Tag Archives: Middle East

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has launched Monday a naval mission to help protect cargo ships in the Red Sea as attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to threaten maritime traffic, hamper trade and drive up prices. Dubbed Aspides, Greek for “shield,” the mission will be run out of Larissa in central Greece — home to the Hellenic …

The head of the main United Nations agency supporting people in Gaza alleged that Israel is intent on “destroying” the organization along with the idea that Palestinians are refugees and have a right to return home one day. Philippe Lazzarini accused Israel in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger of having a “long-term political goal” of eliminating the U.N. …

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The interior ministers of four Arab countries held talks in Jordan on Saturday to discuss ways of combatting the illegal drug trade in the region and agreed to set up a joint telecommunications cell to exchange information. The meeting between the interior ministers of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, saw the four officials acknowledge “that there …

WASHINGTON (AP) — They were warned that criticism of Israel’s conduct during its war on Hamas in Gaza could cost them politically. But in the four months since Israel’s blistering offensive was ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, progressives in Congress who have called for a cease-fire are seeing record fundraising dollars as they fight to remain in office. Members …

CAIRO (AP) — A leading human rights group dismissed on Thursday the conviction of a prominent Egyptian political activist as an act of retaliation for his decision to challenge President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in last year’s presidential election. On Tuesday, a Cairo misdemeanor court sentenced former presidential hopeful Ahmed Altantawy, along with 22 of his aides, including his campaign manager, …

Qatar’s prime minister said Thursday that Hamas gave a “generally positive” answer to the latest plan for a cease-fire in Gaza. But the Palestinian militant group said it still seeks “a comprehensive and complete” cease-fire to end “the aggression against our people.” Israel has ruled out the kind of permanent cease-fire sought by Hamas. The Qatari prime minister’s assessment of …