A new draft law on conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews, whose support is crucial for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, has sparked uproar in Israel, with the opposition denouncing it as a special privilege for "draft-dodgers". Under a ruling established at the time
By Joshua McElwee ISTANBUL, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Pope Leo visited Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque on Saturday, removing his shoes in a sign of respect but not appearing to pray in his first visit as leader of the Catholic Church to a Muslim place of worship during his four-day visit
Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes since the November 2024 cease-fire, mainly targeting Hezbollah members, but 127 civilians have also been killed, according to the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
With a pot of glue, a blade and a keen eye, Manal al-Saadani repairs tattered banknotes -- a necessity in the Gaza Strip, where the cash in circulation is wearing out. For every revived note she gives back to a customer, they give her a few coins in return. As Gaza remained
By Can Sezer ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Blasts rocked two tankers from Russia's shadow fleet in the Black Sea near Turkey's Bosphorus strait on Friday, causing fires on the vessels, and rescue operations were launched for those on board, Turkish authorities and sources said. The
Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that the strike, which killed the group's military chief, Haytham Abu Ali Tabatabai, was a 'blatant aggression' by Israel, and called on the Lebanese government to prepare a plan to confront Israel that relies on 'its army and its people'
Elfyn Evans' hopes of claiming his first World Rally Championship title suffered a major blow on Friday when the Welshman lost valuable time with a puncture in Saudi Arabia. He had to change a rear-left tyre which cost him around two minutes, giving the title advantage to his
BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday the group has the right to respond to Israel's killing of senior commander Haytham Ali Tabtabai and will "set the timing" for any retaliation. In a televised speech, Qassem described the Israeli strike that
As the new national Syrian army juggles the demands of thousands of Assad deserters, foreign fighters who joined the rebels during the war, and new Kurdish conscripts, al-Sharaa's regime is expected to leverage the clashes with the IDF in southern Syria to pressure Israel into
In his first apostolic trip, Leo visited religious sites in Turkey and urged onlookers to support Turkey's migrant population, alongside broader messages of peace and reconciliation ahead of his visit to Lebanon on Sunday
Al-Monitor spoke exclusively to Aldar Khalil, a member of the executive council of the Democratic Unity Party (PYD), which shares power in the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria, about the halted talks between Syria’s transitional government and the Kurdish-led
Palestinian student Razan Shawar has travelled for 24 hours to showcase her team's AI-powered invention at World Robot Olympiad in Singapore, telling AFP innovation -- not war -- should be why people hear about her country. The 15-year-old high school student from Ramallah in
The designation compounds Tehran's sense of strategic vulnerability, coming amid mounting international pressure, deepening isolation and domestic economic crises.
BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to Israel on December 6 and 7 for his first official visit since taking office, a German government spokesperson said on Friday. Merz is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 7 to discuss
Despite the army's achievements and the challenges it now faces, the Israeli prime minister is doing everything in his power to persuade military chief Eyal Zamir to quit.
Despite the army's achievements and the challenges it now faces, the Israeli prime minister is doing everything in his power to persuade military chief Eyal Zamir to quit.
Despite the army's achievements and the challenges it now faces, the Israeli prime minister is doing everything in his power to persuade military chief Eyal Zamir to quit.
GENEVA (Reuters) -The U.N. human rights rights office said on Friday it was appalled by the killing of two Palestinian men by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank, saying the incident appeared to amount to summary executions. "We're appalled by the brazen killing
Israeli forces killed 13 people on Friday in an operation in southern Syria, saying they targeted an Islamist group, in Israel's deadliest attack on the country since Bashar al-Assad's overthrow last year. Since an Islamist coalition overthrew longtime ruler Assad in December
The pontiff's visit to Lebanon comes as many in the country fear a potential restart of the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The pontiff's visit to Lebanon comes as many in the country fear a potential restart of the war between Israel and Hezbollah.