An Israeli court ruled Wednesday that a tanker of liquefied ammonia in the port city of Haifa must be emptied of its toxic content within 30 days. The container, which can hold 12,000 tonnes of the corrosive liquid, made headlines last year when Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon’s Shiite militia Hezbollah, said it would go … Read more
Israel’s army dispersed dozens of Lebanese demonstrators Saturday after they crossed the border protesting against the alleged installation of spying equipment in their village, the Israeli army and media said. “Dozens of people gathered at the border between Lebanon and Israel,” a military spokeswoman said. “Upon the group crossing of the international border, IDF forces … Read more
Israel’s environment ministry announced Wednesday it will not renew the license of an ammonia container in the port city of Haifa as it poses a potentially deadly threat to residents. The container, which holds 12,000 tonnes of the toxic, corrosive liquid, puts the public “at a risk we cannot accept”, the ministry said in a … Read more
Syrian government officials and opposition figures will gather in Geneva on Thursday for the fourth round of UN-brokered talks aimed at ending their country’s brutal six-year conflict. Here is a breakdown of the forces involved in the complex war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it broke out in 2011: The Syrian army’s … Read more
A wide array of Iraqi and international forces are involved in the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group, which overran the country’s second city in 2014. The eastern side of the city has now been retaken and, four months into the offensive on Mosul, Iraq announced Sunday that its forces were launching … Read more
French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen will visit Lebanon next week for talks with leaders of Paris’s former mandate territory, a Lebanese government source said Wednesday. “Madame Le Pen will be in Beirut on the 19th and 20th, and will meet (President Michel) Aoun and (Prime Minister Saad) Hariri on Monday,” the source told AFP, … Read more
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Monday he stood firm against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s “crimes”, at an event marking the anniversary of his father’s assassination that he has blamed on Damascus. Hariri, whose father Rafiq Hariri was killed along with 22 other people in a February 15, 2005 bomb blast on the Beirut seafront, … Read more
The US has imposed sanctions on the new vice-president of Venezuela, accusing him of involvement in international drug trafficking. The order adds Tareck el-Aissami to the US narcotics “kingpin” sanctions list “for playing a significant role in international narcotics trafficking”. Sanctions were also slapped on wealthy businessman Samark Bello, described as Mr Aissami’s “primary frontman”. … Read more
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who warmly welcomed Donald Trump’s election as US president, will visit the White House Wednesday to test his supportive campaign pledges against emerging policy. Since taking office, Trump has edged away from unqualified backing for Netanyahu’s drive for more Jewish settlement in territory the Palestinians claim for a state, and … Read more
Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Monday started his first visit to Cairo since his election in October and held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. “Hopes of the role that Egypt could play are high. An Egypt of moderation and openness… could launch an Arab rescue initiative based on a strategy to fight … Read more
The head of Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah movement on Sunday urged the government to coordinate with Damascus to help refugees to return now that “large areas” of Syria are “safe”. In a televised address, Hassan Nasrallah said Syrian refugees should not be coerced into going home, but added that a string of “victories” by President Bashar … Read more
The stunning postcard-perfect vista surrounding Misael Lopez in this town about one hour from Madrid belies his constant anxiety, even fear. That’s because the former legal adviser to the Venezuelan Embassy in Iraq is revealing secrets he says his government doesn’t want disclosed. “I’m concerned about my safety and my family’s safety everywhere I go,” … Read more
Syrian government forces took back control of an area near Damascus that provides most of the capital’s water supplies after reaching a deal for rebel fighters to withdraw, pro-government media and a monitoring group said. The Syrian army and its allies launched an offensive last month to drive insurgents from the Wadi Barada valley, which … Read more
Israel has completed a testing of an anti-missile system that it has been developing jointly with the United States, Israeli defense ministry said on Wednesday. The David’s Sling Weapon System, part of Israel’s multi-tiered anti-missile array, is designed to intercept short and mid-range rockets from the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah-dominated southern Lebanon. During the recent … Read more
The suburb of Mezzeh is situated on the western outskirts of Damascus Syria has accused Israel of bombarding an area west of Damascus, with reports of a military airport being hit. State television quoted the army as saying several rockets landed in the airport compound in Mezzeh, Reuters news agency reports. It remains unclear if … Read more
Iranian lawmakers approved plans on Monday to expand military spending to five percent of the budget, including developing the country’s long-range missile program which U. S. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to halt. The vote is a boost to Iran’s military establishment – the regular army, the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and defense … Read more
Syrian rebel groups say they are suspending participation in the preparations for peace talks planned by Russia and Turkey for later this month. A statement, signed by a number of groups, cited “many and large violations” of the ceasefire by the Syrian government as the reason. Turkey and Russia brokered the ceasefire deal last Thursday, … Read more
A nationwide ceasefire between Syrian government forces and rebel groups has come into effect. The truce, brokered by Russia and Turkey, which will act as guarantors, began at midnight (22:00 GMT). The deal includes many rebel groups but not jihadists such as the so-called Islamic State, or the Kurdish YPG. The ceasefire appeared to be … Read more
Russia has called a US decision to ease restrictions on arming Syrian opposition groups a “hostile act” that would directly threaten Russian military forces in Syria. Maria Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday the policy change set out in the annual defence policy bill signed into law by US President Barack Obama last … Read more
Evacuations have resumed from east Aleppo, with buses and ambulances leaving rebel areas of the Syrian city. At least 350 people reportedly left rebel enclaves late on Sunday, heading towards other rebel-held territory. Among those to have left is seven-year-old Bana Alabed, who had tweeted about conditions in besieged areas of Aleppo. A separate evacuation … Read more