By Joshua McElwee ROME, May 6 (Reuters) - A senior Vatican cardinal on Wednesday called U.S. President Donald Trump's disparaging attacks on Pope Leo over the Iran war "strange," a day before the U.S. Secretary of State is due to hold talks with the pope. Asked how he evaluated
By Sarah El Safty, Federico Maccioni and Amr Alfiky FUJAIRAH, May 6 (Reuters) - At the UAE port of Fujairah, conveyor belts offloaded grain from bulk carriers on Wednesday, while crude oil flowed through pipes and onto tankers berthed along its quay. Dozens of loaded trucks
By John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS, May 6 (Reuters) - France on Wednesday deployed its carrier strike group to the Red Sea as part of planning for a potential mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, urging Washington and Tehran to consider the proposal given the global
According to experts cited in the report, the damage from Iranian attacks on U.S. bases shows Washington has underestimated Tehran's abilities, with the U.S. military unprepared for drone strikes, which are less powerful but harder to intercept
BEIRUT, May 6 (Reuters) - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said it is premature to talk of any high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel, comments underlining the dim chances of one being held soon as hoped for by U.S. President Donald Trump. Salam, in comments reported
The US appears to be pushing for a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the Lebanese government says it won't happen while Israel continues to launch attacks on Lebanon.
France's aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle was on Wednesday heading towards the southern Red Sea to pre‑position for a possible mission to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidency and defence ministry said. The move was intended to send "a signal that not
Iran said it is reviewing the US proposal and will relay its response through mediator Pakistan.
Ukrainian tourist Ruslana Novak and her friend had Jordan's ancient city of Petra almost entirely to themselves as they marvelled at the massive edifice carved into pink sandstone. Since the Middle East war erupted in late February, the famed Rose City has been all but
An Israeli court on Wednesday rejected an appeal contesting the detention of two foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, with the rights group representing them denouncing the ruling as "unlawful." Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of
China’s foreign minister told his Iranian counterpart that “persisting in negotiations is particularly important.”
By Catherine Cartier and Emilie Madi BEIRUT, May 6 (Reuters) - Mohammed's life as a gay man in conservative south Lebanon was already rife with challenges. But Israeli strikes on his hometown in March were the final straw, pushing him to flee to a rare shelter in Beirut hosting
Khaled al-Saifi devoted his life to opening horizons for children in the Dheisheh refugee camp. After five months in administrative detention, he was released in critical condition and died eight days later. His testimony described medical neglect, starvation and violence in
NICOSIA, May 6 (Reuters) - A record number of candidates submitted bids for Cyprus's May 24 parliamentary election on Wednesday in a race which could shape one of the most fragmented legislatures in the island's history and weaken the influence of three parties supporting
By Ted Hesson, Jana Winter and Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran as a potential motive for the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump and senior members of
CAIRO, May 6 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates denied allegations by Sudan that an Emirati drone had been used in an attack on Khartoum airport on Monday launched from Ethiopia, according to a statement by a UAE official late on Tuesday. Sudan has long accused the UAE of
President Donald Trump said he was pausing the US military operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz shortly after it began, citing a chance to seal a deal that would end two months of war with Iran. The US leader said Washington's blockade of
US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Wednesday with renewed bombing if it did not agree to a peace deal, piling on pressure after he abandoned an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz citing hopes for a breakthrough. Positive signs that the foes could return to
The United States and a key mediator in the Middle East war expressed new hope of talks leading to a peace deal with Iran on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump halted a plan to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The US leader cited the chance to seal a deal in
May 6 (Reuters) - The White House believes it is getting close to an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing two U.S. officials and two other
The latest developments in the Middle East war: - China calls for 'complete' end to war - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for an end to hostilities in the Middle East and for the United States and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible", during talks
By Antoni Slodkowski and Liz Lee BEIJING, May 6 (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met China's top diplomat in Beijing on Wednesday, underscoring close ties between the two countries shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to meet with
Iran's foreign minister said they will only accept a 'fair and comprehensive' agreement after Trump paused 'Project Freedom' – U.S. efforts to escort ships through the blocked Strait of Hormuz – saying 'progress' has been made toward a deal with Tehran
PARIS, May 6 (Reuters) - French shipping group CMA CGM said on Wednesday that one of its vessels, the San Antonio, had been the target of an attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel. The incident, which CMA
LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - British police are setting up a new team of 100 officers including counter terrorism specialists to help protect Jewish communities across London after a series of antisemitic attacks including the stabbing of two men. The plan announced on Wednesday
May 6 (Reuters) - Iran will only accept "a fair and comprehensive agreement" in its negotiations with the U.S. on ending the war in the Middle East, its foreign minister said on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump cited "great progress" in the process. "We will do our best to
The United States is looking for "concrete actions" by Iraq's next prime minister to distance the state from pro-Iran armed groups before resuming financial shipments and security aid, a senior official said Tuesday. Iraq's ruling coalition has put forward Ali al-Zaidi as the
A group of 13 Australians related to alleged Islamic State jihadists is returning home from Syria, Australian authorities said Wednesday, warning some will face arrest. The four women and nine children, who had been living in Roj camp in Syria, are expected to land in Sydney
The IDF says Kerem Hamami is illegal and slated for evacuation, but residents of nearby Halhul say they've tried to reach the vineyards on which their livelihood depends dozens of times, only to be blocked by settlers and soldiers
By Renju Jose SYDNEY, May 6 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday that 13 members of Australian families in Syria linked to the extremist group Islamic State plan to travel home, but will receive no government assistance. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said there were "very
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war. Trump's so-called "Project Freedom" to help vessels leave the Strait of
By Timothy Gardner and Jonathan Saul BOSTON, May 5 (Reuters) - The CS Anthem chemical tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, its operator said on Tuesday, becoming the second commercial U.S.-flagged vessel known to do so while accompanied by U.S. military assets. Maersk
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for Iran "to make a sensible choice" and resume negotiations.
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that peace between Israel and Lebanon was achievable but that Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was a problem. "By and large, I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is imminently
CAIRO, May 5 (Reuters) - A cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile within the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Tuesday, adding that the environmental impact from the incident was unknown. (Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - Ten civilian sailors have died due to the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday. Speaking at the White House, Rubio said the U.S. would continue to deploy its assets to defend
Tehran is escalating pressure on the United Arab Emirates through strikes and rhetoric, signaling a strategy to widen the conflict and indirectly force Washington to ease its blockade on Iranian ports.
May 5 (Reuters) - Iran has set up a new mechanism to manage the transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Press TV reported on Tuesday. Iran has warned the U.S. Navy to stay out of the Strait of Hormuz and that commercial vessels will need to coordinate any