Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest -- the world's largest music event -- on Thursday began two days of debate about Israel's future participation, after mounting calls to exclude it, notably due to the war in Gaza. Members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) met
DUBAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi invited Lebanon's Foreign Minister Youssef Raji to visit Iran in the near future to discuss bilateral ties, Iran's foreign ministry said on Thursday, amid a U.S.-backed roadmap in Lebanon to disarm the Iran-aligned
Microsoft is facing a complaint in the European Union filed by a non-profit organisation alleging it illegally stored data on Palestinians used for Israeli military surveillance. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) confirmed Thursday it had received the complaint against
By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - A Lithuanian court found the leader of a junior party in the ruling coalition government on Thursday guilty of incitement to hatred against Jews and belittling the Holocaust in social media posts in 2023. Remigijus Zemaitaitis,
TUNIS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Tunisian police arrested on Thursday top opposition figure Nejib Chebbi, one of President Kais Saied’s fiercest opponents, to enforce a 12-year jail term on a conviction for conspiracy against state security, his family said. An appeals court last week
By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - National broadcasters behind the Eurovision Song Contest meet on Thursday to discuss whether Israel should be barred from participating next year, amid threats by some to pull out over the Gaza war. The meeting in Geneva marks a
ROME, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Italy's defence minister on Thursday said other countries, including Germany and Australia, may be interested in entering the GCAP fighter jet programme in the future, with requests also coming from Saudi Arabia and Canada. The GCAP, which currently
BAGHDAD, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Iraq will freeze the money of Iran-backed armed groups, including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis, the official gazette said. The move will likely be welcomed by Washington, which has long sought to reduce Iran's influence in Iraq and other
Israel awaited the return of the last hostage remains held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, as the military said on Thursday that those of a Thai national had been identified after they were handed over. Under the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and
By Can Sezer ISTANBUL, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Turkey is telling Russia, Ukraine, and all other parties to keep energy infrastructure out of their conflict and wants energy flows to continue uninterrupted, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said after a series of attacks off
BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - China will provide $100 million in aid to the Palestinians to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support reconstruction efforts, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday. Xi was speaking at a joint press conference with French President
Dec 4 (Reuters) - Israel has identified the remains of the hostage it received from Hamas on Wednesday as Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak, the prime minister's office said on Thursday. The body of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the last of the living and
By Ahmed Rasheed, Maha El Dahan, Humeyra Pamuk and Anna Hirtenstein BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Iranian drones swept through the mountain air of northern Iraq's Kurdistan region in mid-July, homing in on their targets: oilfields run by Americans. Fired by an
Like a ghost in the night, Bilal Shorba, the artist they call the "Syrian Banksy", slipped through the rubble of Daraya to paint his murals, praying that Bashar al-Assad's gunners wouldn't spot him. Returning from exile to one of the devastated cradles of the Syrian revolution
The Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar, pressured Washington to urge Israel to retract its threats of renewed war with Hezbollah and begin negotiations with the Lebanese government. The talks could lead to Israel's withdrawal from the five posts it holds
Atop one of Egypt's Sinai mountains, near where the three Abrahamic faiths say God spoke with Moses, another unmistakable sound rings out: the incessant drilling of construction work. In the remote, rugged terrain of southern Sinai, Egypt has undertaken a vast megaproject aimed
Since the end of the 12-day war with Israel, the number of executions in Iran has reached new highs. At least 256 prisoners were executed in November alone, as the government signals that internal dissent will not be tolerated amid ongoing threats from Israel and the U.S.
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A Pentagon investigation has faulted U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for using Signal on his personal device to transmit sensitive information about planned strikes in Yemen, saying it could have endangered U.S.
Israel's ambassador to the UN called the UNGA 'disconnected from reality' in his rebuke of the resolution, which passed with 123 votes to 41 against, affirming that Israel will not withdraw. This comes as Israel's security aims conflict with the Trump administration's support
The reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, part of US President Donald Trump's truce plan for the Palestinian territory, has long been on hold despite calls from the UN and aid groups. Here are five things to know about this crucial crossing: -
By Maya Gebeily BEIRUT, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Wednesday that a lasting peace with Israel could pave the way to normalising ties with the country and establishing economic ties but that those milestones remained far off given current
Karam is a veteran diplomat and a legal scholar who served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States from 1992 to 1993.
ATHENS, Dec 3 (Reuters) - The crew of the Greek-operated cargo ship Eternity C, which sank in the Red Sea in July after being attacked by Yemen's Houthis, have been released, an official with the ship's operator and a maritime security source told Reuters on Wednesday. The crew
Benjamin Netanyahu's request for a pardon in three ongoing corruption cases is widely seen as his latest bid to ensure his political survival, as the canny premier stares down the prospect of close elections in 2026. The first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial,
Israel announced Wednesday it had received hostage remains found in Gaza from the Red Cross, which were being transported to the morgue for identification. It comes as the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of
According to an Israeli security source, US envoy Morgan Ortagus’ visit was perceived in Israel as a warning that President Donald Trump will not accept Israel launching a large military campaign in southern Lebanon.
Iran said Wednesday it would now send representatives to the World Cup finals draw in Washington in a complete reversal of an earlier decision to boycott the event over visa issues. "Amir Ghalenoei, head coach of Iran's national team, will participate in the World Cup draw
More than 200 celebrities, including actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Josh O’Connor, called on Israel on Wednesday to release imprisoned Palestinian politician Marwan Barghouti, who is seen by supporters as a key unifying figure. Barghouti, 66, has been in jail since 2002 but is
By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Israel on Wednesday published a draft law that aims to boost state revenues from a concession for extracting minerals from the Dead Sea as well as tackling its environmental consequences. The Finance Ministry said the proposed law
Since US President Donald Trump took office in January, the rial has plummeted.
NEW YORK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - An end to Russia's war in Ukraine should abide by international law, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday. "I believe we are still far from a solution," Guterres said at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York. Russia
JERUSALEM, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition skipped a parliamentary vote on Wednesday endorsing U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the two-year war in Gaza. The vote, proposed by opposition leader Yair Lapid, was largely
HOLZDORF, Germany, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Germany on Wednesday became the first European nation to deploy the Arrow air defence system, built to intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles such as Russia's Oreshnik, as it seeks to counter what it sees as a growing threat from