World News

EU warns Lebanon’s leaders of sanctions over ‘home-made’ crisis

The European Union's foreign policy chief told Lebanon's leaders on Saturday they were to blame for the country's political and economic crisis and some could face sanctions if they continue…

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UPDATED: Israel says COVID-19 vaccines rejected by Palestinians were safe

COVID-19 vaccines delivered by Israel and then rejected by the Palestinian Authority (PA) over their expiration date were fine, the Israeli health ministry said on Saturday. Israel and the PA…

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Photo Story – General strike in Lebanon

A roadblock made of garbage bins during a general strike, in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 June 2021. The strike was called by the General Labor Union in all Lebanese governorates to…

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Israel to give Palestinians 1 mln COVID vaccine doses in exchange deal

Israel will give at least 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Palestinian Authority (PA) under a deal to share shots, officials said on Friday, in a boost for the…

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Israel keen to establish ties with SE Asia’s Muslim nations

Israel is willing to work towards establishing ties with Southeast Asia's Muslim majority nations, its ambassador to Singapore said on Thursday, despite their condemnation in May of Israeli air strikes…

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UPDATED: Israel strikes Hamas sites over fire balloons, challenging truce

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas sites in Gaza on Wednesday after incendiary balloons were launched from the Palestinian enclave in the first such attacks since a fragile ceasefire ended 11 days…

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Photo Story – Reactions to Israel’s new unity government

Israeli activists and supporters of a new government during a rally outside the Israeli Knesset (parliament) ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the new government at the Israel Knesset in…

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New Israeli government approves nationalist march in Jerusalem

Israel's new government on Monday approved a Jewish nationalist march in Jerusalem, a step that risks inflaming tensions with Palestinians hours after veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu handed over power to…

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Who’s who in Israel’s new patchwork coalition government

Israel's new government is a hodgepodge of political parties that had little in common other than a desire to unseat veteran right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The coalition, sworn in…

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UPDATED: Israel’s new government begins, Netanyahu era ends

The first Israeli government in 12 years not led by Benjamin Netanyahu got down to business on Monday, with the former prime minister shying away from a handover ceremony with…

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New Israeli government wins majority vote, ending Netanyahu tenure

Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year run as Israel's prime minister ended on Sunday with parliament approving a new "government of change" led by nationalist Naftali Bennett. Heading into opposition, Netanyahu, 71, the…

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Out, but not down, Netanyahu could be tough opposition leader

Long the familiar face of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu is headed to the political sidelines after serving as prime minister for more than a decade. But even as he battles in…

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UPDATED: Israel’s Knesset to vote on new government, end Netanyahu’s record reign

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's record 12-year hold on power was set to end on Sunday when parliament votes on a new government, ushering in an administration that has pledged…

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New Israeli government seals coalition deals as Netanyahu era approaches its end

The new Israeli government set to end Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year tenure as prime minister signed its final coalition agreements on Friday, pointedly including term limits. The coalition of parties from…

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Netanyahu faces end of rule in parliamentary vote on new government

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an end to his long hold on power in Israel on Sunday when the country's legislature votes on approving an improbable government of diverse parties that came together to unseat him. "It's happening!"…

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French prosecutors open probe into Lebanese bank governor – AFP

French prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into money laundering allegations against Lebanon's central bank governor, Agence France-Presse reported on Sunday. Riad Salameh is under investigation in relation to possible…

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Israel domestic security warns of violence as Netanyahu faces unseating

The head of Israel's domestic security service issued a rare warning on Saturday of possible violence during one of the most politically charged periods in decades, with the country on…

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Lebanese president says central bank directive on bank withdrawals still in force

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Thursday a directive allowing depositors to withdraw from their dollar accounts at a fixed rate of 3,900 to the dollar was still in force.…

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Israel is set for a change of government. Who? When? Why?

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is on the verge of being toppled from power after more than a decade in office. The 71-year-old right-winger looks set to be ousted…

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Netanyahu, fighting for political life, hits back at deal to unseat him

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday fought back against an agreement by his political opponents for a government of left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties aimed at unseating him. Netanyahu,…

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UPDATED: Israel’s opposition declares new government, set to unseat Netanyahu

Israel's opposition leader moved closer to unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announcing an agreement with a coalition of diverse political allies to form a new government. But the fragile alliance,…

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Lebanon’s caretaker PM calls on ‘friends’ to stand by Lebanese

Lebanon is "in the heart of great danger", and needs friendly countries to save it, the caretaker prime minister, Hassan Diab, said on Wednesday. "Either you save it now before it's too…

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Israel to gradually end jobless benefits as economy recovers

Israel will gradually end jobless benefits as the economy begins recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, starting with people younger than 28 and without children, the Finance Ministry said. The government…

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UPDATED: Israel sees probable link between Pfizer vaccine and heart inflammation cases

Israel's Health Ministry said on Tuesday it had found the small number of heart inflammation cases observed mainly in young men who received Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in Israel were likely…

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Israel’s Lapid enlists Gantz, moves closer to unseating Netanyahu

Israel's opposition leader moved closer to unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after agreeing terms with several parties, including one led by Defence Minister Benny Gantz, for a proposed…

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UPDATED: Veteran politician Herzog elected president of Israel

Israel's parliament on Wednesday elected former centre-left politician Isaac Herzog as the country's president, a role that is largely ceremonial but also meant to promote unity among ethnic and religious…

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Netanyahu’s disparate rivals try to nail down pact to unseat him

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rivals on Monday sought to finalise a unity coalition that would unseat the veteran Israeli leader, but political commentators saw a bitter fight ahead. Centrist opposition chief…

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Netanyahu’s grip on power loosens as rival moves to unseat him

Far-right party leader Naftali Bennett threw his crucial support on Sunday behind a "unity government" in Israel to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in what would be the end of…

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End of Netanyahu era could be in the cards in Israeli political drama

Israel was gripped by political drama on Sunday over the possibly imminent end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's record run as the country's leader. After four inconclusive parliamentary elections in…

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Egypt’s foreign minister to meet Israeli counterpart on Sunday

Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry is due to meet his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi on Sunday for talks, Egypt's foreign ministry said on Saturday. Egypt is working with the United…

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Photo Story – Izz ad-Din al-Qassam fighters parade in Southern Gaza strip

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam brigade fighters, the military wing of Hamas, parade to commemorate the al-Qassam fighters who were killed during the recent conflict in Gaza City, 27 May 2021 (issued…

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Lebanon’s central bank says not enough reserves for medical supplies

Lebanon's central bank said that a system for importing subsidised medical goods could not be sustained without using its mandatory reserves and asked the relevant authorities to find a solution…

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Syria’s Assad wins 4th term with 95% of vote

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad won a fourth term in office with 95.1% of the votes in an election that will extend his rule over a country ruined by war but…

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UN rights council votes for probe into ‘crimes’ committed in Gaza conflict

The United Nations Human Rights Council agreed on Thursday to launch an international investigation into crimes committed during the 11-day conflict between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza. By a vote of 24 states in favour,…

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Photo Story – A Palestinian barber works amid the rubble of his destroyed shop

Palestinian barber Hashim Al-Jarousha works amid the rubble of his destroyed shop in the north of Gaza City, 25 May 2021. Stylist barber shop of Hashim Al-Jarousha was destroyed after…

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UPDATED: Syrians go to the polls in election that Assad is set to win

Polling stations opened on Wednesday across Syria in a presidential election that is set to usher Bashar al-Assad into a fourth term in office. The government says the election shows…

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Blinken seeks to bolster ceasefire with Gaza visit

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a Middle East visit in Israel this morning, seeking to bolster its ceasefire with Gaza's ruling Hamas group and help speed humanitarian aid to the devastated…

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Photo Story – Egyptian aid to Gaza

Trucks carrying Egyptian aid after arriving at Rafah border between Egypt and Gaza Strip, southern Gaza Strip, 23 May 2021 (issued 24 May 2021). More than 120 Egyptian aid trucks…

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds, U.N. to launch Gaza aid appeal

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held into a fourth day on Monday as mediators spoke to all sides about extending the period of calm after the worst outbreak of…

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Israel to end COVID-19 restrictions after vaccine success

Israel will end local COVID-19 restrictions following a successful vaccine rollout that has nearly stamped out new infections, the country's Health Ministry said on Sunday. With the majority of the…

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Israel reopens borders to small groups of foreign tourists

Israel reopened its borders to foreign tourists on Sunday after a fall in COVID-19 infections but said it would take time for visitors to start arriving and to revive the…

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U.N. Security Council urges ‘full adherence’ to Israeli Hamas ceasefire

The United Nations Security Council on Saturday called for “the full adherence” to a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and stressed the immediate need…

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Lebanon’s president did not mean to revoke Hariri’s mandate, son-in-law says

Lebanese President Michel Aoun did not intend to revoke prime minister designate Saad Hariri's mandate when he wrote to parliament last week declaring that Hariri could not form a government,…

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UPDATED: Gaza ceasefire holding, Blinken to visit Israel, West Bank

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip held into Saturday as officials said Egyptian mediators conferred with the sides on securing longer-term calm. The ceasefire…

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Lebanon president says PM-designate incapable of forming cabinet

Lebanon's parliament will convene on Friday to discuss a letter written by the president saying Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri had shown he was incapable of forming a government that could…

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UPDATED – Israel and Hamas agree Gaza truce, to be monitored by Egypt

Israel and Hamas will cease fire across the Gaza Strip border as of 2 a.m. on Friday (2300 GMT Thursday), an official with the Palestinian Islamist faction said, bringing a…

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U.S. says no to French push for U.N. Mideast action

The U.S. mission to the United Nations said it "will not support actions that we believe undermine efforts to de-escalate" violence between Israel and Palestinian militants when asked about a…

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U.N. chief Guterres calls Gaza ‘hell on earth’ for children

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday described Gaza as "hell on earth" for children, appealing to Israel for rapid and unhindered aid access and telling the 193-member General Assembly he…

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Photo Stories – Syrians abroad begin voting in presidential election

Syrian citizens vote in the Syrian presidential elections at a polling station set up in the Syrian embassy in the town of Yarzeh, eastern Beirut, Lebanon, 20 May 2021. Hundreds…

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Germany’s foreign minister defends Israel’s right to self-defence

Israel's right to defend itself includes the right to destroy infrastructure from which future attacks can be launched, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday at the start of…

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UPDATED: Renewed violence over Gaza despite ceasefire moves gaining speed

Diplomatic moves towards a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict gathered pace on Thursday after U.S. President Joe Biden called for a de-escalation, but Israel kept up its bombardment of Gaza…

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Biden tells Netanyahu he wants “de-escalation” of Israel-Gaza fighting

U.S. President Joe Biden pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reduce tensions in the Gaza conflict on the path to a ceasefire, a White House spokeswoman said.…

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Lebanese president seeks to avert crisis with Gulf over minister’s comments

Lebanon's president said on Tuesday that critical comments made by the foreign minister about Gulf states did not reflect official policy, seeking to avoid further strain on ties with countries…

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World powers urge truce as Israel-Palestinian conflict rages

Israel bombarded Gaza with air strikes and Palestinian militants resumed cross-border rocket fire on Tuesday after a brief overnight lull during which the U.N. sent a small fuel convoy into…

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Learning to live together, instead of tearing each other apart, is the main challenge of the 21st century – Minister Bartolo

27 years ago, accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for their efforts to try and make peace between Israelis and Palestinians, Shimon Peres said:…

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EU to seek Israel-Palestinian peace talks with US, Russia – Malta foreign Minister Bartolo

An emergency European Union video meeting on Tuesday is set to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, offer more humanitarian aid and try to relaunch…

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In first, Gaza logs no deaths from overnight Israeli strikes

Gaza health officials said on Tuesday they had no reports of Palestinians killed overnight in ongoing Israeli strikes on the enclave, the first apparent reduction of casualties since fighting erupted…

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