Middle East Monitor Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa

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  Floods kill 5, including 4 children, leave 5 missing in Syria

  by Marwa A on October 29, 2026

  Five people, including four children, were killed and five others are missing after heavy rainfall and flash floods hit several Syrian provinces, the Emergency and Disaster Management Ministry said Thursday, Anadolu reports. It said the deaths were recorded in the countryside of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, while five people were reported missing in the rural areas of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo, according to Syria’s SANA news agency. Search operations for the missing are continuing in coordination with relevant authorities, it added. Civil Defense teams rescued 25 people trapped by floodwaters or whose vehicles became stranded in Raqqa in northern Syria, Deir ez-Zor in the east and Homs in central Syria. The ministry said emergency teams remain deployed in affected

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  Qatar denies interfering in Israeli elections

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Qatar on Thursday denied allegations that it interfered in Israel’s elections or funded activities aimed at influencing their outcome, Anadolu reports. “We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities intended to influence their outcome,” Majed al-Ansari, adviser to the prime minister and spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said in a statement. Ansari accused certain Israeli politicians and media figures of using Qatar as a “scapegoat” for their political failures, calling the allegations “ridiculous and dangerous.” The denial follows allegations by Israeli politicians linking Qatar to suspected foreign interference in the election, after election committee chairman Noam Sohlberg asked security agency Shin Bet to investigate suspicions of “hostile foreign interference” favoring Arab parties. READ: Barghouti

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  Beyond Netanyahu: what Israel’s election means for Palestinians

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  In the past, many Palestinians and Arabs followed Israeli elections closely. They did so not because they entertained illusions that a Zionist leader would deliver peace and justice, dismantle the occupation or remove illegal settlements. Rather, they feared that some Israeli leaders were worse than others. They hoped to avert the worst-case scenario. Over time, however, that distinction gave way to the belief that all Israeli leaders were essentially the same. This is not pessimism. It is experience. Consider, for example, the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements during the Oslo peace process under Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Between 1992 and 1995, the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, increased from 111,673 to 140,235 –

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  Belgian universities challenge EU Commission’s position on Israeli academic cooperation

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Belgium’s Flemish universities said Thursday they had filed a complaint against the European Commission over a lack of clear guidance on research partnerships with Israeli institutions, Anadolu reports. The complaint was submitted to the European Ombudsman through the Flemish Interuniversity Council, which represents the universities. The universities are seeking a common European framework outlining how human rights and international law obligations are considered in EU-funded research projects, particularly regarding cooperation with Israeli entities. They also want clarity on whether universities could face financial penalties or compensation claims for withdrawing from partnerships over potential human rights violations. READ: Belgium says violence against Palestinians ‘unacceptable,’ urges halt to settlement policy “We have repeatedly asked the European Commission for clarification since May 2024. However,

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  Iranian president says regional countries can ensure security without US involvement

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Countries in the region are capable of ensuring their own security through cooperation without US involvement, said Iran’s president on Thursday, Anadolu reports. Speaking at an event marking a local holiday, Masoud Pezeshkian addressed regional issues and called for closer cooperation among neighboring countries, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency. “We are brothers with all the countries around us, and we are all Muslims. Therefore, we can help one another and ensure the security of our region,” he said. “Regional countries do not need the US to come from the other side of the world under the pretext of providing security,” Pezeshkian said. READ: Qatar-led mediators push for US-Iran deal to avert new strikes: Report He also criticized Washington’s

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  Over 233,000 double-envelope ballots counted in Israeli election, nearly 50% of total

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  More than 233,000 double-envelope ballots, nearly 50% of the total, have been counted in Israel’s elections, Israeli media reported Thursday. A total of 233,815 double-envelope ballots have been counted out of nearly 500,000, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Double-envelope ballots are used by voters casting their ballots away from their registered polling stations, including soldiers, diplomats, police officers, and displaced residents. Officials check identification details on the outer envelope to prevent duplicate voting, then separate it from the anonymous ballot before counting. The remaining votes could change individual parties’ seat totals and the balance between the rival blocs. READ: Israeli president urges every effort to avoid another election The Central Elections Committee estimates that the double-envelope vote count will conclude later

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  Gaza Fishermen Recycle 50-Year-Old Cement from the Sea

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  WATCH: Untold Palestine document stories of 1,000 martyrs told by their loved ones  

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  America’s hegemonic gamble: how a third war could push Iran towards nuclear weapons

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  The most dangerous moment for a dominant power comes when it considers continuing a war necessary to vindicate the decision to begin it. At that point, every inadequate outcome can become an argument for a larger attack. Past costs raise the demand for victory, even as the conditions for achieving it grow more difficult. America is approaching such a point in its confrontation with Iran: a war intended to demonstrate its capacity to exercise power has become a test of that power’s credibility. The Atlantic’s report of 22 October offers a clear account of this calculation. Drawing on conversations with officials and people familiar with the discussions, it describes a belief in US President Donald Trump’s circle that economic pressure

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  Israeli opposition leader Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of seeking to delay election results

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to delay the announcement of election results and undermine the legitimacy of the incoming Knesset, as complaints of foreign interference in the vote triggered a political dispute, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Eisenkot accused Netanyahu and his allies of carrying out an “improper influence operation” aimed at delaying the results beyond their scheduled announcement and creating pretexts to delegate the work of the incoming Knesset. He also called for a “comprehensive, immediate and impartial investigation” into suspected “foreign interference.” The dispute followed a letter sent Thursday by Judge Noam Sohlberg, the chair of Israel’s election committee, to Shin Bet security agency chief David Zini asking him to

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  Lebanese president urges end to Israeli attacks, warns against military solution

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday called for an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to diplomatic and negotiated solutions, Anadolu reports. “Permanent stability cannot be achieved through military force alone,” Aoun said during a meeting with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali-Radovan and her delegation at the presidential palace, according to a statement from his media office. He called for “greater European support” for the Lebanese army and security institutions, describing such assistance as “a direct investment in the stability of Lebanon and the region.” Regarding southern Lebanon, Aoun stressed the need to stop Israeli attacks, saying Lebanon had raised four key issues: a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, border demarcation and the

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  Declared 38 years ago, denied since: the Algiers Declaration remains a milestone in the Palestinian struggle

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  On 15 November, 1988, in Algiers, Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), stood before the Palestine National Council, the PLO’s parliament-in-exile, and proclaimed the Palestinian Declaration of Independence. Drafted by the celebrated late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, the text claimed sovereignty over the territories Israel occupied in 1967 – the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Some 75 countries recognised the declaration within a month, and more than 90 had done so by early 1989, giving the Palestinian national movement unprecedented diplomatic momentum. Yet nearly four decades later, Palestinian statehood remains unrealised on the ground. This historic declaration did not emerge in a vacuum but rather after a long fight against Israeli occupation. Two distinct developments forced

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  Yemen escalation kills nearly 1,700, injures over 7,000 since August: UN agency

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Nearly 1,700 people have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in Yemen since August amid a military escalation, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday, Anadolu reports. In a report, the agency recorded 1,677 deaths and 7,395 injuries during the period, including 559 casualties between Oct. 20 and 25 alone, averaging about 93 casualties a day. Fighting continued during the reporting period in the governorates of Taiz, Lahj, and Marib, while lower casualty figures were recorded in Aden, Al-Dhalea, and Shabwa, according to the report. The WHO said it delivered 56 trauma and emergency kits to the city of Taiz on Oct. 24, including 46 kits for trauma care and 10 for emergency health services. The delivery also included

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  Israel Can’t Vote Its Way Out of Apartheid | Palestine This Week

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  In this episode, we discuss Israel’s election results and ask why Netanyahu’s opponents would rather exclude Arab parties than work with them to remove him. We examine Palestinian voter turnout, Israel’s growing isolation and World Jewish Congress president and former Netanyahu confidant Ron Lauder’s claim that Israel wants dominance, not peace. We also look at lessons from Brazil and Serbia, Iran’s place in regional security, and the controversy over Lana Nusseibeh’s UN bid and the UAE’s alleged role in Sudan’s atrocities.     WATCH: War Without End: How Israel Now Sees Its Future | Palestine This Week

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  Shell profits double as Middle East conflict pushes up energy prices

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  British energy giant Shell said Thursday its quarterly adjusted net income doubled to $10.8 billion from $5.4 billion a year earlier, amid soaring oil and gas prices driven by the Middle East conflict, Anadolu reports. The company’s reported net profit reached $12.1 billion, while revenue stood at nearly $93 billion, according to its latest quarterly financial results. Energy prices rose amid attacks on refineries in the Middle East and Russia, as well as disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. Reduced refinery output has tightened supplies of refined petroleum products, including gasoline and diesel, pushing up prices and benefiting energy trading companies such as Shell. READ: Oil prices jump after US orders diplomats to leave Middle

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  Israel continues raids in occupied West Bank, arrests 13 Palestinians

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Israeli security forces arrested at least 13 Palestinians on Thursday in raids across the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian sources. Those arrested included three brothers, the Prisoners’ Media Office and local sources said. Paramedic and anti-settlement activist Bashar al-Qaryouti was also arrested, the sources reported. In Hebron, Israeli forces continued raids and closures for the seventh consecutive day, shutting iron gates around the Old City and seizing Palestinian homes in the Jalda and Ain Deir Baha neighborhoods for use as military barracks, local sources told Anadolu. The Hebron Municipality said Tuesday that the raids had displaced nearly 5,000 Palestinians, making up 780 families. READ: Israeli army detains 11 international activists supporting Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank The offensive began

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  Israel kills 4 Palestinians in strike on government post in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  The death toll from an Israeli strike on a government post in the Gaza Strip rose to four, with 30 Palestinians wounded, including six in critical condition, the Gaza government media office said Thursday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the office said the strike targeted a work post belonging to the Economy Ministry in the al-Mawasi area, west of Rafah, killing four government employees and wounding 30 others. On Wednesday, medical sources told Anadolu that the Israeli strike on the government post in al-Mawasi had killed three people and wounded 15. The government media office said the attack is “a new crime and a horrific massacre” targeting a group of civilian public-sector employees. READ: UNICEF says 351 children killed in Gaza

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  Over 29,000 double-envelope ballots counted in Israeli election, around 6% of total

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  More than 29,000 double-envelope ballots, around 6% of the total, have been counted in Israel’s elections, with the Central Elections Committee expecting the count to conclude by the afternoon, Israeli media reported Thursday. A total of 29,253 double-envelope ballots have been counted out of nearly 500,000, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth noted. Double-envelope ballots are used by voters casting their votes away from their registered polling stations, including soldiers, diplomats, police officers, and displaced residents. Officials check identification details on the outer envelope to prevent duplicate voting, then separate it from the anonymous ballot before counting. The remaining votes could change individual parties’ seat totals and the balance between the rival blocs. READ: Israel’s final election results expected Thursday evening: Election official

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John Fozzei Miller: Why Strategists Think Trump Has Lost The War?

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Col. William Keegan: What Will a Second Military Strike Achieve the First Didn’t?

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  Iran’s army says it downed MQ-1 drone east of Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intercepted and destroyed an MQ-1 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday, citing the force. The IRGC said the drone was the 14th MQ-1 to be intercepted and destroyed by its air defense system. According to ISNA, the incident took place in the skies east of the Strait of Hormuz, opposite the coastal area of Sirik. The MQ-1 drone is a US-made unmanned aerial vehicle, although the IRGC did not specify the drone’s operator in its statement. The incident comes amid growing signs of a possible new round of US and Israeli offensive action against Iran. READ: Iranian parliament speaker threatens ‘unpredictable’ response to any attack, warns US

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  Sudan accuses Ethiopia of allowing drone attacks to be launched from its territory

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Sudan accused Ethiopia of allowing its territory to serve as a launchpad for drones recently used in attacks against the country, with a senior Sudanese Foreign Ministry official calling the alleged launches “a dangerous development that could undermine security and stability in the region,” Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Muawiya Osman Khalid made the remarks at a seminar hosted by the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) in Khartoum on allegations of Ethiopian support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the agency reported. “Ethiopia has not been deterred and has continued its aggression against Sudan,” Khalid said. He said Sudan reserved the right to protect itself and keep the international community informed, urging international justice institutions to act to halt aggression.

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  Over 135,000 displaced in Yemen’s Taiz province in 2 months: Minister

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  More than 135,000 people were displaced in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province over a roughly two-month period, a minister said Wednesday, citing government figures that also recorded 79 civilian deaths and 206 injuries, Anadolu reports. Social Affairs and Labor Minister Mukhtar Omar Saleh Al-Yafei presented the figures at a government news conference in the temporary capital Aden, according to Yemen’s SABA news agency. The figures cover Aug. 10 to Oct. 15, a period of military escalation and a siege that the government accuses the Houthi group of imposing on parts of the province. Al-Yafei said field monitoring recorded the displacement of 19,600 families comprising 135,587 people, including 52,979 children. The ministry documented 494 violations against civilians during the same period, including

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  Israeli channel reports proposed Netanyahu-Eisenkot power-sharing deal

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  An Israeli television channel reported Wednesday that a power-sharing deal is taking shape under which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lead the next government for two years before handing power to opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot in exchange for retiring from politics and receiving a full pardon in connection with his ongoing corruption cases. Israel’s Channel 14 reported that President Isaac Herzog is currently seeking to advance the proposed arrangement, which could pave the way for the formation of the next government following Tuesday’s inconclusive parliamentary elections. According to Channel 14, Herzog has been promoting the arrangement for two years, well before the election campaign and the announcement of the results. The channel suggested that the proposal could become a viable

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  Qatar-led mediators push for US-Iran deal to avert new strikes: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Regional mediators led by Qatar are working to restart negotiations between the US and Iran to prevent a resumption of the war, the Axios news site reported Wednesday. They are urging Tehran to allow UN inspectors to visit bombed nuclear sites in return for some relief from US sanctions, according to the report, which cited US, Israeli and regional sources. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye are supporting the effort, it said. US President Donald Trump told Axios that talks with Iran are taking place through mediators but said he does not know whether they will succeed. “We need to finish the job — either through a deal or another way — we will find out if negotiations can succeed,”

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  Israeli forces demolish residential building, bulldoze land in Bethlehem’s al-Walaja

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished an occupied residential building and bulldozed agricultural land in the village of al-Walaja, north-west of Bethlehem, on Wednesday, displacing five families and destroying dozens of fruit trees and agricultural facilities, local sources said. The sources said the three-storey building belonged to four brothers, Yahya, Mustafa, Hamza and Mohammed Yousef Rabah, with each floor covering about 170 square metres. The building housed five families comprising 12 people, putting them at risk of losing their homes and belongings, the sources added. READ: Palestinian Rights Commission calls for international investigation into home demolitions and forced evacuations in Hebron Israeli forces also bulldozed half a dunum of land belonging to Khaled Mousa al-A’araj, uprooting more than 50 olive and almond trees. They

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  Kuwait summons Iranian ambassador after Tehran denies assassination plot

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  Kuwait summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Totonchi on Wednesday to protest against Tehran’s denial that an Iranian citizen was involved in an alleged plot to assassinate senior Kuwaiti officials. Iran’s embassy rejected the allegation, saying the individual concerned had not been in Kuwait for 10 years and describing the accusations as false. The dispute follows a Kuwaiti court ruling on Monday sentencing three defendants to death for alleged espionage for Iran and Hezbollah and plotting to assassinate senior officials, including First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Fahad Al-Yousef. Eight other defendants received five-year prison sentences, Kuwaiti media reported. READ: Egypt, Kuwait and Arab League condemn Colombian Embassy opening in Jerusalem Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television identified one of those sentenced to death

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  Joint Arab List ready to help bring down Netanyahu government

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  The Joint Arab List is ready to use its political and parliamentary tools to help end Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule and pave the way for an alternative government, its leader Yousef Jabareen said on Wednesday, hours before the counting of votes in Israel’s election was due to be completed. Jabareen said the list sought to use its political influence to affect the election results and the formation of the next government. He stressed that any alternative political arrangements must take the demands of the Palestinian Arab community in Israel into account. READ: Netanyahu’s bloc projected to secure 54 seats, Eisenkot-led bloc 49 as Israeli vote count reaches 84% The list’s demands include a funded plan to combat crime and

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  Barghouti says Israeli election results show sharp shift towards extremism and fascism

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  The preliminary results of Israel’s elections point to a sharp shift towards greater racism, extremism and fascism, Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative (PNI), said on Wednesday. He said intensifying rivalries between political camps in Israel did not indicate any fundamental change in their positions on the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Barghouti stressed that Palestinians, wherever they live, would remain the main force resisting growing Israeli racism. He said Palestinians were engaged in a single, unified national struggle against the occupation, despite differences in their circumstances and locations. READ: Israeli president urges every effort to avoid another election He said this struggle was reflected in the resilience of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and their resistance

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  Trump appoints Biden-era official to Gaza Board of Peace

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  The Board of Peace established by US President Donald Trump has appointed Shelley Greenspan, a former White House liaison to the Jewish community under President Joe Biden, to lead efforts to secure congressional support for Trump’s Gaza plan, Axios reported. The appointment comes as implementation of the plan remains stalled, with renewed efforts expected after the US midterm elections and the formation of a new Israeli government. Axios said the prospect of Democrats gaining control of either chamber of Congress could increase the need for bipartisan backing. The report attributed the delay partly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reluctance to take steps in Gaza before Israel’s elections. Greenspan, a US State Department official, said she believed the plan could

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  Trump pressures Netanyahu to exclude Ben-Gvir and paves way for unity government

  by EditorMehdi on October 29, 2026

  US President Donald Trump is closely monitoring the results of Israel’s elections and their political implications through his aides, as neither of the two political blocs appears to have a clear majority to form the next government. Sources close to Trump said the US president wants to oversee the formation of Israel’s next government and prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from including Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) party, and possibly Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, in the governing coalition. According to the sources, Trump is personally following developments in Israel’s electoral landscape through various channels, indicating his administration’s interest in the composition and political direction of the next government. Sources close to Trump

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  Putin says trade turnover with Egypt ‘growing steadily’ despite regional tensions

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia’s trade turnover with Egypt is “growing steadily” despite regional tensions, as he met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Moscow, Anadolu reports. In opening remarks during the talks, held on the sidelines of the two-day Russia-Africa summit that began in Moscow earlier Wednesday, Putin said joint efforts have accomplished a great deal since the first summit in 2019, as shown by the growth in trade between Russia and Africa. “Since 2022, the total volume has increased by 50%, surpassing $27 billion. Egypt accounts for a significant portion of this trade turnover,” said Putin, noting that there is much “common ground” between Russia and the continent on development priorities. Noting that, together with their

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  ‘Not acceptable’: UN rights chief slams US sanctions on world body’s rapporteur

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Wednesday called sanctions imposed on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese “not acceptable,” Anadolu reports. “You can agree or disagree with someone, but you should never ever sanction them,” said Turk in response to a question from Anadolu at a news conference in New York. “They were appointed by the Human Rights Council as independent experts, and the sanction is just not acceptable,” he said. He said the sanctions on Albanese and the International Criminal Court (ICC) “are not in line with international law from our perspective.” “Our call to member states is always to ensure that such sanctions are not only lifted, but that they also use their influence that they get lifted,”

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  Ethiopia receives 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets, plans to acquire S-400 air defenses

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced Wednesday that Ethiopia has received 12 advanced Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets and plans to acquire four S-400 air defense systems, Anadolu reports. The announcement comes as tensions with neighboring Eritrea and renewed fighting in the northern Tigray region raise fears of a wider conflict in the Horn of Africa. “Ethiopia’s newly deployed military jets will remain more ready than ever to defend the airspace!” Abiy wrote on US social media platform X. He said the fighter jets were delivered under an earlier agreement with Moscow, and the S-400 air defense systems are expected to arrive later. “I would like to express my gratitude to my friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his dedication in ensuring

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  Iranian foreign minister says Tehran in talks with mediators to implement 7-day plan with US

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that Iran is in contact with mediators to review proposals to implement a seven-day plan with the US, Anadolu reports. Araghchi wrote on US social media company X that Tehran continues to give diplomacy a chance despite tensions with Washington. “While our Brave Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the Homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed,” he said. “We remain in close and ongoing contact with intermediaries to review ideas that can ensure implementation of our 7-Day Plan in even less than a week.” Iran’s seven-day plan, presented to Washington through Qatari mediators in September, proposes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations with the US within a

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  Yemeni army claims 239 Houthis neutralized in 749 operations over 24 hours

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Yemen’s armed forces said they neutralized 239 Houthi commanders and fighters in 749 operations targeting the group’s military positions across several fronts during 24 hours as part of Operation Dawn of Yemen, Anadolu reports. Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili, spokesman for the armed forces, said on US social media company X that the operations targeted Houthi command centers, fortifications, firing positions, reinforcements and supply routes. He said the attacks disrupted Houthi field command operations, suppressed firing positions and prevented frontline units from receiving reinforcements and supplies. The operations resulted in the neutralization of 239 Houthi commanders and fighters, while 117 military vehicles and pieces of combat equipment were destroyed or damaged, according to the spokesman. Army units and allied Popular Resistance

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  World Food Program chief calls Gaza hunger ‘unacceptable’; vows to protect aid workers

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  The UN World Food Program (WFP) chief Luke Lindberg said Wednesday that the hunger situation in the Gaza Strip is “unacceptable” as he pledged to defend his staff against attacks, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, Lindberg said that “there is a very serious need” in Gaza, citing funding cuts as a major constraint on the agency’s work. Asked how he would address Israeli troops firing on WFP convoys, given his White House connections, Lindberg said staff security is “the number one concern for me.” “I will absolutely stand up for our employees, no matter where on Earth they are located,” he said. He added that “if anywhere in the world there are

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  Syria summons Jordanian ambassador for ‘deadly’ airstrikes in Daraa

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Syria summoned Jordan’s ambassador to Damascus on Wednesday and handed him a formal protest note for Jordanian airstrikes that killed civilians, including children, in the southern Daraa province, according to a statement by the ministry’s media department carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The Foreign Ministry summoned Sufian al-Qudah and delivered the note regarding the strikes on civilian sites. The move came the day after Syria and Jordan agreed to establish a joint security committee to investigate the airstrikes and strengthen coordination to protect civilians and safeguard Syrian sovereignty. The agreement followed a call late Tuesday between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi. Safadi expressed deep regret for casualties and offered condolences to

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  Sudan accuses over 20 countries of involvement in ongoing war

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Sudan’s defense minister accused more than 20 countries on Wednesday of involvement in the country’s ongoing war by supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Anadolu reports. Speaking to the Sudan News Agency, Hassan Daoud Kabroun said the countries were providing the RSF with logistical support, mercenaries, funding and drones. He did not name the countries allegedly involved. “What is happening is not a civil war or a struggle for power, but a comprehensive war aimed at destroying Sudan, plundering its resources and changing its demographic composition,” Kabroun said. The Sudanese army and the RSF have been fighting since April 2023, when disagreements over the integration of military forces escalated into war. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of

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  Former US officials who resigned over Gaza urge 2028 presidential candidates to reject architects of Biden-era policy

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  A group of former US government officials who resigned because of Washington’s policy in the Gaza Strip has urged candidates seeking the 2028 presidential nomination to pledge not to appoint officials they said enabled Israel’s genocide in the enclave, Anadolu reports. “Senior Biden Administration officials who were architects of the Gaza policy are now actively white-washing their own roles in enabling genocide,” Gaza Resignees said in a statement signed by 12 former officials. “They violated U.S. and international law by providing U.S. weapons while Israel indiscriminately and disproportionately attacked civilians and civilian infrastructure, and as Israel arbitrarily blocked humanitarian assistance to Gaza,” it said. The signatories include former State Department officials Josh Paul, Annelle Sheline and Stacy Gilbert, former diplomats

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  Canadian advocates, academics urge reassessment of refused study permits for Palestinian students from Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Rights advocates, academics and a Canadian party leader urged the government on Wednesday to reassess refused study permit applications from Palestinian graduate students accepted into Canadian universities, warning that promises of fair treatment have not been kept, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa on behalf of the Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network (PSSAR), Baher Abdulhai said: “Despite repeated assurances from government officials, students from Gaza are receiving refusals, rather than the fair resolutions they were promised.” “What began as a crisis of endless processing times and delays turned into a crisis of fairness and accountability. Unfortunately, the government’s commitments have not translated into results,” he said. Abdulhai said that of 37 students outside the Gaza

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  Israeli president urges every effort to avoid another election

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday urged political parties to make every effort to avoid another election after preliminary results left neither main bloc with a parliamentary majority, Anadolu reports. “Everything must be done, especially after yesterday, to avoid repeating another election,” Herzog told reporters in remarks carried by Israeli public broadcaster KAN. He said he would begin consultations with parliamentary factions next week after receiving the official election results from the Central Elections Committee. “I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind,” Herzog said. He said he would listen to each faction, ask questions and hold discussions before deciding which lawmaker to task with forming a government. Under Israel’s basic law governing government formation, the

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  Israeli military demolishes homes of two Palestinian prisoners in West Bank village of Beita

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished two homes belonging to Palestinian prisoners in the occupied West Bank town of Beita, south of Nablus, on Wednesday, using heavy explosives to detonate one structure and a bulldozer to flatten the other, according to local officials. Israeli troops entered the village and ordered the families of Ibrahim Abdulkerim Davud and Zakaria Muhammed Davud to evacuate their residences prior to the demolitions, local sources reported. Davud’s house was blown up using explosives, while Zakaria Davud’s house was demolished with a bulldozer. READ: UN commission reports more than 1,000 Palestinians killed in West Bank since October 2023 The two men have been held in Israeli custody since January following their arrest on suspicion of carrying out a shooting attack

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  Israel’s final election results expected Thursday evening: Election official

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Israel’s final parliamentary election results are expected Thursday evening, Israeli news website Ynet reported Wednesday, citing an election official, Anadolu reports. Elad Naveh, director of the Central Elections Committee’s control center, said counting of more than 500,000 special double-envelope ballots would begin Wednesday evening and was expected to be completed Thursday evening, although the process could continue until Friday. The special ballots were cast by voters outside their registered polling stations, including soldiers, diplomats, police officers and displaced residents. Under the system, voters place their ballot inside an envelope, which is then placed in a second envelope containing their identification details to prevent duplicate voting. READ: Arab Joint List extends hand to Eisenkot’s bloc to oust Netanyahu gov’t As of the

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  Iraq, Syria discuss oil exports via Baniyas pipeline with capacity of 2M barrels per day

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa discussed Wednesday exporting Iraqi oil through the Baniyas pipeline, and efforts to strengthen economic and security cooperation, according to a statement from the Iraqi prime minister’s media office, Anadolu reports. The discussions took place during expanded talks between delegations from both countries in Damascus. The talks addressed “exporting Iraqi oil through the Baniyas pipeline with an export capacity of up to 2 million barrels per day,” as well as increasing trade, it said, but provided no details on the project’s technical requirements, financing or implementation timeline. The two sides also discussed joint efforts to develop the agricultural sector to achieve greater food and economic integration. Zaidi described Iraqis and Syrians

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  Meet the shortlisted authors of Palestine Book Awards 2026

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Join us for an evening of celebration with the shortlisted authors for Palestine Book Awards 2026! The evening is a chance for you to discuss with the shortlisted authors their works, inspirations and to network with them. Author Hazem Jamjoum will host the event. We will be joined by the following authors: Paul Kohlbry, Samer Al Saber, Nora Lester Murad and Thomas Suarez. The event will be held on Thursday, 12th November 2026 at 6.30pm in P21 Gallery, London, NW1 1JD.   BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET   Please note: Having a ticket does not guarantee entry. Seats will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis so we advise you to be on time when registration opens to avoid disappointment. READ: Announcing the Shortlist

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  Up to 50,000 flee Ethiopia clashes into Kenya, urgently need aid: UN refugee agency

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Up to 50,000 people have crossed from Ethiopia into neighboring Kenya since Thursday to escape ongoing clashes near the border, the UN refugee agency said Wednesday, warning of pressing humanitarian needs, Anadolu reports. UNHCR Representative in Kenya Fatima Mohammed-Cole said in a statement that the estimate came from local authorities and remained subject to verification as people continued to arrive. Many of those fleeing are women and children. Some are staying with relatives or host communities, while others have taken refuge in schools and churches, she said. Food is “the most urgent need,” followed by safe drinking water, emergency shelter, sanitation facilities and health care, according to the agency. UNHCR said it had deployed an emergency response team to the

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  Indonesia should stop selling palm oil to Israel

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Indonesian palm oil is still going to Israel. This week, new reports showed that thousands of tonnes are shipped there every year, even during the genocide in Gaza. The numbers come from Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture and its national statistics agency, Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Indonesia sent about 29,600 tonnes of palm oil products to Israel in 2023, about 22,400 tonnes in 2024 and about 19,500 tonnes in 2025. From January to August this year, another 10,400 tonnes went there, together with almost 4,900 tonnes of coconut products. In those eight months, the two products were worth about $20.8 million. Two economists from Widyatama University in Bandung found that from 2020 to 2025, Indonesia supplied on average 71 per cent of

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  Houthis call for evacuation of Yemen’s Aden airport amid escalation

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group urged civilians at Aden International Airport to “immediately evacuate” the facility amid an escalation in fighting between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis since July, Anadolu reports. “The armed forces reiterate their final call for those present at Aden Airport to immediately evacuate the airport due to the presence of a Saudi military cargo plane transporting weapons to kill the Yemeni people,” group spokesperson Yahya Saree wrote on Telegram. The statement came less than two hours after Saree issued a similar warning to civilians. There was no immediate comment from Saudi officials or the Yemeni government regarding the Houthi statement. Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in September

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  Arab Joint List extends hand to Eisenkot’s bloc to oust Netanyahu gov’t

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Ahmad Tibi, an Arab member of Israel’s Knesset and head of the predominantly Arab Joint List parliamentary bloc, said the bloc was extending its hand to the “change bloc” to oust the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports. The “change bloc” is an opposition alliance seeking to replace Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. It includes former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, Yair Golan’s Democrats, Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad, and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu. The “massive turnout among Arab citizens is a historic achievement for the Joint List, which answered the public’s call for unity and proved that it is a decisive force without which change is impossible,” Tibi said in a written statement received by Anadolu. “We

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  Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold silent protest in Netherlands’ Utrecht for 111 weeks

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered at Neude Square in Utrecht, the Netherlands, on Wednesday, continuing a silent protest held every weekday morning for 111 weeks against Israeli attacks in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. Carrying Palestinian flags and banners, protesters stood in the square from 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., calling for an end to the suffering of Palestinians and urging the Dutch government to take action. The demonstration began more than two years ago with a woman silently holding a small sign and has since grown into a solidarity group of around 150 people. Between 10 and 30 participants, including workers, students and retirees, take turns attending the daily protest. READ: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally at Columbia University on anniversary

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  Thinking a possible Netanyahu departure changes anything? Think again.

  by EditorMehdi on October 28, 2026

  The prospect of seeing the architect of Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people, Benjamin Netanyahu, ousted from political office would be a small, albeit completely pyrrhic, ‘victory’. This is a politician who has spent the past three years justifying industrial-scale levels of civilian slaughter, the enforced starvation of an entire civilian population and the complete levelling of the Gaza Strip. He has been the public face of Israel on the global stage for the best part of 20 years, rubbing shoulders with world leaders and garnering support for the expansion of Israel’s settler colonial mission in historic Palestine. As something of a political cockroach, he has managed to survive various high-profile scandals. These include criminal proceedings brought against him on