Middle East
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EU leaders meet to discuss Israel-Iran tensions, Ukraine war
EU leaders were in Brussels for a two-day summit starting on Wednesday to discuss the European Union’s economic future, the Ukraine war, and major tensions between Israel and Iran. The EU must “unite in urging all parties to exercise the utmost restraint, respect international law, and avoid action that may increase tensions.’’ European Council President Charles Michel said this in…
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German foreign minister travels to Israel as conflict roils region
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is travelling to Israel later Tuesday following the major Iranian attack on the country. She will hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz on Wednesday, according to a spokeswoman for the German Foreign Office. On Wednesday evening, she will take part in the meeting of G7 foreign…
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Iran’s president again warns Israel against counter-attack
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi once again warned Israel against mounting a military counterattack following Iran’s recent air assault on Israel. During a telephone call with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Raisi warned that “the slightest action” by Israel against Iran’s national interests “will have extensive and painful consequences. “Details of the call were published on the web portal…
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UN chief advocates ‘global push’ for Sudan ceasefire
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a boost in humanitarian funding and a global push for peace to end a year of brutal fighting between rival militaries in Sudan. With attention over the weekend focused on the Middle East, he said the conflict between the national army and Rapid Support Forces militia had turned into “a war being waged…
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Germany deploys another military aircraft for Gaza aid
The German Armed Forces have sent an A400M transport aircraft to the Middle East to drop food over the Gaza Strip. The aircraft departed the Wunstorf airbase in northern Germany on Monday morning, an air force spokesman said. The A400M is to be deployed over the Palestinian territory for the first time on Wednesday. The Airbus, which was to replace…
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NDLEA arrests India-bound passenger who excreted 80 wraps of cocaine
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested a Delhi, India-bound passenger at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on March 31 for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine. Its spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday in Abuja that the passenger was to board a Doha-bound flight en route to Delhi using a Liberian passport with the name Carr Bismark…
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UN Human Rights Council calls for end to arms exports to Israel
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Friday called for an end to arms exports to Israel in a resolution that made no mention of the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas. The step is necessary to “prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights,” according to the text adopted by the body in Geneva.…
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Suicide attack kills top Jihadist in Syria
A prominent jihadist from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist militia, was killed in a suicide attack in north-western Syria, activists said on Friday. The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, confirmed that Abu Maria al-Qahtani and two of his bodyguards were killed in a suicide attack late Thursday in Sarmada,…
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Thousands in Iran demonstrate against Israel as funerals take place
On Friday, thousands of Iranians demonstrated against the actions of Israel as a funeral procession took place for members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed by an airstrike in Syria. Two brigadier generals and five other members of the powerful Iranian army unit died on Monday in the attack on the Iranian embassy compound in the Syrian capital…
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U.S. destroys Houthi drones and missile
The U.S. Armed Forces said on Thursday that they destroyed two drones and a missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi militants and targeting a U.S. destroyer in the Red Sea. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and destroyer USS Gravely on Wednesday morning successfully engaged and destroyed one inbound anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM). Two unmanned aerial systems (UAS) were launched by…
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13 dead after heavy fighting with militants in Iran
Militants have carried out a major attack on the bases of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in southeast Iran. The deputy interior minister, Majid Mirahmadi, said on Thursday that eight attackers and five members of the security forces were killed, according to the state news agency IRNA. The attacks took place in the early hours of Thursday on…
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Iran to sue Israel over attack on Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria
Iran’s Vice President for Legal Affairs, Mohammad Dehqan, said the country would file a lawsuit against Israel for its deadly attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria, according to local media reports. Dehqan made the remarks while addressing a news conference on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in the Iranian capital, Tehran. He elaborated on Iran’s legal measures against…
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Hamas chief reaffirms commitment to ceasefire demands
The head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to its demands for a ceasefire in Gaza. Haniyeh said in a speech ahead of International Quds Day that the demands include the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their homes, and the entry of aid. Other demands…
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Explosion in Lebanon not direct hit on patrol, say UN peacekeepers
The United Nations Interim Forces in South Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Wednesday the explosion that hit a patrol in southern Lebanon last weekend and injured three UN peacekeepers was not a “direct or indirect hit.” According to preliminary investigations, there were no “direct or indirect hits,” UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenneti told dpa, suggesting that no drone or artillery was involved. “We are…
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Former Spanish football head Rubiales detained in corruption probe
Former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales was detained for a few hours on Wednesday in connection with a corruption probe relating to contracts during his term. Rubiales was met by police at Madrid Airport upon his return from the Dominican Republic and questioned before being released again. An official statement was yet to be released, but a Guardia…
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Britain demands explanation from Israel after airstrike in Gaza
British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has called for a “full, transparent explanation” from Israel after an airstrike in Gaza that left seven aid workers dead, including a British national. He said: “The news of the air strike that killed World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza is deeply distressing. “British Nationals are reported to have been killed; we are…
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China condemns suspected Israeli attack on Iranian embassy grounds
China has issued a strong condemnation of a suspected Israeli air attack on the grounds of the Iranian embassy in Damascus that claimed the lives of two Iranian generals. “China condemns the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security of diplomatic institutions must not be violated, and the sovereignty and…
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