Freed Israeli hostages speak out for remaining captives’ release
The hostages, most of whom were freed during a seven-day truce between Israel and Hamas, spoke in a video broadcast before a crowd of thousands at a rally in central Tel Aviv. In the brief interviews, four women who were held by Hamas related the fear, hunger, and sleeplessness of...World Bank offers to host Lost and Damage Fund: Official
Dubai, UAE -- "World Bank has offered to host the Lost and Damage Fund, so we'll work very closely with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) to create that fund," according to a World Bank's official. In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the...Israel and Hamas trade strikes as Palestinian toll mounts
Smoke again clouded the sky over the north of the Palestinian territory, whose Hamas government said 240 people had been killed since a pause in hostilities expired early Friday and combat resumed. After the truce expired on Friday, Israel had told NGOs not to bring aid convoys across the Rafah...Morocco gardening school cultivates hope for marginalised youth
Launched by the Islamic Culture Foundation in 2018, Bouregreg Med-O-Med school provides free training to dropouts and other marginalized youths threatened with unemployment. Every year, the school takes in up to 90 apprentices, "young people who come from complicated family situations... and from really precarious and difficult surrounding neighborhoods, said...US defense chief urges Israel to shield civilians to win in Gaza
Austin told the Reagan National Defense Forum that he had "learned a thing or two about urban warfare" while fighting in Iraq. "The lesson is not that you can win in urban warfare by protecting civilians. The lesson is that you can only win in urban warfare by protecting civilians,"...US Commerce chief warns against China ‘threat’
Gina Raimondo unveiled a series of restrictions on the export of advanced chips to China, including those used in the development of AI, to prevent their use by Beijing for its military. She said that Nvidia had developed a product that performs just below the limit set by her department...Israel’s goal to destroy Hamas risks decade of war: Macron
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the UN's COP28 climate talks in Dubai, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the "Israeli authorities" will have to define their objective and desired end state more precisely. He warned that its aim of destroying the Palestinian movement could unleash a...Grim cycle of death at a hospital in Gaza
Khan Yunis, Palestinian Territories - A middle-aged man with a blank, shattered expression walked slowly down a ramp at the hospital, gently cradling in his arms a tiny body wrapped in a white shroud. After the collapse of a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas, the Nasser hospital's morgue in Khan...Turkey’s Erdogan rejects US pressure to cut Hamas ties
Istanbul, Turkey - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday pushed back against mounting US pressure to cut Ankara's historic ties with Hamas in the wake of the group's unprecedented attacks on Israel. The US Treasury's top terrorism financing official conveyed Washington's "profound" alarm about Ankara's past relations with Hamas during...UAE voted to Category-B membership in International Maritime Organization
LONDON, UK - The UAE has been re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the Category B membership for the fourth term with the highest number of votes, following comprehensive efforts and an intensive election campaign leading up to the elections. Through its landmark initiatives, the...UAE marks 52nd National Day with parades, shows
Across the country, the festivities will be characterized by performances of Emirati folk arts, cultural shows, police parades, display of flags and musical candlelights.US readying to impose visa ban on violent Israeli settlers: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they met Thursday in Jerusalem that Washington was readying the sanctions, the source said on the condition of anonymity.UAE President announces $30bn Global Climate Fund at COP28 meet
In a groundbreaking announcement at the World Climate Action Summit during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan unveiled a $30 billion fund dedicated to global climate solutions. He said UAE has plans to invest $130 billion over the next seven years to...Europe to splurge record $295bn on military in 2023, says official
Moscow's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 provided Europe with a wake-up call that it needed to pump more into defense to be able to confront the threat of its bellicose eastern neighbor.EU agree draft rules to protect journalists from abusive lawsuits
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on X, formerly Twitter, that she welcomed the agreement to "protect those who try to reveal inconvenient truths".MoHRE asks over 12,000 private firms to meet Emiratization targets
DUBAI, UAE – The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has notified over 12,000 private companies with 20-49 workers that Cabinet Resolution No. (33/5W) of 2023 regarding the expansion of Emiratization targets will be in effect starting January 2024. Companies with 20-49 workers will be required to hire one...Henry Kissinger, singular US diplomat, dead at 100
Kissinger's family would hold a private funeral, with a memorial service to take place later in New York, where Kissinger grew up after his Jewish family fled Nazi Germany. The statement did not provide a cause of death. Kissinger had remained active even at as a centenarian, traveling to China...30 Palestinian civilians freed under truce deal: Israel
The overnight releases, which came after a sixth batch of hostages were freed from Gaza, bring the number of Palestinian civilians freed by Israel under a truce deal to 210. Hamas and other fighters in Gaza have released 70 Israelis under the deal, along with nearly 30 hostages of other...UAE presents its maritime contributions at IMO meet in UK
DUBAI, UAE - Presenting its category B candidacy in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council at the organization’s focus group in London, the UAE delegation has displayed the country’s contributions to the sector that have influenced the industry globally. Boasting a rich maritime history and a coastline of 1650 kilometers,...Gaza ceasefire possible if those with influence take it seriously: WHO
Geneva, Switzerland -- The WHO on Wednesday said that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was possible but those with influence were not doing enough to secure it, expressing concern at Gaza's "crippled" health system. The World Health Organization's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there was a high chance of fighting...8-year-old, teenager shot dead in West Bank, says Palestine
Ramallah, Palestinian Territories - An eight-year-old boy and a teenager were killed by the Israeli army on Wednesday in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The ministry said in a statement that "Adam al-Ghul, eight years old, and Bassem Abu el-Wafa, 15 years old,...Norway’s Oslo city hall hoists Palestinian flag
Oslo, Norway - Oslo's city hall on Wednesday raised the Palestinian flag in a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza, where thousands have lost their lives as Israel bombarded the area in retaliation for the October 7 attack by Hamas. The initiative coincides with the International Day of Solidarity with...Turkish President Erdogan calls Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ‘butcher of Gaza’
Ankara, Turkey - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "the butcher of Gaza" and accused him of spawning anti-Semitism across the world. Erdogan has lashed out repeatedly at Israel for the scale of death and destruction caused by its response to Hamas members' unprecedented...Saudi Arabia’s PIF to buy 10 percent stake in London’s Heathrow airport
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is to buy 10 percent of London's Heathrow airport from Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial, whose departure from the hub leaves Qatar as its biggest shareholder. Ferrovial said it was offloading its 25 percent stake for nearly US$3 billion, with the other 15 percent going to...Sweden says Turkey promised NATO approval ‘within weeks’
NATO's other 29 allies, outside of Turkey and Hungary, had hoped to formally welcome Sweden into the alliance at the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.Sweden and Nordic neighbor Finland had dropped their long-standing policies of non-alignment and applied to join the US-led military alliance in the wake of Russia's...US military Osprey with 8 crew crashes off Japan
Tokyo, Japan--A US Osprey military aircraft with eight crew on board crashed on Wednesday off a Japanese island, the coastguard said, in the latest accident involving the tilt-rotor military aircraft. It was unclear whether there were any survivors, but the coastguard said one unconscious person had been found at the scene...G7 calls on Houthis to stop threats to shipping
On November 19, Huthis seized Israeli-linked cargo vessel the Galaxy Leader and its 25 international crew at the entrance to the Red Sea. On Sunday, two ballistic missiles were launched from an area controlled by Huthi rebels in Yemen, landing around 10 nautical miles from US destroyer the USS Mason,...US, Israel intel chiefs in Qatar to explore ‘next phase’ of Gaza truce
The leaders of the US Central Intelligence Agency and Israel's Mossad were scheduled to meet Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the source said, adding that Egyptian officials were also taking part. The informed source said CIA director Bill Burns and Mossad head David Barnea would hold a...Mass displacement of civilians should not take place in southern Gaza, says US
WASHINGTON, US - US President Joe Biden has warned Israel that its expected offensive in southern Gaza must avoid the kind of mass displacement of civilians seen during the military's pummeling of the Palestinian territory's north, US officials said. Israel has said it will continue its war on Hamas after an...Dubai Future Forum calls for creation of global framework
DUBAI, UAE: Governments and the United Nations should create an internationally adopted framework specifically designed to help solve global challenges, a world-leading futurist on Tuesday told the Dubai Future Forum 2023 here. Dr. Jamie Metzl, founder of ‘OneShared.World’ and author of Hacking Darwin, said the world is struggling to address...Riyadh comfortably outbids rivals to win World Expo 2030 bid
The date of 2030 is hugely symbolic for Saudi, coinciding with the key milestone in the Vision 2030 programme of MBS to diversify Saudi Arabia economically and culturally. The Riyadh Expo is set to take place from October 2030 to March 2031 on the theme "The Era of Change: Together...All 41 Indian workers trapped in tunnel for 17 days rescued
Silkyara Tunnel, India -- Indian workers were greeted with wild cheers and flower garlands Tuesday as rescuers safely brought out all 41 from the collapsed Himalayan road tunnel where they were trapped after a marathon 17-day engineering operation. With beaming smiles, the rescued men were welcomed as heroes after being hauled...Al Rajhi Bank appoints Abdullah Al Rajhi as chairman
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Al Rajhi Bank said on Monday that it has appointed Abdullah bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi as chairman of the board of directors. The bank said in a regulatory filing on the Tadawul that it also named Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al Romaih as vice chairman. Al Rajhi...Abu Dhabi’s EWEC opens Q4 2023 Clean Energy Certificates auction
ABU DHABI, UAE - Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) on Monday announced that it will conduct its Q4 2023 auction for Clean Energy Certificates (CECs) here, with registration now open and the auction closing on December 14 2023. Introduced by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), CECs are...Israel says truce extension with Hamas a possibility
The terms of the truce agreement pausing the fighting in the Gaza Strip say it can be extended beyond its initial four-day term as long as 10 hostages are released for each extra day, with three times as many Palestinians freed in return. As such, another 50 hostages would imply...Musk to meet Israeli president, hostage families
Musk, owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, has come under fire over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on the social media site since his takeover. He has also been accused by the White House of "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism after endorsing a conspiracy theory seen...Hamas frees more captives in Gaza as truce extension mooted
Hamas released a third group of hostages including a four-year-old American girl with more Palestinian prisoners set to be freed in exchange. A source close to the group said it was willing to prolong a truce. The Israeli army said 13 released hostages were back in the country and another...Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, says WHO
PARIS, FRANCE - Growing calls for the world to come to grips with the many ways that global warming affects human health have prompted the first day dedicated to the issue at crunch UN climate talks starting next week. Extreme heat, air pollution and the increasing spread of deadly infectious diseases...Some farmers in drought-hit Iraq forced to reduce crops: NGO
Baghdad, Iraq -- Sixty percent of farmers surveyed in four provinces of drought-hit Iraq reported having to reduce cultivated areas or water used, an international rights group said Sunday. The Norwegian Refugee Council called on the Iraqi authorities to improve governance of water resources in the country that has been described...56% Saudi consumers willing to pay premium for green transportation
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- An overwhelming 80 percent of consumers across 16 diverse nations now identify climate change as the foremost global challenge, according to a study conducted by GSMA Intelligence in collaboration with Huawei. The participating countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia,...International migration flows to OECD countries at record highs in 2022
Paris, UAE -- Permanent migration to OECD countries reached 6.1 million in 2022, a 26 percent increase compared with 2021, and its highest level since at least 2005, according to International Migration Outlook 2023. Fifteen 15 out of the 38 OECD countries registered in 2022 their highest levels of permanent...Hamas fighters to free more hostages as families reunite
A third group of Israeli hostages will be set free by Hamas fighters in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a day after after freeing captives including a young woman snatched from a desert rave. The Israeli prime minister's office said it had since received a list of hostages due to be...Israeli army kills 6 people in West Bank: Palestinian ministry
The West Bank has seen an uptick in violence since the October 7 cross-border attack on Israel by Hamas last month, in which fighters from the Gaza Strip killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to the Israeli authorities. Israel has since responded with a bombing and land campaign...UN delivers fresh supply of aid in northern Gaza
Eleven ambulances, three coaches and a flatbed were delivered to Al-Shifa hospital, which had seen heavy fighting in recent days, "to assist with evacuations," the UN said. The day prior, when a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas began in order to facilitate the hostage exchange, a total of 137...UN peacekeeping patrol in Lebanon hit by Israeli fire
A four-day truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday, and a source close to Hizbollah told AFP that the Iran-backed group would also adhere to the ceasefire if Israel did. UNIFIL said "this attack on peacekeepers, dedicated to reducing tensions and restoring stability in south Lebanon, is deeply troubling,"...Latest developments in Israel-Hamas war
Jerusalem - Plans to release another group of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners suffered a setback on Saturday, the second day of a four-day truce after seven weeks of war. On Friday evening the Palestinian group freed 13 Israelis, along with an unexpected 10 Thais and one Filipino,...Hamas postpones hostage release until Israel sticks to ‘terms of agreement’
Hamas said that it was delaying the release of a second group of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners until Israel complies with a truce agreement. The Palestinian group's armed wing said the issues of aid deliveries to the northern Gaza Strip and the selection criteria for prisoner releases...US says Iran hit Israeli cargo ship in Indian Ocean
An Israeli-owned cargo ship was damaged in a suspected drone attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean, a US defense official said. "We are aware of reports that there was a suspected IRGC-initiated Shahed-136 UAV (that) struck a civilian motor vessel in the Indian Ocean," the...9 civilians killed in Syrian army attack, says war monitor
Syrian government bombardment killed nine civilians including six children as they harvested olives in northwestern Idlib province, the country's last main rebel bastion, a war monitor said. "Ground bombardment by regime forces" struck the group "in the village of Qoqfin", in Idlib province's mountainous Jabal al-Zawiya area, the Syrian Observatory...WHO expresses concern over fate of Gaza hospital chief
The WHO said the head of the biggest hospital in Gaza was arrested on Wednesday along with five other health workers, while they were taking part in a UN mission to evacuate patients. The Israeli forces detained three medical personnel from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and three from the...




















































