Browsing: Region
The Arab League yesterday commended the effective role of Qatar in strengthening the joint Arab media work system, through following up on the implementation of the resolutions issued by the 55th session of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, which was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo in November, especially with regard to strengthening the Arab media discourse supporting the Palestinian cause in the international media scene. This took place during a meeting between the Arab League Assistant Secretary-General for Media and Communication, ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, and the ambassador of Qatar to Egypt and Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League, Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed al-Thani, at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of Qatar in Cairo. Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi praised the constructive initiatives of the Qatar Media Corporation and its continued commitment to co-operating with the Media and Communication Sector (the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Information Ministers), through its contributions in providing proposals and initiatives aimed at developing the Arab media strategy and developing media partnerships in accordance with the Arab media action plan abroad, and keeping pace with Arab media in the digital transformation and uses of artificial intelligence. The meeting discussed ways to enhance media cooperation and coordination to support joint Arab action and contribute to highlighting Arab issues, while emphasising the importance of developing media communication mechanisms and strengthening the role of Arab media in addressing current regional and international challenges. The Arab League indicated that the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the agenda of meetings scheduled for the next phase, starting with the 104th regular session of the Standing Committee for Arab Media and the 22nd regular session of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, scheduled to be held in Kuwait from February 10-11. Source link
Dozens of colonists stormed on Monday the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).Al-Quds Governorarete said in a statement that dozens of colonists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and performed provocative Talmudic rituals in its courtyards.According to the Palestinian Ministry of Religious and Endowments Affairs, colonists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque 280 times under the protection of the IOF in the past year, during which they practiced Talmudic rituals on a daily basis. Related Story Source link
The number of victims of the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, has soared to 71,660 fatalities and 171,419 injuries.The enclave’s hospitals received three new fatalities, including a martyr whose body had been recovered, and 20 injuries in the past 24 hours, while several victims are still languishing under the rubble and on the streets, as paramedics and rescuers have been unable to reach them, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported in a statement Monday.The statement added that since last October, the fatality toll has reached 486 Palestinians, with 1,341 others wounded, while 714 bodies have been dug out from the rubble. Related Story Source link
A Palestinian man was martyred on Monday by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip, according to medical sources.The Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported that the Israeli occupation forces fatally shot the man in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, northeast of Gaza City.In a separate incident, a girl was injured by Israeli army fire west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, WAFA added.Israeli violations have continued since the ceasefire came into effect on October 11, resulting in 484 deaths, 1,321 injuries, and the recovery of 713 bodies. Related Story Source link
Israeli fire killed three Palestinians in two separate incidents in the Gaza Strip yesterday, while an Israeli drone wounded four others in Gaza City, local health authorities said yesterday. Medics said Israeli fire killed at least two people east of Tuffah neighbourhood in the northern Gaza Strip, while a 41-year-old man was killed by Israeli forces in Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave. Earlier medical workers said an Israeli drone exploded on the rooftop of a multi-floor building in Gaza City, wounding four civilians in the street nearby.There was no comment by the Israeli military on any of the incidents. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met in Israel on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, mainly to discuss Gaza, Witkoff said yesterday.“The discussion was constructive and positive, with both sides aligned on next steps and the importance of continued co-operation on all matters critical to the region,” Witkoff said in a post on X. Gaza has been reduced to rubble in the war that began in October 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies. The Gaza health ministry says more than 71,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Israeli fire since then. It added at least 480 people have been killed by Israeli fire since a ceasefire agreement came into effect last October. Earlier this month, Washington said the plan had moved into a second phase, in which Israel is expected to withdraw troops further from Gaza, and Hamas is due to yield control of the territory’s administration. Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, more than 100 people attended the funeral of a person killed by Israeli drone fire on Saturday, after holding special prayers in front of his white-shrouded body at the morgue in Nasser Hospital. “They are liars, there is no ceasefire,” said Fares Erheimat, a relative of the dead man, during the funeral. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes on south Lebanon killed two people yesterday, the health ministry reported. Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 truce that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah. In a statement, Lebanon’s health ministry said “an Israeli enemy raid” near the town of Khirbet Selm killed one person and wounded another five. It said a separate strike in the village of Derdghaya killed one more person. Source link
The UN Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR) in South Sudan expressed grave alarm over the deteriorating situation in Jonglei State, South Sudan.The UN warned that such developments significantly heighten the risk of mass violence against civilians and further erode the peace agreement.The OHCHR, established by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said that public statements by commanders and others exercising effective command and control, when combined with active troop mobilization, represent a dangerous escalation at a moment when the political foundations of the peace process are already severely weakened. The Commission held criminally responsible those who fail to prevent or punish crimes they knew about, or should have known were being committed. The Commission stressed that the current escalation is not an isolated incident, but part of a wider political breakdown driven by sustained violations of the peace agreement, and the erosion of command discipline in an already volatile and ethnically fractured environment. The Commission called on all parties to immediately cease inflammatory rhetoric and troop mobilizations in order to de-escalate tensions, demanding regional and international partners to urgently re-engage to preserve the peace agreement and press South Sudanâ€s leaders to return to the political path they committed to. Source link
The Sultanate of Oman and the United States of America held the third strategic dialogue in Muscat on Sunday.The two sides discussed means of maximizing the benefits of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries and augmenting US investments in sectors of priority for Oman. These sectors include the digital economy, technology and space, in addition to mining, logistics, aviation, and infrastructure. Cooperation in the fields of education and culture was also discussed, particularly educational programs, academic and professional exchange, and investment in research and innovation.During the dialogue, the Omani side announced the Sultanate of Oman’s approval to join the “Artemis Accords” for space exploration. Source link
The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said Sunday that more than 230 journalists have been killed in the Gaza Strip, affirming that Gaza has become the most dangerous place in the world for journalists and humanitarian workers.Lazzarini explained that the ban on the entry of international journalists into Gaza contributes to the escalation of disinformation campaigns and the spread of polarized narratives, and forecloses efforts aimed at conveying the reality of the humanitarian situation on the ground. He stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of media access and protecting journalists in accordance with international humanitarian law. The continued targeting of journalists and humanitarian workers constitutes a serious violation of international laws, Lazzarini stressed, calling for the provision of the necessary protection for them and for enabling media organizations to carry out their duties without restrictions. Since the beginning of the war, international journalists have been banned from entering Gaza independently, which is fundamental to media freedom. ( Source link
The number of victims of the Israeli occupation’s rampage on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, has soared to 71,657 fatalities and 171,399 injuries.The enclave’s hospitals received three new fatalities and eight injuries in the past 24 hours, while several victims are still languishing under the rubble and on the streets, beyond the reach of paramedics and rescuers, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported in a statement Sunday. The statement added that since last October, the fatality toll has reached 484 Palestinians, with 1,321 others wounded, while 713 bodies have been dug out from the rubble. Source link
The Saudi delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 today observed a series of announcements aimed at addressing urgent global challenges. Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026, bringing together global leaders, scientists, and investors to drive solutions for the protection and recovery of coral reef ecosystems. The summit will address key challenges and policy and regulatory gaps, develop science-based solutions, and advance sustainable financing and investment mechanisms to scale coral reef protection and recovery. Building on the call for constructive dialogue in an era of fragmentation, His Excellency Ahmed A. Alkhateeb, Minister of Tourism, said: “Tourism brings peace at a time when it’s needed – connecting people and encouraging dialogue. Tourism growth is good for peace, it’s good for people, good for youth, and good for women.” On the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a global hub for AI, His Excellency Abdullah A. Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, commented: “Saudi Vision 2030 was about economic diversification and empowering youth. Fast forward to today and we’ve achieved 56% non-oil contribution to GDP, and in terms of talent and youth, our tech force has increased dramatically.” Earlier in the day, HUMAIN and the National Infrastructure Fund (“Infra”) announced a Strategic Financing Framework Agreement of up to $1.2 billion to support the expansion of AI and digital infrastructure projects in the Kingdom. The agreement outlines non-binding financing terms for HUMAIN’s development of up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI data center capacity. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency also launched the Business4Land (B4L) Champions’ Council. This high-level coalition brings together CEOs, sustainability leaders, investors, and policymakers to accelerate land restoration, combat land degradation, and strengthen drought resilience. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM,) in collaboration with WEF, announced the Lighthouse Operating System, a country-level framework designed to accelerate manufacturing transformation. Developed in partnership with WEF’s Advanced Manufacturing and Production Centre (AMPC), this initiative aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, build robust non-oil industries, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics. MIM and WEF announced a cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum, which took place the week before the WEF Annual Meeting. The agreement runs until September 2027 and aims to unify efforts to strengthen partnerships around critical minerals required for energy and other technologies, contributing to the assurance of resilient, sustainable, and responsible mineral supplies aligned with industrial objectives and the energy transition. According to the agreement, the initiative will be overseen by a joint executive committee comprising representatives from the ministry and WEF. Source link