We as South Africans sense, see, hear and feel to our core the inhumane discriminatory policies and practices of the...The South African representative said, "It is clear that Israel's illegal occupation is also being administered in breach of the crime of apartheid."
He said South Africa had a "special obligation" to call out apartheid wherever it occurs and ensure it is "brought to an immediate end"
26 EU states demand ‘immediate’ halt in Gaza fighting: Borrell
The European Union has struggled for a united response on Israel's military operation following the October 7 attack by Hamas....EU countries also reiterated their calls for Israel not to launch an assault on the Gaza city of Rafah, which has become the main shelter zone in the stricken territory.
Israel has warned that, unless Hamas frees all hostages, it will push on with its offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including in Rafah
Sudan refugees face agonizing wait in overcrowded camps
Renk is just 10 kilometers (six miles) from Sudan, where fighting broke out in April last year between army chief...Nearly 560,000 displaced people have taken refuge in South Sudan, according to the UN, which estimates that around 1,500 new arrivals turn up in the country every day
UN says 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian assistance, while around 3.8 million children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition
UN agencies warn of ‘explosion’ in Gaza child deaths
Twenty weeks into Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies warned that food and safe water had...At least 90 percent of children under five in Gaza are affected by one or more infectious diseases, according to a joint assessment by the UN agencies
Seventy percent children had had diarrhea in the two weeks prior to the assessment, marking a 23-fold increase compared to the 2022 baseline
Brazil summons Israeli ambassador as Gaza row escalates
The Brazilian foreign ministry said it has also recalled its own ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations, after Israel summoned...Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lula had "crossed a red line"
The leftist leader has also faced backlash at home over his statements
‘Israeli army tortures and rapes Palestinian girls’
The experts have expressed concern that an unknown number of Palestinian women and children, including girls, have reportedly gone missing...Palestinian women and girls have reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together with family members, including their children, a UN press statement said
Experts have called for an independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, and effective investigation into the allegations and for Israel to cooperate with such investigations.
Israel says Brazil’s Lula ‘persona non grata’ for Holocaust remarks
Lula's remarks on Sunday sparked outcry in Israel after the Brazilian leader said the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip...Brazilian president on Sunday said the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip "isn't a war, it's a genocide" and compared it to "when Hitler decided to kill the Jews"
"He's persona non grata in the state of Israel so long as he doesn't retract his remarks and apologize," Israeli foreign minister Katz said of Brazilian leader
Construction in China-Saudi Arabia ethylene project begins
FUZHOU, CHINA - Construction of the main complex of a joint-investment ethylene project, which involves petrochemicals giant Saudi Basic Industries...The project is being built in the Gulei petrochemicals base in Zhangzhou city, in eastern China’s Fujian Province.
The project entails a total investment of $6.3 billion from SABIC and Fujian Energy Petrochemical Group Co. Ltd.
Iran-EU trade surpasses US$5bn in 2023, says Eurostat
TEHRAN, IRAN - The Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) reported that Iran and the 27 European Union member...Trade between Iran and member states of the EU recorded a decrease of 9 percent from January to December 2023.
During that period, the exchange of products between Iran and the EU member states was valued at US$5 billion.
In Brief
Antony Blinken said there was "clear interest" in pursuing relations with Israel after talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the latest stop in a tour to calm a region inflamed by the Israel-Hamas war. . Blinken discusses Israel normalization in tented Saudi talks