United Nations, United States | AFP | The United Nations warned Wednesday that fuel supplies needed to run Yemen’s hospital generators and pump clean water will run out in less than three weeks unless the Saudi-led coalition lifts its blockade. The dire forecast came as Yemen battles one of the world’s …
Read More »Syria on agenda as Putin and Erdogan meet in Russia
Sochi, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Sochi on Monday, with efforts to bring peace to Syria set to dominate their talks at the Black Sea resort. Despite being on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict, Russia and Turkey have …
Read More »As Iran-Saudi ‘Cold War’ heats up, what next?
Tehran, Iran | AFP | From a Yemeni missile attack to the resignation of Lebanon’s prime minister, the “Cold War” between Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has been heating up. Experts believe the risk of a direct military clash is low, but why have tensions escalated now and how …
Read More »South Sudan troops withdraw from ex-army chief Malong’s house
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | South Sudanese troops have withdrawn from around the residence of powerful former army chief Paul Malong, a week after a tense standoff over his bodyguards sparked fears of clashes in the capital. In a press statement on Sunday entitled “Misunderstanding Resolved”, army spokesman Lul …
Read More »Three US strikes in Somalia kill ‘several’ militants
Washington, United States | AFP | US forces have carried out three strikes in the past two days in Somalia against both the Al-Qaeda affiliated Shabaab group and Islamic State group jihadists, killing several, the military announced Sunday. The first operation, launched Saturday at 1330 GMT, took place near …
Read More »Trump, Putin agree ‘no military solution’ in Syria
Danang, Vietnam | AFP | The United States and Russia issued a presidential joint statement saying there was “no military solution” to the war in Syria after their leaders met briefly on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam. There had been mixed messages for days from both Moscow and …
Read More »WHO wary of ‘major setback’ on cholera in Yemen amid blockade
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization warned Friday that a Saudi-led blockade of Yemen was threatening to undo efforts to rein in a cholera epidemic already affecting nearly one million people in the war-ravaged country. Yemen, where a multinational conflict has caused a daunting humanitarian crises, has …
Read More »First pineapple farm opens in Gaza
Khan Yunis, Palestinian Territories | AFP | Pineapples are being harvested in the Gaza Strip for the first time as part of efforts to help the impoverished Palestinian territory work towards food self-sufficiency. The fruit, for domestic sale, is grown in a 1,000 square metre greenhouse in the southern Gaza …
Read More »Macron warns looming military defeat of IS ‘not the end’
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the Islamic State group faced complete military defeat in Iraq and Syria within months but warned the battle against jihadism would go on. He was speaking after Syrian troops and allied militiamen broke into the IS-held …
Read More »UN official, in Mali, warns over ‘violations’ in anti-terror raids
Bamako, Mali | AFP | A senior UN official, on a visit to Mali, has warned about “violations committed during anti-terrorist operations” after Bamako said French troops killed Malian soldiers during a raid against jihadists. An official from Mali’s defense ministry on Tuesday confirmed that Malian soldiers captured by jihadists …
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