Middle East

Iran says Executed Man Convicted of 2023 Azerbaijan Embassy Attack
Iran says Executed Man Convicted of 2023 Azerbaijan Embassy Attack

Iran said Wednesday it executed a man convicted of a deadly January 2023 attack on the Azerbaijani embassy, which sparked a sharp downturn in relations between the neighbouring countries. "The law of retribution was implemented this morning against the attacker of the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran," the judiciary said. An Azerbaijani diplomat ...

UAE says Reached Deal with Israel to Allow Aid Delivery to Gaza
UAE says Reached Deal with Israel to Allow Aid Delivery to Gaza

The United Arab Emirates have reached an agreement with Israel to allow the delivery of "urgent humanitarian aid" to Gaza, according to a statement released Wednesday on Emirati state media. Israel has come under massive international pressure to allow aid into Gaza, where humanitarian agencies say a total blockade imposed on March 2 has sparked ...

Russia Says Intercepted 159 Ukrainian Drones
Russia Says Intercepted 159 Ukrainian Drones

Russia intercepted 159 drones launched by Ukraine over 12 hours at several Russian regions, including Moscow, the military said in a statement on Wednesday. The drones mostly targeted Russian regions bordering Ukraine and were launched from 8:00 pm Moscow time (1700 GMT) Tuesday until 8:00 am on Wednesday, said a defense ministry statement. The ...

UK, EU Hail new Partnership deal, but Questions Remain
Q&AUK, EU Hail new Partnership deal, but Questions Remain

Britain has hailed Monday's strategic partnership agreement with the European Union as the start of a new era, but the effects of the deal on defense and trade remain unclear. Will the agreement boost UK economic growth?  That is one of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's key arguments for restoring closer ties with the EU. This deal, along with ...

Canadian Host of G7 Finance Talks 'Optimistic' Despite Trade Turmoil
Canadian Host of G7 Finance Talks 'Optimistic' Despite Trade Turmoil

Canada's Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne expressed cautious optimism Tuesday at the start of a G7 finance leaders' gathering in his country, even as the advanced economies grapple with fallout from trade turbulence. His comments came as finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven economies -- the United States, ...

China Slams US 'Bullying' Over new Warnings on Huawei Chips
China Slams US 'Bullying' Over new Warnings on Huawei Chips

Beijing condemned on Wednesday new US warnings on the use of AI chips by Chinese tech giant Huawei, vowing it would take steps against "bullying" efforts to restrict access to high-tech semiconductors and supply chains. Washington has sought in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that they could be used to ...

US Expects Russia Offer Soon as Zelensky Sounds Warning
US Expects Russia Offer Soon as Zelensky Sounds Warning

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday he expected Russia to present a Ukraine ceasefire outline within days that will show if it is serious, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of buying time. President Donald Trump spoke separately by telephone on Monday to Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin, after Russian and ...

Armed Group Attacks Russian Base in Syria
Armed Group Attacks Russian Base in Syria

An armed group linked to Syria's new government briefly attacked Russia's Hmeimim air base in western Syria on Tuesday, a war monitor and a witness have said. Located in the coastal Latakia province, the Hmeimim base served as a refuge for thousands of people who fled March's sectarian violence, where over 1,700 mostly Alawite people were ...

Israel Recalls Senior Gaza Hostage Negotiators and Leaves Team in Doha
Israel Recalls Senior Gaza Hostage Negotiators and Leaves Team in Doha

Israel said Tuesday that it was recalling its senior Gaza hostage negotiators from Doha "for consultation", days after launching an intensified campaign in the Palestinian territory. The indirect talks in Qatar, which has played a mediating role throughout the war, began over the weekend, just as Israel's new offensive was getting ...

U.S. Asking Countries for 'Voluntary' Palestinian Relocation
U.S. Asking Countries for 'Voluntary' Palestinian Relocation

The United States has reached out to countries about accepting "voluntary" relocations of Palestinians fleeing Israel's offensive in Gaza, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday. Israel has again warned the population of Gaza -- nearly entirely displaced since the war broke out over the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas -- to move ...