Daily News Brief

*) Hamas says 'ball is completely' in Israel's hands in truce talks https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-no-aid-entering-gaza-despite-israeli-claims-authority-18099759 Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced that its delegation attending Gaza ceasefire negotiations in Cairo had left the city for Qatar, adding that the "ball is now completely" in Israel's hands. The group said in a statement, “In practice, the occupation rejected the[...]

*) US won't supply weapons to Israel if it invades Gaza's Rafah city — Biden https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/us-wont-supply-weapons-to-israel-if-it-invades-gazas-rafah-city-biden-18086860 US President Joe Biden has said America will not supply weapons or artillery shells to ally Israel if Tel Aviv invades southern Gaza's Rafah city. Biden admitted in an interview with CNN that “bombs the US has supplied to[...]

*) Israel kills 7 members of same family in strike on Gaza home https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israel-kills-7-members-of-same-family-in-strike-on-gaza-home-18075856 An Israeli air strike targeted a home in Gaza, killing at least seven members of the same family and wounding several others. Al-Ahli Hospital in the besieged enclave reported these casualties, adding to the toll of violence in the region. Eyewitnesses[...]

*) Israel claims control of Rafah crossing, Hamas agreed to permanent ceasefire in Gaza https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israel-claims-control-of-gazas-rafah-crossing-ahead-of-invasion-18059566 The Israeli army has said it took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt and that its troops were "scanning the area." Earlier, Hamas said it agreed to a proposal to end the[...]

*) Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate eastern Rafah https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israeli-army-tells-palestinians-to-evacuate-eastern-rafah-18049490 The Israeli army has initiated evacuations in certain neighbourhoods near the border in the East of Rafah. An Israeli army spokesperson urged Palestinian residents and displaced persons in several areas east of Rafah to evacuate immediately towards the al Mawasi area, according to state television[...]

*) Türkiye halts trade with Israel until uninterrupted aid to Gaza Türkiye has stopped all exports and imports to and from Israel, as a punitive measure against Tel Aviv's brutal war on Gaza that has killed around 34,600 Palestinians in just over six months. The Turkish trade ministry said until the Israeli government allows uninterrupted[...]

*) 57 Democrats urge Biden to prevent Israeli invasion of Rafah US President Joe Biden's administration has faced renewed pressure from his fellow Democrats to influence ally Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah. Fifty-seven of the 212 Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a letter calling on the administration to take[...]

*) China says Hamas and Fatah met for Palestinian reconciliation talks in Beijing China has said that two rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah recently met in Beijing for "in-depth and candid talks on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation". "Representatives of the Palestine National Liberation Movement and the Islamic Resistance Movement recently came to Beijing," the Chinese[...]

*) Top UN court to rule in Germany 'genocide' case over Gaza The United Nations' top court will rule on charges by Nicaragua that Germany if facilitating genocide in Gaza by supplying arms to Israel. Nicaragua initiated proceedings against Germany at the International Court of Justice, accusing Berlin of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention. At[...]

*) Israel kills over a dozen Palestinians in Rafah — medics Israeli air strikes have targeted three houses in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, killing at least 13 people and wounding numerous others, according to medics. Additionally, Israeli planes struck two houses in Gaza City in the north of the enclave, which health officials[...]

*) Bodies found in Gaza mass graves suggest 'organ theft' by Israel Paramedics and rescue teams involved in retrieving civilian bodies from the mass graves discovered at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis have reported organ theft by Israeli military and claimed some Gaza victims were buried alive in the recently discovered graves. At[...]

*) Ben-Gvir evacuated from building besieged by Israeli protesters Israeli police evacuated extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from a building in the occupied West Jerusalem that was surrounded by protesters, including families of hostages in besieged Gaza. Local media reported that hundreds of Israeli protesters gathered in the area near the building with Ben-Gvir inside. The[...]

*) UN raises 'war crime' alert as 300+ bodies are found in Gaza mass graves Reports of mass graves found in Gaza over the weekend at Nasser Hospital and Al Shifa Hospital have prompted renewed concerns about possible war crimes by Israel. Some of the Palestinian victims were found stripped naked with their hands tied,[...]

*) Israel's claims against UNRWA lack evidence: UN review Israel has yet to provide any proof of its allegation that some UN agency staff are members of Palestine's resistance groups. This is according to an independent review of the neutrality of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The review was led by former French[...]

*) Scores of bodies found in two mass graves at hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis Palestinians have exhumed scores of bodies from two mass graves at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza, according to officials. The director-general of Gaza’s government media office said “some 150 bodies have been found in the two[...]

*) Iran fires air defence batteries as Israel reportedly strikes Isfahan Iran has activated its air defence system over several cities after its semi-official Fars news agency reported explosions at the central Isfahan airport. Spokesman for Iran's civilian space programme Hossein Dalirian said that several small "quadcopter" drones had been shot down following what a[...]

*) Qatar re-evaluating its role as mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said his country is re-evaluating its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas on reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and will take an “appropriate decision”. Al Thani’s remarks came during a press conference held in[...]

*) Israeli aggression in Gaza signals failure of army — Hamas The Palestinian group Hamas said that the madness directed against Palestinian civilians in Gaza reflects the failure of the Israeli army. Hamas leader Izzat al Rishq said in a statement, "The Nazism of the occupation army was revealed in some images at Al Shifa[...]

*) Mass grave found at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza Al Jazeera Arabic has reported that a mass grave at Al Shifa Hospital was discovered by the Palestinian Health Ministry and Civil Defence Forces in Gaza. The extracted bodies had not fully decomposed, suggesting that the 'executions' took place recently, possibly during Israel’s two-week military[...]

*) US rules out joining any Israeli attack against Iran The United States has said it will not join any Israeli attack on Iran, with US President Joe Biden warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "think carefully" about any escalation. The White House said Biden did not want a wider war after helping key ally[...]

US curbs diplomats' movements in Israel over Iran ultimatum The United States has issued a security alert to its diplomats in Israel, asking them to cut down their daily outdoor activities. The American embassy in Jerusalem cited concerns of Iranian retaliation over an Israeli strike on Tehran's consulate in Damascus earlier in April that left[...]

*) Israel will invade Rafah and return to Khan Younis — minister Israel's war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has claimed without proof that Palestinian resistance group Hamas has been defeated militarily and the Israeli army will invade Rafah and reoccupy Khan Younis, a local media outlet reported. *) EU lawmakers approve major revamp of pact[...]

*) Israel blocks food three times more than other aid in Palestine's Gaza: UN Israel has been blocking far more convoys carrying food aid within Gaza, where famine is looming, than convoys carrying other kinds of aid, the UN said. On Tuesday, a spokesman for the United Nations' humanitarian agency pointed to statistics from March[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday April 9th. *) 'Pathetic': Nicaragua drags Germany to ICJ over Gaza aid, weapons to Israel Nicaragua has hauled Germany before the International Court of Justice to demand judges impose emergency measures to stop Berlin from providing Israel with weapons and other assistance. Lawyers for Nicaragua on[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, April 8th. *) ICJ to hear against Germany for ‘facilitating’ Israel’s genocide in Gaza Germany faces charges from Nicaragua at the top UN court that it is “facilitating” acts of genocide and breaches of international law in Israel’s war on Gaza. In a 43-page submission to[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, April 5th *) Israel promises to open Gaza aid routes after US arm-twisting Israel has said it will allow ‘temporary’ aid deliveries across its fence with northern Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office announced after a tense warning phone call from US President Joe Biden. The announcement[...]

*) Palestine reignites its quest for full UN seat amid Israel's war Palestine has revived its bid for full UN membership, according to a letter from its UN envoy Riyad Mansour to the UN secretary-general. The application, submitted to the Security Council, seeks a new review in April 2024 and the move underscores Palestine's long-standing[...]

*) Biden admin mulls whopping $18B arms package for Israel: report The Biden administration is currently considering an $18 billion arms package for Israel, including the sale of F-15 aircraft and ammunition, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The sale of 25 F-15s to Israel has been under consideration since the US received[...]

*) US, Israel to discuss Rafah invasion in virtual meeting: report The US and Israel will hold a virtual meeting to discuss alternative proposals from the Biden administration regarding a possible Israeli military invasion of Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge, Israeli and US officials confirmed to Axios. The meeting, originally[...]

*) Israel must ensure urgent aid, food gets into Gaza without delay: ICJ The world's top court has ordered Israel to "ensure urgent humanitarian assistance" in Gaza without delay, saying "famine has set in". It also said, "Israel shall take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay the unhindered provision of urgently needed[...]

*) Prepping for Rafah invasion, Israel orders 40,000 tents from China Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the purchase of 40,000 tents from China to be set up in besieged Gaza, Israeli media reported, in preparation for a ground invasion of Rafah. It comes as Netanyahu downplayed global fears of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel[...]

*) Isolated, US & Israel see UN states back report on Israeli genocide in Gaza The UN expert who concluded Israel was committing acts of genocide in besieged Gaza has received broad support at the United Nations, with countries speaking up to back her and her report. Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on human rights[...]

*) UNSC finally demands Gaza ceasefire in Ramadan after US abstains vote The UN Security Council for the first time in 5 months since the Israeli war on Gaza started has demanded an immediate ceasefire after the United States, Tel Aviv’s ally which vetoed previous drafts, abstained. All 14 other members voted in favour of[...]

*) UN agency for Palestinians barred from North Gaza aid deliveries The United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees says that Israel had definitively barred it from making aid deliveries in northern Gaza, where the threat of famine is highest. The head of the agency Philippe Lazzarini said on X that “despite the tragedy unfolding under[...]

*) Blinken to press Israel for 'immediate' truce in Gaza war US Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Israel to press for a truce in Gaza, ahead of a key UN Security Council vote on a US draft resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire. Israel's main backer the United States announced it would submit[...]

*) US submits UN resolution for 'immediate ceasefire' in Gaza The United States has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza linked to the release of hostages. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced it during his visit to Saudi Arabia, where discussions on the ongoing Israel's[...]

*) Gaza hospital hit in intense Israeli raid for second day Explosions and shootings have once again rocked Gaza's largest hospital, Al Shifa, and its surrounding neighbourhoods as Israeli forces storm through the facility for a second day. This latest raid deals a devastating blow to the already-strained Al Shifa medical complex, which had only[...]

*) MSF urges blocking Israel’s Rafah assault Doctors Without Borders chief Christopher Lockyear warns against Israeli war in southern Gaza's Rafah, citing a potential catastrophe that must not be allowed to happen. His concerns stem from a recent visit to the Palestinian enclave, where he witnessed the urgent humanitarian needs at the densely populated Rafah[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, March 18th. *) Aid arrives in north Gaza’s Jabalia for 1st time in four months The Israeli army has allowed nine trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter northern Gaza including Jabalia, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. The aid, which consisted of flour, rice, canned food and[...]

*) Abbas names adviser Mohammed Mustafa as Palestine's PM Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed Mohammed Mustafa as the new prime minister following Mohammed Shtayyeh's resignation. Mustafa, a trusted economic adviser, faces the task of forming a new government amid Israel's war on Gaza. At 69 years old, he is tasked with governing the occupied[...]

*) Netanyahu prolonging Gaza war to stay in power Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al Maliki has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the Gaza conflict to maintain power. Al Maliki criticised Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war, citing nearly 600,000 Palestinians on the brink of famine, and expressed disappointment with[...]

*) Israel is using starvation as 'war arm' European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell addressed the UN Security Council, condemning Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war. He emphasised that the humanitarian crisis in the region is entirely man-made, with essential routes for aid being deliberately blocked. Borrell stressed the urgency of[...]

*) Children starving in Gaza, ceasefire needed to get aid in: CIA chief CIA Director William Burns has called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate humanitarian aid distribution, particularly for starving children amid Israeli attacks. Speaking at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Burns highlighted the challenge of effective humanitarian assistance without a ceasefire.[...]

*) Ramadan's first night at Al Aqsa Mosque Muslims globally observed the Tarawih prayer on the first night of Ramadan, yet celebrations are overshadowed by sadness as Israel’s brutal war on Palestinians in Gaza persists.  In occupied East Jerusalem, at Al Aqsa Mosque Compound, the world's third-holiest site for Muslims, there were fewer worshipers amid[...]

*) Biden acknowledges 30,000+ Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza US President Joe Biden has acknowledged that Israel's war in Gaza has inflicted a severe toll on innocent civilians, surpassing the impact of all previous conflicts. Over the last 153 days, more than 30,000 Palestinians, including thousands of women and children, lost their lives. In[...]

*) South Africa urges ICJ for new emergency measures against Israel South Africa has urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to implement additional provisional measures against Israel and to amend the ICJ's interim ruling in the ongoing genocide case. The ICJ acknowledged South Africa's urgent request, citing in quotes "new facts and changes in[...]

*) Hamas shows 'flexibility' for truce amid Israeli reluctance The Palestinian group Hamas has declared its commitment to ongoing negotiations through intermediaries until a ceasefire agreement is reached with Israel. Despite Hamas displaying flexibility for a comprehensive halt to aggression, the group accuses Israel of avoiding the terms of the proposed agreement. Currently, negotiators from[...]

*) Israel killed 13,430 Palestinian children since October 7 — Gaza Israeli air strikes and ground invasion have killed 13,430 children since the start of Tel Aviv's carnage in the besieged Palestinian enclave, Gaza's Media Office said. It added that 8,900 women were killed over 150 days, and 7,000 people, 70 percent of whom are[...]

*) US Vice President Harris calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza The United States Vice President Kamala Harris has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and has described the situation there as “devastating.” She noted the necessity of an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, saying that it is "currently on[...]

*) Israel forces shoot over a hundred Palestinians waiting in aid queue Israeli forces fatally shot 112 Palestinians as they surged towards aid trucks, marking one of the deadliest episodes in the nearly five-month war. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported over 750 individuals were injured during the incident. The tragedy unfolded amidst heightened concerns[...]

*) Six children die of malnutrition as Gaza death toll nears 30,000 Six children have succumbed to malnutrition in Israeli-blockaded Gaza, Palestinian officials have reported. The overall toll for Palestinians in the nearly five-month Israeli war has exceeded 30,000. Officials revealed that two children died at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City due to "dehydration and[...]

*) UN warns 576,000 people in Gaza are 'one step away' from famine A senior United Nations aid official revealed to the Security Council that approximately 576,000 people in Gaza, constituting a quarter of the population, are on the brink of famine. The World Food Programme (WFP) heightened concerns by declaring that famine is "imminent"[...]

*) Red Cross warns of looming famine in Gaza The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has issued a stark warning about the dire situation in besieged Gaza. He emphasised the looming threat of severe food insecurity, with approximately 80 percent of the population facing critical food shortages. He[...]

*) Israel presents Rafah invasion plan to War Cabinet amid fears of civilian casualties Israel's military has proposed a plan for the invasion of Gaza's Rafah city, aligning with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion of the necessity of a ground invasion in Rafah for what he calls a "total victory." Concerns persist about potential civilian[...]

*) Gaza in ‘extreme peril’ as NGOs call on Israel to execute humanitarian law The leaders of a number of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations urged Israel to provide food and medical supplies to Gaza, warning that civilians there are in “extreme peril.” The Inter-Agency Standing Committee, the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum of the UN[...]

*) Israel’s war could kill nearly 86,000 more Palestinians in Gaza — study At least 85,750 more Palestinians could die from physical trauma and disease if Israel’s ongoing war against besieged Gaza further escalates in the next six months, according to a joint US-UK study. “The Crisis in Gaza: Scenario-Based Health Impact Projections”, a joint[...]

*) Gaza's Nasser Hospital ‘has become a place of death’ — UN An official from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, expressed concern over the state of the Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis in the south of besieged Gaza. Jonathan Whittall, senior humanitarian affairs officer at OCHA[...]

*) Arab Group calls on UNSC to take action on besieged Gaza The Arab Group in New York has urged the UN Security Council to take immediate action on besieged Gaza. It said in a statement that “regrettably, the UN Security Council remains inert, unable to denounce the daily atrocities perpetrated by the occupying authorities.”[...]

*) Israel insists on attacking Gaza to ‘impose displacement’ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel insists on continuing its attacks on Gaza to “impose displacement,” especially on the city of Rafah. In a meeting of the Palestinian government held in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Abbas said the Israeli government and its army are[...]

*) Israeli attacks in Gaza fuel 'catastrophic' medicine shortage The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has issued a warning this week regarding a scarcity of medicines and medical supplies. They highlight the inability to provide over 60 percent of essential primary healthcare drugs. Approximately 350,000 individuals in Gaza with chronic illnesses lack access to medication,[...]

*) Israel attacks Nasser Hospital in Gaza At least one person was killed, and many others were wounded in an attack by Israeli forces on the Nasser Hospital in besieged Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis. The attack was carried out in the hospital’s orthopaedics section, according to a WAFA report. The Palestinian news agency[...]

*) South Africa requests ICJ to take action against Israel’s Rafah offensive South Africa has urged the UN top court to assess Israel's plan to extend the Gaza offensive into Rafah for potential emergency measures, citing grave concerns about large-scale harm to Palestinians. In January, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to prevent a[...]

*) UNGA president warns another phase of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza ‘is at our doorstep’ The president of the UN General Assembly expressed grave concern over Israel’s assault on the city of Rafah in the southern besieged Gaza. Dennis Francis said on X that he was “deeply distressed by the escalating military operation into[...]

*) More than 100 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Rafah A series of Israeli air strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah has killed at least 100 Palestinians, according to health officials in the besieged enclave. The strikes hit over a dozen houses and several mosques in different parts of Rafah, authorities said.[...]

1) UN human rights chief says destruction in Gaza is a 'grave breach' of Geneva Convention The UN human rights chief Volker Turk said that the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza is a violation of the Geneva Convention and a war crime. "Extensive destruction of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out[...]

*) Saudi Arabia says no normalisation with Israel without Palestinian state Saudi Arabia has told the US that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognised as per the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Saudi foreign ministry in a statement called for a halt[...]

*) US military says it conducted strike against two Houthi drones The US military says that its forces conducted a strike against two Houthi drones in Yemen. The US Central Command said in a post on X that its forces identified the explosive USVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. It added that the USVs presented[...]

*) Hamas in consultation with factions on ceasefire: source Hamas has not informed mediators of its rejection of a proposal for a hostage swap deal and a ceasefire in Gaza, a well-informed Palestinian source said. The source, which requested anonymity, affirmed that the Palestinian resistance group’s consultations with other Palestinian factions on the proposals are[...]

*) 'Everyone in Gaza is hungry' : UN chief appeals for heightened aid UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urgently called for increased humanitarian aid into Gaza because of severe hunger, mass displacement and a crumbling humanitarian system. "I call for rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza," Guterres wrote on X. "Everyone[...]

*) US says it downed Iranian drones, Houthi missile as Gaza war rages An American warship has shot down three Iranian drones and a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis, the US military has claimed. The US Central Command said in a statement that Iranian-backed Houthis fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from the group-controlled areas[...]

*) Netanyahu brags about killing 500 Palestinians in occupied West Bank Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his military forces have killed hundreds of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 7. Netanyahu vowed to continue the killing spree there. The Israeli prime minister told his army soldiers to pay attention to other[...]

*) Israel kills 20 Palestinians in new Gaza massacre Israel has struck a family home in the Sabra neighbourhood of besieged Gaza, killing over a dozen Palestinians and wounding others, state-run WAFA news agency reported. WAFA said Israeli warplanes launched a strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Citing sources, WAFA added that[...]

*) Ceasefire talks between Israel, Hamas advance following Paris summit The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reports progress in negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding an exchange of hostages. This follows the conclusion of a summit in Paris with the participation of Israel, the US, Egypt and Qatar. Talks centred on a two-month ceasefire would also release[...]

*) World awaits ICJ verdict on Gaza genocide case against Israel The top UN court will hand down an initial decision in a case against Israel over what South Africa and many others say is a genocide in besieged Gaza, a landmark ruling closely watched in the Middle East and around the world. The International[...]

*) Israeli bombardment targets children in Gaza refugee camp The Israeli army has carried out an airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza which killed four children. The children’s bodies were found in the debris of houses, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. It added that the Israeli military continued its attacks from[...]

*) Israel suffers deadliest single-day loss since start of Gaza ground war Twenty-four Israeli soldiers have been killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its ground war in Gaza. Intense fighting has been raging in southern and central Gaza, where Israel says it has been attacking the remaining strongholds of Hamas and[...]

*) Palestinians in Gaza flee Israeli attacks Israel has pounded the southern city of Khan Younis, pushing thousands of Palestinians in Gaza to flee even further south. Families made their way on foot down the coastal highway. Others loaded blankets and belongings into vehicles or donkey carts. The UN says Israel's war has displaced some[...]

*) Death toll of Palestinians in Gaza from Israeli strikes passes 25,000 The death toll of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza has passed 25,000, Health officials in the enclave said amid heavy Israeli strikes. Gaza's Health Ministry said in a statement that 178 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours, one of[...]

*) US says ‘no way’ to solve conflict without Palestinian state There is “no way” to solve Israel’s long-term security challenges in the region and the short-term challenges of rebuilding besieged Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. The comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu[...]

*) Gaza's internet outage enters sixth day, longest since war began A telecommunications blackout in besieged Gaza has entered its sixth day. This is the longest continuous outage since Israel began its attacks on the Palestinian enclave. Palestinian telecoms provider Jawwal blamed Israel's "heavy bombardment" of the territory for a previous blackout. Humanitarian leaders have[...]

*) Qatar announces humanitarian deal between Israel, Hamas Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas have reached an agreement that will enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to civilians in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of medicines to Israeli hostages. The agreement is a joint effort between Qatar and France, according to the Qatari Foreign[...]

*) Israel kills 25 civilians in new Gaza carnage — Palestine Israel has killed 25 Palestinians and wounded dozens of others during new bombardment of different areas in besieged Gaza, Palestinian news agency WAFA has reported. One such Israeli bombardment targeted a house north of Rafah, killing 11 people, most of whom were children and[...]

*) Israel kills almost 24,000 Palestinians as war hits 100-day mark Israeli attacks on Gaza have continued for over a 100 days since October 7th. During which, a total of 23,968 Palestinians have been killed and 60,582 injured by Israeli strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said. And the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor estimates[...]

*) Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, S Africa says at ICJ South Africa has told judges at the International Court of Justice that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and pleaded with the court to urgently order Israel to halt its war on Gaza. South African lawyers said the latest Gaza war is part[...]

*) All eyes on ICJ as South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel begins A legal battle over whether Israel’s war in Gaza amounts to genocide is set to open at the UN’s top court with preliminary hearings into South Africa’s call for judges to order an immediate suspension of Israel’s military invasion. Israel denies[...]

*) Israel tells hospitals to prepare for 'thousands' of injured Israel has ordered hospitals in the north of the country to prepare for the possibility of receiving "thousands of injured" people as tensions with Hezbollah increase. Israel's Health Ministry has asked medical centres to prepare for the possibility of going into "deserted island mode," that[...]

*) Blinken in Tel Aviv as Gaza sees another night of Israeli terror US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has touched down in Tel Aviv amidst escalating tensions in the region. It comes as Israel intensifies its attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, sparking global concerns about the potential expansion of the conflict beyond Palestine. Despite[...]

*) Israeli attacks on Palestine’s Gaza to continue throughout 2024 Israel’s military chief has said that the war in Gaza will likely continue throughout the year. Israel’s Army Chief of General Staff spoke about his country’s attacks on Gaza during a visit to the occupied West Bank, according to a statement from the Israeli army.[...]

*) S Korea: DPRK fired artillery shells near its islands, evacuation ordered North Korea fired more than 200 artillery shells near two South Korean islands, Seoul's defence ministry has said, with an evacuation order issued for residents. Yeonpyeong local officials said civilians had been asked to evacuate, describing the order as a "preventative measure." Relations[...]

*) Israel dropped 65,000 tonnes of bombs in 'genocidal war' on Gaza The Israeli army bombarded Gaza with more than 45,000 missiles and bombs that weighed more than 65,000 tonnes, the Gaza Media Office has said. The office said about two-thirds of the bombs and missiles were unguided and imprecise, commonly known as dumb bombs.[...]

*) Hamas says it 'will never be defeated' after Israel kills Arouri Hamas chief Ismail Haniya has said his Palestinian resistance group "will never be defeated" after the assassination of its deputy leader Saleh al Arouri in Lebanon by Israel. "A movement whose leaders and founders fall as martyrs for the dignity of our people[...]

*) Hamas urges ICRC action as Palestine says Israel killed prisoner Palestinian resistance group Hamas has called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to document human rights violations against Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. According to the latest figures, more than 7,800 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons, including 80 women. Earlier,[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, January 1st. *) Israel to release some reservists as assault on Gaza grinds on Tel Aviv continues bombardment of cities, towns and refugee camps across besieged Gaza. The Israeli military said it will release some reservists who were called up to fight in Gaza, as the[...]

*) Hamas says ending Israeli aggression on Gaza is priority The Palestinian resistance group Hamas' military wing has said that ending Israel's aggression on besieged Gaza is a priority, reiterating their rejection of any hostage exchange deal or negotiations without this condition being met. This was stated in a recorded speech by Abu Ubaida, the[...]

*) Russia calls for end to historic injustices endured by Palestine Russia has said the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East is a result of the longstanding failures of US foreign policy and called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for de-escalation of the Middle East[...]

*) Israel army chief says Gaza assault will last 'many more months' Israel's army chief has warned its aggression in Gaza will last "many more months" as the military stepped up strikes, where nearly 21,000 people have already been reported killed. But Israel's leaders have repeatedly vowed to keep up their offensive until Palestinian resistance[...]

*)Families of hostages boo Israel's Netanyahu during parliament address Families of hostages taken by Hamas booed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addressed parliament, vowing to bring the captives home but saying "more time" was needed. "Now! Now!" the families chanted from the gallery when Netanyahu said Israeli forces first needed to increase military[...]

*)Israeli 'massacre' on Christmas Eve at refugee camp kills 70 An Israeli air strike on Al Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza has killed at least 70 people, a spokesman for the health ministry in the enclave said. Ashraf Al Qudra said what was happening at the Maghazi camp was a "massacre" that was committed[...]

*) Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks hits 20,057 The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza has soared to 20,057, according to the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave. The ministry added that at least 53,320 others have been injured in Israel’s attacks since October 7. “At least 390 people have been killed[...]

*) Israel's unlawful executions in Gaza may amount to 'war crime' — UN The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has said it has received alarming reports, accusing the Israeli army of summarily executing at least 11 unarmed Palestinian men in the Al Remal neighbourhood of[...]

Hamas's armed wing in Lebanon claims responsibility for targeting Israel, and New York takes steps toward slavery reparations with new commission. This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, December 20th. For more, head to trtworld.com

*) Israel faces Gaza ceasefire calls, US vows more arms Israel faced another round of global pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza with a new UN vote and fresh Western diplomatic efforts, although the United States vowed to continue arming its ally. The UN Security Council is set to convene today to weigh a call[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, December 18th. *) Israel kills 90 in refugee camp as its attacks continue in Gaza The Israeli army has launched deadly attacks across Gaza, hitting a refugee camp in the north, a hospital in the south and killing a teenage girl who had lost her leg[...]

1) Israeli leaflets incite Gaza residents to spy on Hamas leaders The Israeli army has dropped leaflets over besieged Gaza, inciting displaced Palestinians to spy on Hamas leaders. Leaflets state that individuals offering information will be rewarded financially, with the amounts specified as follows: Yahya Sinwar at $400,000, Muhammed Sinwar at $300,000, Rafaa Salameh at[...]

*) Israel targets northern and southern Gaza At least 27 Palestinians have been killed early Thursday morning in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The Israeli army carried out airstrikes on wide areas in northern and southern Gaza, particularly targeting the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, the agency cited[...]

*) Australia votes at UNGA for Gaza truce in rare split with US Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said the country had supported a UN resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza out of concern for civilians in the besieged Palestinian enclave, in a rare split with close ally the United States. After[...]

*) Hamas says fighters killed 40 Israeli soldiers in last 48 hours The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has said its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, killed 40 Israeli soldiers in the past 48 hours. In a statement posted on Telegram, Hamas said its fighters managed to completely or partially destroy 44 military vehicles “on all[...]

*) UN Security Council to consider urging Gaza ceasefire The UN Security Council is set to meet under acute pressure from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and will vote on urging an immediate ceasefire in besieged Gaza. The renewed push for a ceasefire was made by Arab states after Guterres made a rare move on Wednesday to[...]

*) Antonio Guterres invokes Article 99 of UN charter over Gaza crisis For the first time in his tenure, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has invoked Article 99 of the UN's charter over the crisis in besieged Gaza. The article states that "the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council[...]

*) Israel to keep control of Gaza’s security after war: Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the Israeli army will retain control of besieged Gaza’s security after the war. Speaking at a news conference after a meeting with his war cabinet, Netanyahu said Gaza “must be demilitarised” after the war ends. Netanyahu[...]

*) Israeli army carries out overnight airstrikes across Gaza, causing dozens of casualties The Israeli army has carried out a series of overnight bombings across Gaza, causing dozens of casualties among the Palestinian people. The Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported an Israeli airstrike on a residential building of the Al-Yazigi family in the Sheikh[...]

*) Israeli army to 'fight hard' in southern Gaza Israel's ground invasion has expanded to every part of Gaza, according to its military, as it ordered more evacuations, vowing to hit south Gaza with “no less strength” than it hit the north. Heavy bombardment followed the evacuation orders, and Palestinians in the sealed-off territory bordering[...]

*) Israel-Hamas agree to extend truce for seventh day Israel and Palestinian group Hamas have agreed to extend the truce for a seventh day after another exchange of captives for Palestinians and humanitarian aid was delivered to besieged Gaza. Israel’s military said that a truce with Hamas will continue “in light of the mediators’ efforts[...]

*) US, Israeli spy chiefs discuss ‘next phase’ of Gaza truce deal in Doha US and Israeli intelligence chiefs have arrived in Doha to discuss the “next phase” of a deal between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, a source briefed on the visit said. The leaders of the US Central Intelligence Agency and Israel’s Mossad[...]

*) Hamas seeks to extend humanitarian pause in Gaza Palestinian group Hamas has announced that it is seeking to extend the four-day humanitarian pause with Israel in Gaza. The group said in a statement that it is making serious efforts to secure the release of more Palestinians even after the pause ends. A Palestinian source[...]

*) Gaza truce starts after intense Israeli bombing, prisoner swap to follow A four-day truce in Israel’s war on Gaza has started with hostages to be released in exchange for prisoners. It is the first major reprieve in seven weeks of conflict that has claimed thousands of lives. After prolonged negotiations, deliberations and delay, the[...]

*) US won’t allow expulsion of Palestinians US President Joe Biden has told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi in a phone call that the US would not permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from besieged Gaza or the occupied West Bank, the White House said in a statement. It added that the US is[...]

*) Hamas to release 50 captives; Israel to free 150 Palestinian women, children The Israeli cabinet has approved a plan that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will bring a temporary ceasefire with Palestinian resistance fighters in besieged Gaza. Hamas will free 50 Israeli captives over the course of four days, during which there will[...]

*) Hamas leader says ‘close to reaching’ Gaza truce deal with Israel Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has said his resistance movement is nearing a truce agreement with Israel, according to a statement posted on Telegram. Negotiators have been working to seal a deal to allow the release of around 240 mostly Israeli hostages seized on[...]

*) Israel shells Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza, kills many At least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in Israeli army’s shelling of Indonesian Hospital and its surroundings in northern Gaza, medical sources said. The sources added that the Israeli army was firing live bullets at anyone moving outside the hospital’s door. The assault[...]

*) Thousands at Al Shifa Hospital ‘fighting death’ Over 7,000 displaced people, patients, and medical staff at Al Shifa Hospital are “fighting death due to a lack of water and food” caused by the Israeli military blockade. There is “no food, water, or milk for infants at Al Shifa Hospital,” Gaza’s media office said on[...]

*) UNSC calls for 'humanitarian pauses' as Israel issues ultimatum for south Gaza residents The UN Security Council has called for "extended humanitarian pauses" in besieged Gaza, the first time it has broken its silence since the start of Israel’s brutal war on the blockaded Palestinian enclave. The resolution was prepared by Malta and adopted[...]

*) Israeli troops storm Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital Following extensive attacks around the hospital, the Israeli army has stormed Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The head of the Al Shifa Medical Complex’s burns department, said in a press statement that Israeli tanks and bulldozers were now inside the complex. Meanwhile, the director general of[...]

*) Palestinian victims file ICC complaint over Israel’s Gaza massacres Lawyers for the Palestinian victims of Israeli attacks on Gaza filed a complaint at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The victims’ representative before the ICC, Gilles Devers, and a four-person delegation that accompanied him submitted the complaint to the court’s prosecutor. Devers asserted[...]

*) "Freedom for Palestine": Thousands march across Europe for Gaza Hundreds of thousands of protesters across Europe have taken to the streets in solidarity with the Palestinian people in response to Israel's brutal bombardment of civilians in Gaza. Protesters gathered in Germany, France, UK, Sweden and Greece, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as[...]

*) Israel agrees to four-hour 'pauses' in Gaza attacks, Biden rules out truce Israel has agreed to daily four-hour pauses in northern Gaza to let civilians flee, the White House said. US President Joe Biden said there was no chance of a full ceasefire but he has been pressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for[...]

*) Israel carries out air strikes near Gaza hospitals Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which houses thousands of patients and refugees, has been targeted by Israeli missiles. This is according to Palestinian news agency WAFA. The simultaneous use of illumination flares during the attacks resulted in shrapnel damage to the hospital's surroundings. Another air strike[...]

*) Israel agrees on 'little pauses' over Gaza strikes — Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel was open to “little pauses” in its bombardments. It was not clear whether some kind of small stoppage had been agreed to or whether the US was satisfied with the scope of the Israeli commitment. US[...]

*) Israel intensifies Gaza strikes despite ceasefire calls Israel has pounded Gaza with "significant" strikes, ignoring ceasefire calls by UN aid agencies who condemned surging civilian deaths in the month-long conflict. Reporters in Gaza say Sunday night saw one of the heaviest, if not the heaviest, Israeli bombardment since the conflict began. For a third[...]

*) Israeli troops gather around Gaza City, kill several Palestinians in occupied West Bank Israeli ground troops encircled Gaza City in their invasion of Gaza, as top US diplomat Antony Blinken arrived in Israel. The Israeli army announced that four more Israeli soldiers had been killed in overnight fierce fighting in Gaza with Palestinian fighters.[...]

*) Israel strikes Gaza refugee camp again as UN warns of 'war crimes' Israel has hit Gaza's largest refugee camp with renewed air strikes, prompting UN rights officials to warn that targeting densely populated residential areas "could amount to war crimes." Bombs struck the Jabalia camp for a second time in two days, pulverising buildings[...]

*) Rafah crossing to Egypt opens for the first time since war began Scores of foreign passport holders trapped in Gaza started leaving the war-torn territory as the Rafah crossing to Egypt opened for the first time since the Israeli war on Gaza began on October 7, AFP correspondents reported. Convoys of desperately needed aid[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, October 31st. *) Israel’s ‘concept paper’ suggests expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt’s Sinai An Israeli government ministry has drafted a wartime proposal to transfer 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, drawing condemnation from Palestine and worsening tensions with Cairo. Prime Minister[...]

*) Israeli tanks enter Gaza from east and north Israeli tanks have attempted to enter Gaza in an effort to cut a vital road from the north to the south in the war-torn Palestinian territory, as part of their ground invasion. Witnesses reported sightings of tanks in the Zaytun district, where Israelis aimed to sever[...]

*) Some 3,000 children in Gaza killed by Israel: Palestine's UN envoy Some 3,000 children have been killed by Israel since the attacks it launched on October 7, Palestine's UN envoy has said. "I repeat, 3,000 children, innocent children, angels killed in Gaza during the last three weeks," Riyad Mansour said in an emotional address[...]

*) Israeli forces launch 'relatively large' land incursions in Gaza: army The Israeli army has carried out a "targeted raid" overnight in northern Gaza with tanks and infantry, it said in a statement, as the country prepares its forces for a ground invasion. "Overnight, the IDF conducted a targeted raid using tanks in the northern[...]

*) UN chief says Hamas blitz 'didn't happen in a vacuum', riling Israel UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has rankled Israel at the United Nations Security Council meeting in which he stressed the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel "did not happen in a vacuum”. Opening the session on Tuesday, Guterres said there was no[...]

1) Israeli overnight strikes kill at least 110 Palestinians in Gaza At least 110 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks overnight across Gaza, marking the 18th day of Israel’s war on the besieged enclave. Deaths and injuries were reported in Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings in Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Israeli[...]

*) Israel kills 400 Palestinians in one day At least 400 Palestinians have been killed in intensified Israeli attacks on besieged Gaza. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that according to medical sources, 70 percent of the death toll was women, children and elderly. Death toll of women in Israeli airstrikes has reached over 1,000 and[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, October 20th. *) Israel targets Gaza church At least two women have been killed and many other civilians wounded in an Israeli attack on Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in besieged Gaza, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Palestinian Interior Ministry reported multiple casualties, calling it[...]

*) Seven children among civilians killed in fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza At least seven children were among several civilians killed in an Israeli air strike on a house close to a school sheltering displaced people in southern Gaza. The official WAFA news agency reported that Israeli warplanes struck a home in the Khan Younis[...]

*) Israeli strike kills hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza An Israeli air strike on Gaza’s Al Ahli Arab Hospital compound killed at least 500 people, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has said, with many still under the rubble. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning following the deadly attack. Israel’s military has[...]

*) UN Security Council rejects Russia's resolution on Gaza ceasefire The UN Security Council has rejected a Russian resolution that condemned violence and terrorism against civilians. Only four countries joined Russia in voting for the resolution. Four countries voted against it, including the United States. Six countries abstained. Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, had urged[...]

*) Palestinian-American boy killed in US hate crime amid Israeli siege of Gaza A landlord in the US state of Illinois stabbed a 6-year-old boy to death and seriously wounded his mother in a hate crime driven by the family's Islamic faith and the Israel-Palestine conflict. The boy was stabbed 26 times with a military-style[...]

*) Israel warns 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza to relocate south The United Nations has said it has been told by the Israeli military that some 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the blockaded enclave's south within the next 24 hours. "The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take[...]

*) Türkiye holding negotiations over Israeli civilians in Hamas detention President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased Türkiye's diplomatic efforts in securing the release of Israeli civilians from besieged Gaza even as Hamas freed a woman and her two children in the first release of Israelis detained by Palestinian fighters. "They are negotiating to secure the[...]

*) Palestine accuses Israel of waging 'genocidal' war in besieged Gaza The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations has described Israel's bombardment of besieged Gaza, vowing to impose a complete siege on the Palestinian enclave, as "nothing less than genocidal." Israel has incessantly bombarded Gaza, killing some 900 Palestinians and razing entire districts amid possible[...]

*) Israel announces complete siege of Gaza Israel has announced a "complete siege" of Palestine's Gaza amid intensified fighting with the Palestinian Hamas group. “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed (to Gaza), " Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said following an army's assessment session. Energy Minister Israel Katz separately[...]

*) Erdogan says freedom of Palestine along 1967 borders must not be delayed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged both Israel and Hamas to cease fighting, saying the realisation of an independent, geographically integrated Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as capital, cannot be delayed. *) Over 123,000 displaced in Gaza amid[...]

*) Türkiye destroys terror targets in Syria Türkiye has hit the terrorist group YPG/PKK positions as part of its anti-terror operations in northern Syria, destroying dozens of targets and "neutralising" many terrorists. 30 targets, including an oil well and a storage facility, caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses used by terrorists were destroyed, Turkish Defence Ministry[...]

*) Many dead, over 100 missing in India flash floods due to glacial lake burst At least 14 people have been killed and 102 others missing in northeast India after heavy rain caused a glacial lake to burst its banks. The disaster affected the lives of 22,000 people and is the latest in a series[...]

*) US House ousts Kevin McCarthy as speaker in historic vote A rare and dramatic scenario played out in the US congress when senior Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted as US House speaker by his own party members. This came after Democrats announced that they would not bail him out of a move by Trump[...]

*) Militant attack leaves dozens of Nigerian soldiers dead Twenty-nine soldiers have been killed in western Niger in an attack by suspected militants, the Defence Ministry has said. The ministry said the soldiers were targeted using "improvised explosive devices and kamikaze vehicles by more than a hundred terrorists". Two soldiers were seriously wounded and "several[...]

*) No one pursuing hostility towards Türkiye emerges victorious: Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised those who are trying to give democracy lessons to Türkiye, noting they turn a blind eye to hate crimes against Turks and Muslims, especially amid rising Islamophobia. In a speech at the Turkish Parliament on Sunday, Erdogan underscored[...]

*) Pakistan likens Palestine to Kashmir, says won't normalise ties with Israel Pakistan will not follow other nations who are normalising relations with Israel, the South Asian country's interim foreign minister has said. "We do not follow others, we look at our national interests," said Jalil Abbas Jilani. Explaining his country’s position on the Israeli[...]

*) PKK terror threat to Syria 'never been more alarming', warns Türkiye Türkiye's ambassador to the United Nations, has warned the threat posed by the PKK terrorist group to Syria, is of greater concern, than ever before. "The continued presence of terrorist organisations in Syria poses a vital threat to this country and its neighbours,[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 27th. *) Iraq wedding fire leaves 113 dead, more than 150 injured At least 113 people have been killed and more than 150 wounded when fire broke out at a wedding celebration in the district of Hamdaniya in Iraq’s Nineveh province. The fire ripped through[...]

*) South Korea holds rare military parade amid North's nuclear threat South Korea kicked off its first large-scale military parade in a decade, showcasing weapons ranging from ballistic missiles to attack helicopters. The parade marks the country's Armed Forces Day, normally a muted event relative to the massive events the North has staged under leader[...]

*) Azerbaijan launches anti-terror ops in Karabakh Azerbaijan has launched "local anti-terrorist activities" in Karabakh to restore constitutional order by disarming and forcing the withdrawal of Armenian military formations after six Azerbaijani citizens were killed in separate mine blasts in the breakaway region. Baku blamed Armenian separatists for the death of the four Azerbaijani police[...]

*) Canada expels Indian diplomat over murder of Sikh leader Canada has expelled an Indian diplomat over his alleged link to the murder of a Sikh leader in western Canada last June, Canada's foreign minister said. India rejected the allegations of its involvement in any act of violence in Canada, noting the claims are "absurd[...]

*) Türkiye rejects attacks on Muslim values in name of freedom: Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed recent attacks on the Quran, saying if hostility towards Islam is not prevented, perpetrators will become more reckless. Erdogan called these actions “provocations that aim to incite people” at a dinner event organised by the Turkish[...]

*) Demonstrators protest outside French Embassy in Vienna against abaya ban A group of demonstrators have gathered in front of the French Embassy in Vienna to voice opposition in a display of solidarity against a recent ban on abayas in French schools. Organised as a peaceful protest, participants wore long dresses and carried banners with[...]

*) UN calls for $71M in urgent aid for Libya flood victims The United Nations is urgently seeking more than $71 million to assist those most in need after deadly flash floods swept Libya over the weekend. Hurricane-strength Storm Daniel slammed into Libya on September 10th, killing 11,300 people according to the Libyan Red Crescent.[...]

*) Flood death toll in Libya's Derna city could reach 20,000 The estimated number of deaths from devastating floods in Libya's eastern city of Derna could reach 18,000 to 20,000, Derna's mayor has said. It comes as Libya continues to reel from a massive flood that left nearly 4,000 dead and thousands more missing, wreaking[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 13th. *) Death toll from devastating Libya floods tops 5,000 in Derna alone The death toll from devastating floods in Libya’s eastern city of Derna has risen to 5,300, the country’s official news agency reported. Earlier the International Committee of the Red Cross said that[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, September 12th. *) Thousands reportedly dead after devastating floods in eastern Libya The confirmed death toll from floods in the eastern Libyan city of Derna has risen above 2,000, local media reported. Thousands are believed to be missing after Storm Daniel swept several areas in eastern[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, September 11. *) Morocco welcomes limited international rescue teams as time runs out Rescue teams and residents have been scouring the rubble of buildings in the west of Morocco, as the death toll from Friday's earthquake continues to climb. The number of dead is now officially[...]

*) Twin attacks in Mali leave civilians, soldiers dead At least 49 civilians and 15 soldiers have been killed when militants attacked a military camp and a vessel in northeastern Mali, the interim government has said. Many more also were wounded and the death toll was provisional, according to the statement. Insurgents attacked a boat[...]

*) US announces new Ukraine aid totalling over $1B US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new aid for Ukraine, totalling more than 1 billion dollars in a visit to Kiev, in new military and civilian security assistance, also in support for Ukraine's air defences and other areas. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba [dee-MEET-ro COOL-eh-bah][...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 6th. *) Top court to deliver verdict on abaya ban in French schools The highest French court will deliver its verdict in the next hours on an appeal against the government’s abaya dress ban in schools. A lawyer for the Muslim Rights Action filed an[...]

*) Black Sea grain deal should be resumed by correcting deficiencies: Erdogan The Black Sea Grain Initiative should be resumed by addressing deficiencies that hampered the suspended deal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said following a highly anticipated meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed current regional and global issues,[...]

*) Anti-UN protests in DR Congo leave 100 dead The death toll from anti-UN protests last week in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 100, the head of a platform of youth organisations has said. Lucas Pecos, director of the Collective of Youth Solidarity Organizations in Congo-Kinshasa, which accused the army of committing[...]

*) AU suspends membership as Gabon’s general to be sworn in as president General Brice Oligui Nguema will be sworn in as transitional president of Gabon on Monday, the army has said. The coup overthrew the 55-year Bongo dynasty, which had ruled the country since independence from France in 1960. The opposition has called for[...]

*)Dozens dead, many wounded in building blaze in South Africa's Johannesburg At least 58 people have been killed and more than 40 wounded following a fire at a multistorey building in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa, local media and emergency workers said. Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the blaze on Thursday morning engulfed[...]

*) President Erdogan to visit Russia 'soon', raising hopes over the grain deal Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Russia's coastal city of Sochi "soon", raising hopes of revival of the Black Sea grain deal. Currently, Türkiye is continuing its efforts to revive the grain deal, and says that there is no alternative to[...]

*) Aleppo airport out of service after Israeli strikes on Assad regime An Israeli air strike hits the international airport in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria, damaging a runway and putting it out of service. Israel has targeted airports and seaports in the government-held parts of Syria in an apparent attempt to prevent[...]

*) Trump surrenders at Fulton County Jail in Georgia election subversion case Former US President Donald Trump has turned himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia to be booked on charges tied to alleged efforts to overturn the state’s results of the 2020 presidential election. He was released on a $200,000 bond nearly 20[...]

*) Ex-PM Thaksin jailed on return to Thailand after 15 years in exile Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was sent to jail on Tuesday shortly after he returned to the kingdom after 15 years in exile. The latest political development comes just hours before parliament votes to install his party's candidate as new prime[...]

*) 'Public knows who I am': Trump to skip Republican primary debates New opinion polls reveal that more than 60 percent of Republican voters prefer former President Donald Trump, while Ron DeSantis, his closest competitor, captures 16 percent of GOP voters' favour. Trump says he would skip the upcoming Republican primary debates, citing his popularity[...]

*) Russia says shot down Ukraine drones southwest of Moscow Russia's defence ministry has said it shot down three Ukrainian drones southwest of Moscow, the latest in a surge of aerial attacks near the capital. Ukraine launched the attack at 0200 GMT (5:00 am local time) using "three unmanned aerial vehicles on objects in the[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, August 15th. *) Afghanistan’s Taliban government marks two years of return to power Afghanistan’s Taliban government has marked the second anniversary of their takeover of the country with celebrations and a public holiday, issuing a defiant statement commemorating their surge back to power. A statement from[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, August 2nd. *) Far-right populist tops Argentina’s presidential primary in shock result Far-right Javier Milei rocked Argentina’s political establishment by emerging as the biggest vote-getter in primary elections to choose presidential candidates. Milei says Argentina’s Central Bank should be abolished, thinks the climate crisis is a[...]

*) Russia reportedly lays siege to Ukraine's Kupiansk Russian forces have almost reached the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, state news agency TASS reported. TASS said Ukrainian troops are abandoning their positions and just "a number of kilometres are left to pass." Ukraine denied the report, saying all Russian attacks were repelled and[...]

*) Ecuador's presidential candidate shot dead after campaign rally Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has been shot dead after holding a rally in Quito. President Guillermo Lasso confirmed Villavicencio's death in a statement on social media, vowing that "this crime will not go unpunished." The 59-year-old centrist was one of eight candidates in the first[...]

*) UN gets authorisation to deliver aid to quake-hit northern Syria United Nations will resume aid deliveries to Syria through the Bab al Salam and Al Rai border crossings from Türkiye until November 13. The Syrian regime agreed to a second three-month extension of two border crossings opened to UN humanitarian workers after the February[...]

*) Niger junta appoints transitional prime minister Niger’s junta has appointed a transitional prime minister more than a week after the military coup that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum. Economist Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine has been appointed by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the former commander of Niger's presidential guard, who declared himself the head of a transitional[...]

*) Niger waits for West African bloc's response after junta rejects ultimatum Niger waits on for a response from the West African regional bloc after coup leaders in the capital city Niamey ignored a deadline to reinstate the ousted president. The Economic Community of West African States has warned that a failure to reverse the[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, August 4th. *) Donald Trump pleads ‘not guilty’ to all charges in 2020 election probe Former US president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, August 3rd. *) Türkiye will continue intense efforts for grain deal resumption — Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told his Russian counterpart that Türkiye will continue to carry out “intense” efforts and diplomacy for the resumption of the Black Sea grain deal. Erdogan said[...]

*) US indicts Donald Trump Former US President Donald Trump has been charged over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the run-up to the Capitol attack by his supporters. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the government and witness tampering to subvert the peaceful transfer of power. The indictment[...]

*) Workers crushed to death in India At least 17 workers have been crushed to death in western India when a crane collapsed on an under-construction expressway outside the financial capital Mumbai. The crane toppled onto large concrete slabs during the night, with debris smashing down as labourers worked on the Samruddhi Expressway. India's National[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, July 31st. *) Dozens killed in terrorist attack in Pakistan At least 44 people have been killed and more than 100 others wounded by a suicide bombing at a political gathering in northwest Pakistan. The blast targeted the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F party as hundreds of supporters congregated[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, July 28th. *) Russia thwarts Ukrainian ‘drone attack’ in Moscow region Russia’s defence ministry has said it thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow region overnight. There were no casualties or damage. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had earlier announced the attack, without specifying its location.[...]

*) Soldiers claim to have removed Niger’s president, imposed curfew Soldiers claim to have overthrown the government of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum in a statement read out on national television, a day after the leader was detained in his official residence. “We, the defence and security forces ... have decided to put an end to[...]

*) Soldiers raid Ecuadorian prison to quell riot Some 2,700 soldiers have stormed a prison in Ecuador, retaking control of the facility as the death toll from a riot that started over the weekend rose to 31 inmates. The latest battle between rival gangs at the overcrowded, violence-hobbled Guayas 1 prison in the port city[...]

*) Ukraine 'downs drones' as Russia launches attack Russia launched a nighttime drone attack on Kiev, but all incoming drones have been shot down, according to local authorities. Early information indicated no damage or casualties in the capital following the air raid that lasted for 3 hours, head of the Kiev city military administration said.[...]

*) Iraq expels Swedish ambassador in response to Quran desecration in Sweden Iraq's prime minister has ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Iraq and the withdrawal of the Iraqi charge d’affaires from Sweden as a man desecrated a copy of the Quran in Stockholm. Thursday's diplomatic blowup came hours after protesters angered by[...]

*) Iraqi protesters torch Sweden's embassy in Baghdad Hundreds of protesters have stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in protest against the expected desecration of the Muslim holy book Quran in Sweden. The Swedish Foreign Ministry said embassy staff are "safe" following the torching of the building. Meanwhile, Iraq's Foreign Ministry condemned the incident and[...]

*) Russia ‘downs’ dozens of Ukraine drowns after grain deal ends Russian air defences and countermeasure systems have downed 28 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, according to the RIA news agency. The drone attacks caused no casualties or damages, RIA cited the Russian defence ministry as saying. Meanwhile, a Russian overnight strike damaged port infrastructure facilities[...]

*) Türkiye 'more hopeful than ever' over F-16 purchase from US: Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he is "more hopeful than ever" about the country’s F-16 purchase from the United States. Erdogan issued the statement at the end of the NATO summit in Lithuania's capital Vilnius. He said Ankara expects that to reach[...]

*) Bosnia bids farewell to newly identified Srebrenica genocide victims Marking the 28th anniversary of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, Bosnia and Herzegovina bid farewell to 30 more newly identified genocide victims at a memorial service. Every year on July 11, newly identified victims of the genocide are laid to rest at a memorial cemetery in[...]

*) Türkiye agrees to move ahead with Sweden's NATO bid: Stoltenberg Türkiye has agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said on the eve of a NATO summit in Vilnius. Türkiye's approval came after Stockholm agreed to establish a bilateral security mechanism with Ankara, Stoltenberg[...]

*) UN condemns Israel's Jenin raid, urges to respect international law The head of the UN has strongly condemned Israeli violence and its excessive use of force in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. "Israel's air strikes and ground operations in a crowded refugee camp were the worst violence in the West Bank in[...]

*) Fury in Israel after 'lenient' police chief is ousted by Netanyahu ally Thousands of protesters have blocked Tel Aviv's main highway and intersections across Israel in an outburst of anger following the forced resignation of the city's popular police chief. Ami Eshed announced on late Wednesday that he was leaving the Israeli police force[...]

*) Gaza under fire after Israeli raid in Jenin Israel has carried out air strikes on blockaded Gaza in what it says was a response to rockets fired from the Palestinian coastal enclave, the army said. The developments came after the Israeli military said it was withdrawing troops from Jenin city in the occupied West[...]

*) International office probing Ukraine war crimes begins An international office to investigate Russia over its assault on Ukraine opens in The Hague, in the first step towards a possible tribunal for Moscow's leadership. The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA) features prosecutors from Kiev, the European Union, the United[...]

*) Russia officially dropping charges against Wagner, Prigozhin Russia's FSB security services has announced that it was dropping a case against fighters of the Wagner mercenary group accused of staging an armed mutiny to topple the country's military leadership. Over the weekend, the Kremlin had also pledged not to prosecute Prigozhin and his fighters after[...]

*) Mitsotakis back as Greece's prime minister, far-right gains more seats Kyriakos Mitsotakis has embarked on his second term as Greece's prime minister with a vow to accelerate institutional and economic reforms, after voters handed him a huge election victory for the second time in five weeks. Mitsotakis' decision to reject a coalition and call[...]

*) US says Titan submersible 'imploded', killing all five on board A submersible carrying five people to the Titanic imploded near the site of the shipwreck and killed everyone on board, US authorities have said, bringing a tragic end to a saga that included an urgent around-the-clock search and a worldwide vigil for the missing[...]

*) Anti-Muslim record, rights abuses hounds Modi as he makes US state visit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking on a trip to the US, kicking off his visit with a highly-publicised yoga session in New York and capping it off with a state dinner at the White House on Thursday night. But accusations[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, June 21. *) Underwater noises heard as crews race to find Titanic tourist sub The US Coast Guard has confirmed early that rescue teams looking for the missing Titanic sub detected “underwater noises” in the search area where the craft went missing two days earlier. Authorities[...]

*) Israeli raid kills five Palestinians, injures dozens of others in occupied West Bank Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank have killed five Palestinians in a raid that marked a rare use of Israeli airpower in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Palestinian health ministry said five people were killed and at least 91 others[...]

*) 'Calm' in Sudan's capital as 72-hour ceasefire takes effect A 72-hour ceasefire between Sudan's warring sides has taken effect to allow for the delivery of desperately needed aid to the country. The ceasefire came into force on Sunday morning with mediators saying the two sides had agreed to refrain from attacks and allow the[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, June 16. *) Greece criticised for watching refugee boat disaster in the Mediterranean Nine survivors of a refugee boat sinking in the Mediterranean have been arrested on suspicion of smuggling as hope faded for hundreds of other passengers still missing. Attention has now turned to Greece,[...]

*) Kosovo accuses Serbia of kidnapping its border police officers Tensions are rising again between Kosovo and Serbia, after Belgrade arrested three Kosovo police officers, a move Pristina described as kidnapping. In retaliation, Kosovo has banned Serbian vehicles from crossing the border. Wednesday's flare-up between the two Balkan countries follows weeks of tensions, after rioting[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, June 14th. *) Former US President Trump lashes out after federal indictment Former US president Donald Trump has lashed out at federal prosecutors following his indictment for allegedly mishandling top government secrets. Trump pleaded "not guilty" on Tuesday to over a dozen criminal felony charges filed[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, June 13th. *) Trump to face criminal charges in US national-security documents case Donald Trump is set to face criminal charges of unlawfully keeping US national-security documents and lying to officials who tried to recover them. He arrived in Florida ahead of his court appearance on[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, June 12th. *) Shelling, fighting resume in Sudan as latest ceasefire ends Heavy artillery fire was heard in Sudan’s capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman to the north, and fighting also erupted on Al Hawa Street, witnesses said. The latest in a series of ceasefire[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, June 9th. *) Saudi Arabia rules out normalisation with Israel without two-state solution The Saudi foreign minister has said that normalisation of ties with Israel "is in the interest of the region" but without giving Palestinians "dignity and justice" such a move will have limited benefits.[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, June 8th. *) World Bank to assess damaged Ukraine dam The World Bank says it will conduct a rapid assessment of damages and needs after the destruction of the huge Novo Kakhova hydroelectric dam in Ukraine. The region’s governor said the flooding from the dam breach[...]

*) Tens of thousands at flooding risk after Ukraine dam collapse About 42,000 people are at risk from flooding in Russian and Ukrainian controlled areas along the Dnipro River after a dam collapsed. Ukraine said Russia committed a deliberate war crime in blowing up the Soviet-era Nova Kakhovka dam, which powered a hydroelectric station. Meanwhile,[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, June 6th. *) Russia 'thwarts another major attack' in Ukraine’s Donetsk Russia has said it had thwarted another major Ukrainian offensive in Donetsk, inflicting heavy losses. Moscow said earlier that Kiev’s forces had begun a major offensive in the southern part of the Donetsk region over[...]

*) Russian forces 'thwart' major Ukrainian attack The Russian Defence Ministry has said its forces pushed back a “large scale” Ukrainian assault at five points in Donetsk. Donetsk is one of four Ukrainian regions Russia illegally annexed last fall. Ministry Spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said Ukraine “did not achieve its tasks” and 250 Ukrainian personnel were[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, June 2nd. *) Deadly protests rock Senegal as court sentences opposition’s Sonko to jail Nine people have been killed in Senegal in clashes between riot police and supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko after a court sentenced him to two years in jail. The government said[...]

*) Sudan’s army bombs RSF bases in Khartoum Sudanese army forces have blasted the bases of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group with artillery in Khartoum. The flare-up comes after the army pulled out of Saudi-brokered ceasefire talks, accusing their foes of failing to honour their commitments. On Wednesday, in both the north and south[...]

*) Deal averting debt default passes first test in US Congress A deal to raise the US debt ceiling has passed its first major test in Congress, surviving a crucial vote amid a conservative backlash that resurrected the threat of the country’s first-ever default. Lawmakers have until Monday next week to green-light an agreement between[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, May 30th. *) Türkiye calls for calm in Kosovo as clashes injure 25 NATO soldiers At least 25 soldiers of the NATO-led international peacekeeping mission in Kosovo have been injured in clashes with protesting ethnic Serbs. In response, Türkiye has called on all parties in northern[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, May 29th. *) Erdogan wins Türkiye presidential run-off vote – election body Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has beaten the opposition’s combined candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, in the presidential run-off election. According to unofficial results, the Turkish incumbent won the race with 52.16 percent, while Kilicdaroglu got[...]

*) Ukraine sees increased danger of Russian missile strikes Military authorities in the Ukrainian capital Kiev have reported an increased danger of Russian missile strikes and said anti-aircraft defences were working. Russia has allegedly launched hundreds of rocket attacks against targets across Ukraine since last October, seeking to destroy critical infrastructure and other targets. In[...]

*) Ron DeSantis announces 2024 White House bid in Twitter event with Musk Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has entered the 2024 presidential race, stepping into a crowded Republican primary contest. The 44-year-old Republican revealed his decision in a Federal Election Commission filing before addressing his decision in a video posted on social media. DeSantis vowed[...]

*) Russia says Ukraine’s attack on Belgorod region ‘repelled’ Several drones struck Russia’s border region of Belgorod overnight, a day after an armed group infiltrated the area from Ukraine, the local governor said. Belgorod’s governor wrote on Telegram that the drones struck houses and a government building, leaving one woman dead and injuring eight others.[...]

*) Voting abroad continues in Türkiye’s runoff presidential elections Voting by Turks living abroad has continued for Türkiye’s May 28 presidential runoff elections, with over 1.4 million Turkish nationals casting ballots so far. Voting at diplomatic missions will end on May 24, while the process will continue at customs gates until 5 pm local time[...]

*) Battle for Bakhmut: Russia claims control but Ukraine says fight not over Although Russia claims it has won control of Ukraine's eastern city of Bakhmut, top Ukrainian military leaders say the battle is not over. Russia’s defence ministry said Wagner mercenaries backed by Russian troops had seized the city, after a grinding nine-month conflict[...]

*) Palestinians protesting 'Flag March' face Israeli fire Israeli forces have fired tear gas and live bullets at Palestinians in occupied Gaza as they protested against a "flag march" in occupied Jerusalem. One Gaza resident was wounded in the protests against the annual event marking Israel's capture of Jerusalem in the 1967 war. Thousands of[...]

*) Ukraine grain deal extended Russia has agreed to extend the Türkiye-brokered Black Sea grain deal, allowing Ukraine to resume grain exports halted after the Russia-Ukraine conflict began. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the two-month extension, saying Ankara hoped to “see the days when the war between Russia and Ukraine will end”. The deal,[...]

*) Turkish women in parliament Women's representation in the Turkish parliament has risen to the highest level in history after Sunday’s parliamentary elections. According to the unofficial results, 121 women secured seats in the 600-member parliament. The female representation rate, which was 17.1 percent in the previous elections, rose to 20.1 percent this year. *)[...]

*) Türkiye 2023 election goes to runoff Türkiye's 2023 presidential election has gone to a runoff after no candidate was able to clear the required 50 percent of the vote in the first round on May 14th. The country’s incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won 49.51 percent of the vote, while his main opponent Kemal[...]

*) Israeli strikes on Gaza enter fourth day Israel's air strikes on Gaza have entered the fourth day with at least 30 Palestinians killed. Officials in Gaza said several civilians, including children, women, and elderly were killed in the air strikes, while Islamic Jihad confirmed it has lost five military leaders. Meanwhile, Israeli police reported[...]

*) Israel-Palestine fighting in Gaza intensifies Israel continues with its air attacks on Gaza, killing at least 23 Palestinians, including 10 civilians and the head of Islamic Jihad movement’s rocket-launching force. Palestinian armed groups have also launched volleys of rockets towards Israel. The United Nations condemned Israel, saying the country must abide by international humanitarian[...]

*) Dozen killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza At least twelve people have been killed and over 20 others injured in Israeli air strikes on besieged Gaza. According to Palestinian officials, three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement were killed alongside at least nine civilians, including four children. The Israeli military said the[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, May 8th. *) Russia launches large-scale strikes across Ukraine Russia has launched a large-scale wave of strikes across Ukraine, injuring at least five people in Kiev and setting ablaze a foodstuff warehouse in the Black Sea city of Odessa. The fresh attacks come as Moscow prepares[...]

*) China will promote peace talks on Ukraine crisis — FM Qin Gang China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Beijing will persist in promoting peace talks for the Ukraine crisis. The country’s Foreign Ministry statement said China is "willing to maintain communication and coordination with Russia to make tangible contributions to the political settlement of[...]

*) Zelenskyy denies attacking Moscow, Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied claims of attacking Russia or trying to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was attacking neither Putin nor Moscow, but fighting on its own territory to defend its villages and cities. Zelenskyy claimed that Putin accuses him of the alleged attack and[...]

*) Israel bombs Gaza after Khader Adnan's death Israeli warplanes have carried out airstrikes targeting areas in Palestine’s besieged Gaza, provoking retaliatory rocket attacks from Palestinian groups. Israel used fighter jets and drones to bomb multiple sites in northern Gaza, including sites of armed factions in Gaza City and central areas of the territory. Both[...]

*) Rocket fire from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies Rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory after the death in custody of Palestinian Khader Adnan, who was affiliated with the Islamic Jihad group. Adnan, charged for terror offences by Tel Aviv, had been on hunger strike for 87 days following[...]

*) Türkiye neutralises Daesh leader in Syria: Erdogan Türkiye has neutralised the so-called leader of the Daesh terrorist organisation, Abu Hussein al Qurayshi, during an operation in Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced. The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) had been following al Qurayshi for a long time, Erdogan said in a live interview on[...]

*) Sudan military approves truce extension but fighting flares Sudan's army chief has given initial approval to a regional bloc’s proposal to extend the shaky truce between military forces and the paramilitary RSF. In addition to extending the previously agreed three-day ceasefire for 72 hours, both parties are expected to send an envoy to neighbouring[...]

*) Ceasefire shaky as Sudanese, foreigners flee A US-brokered ceasefire between Sudan's generals has entered its second day but remains fragile as witnesses reported fresh air strikes. Amid the fighting, a boat with 1,687 civilians from more than 50 countries fleeing the violence has arrived in Saudi Arabia - the largest rescue effort by the[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, April 25th. *) UN chief proposes 'way forward' for Ukraine grain initiative United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has presented a "way forward" on extending Black Sea grain deal during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York. Guterres gave Lavrov "a letter to[...]

*) Countries evacuate citizens amidst raging battle in Sudan Foreign countries have rushed to evacuate their nationals from Sudan as deadly fighting raged into a second week between forces loyal to two rival generals. Evacuation flights were continuing early Monday, with hundreds of people flown out overnight on military aircraft. Foreigners also fled the capital[...]

*) Scores killed, injured in stampede during charity distribution in Yemen More than 80 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Yemen after a charity distribution event sparked one of the deadliest stampedes in a decade. That’s according to Houthi officials. The tragedy late on Wednesday came days ahead of the Muslim holiday of[...]

*) Gunfire punctures ‘armistice’ as death toll from Sudan fighting climbs Explosions have shaken Sudan’s capital despite claims of a ceasefire on the fourth day of fighting that has killed nearly 270 people and wounded 2,600 others. After international mediation, Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo promised to support a 24-hour “armistice” on Tuesday,[...]

*) UN says nearly 200 dead, 1,800 wounded in Sudan as rival forces battle Fighting between the army and paramilitaries in Sudan has killed around two-hundred people and wounded one-thousand-eight-hundred, damaging hospitals and hampering aid after three days of urban warfare. A weeks-long power struggle exploded into deadly violence on Saturday between the forces of[...]

*) US naval destroyer sails through Taiwan Strait The US Navy said its guided-missile destroyer the USS Milius had sailed through the Taiwan Strait in a "freedom of navigation" operation carried out days after China staged massive war games around the island. China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to bring[...]

*) US air force employee in custody over classified Pentagon documents leak The FBI has arrested an employee of the US Air Force National Guard over leaks of classified documents. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said the FBI arrested 21-year-old Jack Teixeira in connection with the online leaks, which the Pentagon called a "deliberate, criminal[...]

*) Saudi Arabia, Syria discuss ways to end Damascus' diplomatic isolation Saudi Arabia and the Syrian regime’s foreign ministers have held talks "to end Damascus' diplomatic isolation", the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported. At a meeting in Saudi Arabia, both sides said they discussed "the necessary steps" to end Damascus's diplomatic isolation in the Arab world[...]

*) Myanmar confirms deadly air strike that is feared to have killed 100 Myanmar's ruling junta has confirmed that it carried out an air strike on a village in which some 100 people were reported to have been killed. UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the strike that hit the remote[...]

*) North Korea leader calls for expansion of war deterrence capabilities North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for expanding the country's war deterrence capabilities to counter what it called "frantic" aggression by the United States and South Korea. Kim's call on Tuesday comes as Pyongyang has opened the year with a flurry of weapons[...]

*) Russian forces step up strikes on two key Ukrainian cities Russia's forces have kept up a barrage of attacks along the front concentrated in two Ukrainian cities in the eastern Donetsk region. Fighting was heaviest along the western approaches to Bakhmut, the general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said. Battle also raged in Avdiivka,[...]

*) Israeli warplanes strike besieged Gaza, Lebanon following Al Aqsa raids The Israeli military has struck besieged Gaza and southern Lebanon. This followed a day of rocket fire from the Palestinian territory and from Lebanon in reaction to Israel's back-to-back raids into the Al Aqsa Mosque that injured Palestinian worshippers. Hamas, which governs the tiny[...]

*) Israel troops storm Al Aqsa Mosque for second night targeting Palestinians Israeli troops have stormed Al Aqsa Mosque compound for the second time and attacked Palestinian worshippers inside Islam's third-holiest site. Witnesses said the Israeli forces raided the Al Qibli Prayer Hall after the tarawih prayers, a special prayer during the Muslim fasting month[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, April 5th. *) Israel strikes Gaza after troops storm Al Aqsa Mosque, attack worshipers Israeli planes have struck Gaza in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave after Israeli police raided the Al Aqsa Mosque compound overnight. Hamas Radio reported that the Israeli strikes hit[...]

*) Finland to become 31st NATO member Finland's flag will be hoisted outside NATO headquarters as it becomes the newest member of the Western alliance today. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the news on Monday, the eve of a historic meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Objections from Türkiye and Hungary over legitimate security[...]

*) Oil prices jump after OPEC+ cuts daily production by more than a million barrels Oil prices have soared almost six percent in Asian trade after major producers led by Saudi Arabia announced a surprise cut of more than one million barrels per day. The move led by Saudi Arabia will be in effect from[...]

*) New York grand jury votes to indict Donald Trump A New York grand jury has voted to indict former US president Donald Trump over hush money payments made to an adult movie actress, Stormy Daniels, ahead of the 2016 election. He is the first ever US president to face a criminal charge. Within minutes[...]

*) Ukraine says Russian forces making progress in frontline Bakhmut Russian forces have had some success in the eastern frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukrainian military officials said. The mining city of Bakhmut and surrounding towns in the eastern industrial region of Donetsk have been the focal point of assault for much of the war. Neither[...]

*) Taiwan president heads to US, Central America amid China's threats Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is set to leave for the United States, a stop on her way to firm ties with Guatemala and Belize. Belize and Guatemala are among just 13 countries that officially recognise democratic Taiwan over China, after Honduras opened diplomatic relations[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, March 28th. *) Russia test fires supersonic anti-ship missile at mock target in Sea of Japan Russia's defence ministry has announced that it test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan. The test involved the firing of two Moskit missiles, a supersonic anti-ship cruise weapon with[...]

*) Israeli president urges immediate halt to judicial overhaul Israeli President Isaac Herzog is urging PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt its bitterly contested judicial overhaul. This comes a day after Netanyahu sacked his defence minister for opposing the move, sparking mass street protests. Tens of thousands of Israelis are staging protests in several cities[...]

*) Ukraine prepares counteroffensive as Russia's assault on Bakhmut flags Ukraine's top ground forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi has said his forces would soon begin a counter offensive after withstanding Russia's brutal winter campaign. He said Russia's Wagner mercenaries, who have been at the front line of Moscow's assault on eastern and southern Ukraine, "are losing[...]

*) Israel ratifies law limiting conditions for a possible Netanyahu ouster Israel has ratified a law limiting the circumstances in which a prime minister can be removed, despite worries voiced by a government jurist that it may be meant to shield the incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu from any fallout from his corruption trials. The amended definition[...]

*) Putin-Xi reach deal on Russian Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline to China Russia and China have reached an agreement on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which will connect Siberia to northwest China, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. "All agreements have been reached," Putin said,[...]

*) Japan PM to meet Zelenskyy as Putin, Xi hold second day of talks Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are set to hold a second day of talks, as the Russian president said he was open to discussing China's proposals on the fighting in Ukraine. The sit-down was to be unexpectedly mirrored in Kiev, where[...]

*) Russia hails China's willingness to resolve Ukraine conflict Russia's President Vladimir Putin has welcomed China's willingness to play a "constructive role" in ending the conflict in Ukraine, saying Sino-Russian relations were "at the highest point" in history. His Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping heads to Russia hoping to deliver a breakthrough on Ukraine as Beijing[...]

*) Ukraine vows to drag Russia into court Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed that those guilty of war crimes in Russia’s war against Ukraine will be brought to justice. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was carrying out legal processes and mobilising its allies to have Russia appear in the International Criminal Court, as well as in[...]

*) South Korea premier arrives in Japan to open 'new chapter' South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has arrived in Japan looking to open a "new chapter" in relations, just hours after North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile. Yoon's two-day trip comes after Seoul this month announced a plan to compensate Korean victims of[...]

*) Some 1,000 Israeli figures urge Germany, UK to cancel Netanyahu visit In a letter addressed to the German and British ambassadors in Israel, some 1,000 Israeli figures have called on the European countries to cancel upcoming visits by Prime Minister Netanyahu. The group of writers, artists and intellectuals expressed their disapproval of Netanyahu’s plan[...]

*) Russia: 60-day extension of wartime grain deal acceptable Russia's deputy foreign minister said Moscow does not object to another extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative but only for 60 days. The deal was set to complete its second term on March 18. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin added that Russia’s future stance will[...]

*) Casualties mount as Ukraine, Russia battle for Bakhmut rages Russian forces suffered more than 1,100 dead in less than a week of battles near the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the focal point of fighting in eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Zelenskyy said Russian forces had also sustained 1,500 "sanitary losses" -[...]

*) Xi Jinping bags historic third term as president Xi Jinping has been handed a third term as China’s president, capping a rise that has seen him become the country's most powerful leader in generations. Nearly 3,000 members of National People's Congress voted unanimously for Xi, who had locked in another five years as head[...]

*) Saudi engineer walks free from Guantanamo prison after 21 years The United States has announced the release from Guantanamo military prison of a Saudi engineer seized over two decades ago as a suspect in the September 11 attacks. 48-year-old Ghassan Al Sharbi was detained in Pakistan in March 2002. The US military had weighed[...]

*) Israeli army storms occupied West Bank's Jenin city, kills six Palestinians The Israeli army has stormed the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, killing at least six Palestinians and wounding 10 others, according to Palestinian health officials. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified one of the fatalities as 26-year-old Mohammed Ghazawi. The ministry later announced[...]

*) Zelenskyy vows not to retreat from Bakhmut Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has instructed the army to bolster defences in the embattled city of Bakhmut, which has become a symbolic prize in the war with Russia. Amid Moscow’s three-sided assault to try and finish off Bakhmut’s resistance, Zelenskyy said there was no part of Ukraine that[...]

*) Azerbaijan: Soldiers killed after Armenian provocation Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry has reported at least two Azerbaijani soldiers were killed after Armenian forces opened fire in the disputed Karabakh region. Azerbaijani soldiers tried to stop and check Armenian vehicles suspected of carrying illegal military transports to Karabakh, when shots were fired by the Armenian forces and[...]

*) Argentina withdraws from Falkland Islands pact with UK Argentina has walked away from a cooperation pact with the United Kingdom and demanded new talks with London over the sovereignty of the disputed Falkland Islands. At the G20 summit in India on Thursday, Argentinian Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero informed UK counterpart James Cleverly that his[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, March 2nd. *) UN scrambles to reunite families after Turkey-Syria quake Reuniting children with their missing families has become the UN’s top priority in the aftermath of last month's massive earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said that the first challenge[...]

*) Erdogan promises 300,000 homes in quake-hit region Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to reconstruct and revive the country's quake-hit southern region. Erdogan promised that Türkiye would start the construction of 309,000 houses throughout the earthquake zone in a few months. Other parts of our country that also face the threat of devastating[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, February 28th. *) Turkish president pledges to preserve fabric of quake-hit historical provinces Türkiye's president has promised not to allow major changes to the fabric of the country's southern provinces amid efforts to rebuild from the devastation caused by two powerful earthquakes earlier this month. Recep[...]

*) UN human rights session opens More than 100 heads of state and ministers are set to take part in the week-long United Nations Human Rights Council session in Geneva. The session focuses on issues ranging from Russia's alleged war crimes in Ukraine to China's reported mistreatment of its Muslim minority. A UN report published[...]

*) UN demands Russia withdraw from Ukraine The United Nations has voted overwhelmingly to demand Russia immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine. The world body called for a "just and lasting" peace as the world marks the one-year anniversary of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Meanwhile, China has called for peace, saying[...]

*) Türkiye starts clearing quake rubble as toll surpasses 43,000 Demolition teams have started clearing mounds of rubble from the devastating February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye. This comes as the government and aid groups continue to shelter survivors still shaken from the tremors and several strong aftershocks. As of Thursday morning, the death toll from[...]

*) Death toll from Feb 6 Türkiye quakes tops 42,000 The death toll from February 6 powerful earthquakes has hit 42,310, a day after another tremor jolted Türkiye's southern Hatay province. A total of 7,242 aftershocks have been recorded since February 6, said the Turkish disaster management agency AFAD. The reported toll in Syria is[...]

*) New deadly earthquakes hit Türkiye's Hatay province At least three people have been killed and 213 others wounded after another earthquake jolted Türkiye’s southern Hatay province, the country’s interior minister said. Suleyman Soylu said at a news briefing on Monday evening that search and rescue efforts are under way at three sites. Turkish disaster[...]

*) Türkiye gets more aid pledges as rescue effort winds down It’s been two weeks since the February 6 earthquakes struck Türkiye and left in their aftermath massive destruction and heavy death toll. Pledges of financial aid and humanitarian support as well as expressions of solidarity continue to pour into the country and neighbouring Syria.[...]

*) The United Nations appeals for $1B aid for Türkiye The United Nations has launched an appeal for 1 billion dollars to help victims in Türkiye of last week's devastating earthquakes that killed thousands of people and left millions more in desperate need of aid. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that the[...]

*) Türkiye medics move to avert spread of diseases amid disaster Rescue efforts have been continuing in quake-hit Adiyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaras and other Turkish provinces on day 11 following last week's twin quakes. The death toll in Türkiye stands at 35,418, making it the deadliest disaster in the country in a century. The toll in[...]

*) Rising toll makes quake deadliest in Türkiye's modern history Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that more than 35,000 people have died in Türkiye as a result of last week’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake and powerful aftershocks. This new toll makes the quakes the deadliest such disaster since the founding of the republic 100 years[...]

*) Search for earthquake survivors enters final hours in Türkiye The desperate search for earthquake survivors in Türkiye and Syria continues as rescuers using sniffer dogs and thermal cameras survey the rubble for any sign of life eight days after the disaster. In Türkiye, the death toll stands at over 31,000, while the number of[...]

*) Grief, hope in Türkiye and Syria as disaster hits one-week mark The death toll in Türkiye and Syria has climbed to over 33,000, a week after two powerful earthquakes, centred in southeastern Türkiye, struck both countries. Hope remains that more survivors could still be found, after rescuers saved a woman from the rubble in[...]

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, February 10th. *) Rescue teams race to find Türkiye, Syria quake survivors Rescuers were scouring debris nearly 100 hours after a massive earthquake hit Türkiye and Syria. The earthquakes have killed at least 21,000 people in one of the region's worst disasters of a century. In[...]

*) Erdogan: We will never allow our citizens to remain unsheltered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has visited southeastern Türkiye to inspect the areas devastated by the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes that hit the country earlier this week. The visit takes place the day after President Erdogan declared a three-month-long state of emergency in the[...]

*) Fears grow for untold numbers buried by Türkiye earthquake Rescuers are racing against time in Türkiye and war-ravaged Syria two days after two massive 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes struck southern Türkiye, killing close to 10,000 in both countries. According to Türkiye’s disaster agency AFAD, at least 6,957 people have been killed in several[...]

*) Erdogan declares seven-day national mourning in Türkiye over deadly quakes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced seven days of national mourning in Türkiye after deadly earthquakes shook several provinces, killing at least 3,381 people and injuring 20,426 others. A 7.7 earthquake hit the country's southern Kahramanmaras Province at 4:17 am local time Monday, triggering[...]

*) Major earthquakes kill hundreds across Turkiye, Syria A powerful 7.7 earthquake has struck southern Türkiye early Monday, killing at least 912 people and injuring at least 5,385 across several provinces. According to Türkiye’s disaster agency AFAD, the quake was centred in the Pazarcik district of Kahramanmaras Province and was followed by magnitude 6.6 and[...]

*) Putin warns West over arms deliveries to Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed a decisive response to any country threatening Russia and lashed out against Germany for promising tanks for Kiev. He was speaking at a ceremony commemorating the Red Army's victory against Nazi troops 80 years ago in Stalingrad, as the city[...]

*) Erdogan vows to advance Türkiye, relays concern over anti-Muslim rhetoric Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his administration is preparing Türkiye to become a global power with massive investments in infrastructure. President Erdogan says the “Turkish Century” will see Türkiye becoming one of the most prominent countries in the world with the power and[...]

*) US to lose neutrality if OKs Greece's F35s, rejects Türkiye's F16s: Kalin The US will lose its "neutrality" in NATO if the Congress approves the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Greece and opposes Türkiye's F-16 purchase. This is what Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has said. Kalin also said Türkiye will not accept[...]

*) Finland would not allow burning of Quran: police As per local media, police in Finland have said the public burning copies of Islam's holy book, the Quran, would not be allowed in the country. The National Police Board said burning a copy of the Quran would likely violate religious peace, which is a punishable[...]

*) Deadly Russian shelling hit Ukraine's Kherson, Kharkiv cities Russian shelling of Ukraine's southern city of Kherson has left at least three people dead, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy said in his evening address that the Russian army has been shelling Kherson “all day" and that "there are reports of six wounded and three dead."[...]

*) Blinken to visit Mideast as Palestine mourns killings by Israel Top American diplomat Antony Blinken will travel to Egypt, Israel and Palestine this weekend, the State Department has announced, as the US expressed alarm about escalating violence after Israel's single deadliest operation in the occupied West Bank in 20 years. Blinken's visit to Israel[...]

*) Ukraine seeks long-range missiles as fighting rages in Bakhmut Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he wanted the West to send long-range missiles and jets to his war-torn country to help repel Russian troops. "I've spoken with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today," Zelenskyy said after the United States and Germany announced they would[...]

*) US possible tank deliveries to Ukraine disturbs Russia The Biden administration could approve sending M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to fortify Kiev's firepower against Russia, according to US officials. Moscow called the possible approval of the tanks a "blatant provocation" against Russia. "If the United States decides to supply tanks, then justifying such a[...]

*) Constant Russian shelling and attacks in Ukraine Russian forces have been shelling and attacking Ukrainian positions on the front lines of the conflict around the clock according to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In his nightly video message, Zelenskyy said the battle for the Donbass region and for the south goes on. He added[...]

*) Suspect in California mass shooting found dead The suspect of a mass shooting in California, which left 10 people dead during the Lunar New Year, has died apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Los Angeles Sherrif said the gunman, named as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, committed suicide when police approached a wanted van.[...]

*) Zelenskyy expects powerful Western military support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Ukraine is waiting for a "decision from one European capital that will activate the prepared chains of cooperation on tanks." Zelenskyy thanked Estonia for the large package of military assistance and Sweden for its package which included howitzers and ammunition. Zelenskyy also thanked[...]

*) Türkiye tells US to delink F-16 jet sale from Nordic NATO bids Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that the United States must approve a 20 billion dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye. Cavusoglu said after a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the important thing on the[...]

*) Ukraine welcomes Dutch Patriot help as fighting rages in east The training of Ukrainian officers to operate the Patriot advanced long-range air defence system will last 10 weeks, Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said. The United States, Germany and the Netherlands have pledged to send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine to repel a barrage[...]

*) UN: Russian attack in Dnipro possible war crime UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Saturday’s Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Dnipro, which left at least 40 dead, as a possible war crime. According to his spokesperson, Guterres said the strike was another example of a suspected violation of the laws of war. The strike[...]

*) Death toll rises in Russian missile strike The death toll from Saturday’s Russian missile strike on an apartment building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro has risen to at least 35, the governor said. Two children were among the dead, and the fate of another 35 residents of the building is unknown with rescue[...]

*) Ukraine says its forces hold out against Russia in Soledar Ukrainian forces in the eastern city of Soledar are holding their positions and inflicting significant losses on Russian forces, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Two Ukrainian units in Soledar, which Zelenskyy said "are holding their positions and inflicting significant losses on the enemy.” The[...]

*) Brazil swears in Sonia Guajajara as Indigenous Peoples Minister Influential indigenous rights activist and lawmaker Sonia Guajajara, has been sworn in to lead Brazil's Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. Guajajara was sworn in on Wednesday at the Planalto Palace in capital Brasilia in presence of President Lula da Silva, lawmakers and representatives from Brazil's Black[...]

*) Tigray rebel forces start turning over heavy weapons to Ethiopia military Tigray rebel forces, who fought a two-year war against Ethiopia's federal government, have begun handing over heavy weaponry to the national army as part of an African Union-led peace process. Handover in the town of Agulae was overseen by a monitoring team comprising[...]

*) Mass arrests continue as Brazil leaders condemn ‘terrorist acts’ Brazilian security forces have cleared protest camps and arrested 1,500 people as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned "acts of terrorism" after a mob stormed government buildings. About 3,000 supporters of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro had set up tents, which were used as a base[...]

*) Brazil’s Lula vows to punish those responsible for riots in capital Brazilian authorities have begun investigating the attack on democratic institutions in the capital city in a failed attempt by former president Jair Bolsonaro's supporters to overthrow President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s week-old government. Hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters have stormed into Congress, trashed[...]

*) Ukraine dismisses Putin's ceasefire as 'hypocrisy' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was seeking a truce to use as a cover to stop Ukrainian advances in the eastern Donbass region. Zelenskyy added that the Russians want to stop “the advances of our boys in Donbass” and bring in more men and equipment. Ukrainian presidential adviser[...]

*) UNSC to discuss troublemaker Israel minister's visit to Al Aqsa Mosque The UN Security Council will meet to discuss the controversial visit to occupied East Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque compound by a far-right Israeli minister. The 15-member council will convene at 3:00 pm at the United Nations headquarters in New York following a request[...]

*) Calls for UNSC meeting over Al Aqsa Mosque The United Arab Emirates and China have called for a UN Security Council meeting after Israel’s national security minister entered the Al Aqsa complex in occupied East Jerusalem. Itamar Ben-Gvir’s move drew fierce condemnation across the world as the move was seen as a provocation that[...]

*) Israeli security minister visits Al Aqsa Mosque, draws Palestinian flak Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the compound that houses the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, a flashpoint holy site sacred to both Jews and Muslims, Israeli media reported. Israel's opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid had warned that such[...]

*) Lula sworn in as Brazil's president amid tight security Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been inaugurated for a third term as Brazil's president, in a ceremony snubbed by outgoing leader Jair Bolsonaro. Da Silva vowed to "rebuild the country, with the people," promising to fight to improve life for poor Brazilians, work toward[...]

*) Brazil football legend Pele dies at age 82 Brazilian football icon Pele, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, has died at the age of 82. Pele's daughter, Kely Nascimento, announced the football star's passing in an Instagram post. It triggered a wave of tributes from the sports world and beyond. He[...]

*) Thousands of flights cancelled as US digs out from deadly superstorm Thousands of travellers are still stranded at airports across the US due to flight cancellations and delays caused by the deadly winter storm. Around 28-hundred flights were cancelled on Wednesday while almost half that number were delayed. Most of those cancellations were from[...]

*) US blizzard death toll rises to 50 The number of deaths attributed to the winter storm in the United States has risen to at least 50. With another fatality in western New York's Erie County, the epicentre of the crisis, the mayor of the county's biggest city warned that police expect the number to[...]

*) Fighting continues for control of Donbass region - Zelenskyy Fighting for control of the Donbass region in Ukraine continues, according to the country’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In an address to the nation, he said the “situation in Donbass is difficult” and that Bakhmut, Kreminna and other areas now require “maximum strength and concentration.” Earlier,[...]

*) China deploys tens of warplanes, ships toward Taiwan in weekend war drills China’s military has sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force directed at the self-ruled island. That’s according to Taiwan’s defence ministry which said the move came after China expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a[...]

*) US January 6 committee unveils report, says Trump engaged in ‘conspiracy’ The US House committee probing the January 6th Capitol Hill riots has released its final report after an 18-month investigation into the insurrection two years ago. The report asserts that former President Donald Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the[...]

*) Live blog: US sending Patriots to Ukraine under $1.85B military aid package US President Joe Biden has committed $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine including, for the first time, the Patriot missile defence system. The news came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington for his first known trip out of his[...]

*) Zelenskyy to visit US in first trip abroad since conflict began Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit Washington for a meeting with his American counterpart Joe Biden and an address to Congress. This will be his first trip abroad since Russia started its offensive in February. The trip comes on the same[...]

*) UN chief Guterres believes Russia-Ukraine conflict will go on UN chief Antonio Guterres has said he is not optimistic about the possibility of the war in Ukraine ending anytime soon. Guterres told reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York that he does not see “effective peace talks” happening in the immediate future.[...]

*) Nine drones 'shot down' in Kiev's airspace Ukraine says it has shot down nine Iranian-made Shahed drones in capital Kiev's airspace. Kiev’s military administration said on the Telegram messaging app that air alert continued in the capital city. Ukraine has been subjected to frequent and deadly aerial attacks in the 10 months since Russia's[...]

*) Peru court orders 18-month detention for ousted president Castillo A Peruvian court has ordered ousted president Pedro Castillo to remain in custody for 18 months, approving a request from authorities for time to build their case against him. The court ruled days after Congress stripped Castillo of the privilege that keeps Peru's presidents from[...]

*) Peru declares state of emergency amid deadly protests Peru’s new government has declared a 30-day national emergency amid violent protests following the ouster of President Pedro Castillo. Defence Minister Luis Otarola Penaranda announced the declaration on Wednesday, which he said "means the suspension of the rights of assembly and freedom of movement." Peru's new[...]

*) Two admin buildings damaged in drones attack on Kiev Kiev administration has said that two of its buildings in Ukraine's capital have been damaged in a drone attack. The city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said that air-defence systems shot down 10 Iranian-made Shahed drones and that there were explosions in the city's central Shevchenkivskyi district.[...]

*) Cavusoglu: Türkiye won't allow terror groups to take shelter in Syria, Iraq Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Ankara will not allow the PKK/PYD/YPG terrorist organisation to take shelter in Syria and Iraq. Cavusoglu told parliament on Monday that if the Syrian regime acts “realistically,” Türkiye is ready to work together on[...]

*) Ukraine strike hits Wagner group headquarters – official Ukrainian forces have attacked a hotel where members of Russia's private Wagner military group were based, killing many of them. Serhiy Gaidai, governor of the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, said forces launched a strike on a hotel in the town of Kadiivka. Photos posted on Telegram channels[...]

*) China, Saudi Arabia sign strategic deals as Xi heralds 'new era' Saudi Arabia and China have showcased deepening ties with a series of strategic deals during a visit by President Xi Jinping. King Salman signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership agreement" with Xi, who received a lavish welcome in a country forging new global partnerships[...]

*) Boluarte becomes Peru's first ever female president after Castillo's ouster Peruvian politician Dina Boluarte has been sworn in as interim president, hours after Pedro Castillo was removed in an impeachment trial and arrested. Boluarte, elevated from vice president, becomes Peru's first ever female president, following Castillo's attempt to dissolve the legislature by decree to[...]

*) Xi set to arrive in Riyadh to meet Saudi and Arab leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping is embarking on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia where he will hold meetings with regional leaders likely focused on energy. The overseas trip is only Xi's third since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. It is also[...]

*) Sudan's generals, civilian factions sign initial deal to end crisis Sudan's military and civilian leaders have signed an initial deal aimed at ending a deep crisis that has gripped the northeast African country since a coup a year ago. In a first phase, the framework agreement lays the groundwork for establishing a transitional civilian[...]

*) West African leaders agree to create regional force West African leaders have agreed to create a regional force to intervene against terrorism and in the event of coups. The president of the Economic Community of West African States, Omar Alieu Touray, said the leaders of the group decided to act to take control of[...]

*) Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed so far As many as 13,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed since Russia's incursion into the country in February, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says. Mykhailo Podolyak told a local media outlet that the number of casualties range from 10,000 to 13,000 dead. President Zelenskyy would[...]

*) School bombing in Afghanistan kills 15 At least 15 people have been killed in a bombing at a religious school in the north of Afghanistan. Most of the victims were students. At least 20 people were also wounded in the explosion, which happened in the city of Aybak during prayer time. No group has[...]

*) Deadly blast in western Pakistan A bomb blast targeting a police patrol has killed at least three people and wounded more than 20 people in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, according to a police official. The blast targeted a police patrol that wounded 21 people, including 15 police officers, the official said, adding[...]

*) China’s police increase security Police in China have increased security across the country to prevent further protests. Days of demonstrations in multiple cities have shown the level of anger being felt by many at Beijing's zero-Covid policy. After almost three years of harsh lockdowns and mass daily testing, some people are openly calling for[...]

*) China’s lockdown protests enter third day China is facing unprecedented civil disobedience over its strict zero-Covid restrictions. Police have arrested several demonstrators in Shanghai on the third day of growing protests. And in the capital Beijing, hundreds have rallied against lockdowns. They began on Friday in the northwestern Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, where ten[...]

*) Russian strikes cause emergency outages in Ukraine Ukraine races to repair energy infrastructure after Russian attacks cut power to millions of people across the country. In the capital Kiev, 60 percent of residents were still without power on Friday amid temperatures well below freezing, according to the city’s mayor. Meanwhile, the southern Ukrainian region[...]

*) Anwar Ibrahim is Malaysia's new prime minister After days of political impasse, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed as Malaysia’s new prime minister. King Al Sultan Abdullah confirmed his appointment on Thursday, five days after parliamentary election left no party with a clear majority to form a government. Anwar is set to be[...]

*) Magnitude 5.9 earthquake strikes northwestern Türkiye A magnitude 5.9 earthquake has struck Türkiye's northwestern Duzce province, with tremors felt in Istanbul, Ankara and other regions, officials say. The earthquake, which struck at 01:08 GMT was centred about 14 kilometres northwest of Duzce, in the Golyaka district, Türkiye's disaster management agency, AFAD said. The agency[...]

*) Hunt for buried survivors after deadly quake hits Indonesia Rescuers continued their search for survivors after a powerful earthquake hit Indonesia’s main island of Java. At least 162 people have died in Monday’s magnitude 5.6 quake, which also injured thousands. The death toll is expected to rise as many remain trapped in collapsed buildings.[...]

*) Türkiye begins anti-terror raids in Iraq, Syria after Istanbul bombing Türkiye has launched air strikes on PKK/YPG targets in northern Iraq and Syria that came after last week's terrorist attack in Istanbul. The defence ministry confirmed that 89 targets had been destroyed and that "many terrorists" were "neutralised” as “Operation Claw-Sword” was launched early[...]

*) Russian missiles hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure Russian missiles continue to pound critical Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Ukraine's President Volodmyr Zelenskyy says 10 million people are without power, following Russian missile strikes targeting its energy facilities. Most of the power outages are in the capital Kiev, the port of Odessa and the western city of Vinnytsia.[...]

*) Zelenskyy insists Poland missile attack wasn't by Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists a missile that killed two people in Poland did not come from Ukrainian armed forces. Zelenskyy says a full-access investigation involving his officials should clarify what happened in Poland. He maintains a missile that crossed over into Poland did not come[...]

*) Blaming Russia for Poland missile attack will escalate tensions: Erdogan Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voices the need to respect Russia's statement on reports of a suspected missile attack on Poland, saying pointing fingers at Russia would further escalate tensions. Erdogan’s remarks came after NATO member Poland said that a Russian-made missile landed on[...]

*) G20 leaders 'must end war' between Russia, Ukraine — Indonesia Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is also the host of this year's G20 summit, has called for peace and asked member countries to not allow another Cold War between major powers. He made the remarks during the opening speech of the event that brought[...]

*) Prime suspect in Istanbul bomb attack detained: Turkish authorities Turkish authorities have detained dozens of suspects, including the prime suspect in the bomb attack that killed 6 people and injured 81 on Istanbul's iconic Istiklal Avenue. The prime suspect, who is believed to have planted the explosive device, was identified as 23-year-old Syrian national[...]

*) Ukraine liberates dozens of towns Ukraine says dozens more towns and villages have been liberated in the south of the country. It comes as Ukrainian forces continue their advance towards the strategically vital city of Kherson. Russians have announced they're withdrawing from the city but there's considerable scepticism about that. *) Leaders of Turkic[...]

*) Republicans closer to secure House majority The Republicans are nudging closer to winning enough seats to gain a majority in the US House of Representatives, but control of the Senate is still up for grabs. The outcome will affect President Joe Biden's ability to push his agenda through a highly partisan Congress. The Senate[...]

*) Results pour in from US midterm elections It's a crucial day for US President Joe Biden and his Democratic party, as results begin to come in for the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans have taken a sizable lead in the race to control the US House of Representatives, with incomplete results showing a significant lead[...]

*) UN to build $3B global early warning system The United Nations unveils a five-year plan to build a global early warning system for deadly and costly extreme weather events amplified by climate crisis. The price tag – a relatively modest $3.1 billion, or less than 50 cents per person – is a small price[...]

*) United Nations Climate Change Conference kicks off Leaders and delegates from 190 countries are in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt for the UN's Climate Summit. During the 12-day meeting, they hope to get new commitments for reducing global heating and helping underdeveloped countries adapt to clean energy. As the summit gets under way, UN chief[...]

*) Pakistan’s ex-PM Khan recovers in hospital after assassination attempt Pakistani former prime minister Imran Khan was recovering in hospital after an assassination attempt that left him with a gunshot wound to the leg. His doctor Faisal Sultan said Khan "was stable and he was doing fine" at Shaukat Khanum hospital in the eastern city[...]

*) Japan orders residents to shelter as North Korea missiles soar again North Korea has continued its barrage of weapons tests by firing at least three missiles including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile or ICBM. The missile launch forced the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halt trains. Thursday's launches came a day[...]

*) Exit polls show Netanyahu's bloc ahead in Israel elections Exit polls in Israel have indicated that ex-PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies may have won enough seats to return to power after three and a half years of political gridlock. Palestinians said the possible outcome reflects "growing extremism and racism in Israeli society." The[...]

*) Türkiye urges Russia to reconsider grain deal suspension Türkiye's National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has urged Russia to rethink its decision to suspend the Black Sea grain deal. The grain shipment initiative is a purely humanitarian activity that should be separated from conflict conditions, Akar has told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu over the[...]

*) Lula defeats Bolsonaro in tight Brazil election Leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won Brazil's divisive election, defeating incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a narrow vote. With more than 99 percent of the votes tallied in run-off vote, da Silva had 50.9 percent and Bolsonaro 49.1 percent. Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Court said the country’s[...]

*) Elon Musk takes over Twitter, sacks top executives Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken over Twitter and immediately sacked its top executives. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal was among the executives terminated by Musk, who formally completed the 44-billion-dollar buyout deal on Friday. Musk had a court-imposed Friday deadline to complete the Twitter deal he[...]

*) Over a dozen dead as gunmen attack shrine in Iran's Shiraz Gunmen opened fire at a major Shia holy site in the southern city of Shiraz, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. The official website of the judiciary said two gunmen were arrested and a third is on the run after Wednesday's[...]

*) Russia and Ukraine gird for 'heaviest of battles' in Kherson A senior Ukrainian official predicted "the heaviest of battles" to come for the partially Russian-occupied strategic southern province of Kherson. The adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russians are replenishing and strengthening their grouping in Kherson. He said this means that nobody is[...]

*) Rishi Sunak vows 'stability and unity' as UK's next prime minister, Britain's incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to bring "stability and unity" at a time of economic crisis after he was named the Conservative party's new leader. He told reporters, the United Kingdom is a great country but there is no doubt[...]

*) Live blog: Ukraine, US reject Russia's 'false' dirty bomb allegations Top US and Ukrainian diplomats have rejected Russia's claims of preparing to use a "dirty bomb" by Ukrainian authorities on its own territory. Separately US Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement underlining Washington's continued support to Ukraine. Britain and France also dismissed[...]

*) PM Truss resigns as UK political turmoil deepens amid new election demand British Prime Minister Liz Truss has dramatically announced her resignation just six weeks after taking office. Truss bowed to the inevitable after her right-wing platform of tax cuts disintegrated and many MPs among the ruling Conservatives revolted. Speaking in Downing Street, Truss[...]

*) Putin declares martial law in four annexed regions of Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to impose martial law in the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, recently annexed from Ukraine. Putin said residents of these territories "clearly expressed their will when voted in favour of joining Russia." He added that[...]

*) Lafarge pleads guilty to supporting Daesh, agrees to pay $778M fine French cement maker Lafarge has pleaded guilty to a US charge that it made payments to groups designated as terrorists by the United States, including Daesh. The admission in Brooklyn federal court marked the first time a company has pleaded guilty in the[...]

*) US warns of sanctions over Iran drone ties after Kiev strikes The United States has warned it would take action against companies and nations working with Iran's drone programme after Russia used the imports for deadly kamikaze strikes in Kiev. State Department spokesperson said, "Anyone doing business with Iran that could have any link[...]

*) Ukrainian presidency says Kiev attacked by 'kamikaze drones' Ukraine says its capital Kiev has been attacked by "kamikaze drones" after several explosions were heard in the central Shevchenko district of the capital. Ukrainian president's chief of staff Andriy Yermak said the Russians think it will help them, but it shows their desperation. The explosions[...]

*) Palestine's Fatah, Hamas sign 'historic' reconciliation deal in Algeria Palestinian factions have signed an agreement in Algiers aimed at resolving 15 years of discord by holding elections within a year after months of talks mediated by Algeria. The deal aims to end a rift between President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas that has[...]

*) UN condemns Russia's 'illegal annexation' of Ukraine territories The UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn what it called Russia's "attempted illegal annexation" of four Ukrainian regions.. It demanded that Moscow immediately reverse its actions. The vote in the 193-member world body was 143-5 with 35 abstentions, the strongest support from the General[...]

*) G7 leaders vow to hold Putin accountable for Ukraine missile strikes World powers have said that they would hold Russian leader Vladimir Putin responsible for recent widespread aerial strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kiev. The G7 condemned the attacks in the strongest possible terms, saing indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilian populations constitute a war[...]

*) UN fears Russian strikes to provoke more displacements The United Nations refugee chief has warned more people will be forced to flee their homes in Ukraine after Russian missiles rained down on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said the bombing of civilians, of houses and of non-military[...]

*) Explosions rock central Kiev in apparent missile strikes Multiple explosions rocked Kiev following months of relative calm in the Ukrainian capital. Kiev’s mayor reported apparent Russian missile strikes in Shevchenko district, a large area in the centre of Kiev which includes the historical old town and government offices. President Zelenskyy said that people had[...]

*) Biden: Nuclear 'Armageddon' risk highest since '62 crisis US President Joe Biden has said the risk of nuclear “Armageddon” is at the highest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, warning that Russia may use its atomic arsenal. He said the threat is real because Vladimir Putin's military is underperforming in Ukraine, warning that[...]

*) Putin says situation to 'stabilise', Ukraine presses counterattack Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he expects the situation to "stabilise" in Ukrainian regions annexed by the Kremlin, after Moscow suffered military setbacks. He has also ordered his government to seize control over Europe's largest nuclear power plant in the Russia-controlled region of Zaporizhzhia. Kiev[...]

*) US boosts arms aid as Ukraine expands battle gains The United States has announced more weapons for Ukraine's army, which claims sweeping gains along two major battlefronts this week. The US will ship four more Himars precision rocket launchers, 32 artillery pieces, 75,000 artillery rounds and 200,000 rounds of small arms ammunition to Ukraine.[...]

*) North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan North Korea has fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan, prompting Tokyo to activate the country's missile alert system and order people to take shelter. South Korea's military said it detected the launch of the missile, which flew around 4,500 kilometres at an altitude of about 970[...]

*) Ukraine says key eastern town 'cleared' of Russian troops Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Lyman, a key town located in one of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia, has been "cleared" of Moscow's troops. The recapture of Lyman marks the first Ukrainian military victory in a territory the Kremlin has claimed as[...]

*) Putin to annex four Ukraine territories with 'major speech' as West fumes Russia is set to formally annex four occupied regions of Ukraine at a ceremony that the Kremlin says will feature a major speech by President Vladimir Putin. In a presidential decree, Putin has already recognised the independence of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. He[...]

*) Kremlin proxies in Ukraine plead to Putin for annexation Kremlin-backed officials in Ukraine have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to annex regions under their control, after the territories held votes that Kiev and its allies denounce as a "sham". Ukraine has called on the EU to hit Russia with more sanctions and NATO[...]

*) Russia paves way to annex parts of Ukraine after 'sham' referendums Kremlin-supported authorities in four Ukrainian regions under Russian control have claimed victory in annexation votes, drawing global outrage. Ukraine and its allies have denounced the so-called referendums as a "sham". Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the votes mean Kiev will not negotiate[...]

*) Kremlin admits call-up 'errors' but no decision to close border The Kremlin has admitted errors during the mobilisation of reservists for the military action in Ukraine and said no decision has been taken to close Russia's borders. It has also admitted that there have been cases when the mobilisation decree was violated, but added[...]

*) Giorgia Meloni's far-right triumphs in Italy vote Giorgia Meloni looks set to become Italy's first woman prime minister at the head of its most right-wing government since World War Two. Near-final results show the rightist bloc should have a solid majority in both houses of parliament. Meloni has said she is ready to govern[...]

*) Five-day annexation polls open in Ukraine's Russian-held territories Russia-held regions of Ukraine have begun voting on whether to become part of Russia, in referendums that Kiev and the West slam as an unlawful land grab. The five-day votes in four regions controlled entirely or in part by Russian troops will end on September 27.[...]

*) Pressure on Putin as reservists called up for Ukraine campaign President Vladimir Putin's decision to send reservists to Ukraine has triggered protests and arrests at home, while Western leaders have lashed out at the Russian leader at the United Nations. Addressing the General Assembly, US President Joe Biden has accused Putin of "shamelessly" violating[...]

*) Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch, dies at 96 Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognisable to billions of people around the world, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace announced her death in a short statement, triggering 10 days of national mourning and an outpouring of[...]

*) Moscow denies forcibly relocating Ukrainians Russia's UN envoy has denied accusations of Moscow relocating Ukrainians to Moscow-controlled areas or Russia at a UN Security Council meeting. Defining the accusations as a "new milestone in a disinformation campaign," Russia's UN envoy said the US and allies were creating confusion with the terminology of “so-called filtration”.[...]

*) China clears roads to earthquake epicentre, death toll rises to 74 The death toll from Monday’s 6.6 magnitude earthquake in China’s Sichuan province has risen to 74, with 26 people still missing as of Tuesday night. State media reported that the government has reopened roads leading to the epicentre of the quake and that[...]

*) Liz Truss vows to deliver 'bold plan' after winning vote to become UK PM UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss has won a Conservative Party contest to become the new prime minister of the country. Truss on Monday vowed to press ahead with promised tax cuts and action to tackle a deepening energy and cost[...]

*) Ukraine retakes 'certain heights' from Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that his forces have marked progress in a counteroffensive against Russia that began last week. He thanked his forces for retaking two settlements in the south, a third in the eastern Donetsk region, as well as additional territory – what he called “certain[...]

*) UN experts to stay at Ukraine nuclear plant to 'continue with assessment’ UN inspectors will be "staying" at a Russian-held nuclear plant in southern Ukraine — at least till the weekend. The Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency described their first visit to the facility as productive. Today we were able, in these[...]

*) IMF in preliminary agreement with Sri Lanka for $2.9 bln loan Crisis-hit Sri Lanka has reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a loan of about $2.9 billion. "The objectives of Sri Lanka's new Fund-supported programme are to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability," an IMF statement said. Sri Lanka is[...]

*) Russia halts gas supplies in new jitters for Europe Russian energy giant Gazprom has cut off its gas supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for maintenance work, further raising tensions on an already taut electricity market. The three-day works at a compressor station are "necessary", Gazprom has said, adding that they[...]

*) IAEA mission to visit Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant this week The head of the International atomic energy agency says a team of inspectors will visit the besieged Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine later this week. Reports of shelling around the facility have fuelled fears of a radiation disaster. Both Russia and Ukraine have traded[...]

*) US warns Moscow not to divert power from Ukraine nuclear plant The United States has warned Russia against diverting energy from Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which Kiev says was cut off from its grid. Ukraine’s state energy operator said the nuclear plant held by Moscow's troops was disconnected from the national power supply. Kiev[...]

*) Taiwan unveils record defence budget Taiwan has proposed a record 19 billion dollars in defence spending for next year. This comes weeks after China conducted large-scale military exercises around the island. China sees Taiwan as its sovereign territory. The proposed defence budget is an increase of almost 14 percent compared to last year. The[...]

*) Ukraine braces for stepped-up Russian attacks around Independence Day Ukraine has banned public events celebrating the country's 31st Independence Day fearing renewed Russian attacks. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned Moscow that there would be consequences if Russia escalated its attacks to coincide with the anniversary. Meanwhile, the leader promised to restore his country's[...]

*) Over 300 classified documents recovered from Trump's Florida home – NYT The US government has recovered more than 300 classified documents from former president Donald Trump's Florida estate. The documents include materials from the CIA, the National Security Agency and the FBI, the New York Times has reported. On Monday, Trump's legal team requested[...]

*) US-Afghan talks on release of frozen assets to continue US President Joe Biden's administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan's foreign-held assets. This is despite the late Al Qaeda leader's presence in Kabul, and Washington's frustration with the pace, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, Reuters[...]

*) Erdogan stresses Ukraine diplomacy, warns against nuclear plant fighting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed possible ways of ending the Ukraine conflict in a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and United Nations chief Antonio Guterres. Erdogan said the fighting between Russia and Ukraine will eventually end at the negotiating table, adding[...]

*) Erdogan heads to Ukraine for trilateral summit with Zelenskyy, Guterres Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has embarked on a visit to the Ukrainian city of Lviv where he will meet his Ukrainian counterpart and the UN chief. Erdogan will hold a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Potocki Palace and discuss aspects[...]

*) Biden inks landmark climate crisis, health care bill into law US President Joe Biden has signed into law the most significant climate legislation in US history. The Inflation Reduction Act is a 750 billion dollar package aiming to reduce carbon emissions and extend health insurance subsidies. It also imposes new taxes on large corporations.[...]

*) Violent protests erupt in Kenya after deputy president Ruto wins election Violent protests have erupted in Kenya after deputy president William Ruto was declared the winner of the presidential election. The result has caused uproar among the rival candidate Raila Odinga’s supporters, who allege mismanagement and irregularities in the process. Four of seven members[...]

*) Afghan Taliban mark first year in power The Taliban have marked the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan with a national holiday. Exactly a year ago, the group captured Kabul after their nationwide lightning offensive against government forces ended 20 years of US-led military intervention. A chaotic withdrawal of foreign forces[...]

*) US attorney general says 'personally approved' Trump home search US Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he "personally approved" the dramatic raid on former American President Donald Trump's Florida estate. In a highly unusual move, he also requested the warrant justifying the search be made public — though he did not reveal the reason[...]

*) Trump invokes Fifth Amendment to evade questions over alleged fraud Former US president Donald Trump has invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he testified under oath in a NY civil investigation into his business dealings. The Fifth Amendment protects people from being compelled to become witnesses against themselves in a criminal case.[...]

*) Republicans dub FBI raid on Trump house 'weaponised politicisation' Top Republican leaders have thrown their support behind former US president Donald Trump after an FBI raid on his Florida residence sparked a political firestorm. Trump's former vice president Mike Pence expressed "deep concern" and said the raid smacked of "partisanship" by the Justice Department.[...]

*) FBI 'raids' former US president Trump's house Former US president Donald Trump says his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida has been "raided" by FBI agents in what he has called an act of "prosecutorial misconduct". The FBI did not comment on whether the search was happening or what it might be for. Trump did not[...]

*) Ceasefire takes effect between Israel, Palestinian group An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad has taken effect late on Sunday. The ceasefire agreement came after three days of Israeli air strikes on Gaza. The attacks left at least 44 Palestinians, including 15 children dead and over 360 others[...]

*) China announces sanctions Pelosi over Taiwan visit: Foreign ministry China has announced unspecified sanctions on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her visit earlier this week to Taiwan. China is holding huge military drills involving live firing on the waters and in the airspace near Taiwan, which Beijing considers as its own territory, to[...]

*) China begins military drills as Taiwan faces Pelosi visit fallout China's largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan have kicked off, in a show of force after a controversial visit to the island state by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Taiwan's military said its forces were closely monitoring the Chinese drills and was prepared for conflict,[...]

*) Pelosi stresses 'commitment to Taiwan' amid spiralling China tensions US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says her delegation's visit to Taipei is a show of support for the island, with the trip sparking a furious response from Beijing. The United States wants Taiwan to always have freedom with security and will not back away from[...]

*) US kills top Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri President Joe Biden has announced that Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri has been killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan. The president said in an evening address from the White House that US intelligence officials tracked Zawahiri to a home in downtown Kabul[...]

*) First shipment of Ukraine grain leaves Odessa under Türkiye-brokered deal As part of a recent deal brokered by Türkiye, the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain has departed from the port of Odessa to Lebanon. Loaded with corn, the Sierra Leone-flagged dry cargo ship Razoni left Odessa on Monday morning, Türkiye’s Defence Ministry said in[...]

*) Xi warns Biden not to 'play with fire' amid tensions over Taiwan US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to schedule their first in-person summit as leaders. The decision came during a phone call, where Xi warned the United States not to "play with fire" in Taiwan. In response,[...]

*) Türkiye inaugurates Joint Coordination Centre for Ukraine grain exports Türkiye has opened a joint coordination centre for Ukrainian grain exports under an Ankara-brokered deal aimed at resuming shipments halted in the aftermath of Russia's attacks on Ukraine. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar unveiled the centre in front of reporters at a ceremony held at[...]

*) EU members strike deal to reduce gas use as Russia pummels Ukraine targets European Union member states have reached agreement on how to cut their consumption of gas by 15 percent and reduce their dependence on Russian supplies. The breakthrough came hours after Ukraine accused Russian forces of launching multiple missile strikes at targets[...]

*) Erdogan: Participants of Ukraine grain deal must respect pact Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the signatories of an Ankara-brokered deal aimed at unblocking Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea to respect the pact. Erdogan said he expected everyone to act in accordance with their responsibilities. His remark came after a[...]

*) Ukraine vows to take Kherson back by Sept as fighting enters sixth month A Ukrainian official has said the country's southern region of Kherson, which fell to Russian troops early in their February offensive, will be recaptured by September. The Ukrainian army, emboldened by deliveries of Western-supplied long-range artillery, has been clawing back territory[...]

*) Ukraine grain exports deal set to be signed in Türkiye An agreement to restart grain shipments from Ukraine is set to be signed in Istanbul — a move that could ease a global food crisis that has sent wheat and other grain prices soaring. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN chief Antonio Guterres[...]

*) Russia announces expanded Ukraine goals as toll mounts amid fierce battles Ukrainian armed forces say they have killed over one hundred Russian soldiers in the south and east in 24 hours as fierce battles rage in the country. This comes after Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that his country’s military "tasks" in Ukraine[...]

*) Leaders of Türkiye, Russia, Iran vow to oppose terrorist presence in Syria Leaders of Türkiye, Russia and Iran have condemned the increased presence and activities of terrorist groups and their affiliates in various parts of Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Iran's Ebrahim Raisi met in Tehran on[...]

*) Sri Lankan opposition withdraws from presidential race last-minute Sri Lanka's main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has withdrawn from the country's presidential election in favour of a ruling party dissident. Premadasa announced the move on Twitter minutes before nominations formally opened. He said "for the greater good” of the country, his party will support Dullas[...]

*) Sri Lanka's interim president declares emergency Sri Lanka's acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency as his administration seeks to quell social unrest and tackle the country’s economic crisis. Ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled overseas to escape an uprising against his government, has said he took "all possible steps" to[...]

*) Ex-Japan PM Shinzo Abe shot, suspect detained Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan. The 67-year-old was shot from behind as he was giving a political speech in Nara prefecture in western Japan, local media said. A man was arrested at the scene[...]

*) UK PM Johnson resigns as Conservative party leader after turmoil UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned as the leader of the Conservative party after the latest ethics scandal around his leadership led some 50 senior lawmakers to quit the government. Johnson said outside 10 Downing Street he will resign as “it is clearly[...]

*) Evacuation calls as Russians advance in Ukraine's Donbass Ukraine has called on civilians to urgently evacuate the Sloviansk city in the Donetsk region as Russian troops press towards it in their campaign to secure the Donbass region. The governor of the Donetsk region said at least two people have been killed and seven others[...]

*) Putin declares victory in eastern Ukraine region of Luhansk Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk. Putin said that the military units “that took part in active hostilities and achieved victory” in Luhansk, “should rest, increase their combat capabilities.” The declaration came as Russian forces tried to[...]

*) Russia claims Luhansk, Ukraine vows return Russia has gained full control over Ukraine's Luhansk region after capturing the last major city, Lysychansk, following weeks of fierce fighting with Kiev’s forces. The Ukrainian army said its soldiers had retreated from the strategic eastern city in order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders. Ukraine’s President[...]

*) Missile strikes leaves many dead in Ukraine's Odessa Seventeen people have been killed in missile strikes on an apartment building and recreation centre in southern Ukraine's Odessa region, authorities said. Fourteen were killed and 30 wounded in the strike on a nine-storey apartment block, the emergency services said on Telegram. Odessa military administration spokesperson[...]

*) Finland, Sweden get official invite to join NATO after Türkiye's consent NATO has officially invited Finland and Sweden to become members of the alliance. The announcement came as part of the Madrid summit declaration following the meeting of NATO heads of state and government. NATO welcomed the conclusion of the trilateral memorandum between Türkiye,[...]

*) Türkiye's memorandum with Sweden, Finland Turkiye has lifted its objection to the NATO membership bids of Sweden and Finland, after a breakthrough in talks in Madrid. Ankara had previously blocked the two countries from joining the military alliance over concerns about arms exports and terrorism. In a memorandum, Finland and Sweden agreed to fully[...]

*) Russian missile strike hits crowded shopping mall in Ukraine A Russian missile strike on a crowded mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk has killed at least 16 people. 59 others were wounded in the strike, the head of Ukraine’s emergency services said. Russia's Defence Ministry said it fired missiles against a weapons[...]

*) Ukraine urges G7 to provide more weapons The Ukrainian government has urged G7 leaders to provide more weapons to Kiev and impose further sanctions against Moscow. "G7 summit must respond with more sanctions on Russia and more heavy arms for Ukraine. Russia's sick imperialism must be defeated," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. The call[...]

*) US welcomes Türkiye's efforts in Ukraine grain The United States welcomes Türkiye's involvement in brokering an agreement to get grain out of Ukraine, John Kirby, the national security spokesman said. Kirby said that the US is working with allies and partners to get some grain out of Ukraine, exports that have been thwarted by[...]

*) Casualties soar as Afghanistan reels from deadliest earthquake in decades A powerful earthquake devastated a rural, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 1,150 people and injuring 1,600 more. The magnitude 6.1 temblor hit near the Pakistan border, but quakes of that strength can cause severe damage in areas where buildings are poorly[...]

*) East Ukraine weathers bombardment Russian attacks have laid down a curtain of fire across areas of eastern Ukraine where pockets of resistance are denying Moscow full military control of the region. The governor of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region described the situation saying “everything that can burn is on fire.” The Russian military currently controls[...]

*) Russian journalist auctions Nobel Peace Prize Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize gold medal for 103 million dollars to benefit children displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. Muratov donated all of the proceeds from the sale of the medal to UNICEF's Humanitarian Response for Ukrainian Children Displaced by War.[...]

*) Zelenskyy warns of Russian 'hostile activity' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is likely to intensify its offensive this week. "Obviously, this week we should expect from Russia an intensification of its hostile activities," Zelenskyy said. Ukraine applied to join the EU four days after Russian troops poured across its border in[...]

*) EU to give fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine membership bid The European Commission meets on Friday to give its fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine's EU bid, a step closer to membership for the country battling Russia's forces. The meeting comes a day after French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian premier Mario Draghi and[...]

*) Biden announces $1 billion in new military aid for Ukraine US President Joe Biden has announced a new package of arms and ammunition for Kiev after speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the phone. The package of $1 billion includes howitzers, ammunition, anti-ship missile systems and additional rockets for new artillery systems that[...]

*) Ukraine's need for more weapons major focus as defence ministers meet Defence ministers from NATO and other parts of the world will meet in Brussels on Wednesday where they are expected to discuss weapon deliveries to Ukraine. Ukraine seeks a significant increase in arms to help hold off Russian troops. Kiev says it needs[...]

*) Fierce fighting in Ukraine's Donbass region President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the battle for the eastern Donbass will go down as one of the most brutal in European history. The region, comprising the provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk, is claimed by Russian separatists. Zelenskyy said "for us, the price of this battle is very high.[...]

*) Ukrainian, Russian forces fight for 'every metre' in Sievierodonetsk Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting for "literally every metre" in Sievierodonetsk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, as fighting intensified in an eastern region where the country's top commander said the land "is covered in blood". Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk have been targeted for weeks as[...]

*) British, Moroccan fighters captured in Ukraine sentenced to death Pro-Moscow separatists have sentenced to death two British fighters and a Moroccan, who were captured by Russian troops while fighting for Ukraine. A court in self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic ordered the death penalty after the three were accused of acting as mercenaries, Russian news agencies[...]

*) Moscow 'ready to ensure' safe passage of ships leaving Ukrainian ports Moscow is ready to ensure the safe passage of vessels from Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said amid concerns over grain stuck in Ukrainian ports. Lavrov also said Moscow would not use the situation surrounding grain shipments in and around the[...]

*) Russia draws closer to capture of Ukraine's Donbass region Russia is drawing closer to its goal of fully capturing Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories. The Kremlin has claimed to have taken control of 97% of one of the two provinces that make up the eastern Donbass region. Russian Defence Minister[...]

*) Russia sanctions dozens of US citizens Russia's Foreign Ministry has said that it is imposing sanctions on 61 US nationals. It said the move was being taken "in response to the ever-expanding US sanctions against Russian political and public figures, as well as representatives of domestic business." The list includes US officials and former[...]

*) Putin warns the West Russian President Vladimir Putin warns the West against sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine. His warning came as Russian forces claimed to have destroyed Western military supplies in their first such air strikes on Ukraine's capital in more than a month. Putin said all this fuss around additional deliveries of[...]

*) Zelenskyy: Russia forcefully took 200,000 Ukrainian children Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alleged that 200,000 children are among the Ukrainians who have been forcefully taken to Russia. They include children from orphanages, children taken with their parents and those separated from their families, he said. In a video address, Zelenskyy called it a "criminal[...]

*) Biden says 'we have to act' after Texas school shooting US President Joe Biden has delivered an urgent call for new restrictions on firearms after a gunman shot and killed at least 19 children at a Texas elementary school. Biden spoke Tuesday night from the White House barely an hour after returning from a[...]

*) Zelenskyy: Donbass completely destroyed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces have completely destroyed the eastern Donbass region. He also accused Moscow of carrying out senseless bombardments as it intensified its military offensive. Zelenskyy claimed Russia was trying to exert even more pressure in the Donbass, saying “it is hell there - and that[...]

*) Russia uses laser weapons, alleges Ukraine Russia has begun using the prototype of a new laser weapon in Ukraine that is capable of hitting a target 5 kilometres away. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said the prototype of a new laser weapon was tested against a drone, incinerating it within five seconds. Ukraine[...]

*) Finland and Sweden submit NATO membership application Finland and Sweden have handed in their bids to join the US-led alliance NATO. The alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "I warmly welcome the requests by Finland and Sweden to join NATO. You are our closest partners.” The process usually takes eight to 12 months, but Türkiye[...]

*) Rescue mission under way at Azovstal as hundreds evacuated Ukrainian authorities said a rescue mission to extract the last defenders of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol was under way, after hundreds of soldiers were evacuated earlier. More than 260 fighters were evacuated through humanitarian corridors to areas under Russian and Moscow-backed separatists' control. Ukraine's[...]

*) Ukraine prepares for new Russian Donbass push Ukraine is preparing for a new Russian push in the eastern Donbass region, as Kiev said its army's counterattack around Kharkiv has gained momentum. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is preparing for new attempts by Russia to attack Donbass and intensifying its movement in the south of[...]

*) Russia warns of consequences after Finland announces NATO bid The Kremlin has warned about taking retaliatory “military-technical” steps after Finland’s leaders came out in favour of applying to join NATO. Finland has been militarily neutral for decades, but it shares a 1,300 kilometre border with Russia. The Nordic country is expected to approve the[...]

*) EU: Russia ‘most direct threat to world order’ Russia is the "most direct threat" to the international order because of its attacks on Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. Russia "is today the most direct threat to the world order with the barbaric war against Ukraine, and its worrying pact[...]

*) Ukrainians make gains in east Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russian troops are being pushed away from Ukraine's second city Kharkiv. In his nightly address, Zelensky said "the occupiers are gradually being pushed away" from the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian authorities in the region said four villages near Kharkiv were cleared from Russian troops.[...]

*) Biden signs bill reviving world war 2 plan to supply arms to Ukraine US President Joe Biden has eased the acceleration of US weapons shipments to Ukraine through a law based on a World War II measures helping US allies to defeat Nazi Germany. Biden signed the Lend-lease Act in the Oval Office, saying[...]

*) Ukraine's Zelenskyy says Russian strike at school killed about 60 Sixty civilians have died in the bombing of a school in eastern Ukraine's Lugansk region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is appalled by the reported attack which hit a school where many people were apparently seeking shelter from the ongoing[...]

*) UK: Russia aims to take #Mariupol before V-Day The UK believes Russia wants to take the port city of Mariupol and its vast steel mill before it marks Victory Day on Monday. “The renewed effort by Russia to secure Azovstal and complete the capture of Mariupol is likely linked to the upcoming 9 May[...]

*) Russia announces 3-day #ceasefire for civilian evacuations in Ukraine's Mariupol Russia announces a three-day cease-fire for evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Ukraine's Black Sea port city of #Mariupol. In a statement, Russia’s defence ministry said an evacuation corridor would be opened in the #Azovstal area "based on humanitarian principles". The[...]

*) Russia strikes Kiev during UN chief’s visit Russian forces have pressed their offensive in south and east Ukraine after bombarding capital Kiev during a visit by the United Nations' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. At least three people were wounded in strikes in the western part of Kiev, the first in the capital in nearly two[...]

*) Putin warns West of lightning retaliation Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that if any other country intervenes in Moscow's operations in Ukraine, Russia will launch a quick-fire military response. Putin said: "If anyone sets out to intervene … and creates unacceptable threats for us that are strategic in nature, they should know that[...]

*) UN chief and Russia’s Putin agree on Ukraine evacuation UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle on arranging evacuations from a besieged steel plant in the battered city of Mariupol. The announcement came from UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric after the two met one-on-one for the first time since[...]

*) Ukraine fires at Russian village - Russian official Russia says several buildings have been damaged in the Golovchino village in Russia's Belgorod province which came under fire from Ukraine. Hours earlier, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov [Veeyacheslav Gladkov] said at least two people were hurt in an attack on another village, Zhuravlyovka. He did not specify[...]

*) Incumbent Macron wins French election, defeating rival Le Pen President Emmanuel Macron has comfortably defeated far-right rival Marine Le Pen in French presidential election, according to exit polls. His supporters erupted with joy as the results appeared on a giant screen at the Champ de Mars park by the Eiffel tower. Leaders in Berlin,[...]

*) Ukraine: Russia planning sham referendum in occupied regions Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of planning to "falsify" an independence referendum in the partly occupied southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. In a video message, Zelenskyy urged residents of these areas not to provide any personal information, such as their passport numbers, to[...]

*) Relentless Russian attacks pound Mariupol Russian forces have tightened the noose around Ukrainian troops holed up in Mariupol’s last known stronghold. A few thousand Ukrainian troops are believed to be inside the Azvostal steel plant. Kiev says some 2,000 civilians are also trapped there. Ukraine says it is ready to hold talks without any[...]

*) Ukraine gets warplanes as Mariupol officer warns facing 'last days' The West has responded to a renewed Russian push into the Donbass region with fresh weapons for Kiev. The Pentagon says Ukraine has recently received fighter planes to bolster its air force, declining to specify the number of aircrafts and their origins. Meanwhile, a[...]

*) Zelenskyy: Russia unleashes offensive into east Ukraine Russia has launched a major offensive into eastern Ukraine after days of preparation, authorities in Kiev have said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian troops have begun the battle for Donbass and vowed to defend the eastern region. Ahead of the widely anticipated offensive, Ukrainian[...]

*) Ukraine vows to fight till the end in Mariupol Ukraine has vowed to fight to the end in Mariupol after a Russian ultimatum expired for remaining forces to surrender in the Black Sea port city. Hours after Moscow's deadline passed on Sunday, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the southern city had not fallen. Mariupol[...]

*) Dozens of Palestinians injured after Israeli forces storm Al Aqsa Mosque Israeli troops have fired tear gas and stun grenades at worshippers inside Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said it evacuated 67 wounded people to hospitals early on Friday. The Islamic endowment that administers the site[...]

*) Russian warship 'seriously damaged' in ammunition explosion The Russian navy's Black Sea flagship has been "seriously damaged" by an ammunition explosion, Russian state media has reported. It quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying that ammunition detonated on the Moskva missile cruiser as a result of a fire. Earlier, the governor of Odessa said[...]

*) Biden accuses Putin's forces of 'genocide' in Ukraine US President Joe Biden has for the first time accused Vladimir Putin's forces of committing “genocide” in Ukraine. Biden has also said that Putin "is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be a Ukrainian". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — who[...]

*) Russia aims to take Mariupol as part of eastern Ukraine onslaught Russian troops are planning to take control of Mariupol as part of an anticipated onslaught across eastern Ukraine. But the Ukrainian army has insisted that "the defence of Mariupol continues". In an address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a fresh plea to his[...]

*) Macron, Le Pen head for cliffhanger French election runoff French leader Emmanuel Macron and challenger Marine Le Pen have qualified for what promises to be a tightly fought presidential election runoff on April 24. Macron beat his far-right rival by a larger than expected margin, securing 27.41 percent of the votes counted so far,[...]

*) Russia suspended from UN rights council over Ukraine The United Nations has suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council. Of the 193 members of the General Assembly, 93 voted in favour of suspension, while 24 voted against and 58 abstained. Moscow has rejected its suspension as "illegal and politically motivated". The diplomatic rebuke comes[...]

*) West ramps up sanctions against Russia The United States and Britain have announced new sanctions against Russia after international outcry over human rights abuses in Ukraine. The White House has unveiled measures targeting Russia's top banks and two daughters of President Vladimir Putin. It has also banned Americans from investing in Russia. Britain has[...]

*) Zelenskyy urges UNSC to fix accountability Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the 15-member United Nations Security Council that "accountability must be inevitable" for Russia. During an address, he accused Moscow's troops of committing what he described as "the most terrible war crimes" since World War Two. Zelenskyy questioned the value of the Security[...]

*) Zelenskyy to address UNSC Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the UN Security Council for the first time at a meeting that is certain to focus on what appear to be deliberate killings allegedly by the Russian forces in the town of Bucha on the outskirts of the capital Kiev. The discovery after the[...]

*) Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘genocide’ Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of "genocide" as disturbing images of mass graves in Bucha emerge. On Sunday, the bodies of at least 410 civilians were recovered in the city of Bucha near the Ukrainian capital Kiev after the withdrawal of Russian forces. The UN calls for[...]

*) Ukraine president warns Russian forces regrouping to attack south Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is preparing "powerful strikes" in the country's south, including besieged Mariupol. In peace talks, Russia has said it will scale back attacks on the capital Kiev and the city of Chernihiv. But Ukrainian and Western officials dismiss[...]