Syrian singer Assala Nasri has made a triumphant return to Damascus with a sold-out concert following 15 years of exile due to her opposition to ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of fans welcomed the 57-year-old, known mononymously as Assala, at a venue in the Syrian
When France, Britain and other Western powers last year recognised a Palestinian state, entrepreneur Adam Bader felt a sense of hope. "I was happy when I heard about it," said Bader, 27, who lives in the occupied West Bank's city of Tulkarem, which has seen repeated Israeli
By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, Sept 18 (Reuters) - At least 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen within the last two weeksas fighting continues along the country's west coast amid a renewed conflict, while nearly 3,000 have fled by sea to Djibouti, theUnited Nations
By Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations a year ago, he touted the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites just months earlier as "totally obliterating everything" and said he had brought peace between Israel and
By Heejin Kim and Joyce Lee SEOUL, Sept 18 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into conflict, but Seoul was reviewing whether to play a greater role in
SEOUL, Sept 18 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday he would not deploy any military assets to the Middle East that would draw the country into conflict related to the Iran war. However, the government is considering whether to expand its role
JAKARTA, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Indonesian rescuers called off a search on its 10th day for eight people missing at sea, including five journalists who were covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatauearlier this month. • Ash from Mount Anak Krakatau, situated halfway between
Sharon Sharabi shot into the limelight in Israel after the Hamas attack of
Ed Sheeran faces boycott calls and desertions, leaving the British singer with a career crisis that underlines how even the world's biggest stars are being sucked into the politic
By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - A former Syrian government official who headed the Damascus Central Prison under ousted PresidentBashar al-Assad and was convicted of torture by a US federal jury has been sentenced to60 years in prison by a US judge, federal
WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - China has made upgrades to its military base at Djibouti that should significantly enhance its ability to monitor military activity across the Middle East and Africa, a report by a US think tank released on Thursday said. Washington's Center for
The Iranian delegation will face travel restrictions and a ban on buying luxury goods, the State Department said, a day after Washington denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation visas to attend the same UN meetings
The deal has raised concerns in Israel over its regional air superiority, while Netanyahu's office says understandings with Washington will preserve Israel's edge. Senior Israeli defense officials warned the jets could expose Israeli capabilities
The United States has approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Thursday, the kingdom's latest major arms purchase since the start of the Iran war. Saudi Arabia has long sought to buy F-35s, but officials from Israel
By Simon Lewis Sept 17 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will allow top Iranian officials to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, the State Department said on Thursday, even as Washington and Tehran remain at war andcontinue intermittent talks
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to allow Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas to address the annual gathering of world leaders next week via video - for the second year in a row - after the United States again denied him a
Sept 17 (Reuters) - An Iranian delegation will be allowed to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, the State Department said on Thursday. "The delegation will be under travel restrictions and will face prohibitions on the purchase of luxury and other
Several prominent Turkish finance executives were swept up by authorities on Thursday amid efforts to contain a market rout that has exposed strains in the country’s investment-fund industry.
Trump first announced the planned sale in November 2025, ahead of hosting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.
The US government says the exchange was used to channel payments from an Iranian maritime-insurance scheme to the regime.
WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The US Department of State has approved the potential sale of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia, it said on Thursday as the kingdom has been drawn deeper into the Middle East war. The estimated
WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The US Department of Statesaid on Thursday it has approved the potential sale of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom is drawn deeper into war in the Middle East. A sale would mark a significant policy
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - US House of Representatives Democrats raised concerns on Thursday about President Donald Trump's civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, and said they had introduced a resolution of disapproval seeking to block the deal
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Russia and China ended on Thursday a United Nations Security Council mandate for the independent monitoring of international sanctions on Iran, reviving their argument that allUNmeasures on Tehran had been removed under a
ROME, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Italy is preparing for a possible naval mission to safeguard its merchant shipping as security concerns mount in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday. Crosetto said he and Italy's chief of defence staff had agreed
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - World leaders gather in New York every September for several days of high-level debate starting on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly. WHO SPEAKS WHEN? The United Nations was formed in 1945 with 51 original
Samir Ousman Alsheikh was convicted by a jury in March of three counts of torture, one count of conspiracy to commit torture, visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud.
Serbian President Vucic said the factory will put together “state-of-the-art” Israeli-designed drones and employ around 100 workers.
LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Ireland will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row, broadcaster RTE said on Thursday, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza. Ireland was one of five countries to not take part in the 2026 edition in
On a street in southern Israel, a graffiti artist paints a mural depicting the filmmakers behind the award-winning documentary "NAZA". But this is not a tribute. Red targets are painted next to the two Israeli directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, whose faces are branded
The Houthis’ advances around Bab al-Mandab point to another crack in the US-led Gulf security architecture—one China could gain from diplomatically and economically, even as it seeks to prevent a wider regional escalation.
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that Serbia had opened a factory to assemble advanced Israeli-made drones, which will supply the Serbian military and armed forces in other countries. • Plant to assemble "state-of-the-art" Israeli-designed
BEIJING, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call that the two countries "should prepare well for the next stage of high-level interactions in the spirit of equality, respect and reciprocity," Wang's
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Pakistan announced on Thursday a cut in fuel for official vehicles, bans on vehicle purchases by the state, foreign visits by officials, and official dinners, as part of a slew of austerity measures in a bid to conserve energy as fuel prices spike due to the
ATHENS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Greece's parliament lifted the immunity of one of the country's former European Commissioners on Thursday, clearing the way for further action by authorities investigating the "Qatargate" corruption case, one of the biggest scandals to hit the EU.
The leaders of France, Lebanon and Jordan on Thursday met in Paris to drum up international support for the cash-strapped Lebanese army which President Emmanuel Macron described as "indispensable" for bringing stability to the country. Also on the agenda was the creation of a
The leaders of France, Lebanon and Jordan on Thursday met in Paris to discuss international support for the cash-strapped Lebanese army and the creation of a new force to succeed a longstanding UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. French President Emmanuel Macron
State-run oil company Saudi Aramco is reportedly working to bypass a damaged section of the East-West Pipeline to regain partial capacity.
If Turkey's parliament votes to move the next election up during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s second term, he could constitutionally run for third.
If Turkey's parliament votes to move the next election up during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s second term, he could constitutionally run for third.