Gaza aid flotilla says Israeli forces intercepted its boats
A group of vessels attempting to deliver aid to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters on Wednesday, the coalition behind the convoy said, the second such interception in the past week.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) is an international network of pro-Palestinian activist groups that organises civilian maritime missions aimed at breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the enclave. read more
A group of vessels attempting to deliver aid to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters on Wednesday, the coalition behind the convoy said, the second such interception in the past week.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) is an international network of pro-Palestinian activist groups that organises civilian maritime missions aimed at breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the enclave. read more
Israel and Hamas agree to Gaza ceasefire and return of hostages
Israel and Hamas said they had agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal, the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 people and reshaped the Middle East.
Just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas militants' cross-border attack that triggered Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave. read more
Israel and Hamas said they had agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal, the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 people and reshaped the Middle East.
Just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas militants' cross-border attack that triggered Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave. read more
Hamas fighters tighten grip in Gaza, clouding future of ceasefire
Hamas fighters tightened their grip in Gaza on Tuesday after carrying out public executions, defying Israel's assertion that war cannot end under U.S. President Donald Trump's plan until the militants are disarmed.
In a stark assertion of the group's return, fighters executed men they accused of collaborating with Israeli forces. In one video circulated late on Monday, Hamas fighters dragged seven men into a circle of people in Gaza City, forced them to their knees and shot them from behind. A Hamas source confirmed the authenticity of the video. read more
Hamas fighters tightened their grip in Gaza on Tuesday after carrying out public executions, defying Israel's assertion that war cannot end under U.S. President Donald Trump's plan until the militants are disarmed.
In a stark assertion of the group's return, fighters executed men they accused of collaborating with Israeli forces. In one video circulated late on Monday, Hamas fighters dragged seven men into a circle of people in Gaza City, forced them to their knees and shot them from behind. A Hamas source confirmed the authenticity of the video. read more
Aid trucks roll into Gaza as dispute over hostage bodies is paused
Aid trucks rolled into Gaza on Wednesday and Israel resumed preparations to open the main Rafah crossing after a dispute over the return of the bodies of dead hostages that had threatened to derail the fragile ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Israel had threatened to keep Rafah shut and reduce aid supplies because Hamas was returning bodies too slowly, showing the risks to a truce that has stopped two years of devastating warfare in Gaza and freed all living hostages held by Hamas. read more
Aid trucks rolled into Gaza on Wednesday and Israel resumed preparations to open the main Rafah crossing after a dispute over the return of the bodies of dead hostages that had threatened to derail the fragile ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Israel had threatened to keep Rafah shut and reduce aid supplies because Hamas was returning bodies too slowly, showing the risks to a truce that has stopped two years of devastating warfare in Gaza and freed all living hostages held by Hamas. read more
US orders 10% flights cut at major US airports due to shutdown
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday that he would order a 10% cut in flights at 40 major U.S. airports, citing air traffic control safety concerns as a government shutdown hit a record 36th day.
The drastic plan sent airlines scrambling to make significant reductions in flights in just 36 hours and passengers flooded airline customer service hotlines with concerns about air travel in the coming days. read more
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday that he would order a 10% cut in flights at 40 major U.S. airports, citing air traffic control safety concerns as a government shutdown hit a record 36th day.
The drastic plan sent airlines scrambling to make significant reductions in flights in just 36 hours and passengers flooded airline customer service hotlines with concerns about air travel in the coming days. read more
Exclusive: US military to establish presence at Damascus airbase, sources say
The United States is preparing to establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus to help enable a security pact that Washington is brokering between Syria and Israel, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The U.S. plans for the presence in the Syrian capital, which have not previously been reported, would be a sign of Syria's strategic realignment with the U.S. following the fall last year of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran. read more
The United States is preparing to establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus to help enable a security pact that Washington is brokering between Syria and Israel, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The U.S. plans for the presence in the Syrian capital, which have not previously been reported, would be a sign of Syria's strategic realignment with the U.S. following the fall last year of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran. read more
Iran's leader Khamenei blames Trump for inciting deadly protests
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday blamed President Donald Trump for weeks of protests after rights groups said a violent crackdown by security forces had claimed thousands of lives.
The protests erupted on December 28 over economic hardship and swelled into widespread demonstrations calling for the end of clerical rule in the Islamic Republic. read more
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday blamed President Donald Trump for weeks of protests after rights groups said a violent crackdown by security forces had claimed thousands of lives.
The protests erupted on December 28 over economic hardship and swelled into widespread demonstrations calling for the end of clerical rule in the Islamic Republic. read more
Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to reopen on Sunday, Israel says
Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing on Sunday for people to travel between Gaza and Egypt, a government agency said, the first opening of effectively the sole route in or out of the Palestinian territory since May 2024.
The Israeli government agency that coordinates civilian policy in Gaza, COGAT, did not say how many of Gaza's more than 2 million people would be allowed to cross the border per day. read more
Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing on Sunday for people to travel between Gaza and Egypt, a government agency said, the first opening of effectively the sole route in or out of the Palestinian territory since May 2024.
The Israeli government agency that coordinates civilian policy in Gaza, COGAT, did not say how many of Gaza's more than 2 million people would be allowed to cross the border per day. read more
Thousands demonstrate in Minnesota and across US to protest ICE
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and students across the United States staged walkouts on Friday to demand the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.
Students and teachers abandoned classes from California to New York on a national day of protest, which came amid mixed messages from the Trump administration about whether it would de-escalate Operation Metro Surge. read more
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and students across the United States staged walkouts on Friday to demand the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.
Students and teachers abandoned classes from California to New York on a national day of protest, which came amid mixed messages from the Trump administration about whether it would de-escalate Operation Metro Surge. read more
Paris prosecutor's cybercrime unit searches X office, Musk summoned
French police raided the offices of Elon Musk's social media network X and prosecutors ordered the tech billionaire to face questions in April related to a widening investigation into the platform, the Paris prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.
The raid and the summoning of Musk - which could further increase tensions between Europe and the U.S. over big tech and free speech - are linked to a year-long investigation into suspected abuse of algorithms and fraudulent data extraction by X or its executives. read more
French police raided the offices of Elon Musk's social media network X and prosecutors ordered the tech billionaire to face questions in April related to a widening investigation into the platform, the Paris prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.
The raid and the summoning of Musk - which could further increase tensions between Europe and the U.S. over big tech and free speech - are linked to a year-long investigation into suspected abuse of algorithms and fraudulent data extraction by X or its executives. read more
Iran, US to negotiate in Oman amid deep rifts and mounting war fears
Iran and the United States are set to hold high-stakes negotiations in Oman on Friday over Tehran's nuclear programme, but a dispute over the agenda suggests progress will be hard won amid the threat of a regional Middle East war.
While both sides have signalled readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Washington wants the talks to cover Iran's nuclear programme, its ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region and its "treatment of their own people", U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday. read more
Iran and the United States are set to hold high-stakes negotiations in Oman on Friday over Tehran's nuclear programme, but a dispute over the agenda suggests progress will be hard won amid the threat of a regional Middle East war.
While both sides have signalled readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Washington wants the talks to cover Iran's nuclear programme, its ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region and its "treatment of their own people", U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday. read more
North Korea says South Korea should take steps to prevent violation of its sovereignty
The sister of North Korea's ruler said on Friday that South Korean authorities should take steps to prevent "reoccurrence of provocative sovereignty violation," state media KCNA reported, referring to a drone flown into its airspace recently.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said in a statement she appreciates the South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's expression of his regret over the "drone intrusion" as "sensible behavior," KCNA reported. read more
The sister of North Korea's ruler said on Friday that South Korean authorities should take steps to prevent "reoccurrence of provocative sovereignty violation," state media KCNA reported, referring to a drone flown into its airspace recently.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said in a statement she appreciates the South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's expression of his regret over the "drone intrusion" as "sensible behavior," KCNA reported. read more
Police arrest King Charles' brother Andrew over misconduct relating to Epstein
King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was on Thursday arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor, celebrating his 66th birthday on Thursday, was arrested and questioned by detectives from Thames Valley Police, which this month said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy. read more
King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was on Thursday arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor, celebrating his 66th birthday on Thursday, was arrested and questioned by detectives from Thames Valley Police, which this month said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy. read more
Exclusive: Iran nears deal to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China
Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase anti‑ship cruise missiles, according to six people with knowledge of the negotiations, just as the United States deploys a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic.
The deal for the Chinese‑made CM‑302 missiles is near completion, though no delivery date has been agreed, the people said. The supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 kilometres and are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast. Their deployment would significantly enhance Iran’s strike capabilities and pose a threat to U.S. naval forces in the region, two weapons experts said. read more
Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase anti‑ship cruise missiles, according to six people with knowledge of the negotiations, just as the United States deploys a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic.
The deal for the Chinese‑made CM‑302 missiles is near completion, though no delivery date has been agreed, the people said. The supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 kilometres and are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast. Their deployment would significantly enhance Iran’s strike capabilities and pose a threat to U.S. naval forces in the region, two weapons experts said. read more
Iran confirms supreme leader Khamenei is dead after US, Israeli attacks
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei "was carrying out his assigned duties and was present at his workplace (his office)".
"This cowardly attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning", state media said.
"We have lost a great leader and we are mourning him, a leader who was unique in in terms of purity of spirit, strength of faith, resourcefulness in affairs, courage in the face of the arrogant, and jihad in the path of God", a statement from Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. read more
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei "was carrying out his assigned duties and was present at his workplace (his office)".
"This cowardly attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning", state media said.
"We have lost a great leader and we are mourning him, a leader who was unique in in terms of purity of spirit, strength of faith, resourcefulness in affairs, courage in the face of the arrogant, and jihad in the path of God", a statement from Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. read more