World

Syria Sanctions: EU's 'Carrot and Stick' Policy
Syria Sanctions: EU's 'Carrot and Stick' Policy

The 27-member European Union agreed on Monday on a "roadmap" to gradually ease sanctions on key sectors of the Syrian economy that were imposed under the former regime of Bashar al-Assad. However, the EU has ruled out any unconditional lifting of these measures. The process will be gradual and subject to strict conditions. In other words, the bloc ...

Gaza: Rafah Crossing to Reopen on Saturday
Gaza: Rafah Crossing to Reopen on Saturday

Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt is to reopen Saturday following a fourth exchange of hostages and prisoners under a truce agreement, a Hamas official and a source with knowledge of discussions told AFP. The Rafah crossing was a vital entry point for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza before the Israeli military seized the Palestinian side of ...

Hamas Names Three Israeli Hostages to be Freed Saturday
Hamas Names Three Israeli Hostages to be Freed Saturday

Hamas's armed wing released the names of three Israeli captives to be freed on Saturday in the fourth hostage-prisoner swap of the Gaza ceasefire. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed it had received the names of the captives to be freed on Saturday. It has yet to officially release their names. "All ...

Hamas Confirms Death of its Military Chief Mohammed Deif
Hamas Confirms Death of its Military Chief Mohammed Deif

Hamas confirmed on Thursday the death of its military chief Mohammed Deif, accused by Israel of being one of the masterminds behind the October 7 attack and whose killing it announced last year. "The Al-Qassam Brigades announce to our great people the martyrdom of a group of distinguished fighters and heroic commanders," Abu Obeida, spokesman for ...

Investigators Recover Plane Black Boxes from Washington Air Collision
Investigators Recover Plane Black Boxes from Washington Air Collision

Investigators on Thursday recovered the black boxes from a passenger plane that collided mid-air with a military helicopter over Washington's Potomac River, killing all 67 people, as rescuers pulled bodies from the freezing water. US President Donald Trump launched a political attack blaming diversity and inclusion policies championed by his ...

US Says Killed Senior Qaeda Operative in Syria Strike
US Says Killed Senior Qaeda Operative in Syria Strike

  The US military said it killed a senior operative of Al-Qaeda's Syria branch in an air strike on northwestern Syria on Thursday. The area was the stronghold of interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group before it led the rebel offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad in December. "US Central Command forces conducted a ...

Trump's Contentious US National Security Picks Face Senate Grilling
Trump's Contentious US National Security Picks Face Senate Grilling

Donald Trump's picks to lead the US intelligence community and top law enforcement agency were assailed over their lack of experience and past judgment calls Thursday as the Republican president's most contentious cabinet nominees faced showstopping Senate confirmation hearings. Tulsi Gabbard, tapped for director of national intelligence, sat ...

In First Address to the Nation, Sharaa Promises \
In First Address to the Nation, Sharaa Promises "National Dialogue" and Stability

Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, promised Thursday to hold a "national dialogue conference" in his first address to the nation since the fall of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa, who was appointed interim president a day earlier for an unspecified transitional period, vowed to preserve "civil peace" and Syria's territorial ...

Plane Crash in Washington Claims Lives of Russian Figure Skating Stars
Plane Crash in Washington Claims Lives of Russian Figure Skating Stars

Global figure skating's tight-knit community was in mourning on Thursday after a passenger jet crash in Washington killed two former world champion coaches and stars from the next generation of top US talent. Former Russian world pairs champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who became elite skating coaches, and as many as 14 US skaters ...

Syrian Cemeteries: Families Continue Search for the Missing
VideosSyrian Cemeteries: Families Continue Search for the Missing

More than a month after the fall of Assad’s regime on December 8, families are still searching for missing loved ones. At Tal al-Naser cemetery, Adnan Deeb, known as Abu Sham, combs through worn ledgers of the dead – some with names, others reduced to mere codes. Among those searching is Fairuz, a mother from Homs who still hopes to find her ...

UNRWA to Pursue Operations in Palestinian Territories Despite New Israeli Legislation
UNRWA to Pursue Operations in Palestinian Territories Despite New Israeli Legislation

The United Nations said Thursday its humanitarian relief agency UNRWA would continue working in all Palestinian territories, including east Jerusalem, despite Israeli legislation coming into force that cuts ties with the organization. Israel decided to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following accusations some of its staff belong to ...

Eight Hostages Freed in Gaza as Israel Releases 110 Palestinian Prisoners
Eight Hostages Freed in Gaza as Israel Releases 110 Palestinian Prisoners

Three Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals were released on Thursday in Gaza in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a process marked by scenes of chaos during the release of captives in the Palestinian territory. This exchange is the third under the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered by international ...