Negotiations on the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire continue without significant progress at a moment when the truce appears particularly fragile. The United States, alongside Qatar and Egypt, secured a truce in Gaza that came into effect on October 10 and has mostly halted
Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has said he plans to return to Iran despite being sentenced to a year in prison and a travel ban earlier this week, a report said Thursday. The 65-year-old is currently touring to promote his latest Oscar-nominated film "It Was Just an
A Gallup poll shows 79 percent of Lebanese believe only the Lebanese army should hold weapons, while 86 percent oppose direct conflict with Israel in support of Palestinians. The poll also found that nearly two-thirds of Lebanese oppose economic aid to the Palestinians, while
NEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Syria's economy is growing much faster than the World Bank's 1% estimate for 2025, due to the flow of refugees back to the country after a 14-year civil war ended, aiding plans for the country to relaunch its currency, Syrian central bank governor
By Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi JERUSALEM/CAIRO Dec 4 (Reuters) - The head of an armed Palestinian faction that opposes Hamas in Gaza has been killed, Israeli media reported on Thursday, in what would be a blow to Israeli efforts to support Gazan clans against the
In his new documentary 'Unraveling UNRWA,' Duki Dror explores the UN refugee agency that saw 12 of its employees accused of taking part in Hamas' October 7 massacres. This month the UN will decide whether to keep the agency alive
ANKARA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Turkey summoned Ukraine's ambassador and Russia's acting charges d'affaires to the foreign ministry to convey its concerns over a series of attacks on Russia-linked vessels inside its exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, Deputy Foreign Minister
By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Israel's cabinet began debate on the 2026 state budget plan that is likely to face an uphill battle and lead to new elections if not approved by March. Ministers began what is usually a marathon session on Thursday ahead of a vote
A United Nations Security Council delegation made its first-ever visit to Syria on Thursday, pledging the international community's support for the country days before the anniversary of Bashar al-Assad's ousting. "We reiterated our clear support for sovereignty, unity,
As Syria’s southern neighbor, Jordan is already positioning itself as a logistics hub and diplomatic broker for Syria’s reconstruction.
By Jonathan Saul LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - War insurance costs for ships sailing to the Black Sea have spiked again, with insurers reviewing policies daily as the conflict in Ukraine spills into sea lanes, five shipping and insurance sources said on Thursday. The Black Sea is
Dec 4 (Reuters) - Israel's military said it struck targets in two southern Lebanese towns on Thursday after ordering the evacuation of two buildings it alleged were being used by Hezbollah militants. About an hour after the initial warning, the army's Arabic spokesperson issued
Israeli raids hit south Lebanon on Thursday as its military said it was striking Hezbollah weapons storage facilities, a day after Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives held their first direct talks in decades. Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end
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
The Eurovision Song Contest -- the world's largest live music competition -- faced the prospect of mass withdrawals, after organisers opted not to vote on Israel's future participation, allowing it to take part in next year's event. Widespread opposition to the war in Gaza had
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: -