Friday, January 2, 2026

World

US says concerned by Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation

A top White House aide has acknowledged concern about Israel’s potentially growing diplomatic isolation amid its latest spat with several European countries after they moved to recognize a Palestinian state.

British MPs grill ministers over weapons exports to Israel amid Gaza war

The British government continues to assess that Israel has the intent to follow international humanitarian law even as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled Gaza's Rafah, but several MPs pressed UK ministers to explain how London could have come to its conclusions.

Ayatollah Khamenei calls ties with Pakistan important, urges removal of obstacles

Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei told Pakistani Prime Minister shahbaz Sharif that the recent visit of late president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan can serve as a turning point in relations between Tehran and Islamabad.

3 European states to recognise Palestinian state

The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain have stated their countries will formally recognise Palestine as a state next week for the sake of “peace in the Middle East“, prompting Israel to immediately recall its envoys.

Ukraine wants NATO to shoot down Russian missiles

The US and its allies should shoot down Moscow's missiles, give Kiev more weapons, and allow Ukraine to strike Russia directly, President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the New York Times newspaper.

China says to continue enhancing strategic partnership with Iran

Beijing will continue strengthening the strategic partnership with Tehran "regardless of how the situation changes", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told at a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mahdi Safari.

Russia launches tactical nuclear wargames

Russia’s Southern Military District has launched the first stage of recently announced tactical nuclear drills, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has confirmed.

Putin says Russia will continue to boost Iran ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, calling it “a great loss”. He stated Tehran and Moscow will continue down the path of the late Iranian president to further boost ties and mutual cooperation.

US lawmakers urge Biden admin. to allow Ukraine to use American weapons inside Russia

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers have sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanding that he allow Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range weapons to carry out strikes inside Russian territory.

Egyptian foreign minister due in Tehran Wednesday

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has left Cairo for the Iranian capital Tehran to participate in the memorial ceremony of late President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions, according to the Arab country’s foreign ministry.

Republican bill aims to give Americans serving in Israeli military same benefits as US soldiers

Two Republican congressmen introduced a bill that would provide the same employment and economic protections to Americans serving in the Israeli military as US citizens who get deployed to serve in the US military.

UN says halted food shipments to Gaza’s Rafah as supplies run out

The United Nations (UN) warns it has run out of food supplies in Rafah, the city in the southern part of the Gaza Strip at the center of a possible new Israeli military push.

EU’s Borrell says member states have to nab Netanyahu if ICC issues arrest warrent

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has stated that if the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for top Israeli officials over their alleged war crimes in Gaza, all EU member states will be legally forced to oblige.

Spokesman: Yemen’s Houthis shoot down US MQ-9 Reaper drone

The military spokesperson for the Houthi movement says the Yemeni fhighters have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was conducting hostile activities in the airspace over the central province of Bayda.

Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian students, teacher, doctor in West Bank raid

Israeli soldiers killed Palestinian students, a teacher and a doctor, and wounded others, including a journalist, during an assault on Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday.

More than 900k displaced in Gaza over past two weeks

Over 900,000 people, approximately 40% of Gaza's population, have been displaced in the past two weeks as Israeli bombardment continues across much of the blockaded enclave, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has stated.

Syrian first lady diagnosed with leukemia

Syria's first lady, Asma al-Assad, has been diagnosed with leukemia, the Syrian presidency announced on Tuesday, almost five years after announcing she had fully recovered from breast cancer.

Hezbollah chief condoles with Iran Leader over President Raisi martyrdom

The Secretary-General of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement has condoled with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei over the martyrdom of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions in a copter crash.

Biden’s approval over Gaza war gets lowest mark yet in new poll

The approval rating for US President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has dropped to its lowest point in a new survey, as the fighting continues in the besieged enclave.

US offers condolences to Iran over President Raisi’s demise

The United States has expressed condolences over the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of Iran's northwest.

North Korea’s leader sends condolence message to Iran over death of President Raisi

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a condolence message to Tehran over the demise of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, state media KCNA reported.

US lashes out after Israeli officials targeted with arrest warrants

US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken went on the offensive Monday after the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed arrest warrants against two top Israeli leaders over the war in the Gaza Strip which has so far killed more than 35,500 Palestinians.

Iraq’s Shia leader, Pope Francis send condolences on death of Iran’s president

Iraqi Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the most senior leaders in Shia Islam, and Pope Francis have offered their condolences over the deaths of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and all who died in a helicopter crash.

Hamas denounces ICC request for arrest warrants against three of group’s leaders

Palestinian group Hamas has censured a decision by the International Criminal Court, seeking arrest warrants for three of its leaders over the October 7 attacks on southern Israel.

US claims there is no genocide in Gaza

US President Joe Biden has dismissed arguments that Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip can be described as genocide, reiterating Washington’s support for Tel Aviv as he hosted an event for Jewish American Heritage month at the White House.

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