Sunday, December 21, 2025

Middle East

Red Cross warns Gaza aid endeavour on ‘verge of collapse’ amid Israel blockade

The humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip is on the verge of “total collapse”, with Palestinians facing a “daily struggle to survive” amid Israel’s war and blockade of the Palestinian enclave, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Palestine world’s most dangerous place for journalists amid Gaza war: Report

Palestine has become the world’s most dangerous state for journalists amid Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, with dozens of reporters likely killed specifically due to their work, a media freedom watchdog has announced.

Jerusalem wildfires flare for a second day

Israeli firefighting teams have been tackling wildfires near Jerusalem for a second day. Police have also reported the reopening of several major roads that had been closed.

Saudi Arabia signals can live with lower oil prices: Reuters

Riyadh briefing allies and industry experts to say the kingdom is unwilling to prop up the oil market with further supply cuts and can handle a prolonged period of low prices, five sources with knowledge of the talks told Reuters news agency.

Syria rejects ‘foreign intervention’ after Israeli aerial attack

Syrian authorities have decried “foreign intervention” in the country's affairs after Israel launched air attacks on a town near Damascus where government forces and several other groups had taken part in deadly clashes.

US seeking to eliminate security office coordinating with Palestinian Authority: Report

The administration of President Donald Trump plans to eliminate the position of US security coordinator for the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, according to several media reports.

Wildfires rage near Jerusalem, forcing evacuations and road closures

Wildfires raging near Jerusalem forced evacuations in several areas and led to several major road closures on Wednesday. Firefighters struggle to contain the flames amid dry conditions and high winds.

Muslim groups urge UK PM to recognise Palestine, cease arms exports to Israel

Hundreds of prominent Muslim organisations and individuals have signed a letter, urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state and cease all military support to Israel.

US jet rolls off aircraft carrier as ship reportedly swerves Houthi fire: Report

US sailors had to leap for their lives when a warplane fell off a navy aircraft carrier that was reportedly making evasive maneuvers to avoid Houthi militant fire in the Red Sea.

Gaza siege silent killer of children, elderly: UN

Juliette Touma, communications director for the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has stated that "the siege on the Gaza Strip is the silent killer of children, of older people."

Israel abusing detained staff, using some as human shields: UNRWA

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, says Israel is abusing dozens of its staff in military detention and using some as human shields.

Syria’s FM meets US officials in New York: Reuters

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met with senior U.S. State Department officials on Tuesday in New York, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Damascus seeks a clear roadmap from Washington on how to secure permanent sanctions relief.

Several killed in sectarian clashes near Syria’s Damascus

More than a dozen people were killed in a predominantly Druze town near the Syrian capital on Tuesday in clashes sparked by a purported recording of a Druze man cursing the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) which angered Sunni gunmen, rescuers and security sources have confirmed.

Over 65k Gaza children hospitalized for severe malnutrition: Report

The Gaza Government Media Office says Israel is exacerbating Palestinian children's suffering through its ongoing genocide and blockade, which has led to widespread acute malnutrition affecting more than 65,000 hospitalized children out of 1.1 million facing daily hunger.

Saudi Arabia reviewing Neom projects over ‘limited resources’: FT

The CEO of Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city Neom has launched a “comprehensive review” of Riyadh's mega-project, signifying more belt-tightening to come with falling energy prices.

Euro-Med: over 90% of those killed in Gaza are civilians

An international human rights organization has dismissed Israel’s claim that its army is fighting Hamas fighters in Gaza. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has announced that at least 94 percent of the victims of Tel Aviv’s fatal attacks are civilians.

Israel perpetrating ‘live-streamed genocide’ in Gaza: Amnesty

Israel is carrying out a “live-streamed genocide” in the Gaza Strip, committing illegal acts with the “specific intent” of wiping out Palestinians, Amnesty International has announced.

Lebanese gov’t must do more to end Israeli strikes: Hezbollah chief

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has urged Lebanon’s government to work harder to end Israel’s daily attacks in the country, a day after an Israeli air raid targeted the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, for the third time since a ceasefire was agreed late last November.

65% of Gaza war victims women, children, elderly: Report

At least 65% of Palestinians killed in Israel’s ongoing military onslaught on Gaza are women, children, and the elderly, according to the Gaza local authorities.

Worldwide military spending hit record $2.7 trillion last year, sharpest rise since Cold War

Global military expenditure saw its steepest rise in 2024 since the end of the Cold War, reaching $2.7 trillion as wars and rising tensions drove up spending, researchers announced Monday.

At least 8 killed in latest US air attacks on Yemen

United States military strikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, have killed at least eight people and wounded several others, Houthi-affiliated media reported, as Washington acknowledged carrying out more than 800 attacks on targets in Yemen since mid-March, bringing the total of those killed to more than 220 people.

Qatari PM says Gaza ceasefire negotiations make progress

Qatar's prime minister has stated that efforts to reach a new ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip have made some progress but an accord between Israel and Hamas to end the war remains elusive.

Hunger deepens in besieged Gaza as food supplies run out: UNRWA

Food stocks have run out in the war-torn Gaza Strip, deepening hunger in the besieged enclave amid Israel’s destructive war, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Sunday.

DeepMind UK staff seeking to challenge deals with Israel links: FT

Google DeepMind staff in Britain plan to unionise to challenge the company's decision to sell its artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to defence groups with ties to Tel Aviv, the Financial Times has reported.

Hamas deplores US decision to scrap UNRWA immunity

The Palestinian group Hamas has condemned a recent US decision to lift the immunity of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), asserting that the move exposes Washington’s “blind bias” against Palestinians.

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