Monday, March 2, 2026

World

Iran and Egypt reach agreement on formation of committee to restore relations: Report

Tehran and Cairo have agreed to form a committee to resume diplomatic ties and security coordination, according to a report.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 479

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

World pledges over $6bn for Syrians at EU conference

More than $6 billion were pledged by international donors at a European Union-hosted conference on Thursday to help Syrians recover from poverty. A devastating earthquake in February has compounded economic misery for Syrians after over a decade of war.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 478

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Migrant deaths on Middle East, North Africa routes highest since 2017: Report

Nearly 3,800 people died on migration routes within and from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region last year, the highest number since 2017, new data from the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Missing Migrants Project (MMP) show.

US sends fighter jets to Middle East, citing Russia ‘increasingly unsafe’ activity

The United States has sent F-22 jets to the Middle East in response to the “increasingly unsafe” activity by Russian aircraft in the region.

Saudi foreign minister ‘due in Iran on Saturday for high-level talks, mission reopenning’

Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud is reportedly set to visit Tehran later this week, a few months after the two neighbors reached a reconciliation deal.

Oman says Iran, US ‘close’ on prisoner swap

Iran and the United States are close to finalizing a deal on the release of American inmates held in Tehran, Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi told Al-Monitor.

China, Palestine agree to establish strategic partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing where they pledged to establish mutual strategic partnership.

Washington bid to isolate Tehran, Moscow with sanctions ‘impossible’: Russian envoy to Iran

Russian Ambassador to Tehran Alexey Yurievich Dedov has said it is “impossible” for the United States and its allies to succeed in isolating Iran and Russia through sanctions.

Egypt to abandon dollar in trade with BRICS

Egypt is seeking to shift away from the US dollar in mutual trade with several member states of the BRICS economic bloc, Egyptian Supply Minister Ali Moselhy has said.

Pentagon says 22 U.S. troops injured in Syria helicopter mishap

Twenty-two U.S. service members were wounded in a helicopter "mishap" in northeast Syria on Sunday, the U.S. military announced late on Monday, without disclosing the cause of the incident or detailing the severity of the injuries.

Palestinian president arrives in Beijing as China seeks larger role in Mideast

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, state media reported, as China has expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

U.S. official denies any talks with Iran on temporary deal

Washington and Tehran are not discussing an interim nuclear agreement, an American official has said, but the United States has reportedly told Iran of steps that might trigger a crisis and also those that may create a better climate between the long-time antagonists.

Data show Germany has resumed petroleum imports from Iran despite US sanctions

Berlin has resumed its petroleum imports from Tehran after five years despite a continued regime of US sanctions that bans any trade of energy products with Iran, according to a report.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 475

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Saudi Arabia announces huge investment deals at Arab-China summit

Saudi Arabia has announced billions of dollars in investment deals between Beijing and the Arab world on the first day of the China-Arab business conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 474

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 473

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

US envoy to UN calls for probe into “Iran’s transfer of drones to Russia”

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, has called for an investigation into reports of “Iran’s transfer of combat drones to Russia” for use in the war against Ukraine.

US lawmakers call on Europe to immediately initiate Iran sanctions snapback

Thirty-five US House members sent a bipartisan letter to British, French and German leaders urging them to immediately initiate the snapback mechanism of the United Nations’ sanctions on Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Tehran has repeatedly warned against the European governments’ “provocative and unconstructive" policies towards the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Russia and China to hold joint military drills as top generals meet virtually

China and Russia will again hold joint military war games this year, top generals from each side confirmed in a virtual meeting Friday, according to China’s defense ministry.

US says drone plant Russia building with Iran help could be fully operational by 2024

The US believes that a combat drone manufacturing plant Russia is building with Iran’s help could be fully operational by early next year, National Security Council official John Kirby has stated. Kiev and its allies have accused Tehran of sending attack drones to Moscow, an allegation Iran denies.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 472

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Document reveals MbS threatened to damage US economy

A classified document has disclosed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) threatened to impose significant economic costs on Washington after US President Joe Biden warned Riyadh over its decision to slash oil production last fall.

Latest news