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Israel’s new draft law reignites ultra-Orthodox conscription debate

Israeli lawmakers on Monday are set to debate a new draft law on conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews amid fierce political battles between religious parties critical for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s survival and critics who denounce the new proposed

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Pope visits Blue Mosque, then holds mass in Istanbul

Thousands of worshippers battled the rain to join Pope Leo XIV as he celebrated mass in Istanbul on Saturday, the last full day of his visit to Turkey. Pope Leo also visited Istanbul's iconic Blue Mosque, removing his shoes out of respect but not appeari

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Friday, november 28, 2025

Dr Achcar: Trump's Gaza plan 'most slapdash peace plan in the history of the Arab‑Israeli conflict''

Tonight, Mark Owen welcomes Dr. Gilbert Achcar, Professor of International Relations at SOAS University of London and author of "The Gaza Catastrophe" delivers a searing critique of Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza. With the dust barely settling on a

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UN condemns apparent execution of two in West Bank

The UN human rights office on Friday said it was "appalled" by the "brazen" killing of two Palestinian men by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Jenin, calling it an "apparent summary execution". Videos broadcast on Arab TV stations showed the two m

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Israeli soldiers kill two Palestinians who seemed to be surrendering in the Occupied West Bank

Images show Israeli soldiers killing two Palestinians who seemed to be surrendering in the Occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority denounced a "war crime", while Israel says it is investigating the killings. Here's what you need to know ⤵️

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Damascus blasts Israeli war crime : At least 10 killed

At least 13 people, including two children, were killed and 25 injured as Israel carried out another incursion into Syrian territory in the Damascus countryside, according to state media, which also reported that several Israeli soldiers were wounded in

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UN slams Israel's ‘apparent summary execution' of Palestinians in West Bank

The UN human rights office on Friday said it was "appalled" by the "brazen" killing of two Palestinian men by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Jenin, calling it an "apparent summary execution". Videos broadcast on Arab TV stations showed the two m

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Pope, Orthodox leader to celebrate early Christian milestone

Pope Leo XIV will join the leader of the world's Orthodox Christians Friday to celebrate 1,700 years since one of the early Church's most important gatherings, on the second day of his visit to Turkey. Associate Professor of Church History and Specialist

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Living among landmines: Residents' risky return to villages on Syrian-Iraqi border

Since the fall of the Syrian regime in December 2024, the NGO Handicap International has recorded 725 accidents and nearly 1,400 victims of landmines and explosive ordnance throughout the country, compared to 933 victims in 2023. The increase in these fi

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Pope Leo calls for Christian unity at Turkish site where Nicaean Creed originated

On the second day of his visit to Turkey, Pope Leo XIV joined Orthodox patriarchs on Friday in a commemoration ceremony at the site of the origin of the Nicaean Creed, a central Christian statement of belief that was adopted 1,700 years ago.

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Damascus calls deadly Israeli operation in southern Syria a ‘war crime’

At least 13 people were killed by Israeli forces in a southern Syrian village overnight, Syrian state television reported Friday, while the Israeli military said six soldiers were wounded in a clash with "terrorists" in the area. Syria's foreign ministry

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UN slams Israel's ‘apparent summary execution' of Palestinians in West Bank

The UN human rights office on Friday said it was "appalled" by the "brazen" killing of two Palestinian men by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Jenin, calling it an "apparent summary execution". Videos broadcast on Arab TV stations showed the two m

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Thursday, november 27, 2025

Palestinian Authority accuses Israel of 'war crime' after summary 'execution' in West Bank

Israeli soldiers on Thursday appeared to kill a pair of Palestinian men in the occupied West Bank after they had surrendered to troops, drawing Palestinian accusations that the men were executed “in cold blood.” The Israeli military said it was investiga

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Israel forces kill two Palestinians seen surrendering in West Bank raid

Two Palestinian men were shot dead during an Israeli raid in Jenin on Thursday moments after appearing to surrender, prompting condemnations as footage of the incident sparked widespread outrage.

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Lebanon-Israel: One year into the fragile ceasefire

A year ago, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire after several weeks of intense fighting, triggered in part by the so-called 'pager attack' involving Hezbollah members. The ceasefire has been in effect for a year, but Israel continues to regularly st

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Iran hits by severe air pollution

Iran is facing a severe wave of air pollution, forcing authorities to close schools and kindergartens as smog levels rise. The hazardous conditions are affecting daily life, with residents advised to limit outdoor activities and take precautions against

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The stakes of Pope Leo's trip to the Middle East

Pope Leo XIV is visiting Turkey and Lebanon on his first foreign trip, marking the Council of Nicea anniversary and meeting religious leaders. The journey highlights interfaith dialogue and addresses ongoing political and regional tensions in the Middle

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The Pope makes international debut with Middle East visit

Pope Francis is embarking on his first international journey, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, meeting political and religious leaders, visiting Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, and celebrating Mass. In Lebanon, he will pray at the port devastated by the 2020 explosi

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Pope Leo to meet Turkey's Erdogan and Orthodox leaders on first overseas trip

Pope Leo XIV begins his first trip outside Italy as Catholic leader on Thursday with a visit to Turkey, where he is set to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and appeal for peace in the region. The pontiff will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor

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Pope XIV arrives in Turkey to mark Council of Nicea's anniversary

Pope Leo XIV makes the first foreign trip of his papacy to Turkey and Lebanon, continuing a journey originally planned by Pope Francis. On this day, he visits Iznik to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, meets bishops, priests, and past

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Should ultra-Orthodox Jews have to do military service? Israeli society divided

Israeli society is split over the issue of compulsory military service for the ultra-Orthodox community. Ultra-Orthodox Jews, who represent 15 percent of the population, have historically been exempt from service. But a bill has now been proposed to lift

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Wednesday, november 26, 2025

Exclusive: Iran still 'ready to negotiate' with Trump on nuclear programme, FM says

⁠In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was still "ready to negotiate" with the US on its nuclear programme, but claimed that the Americans were "not really keen for a negotiation". He also announced t

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'A political operation': Israeli army raids West Bank as tensions rise

Israel launched a large-scale operation in the northern West Bank on Wednesday, with airstrikes and raids across several towns. The offensive, targeting Palestinian armed groups, left several injured and prompted curfews and evacuations.

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Israeli army launches major operation in northern West Bank

The Israeli military said Wednesday it had launched a broad operation in northern parts of the occupied West Bank, where deadly violence has soared since the start of the war in Gaza. The army said the operation was separate from the "Iron Wall" operatio

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Tuesday, november 25, 2025

The UN seeks 'impartial' probe into Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Rawad Taha, our correspondant in Beirut Lebanon, has more.

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Israel receives body of Gaza hostage from Hamas, PM's office says

Israel on Tuesday received from the Red Cross the remains of a deceased hostage held in Gaza, the prime minister's office's said. Hamas has released the bodies of 25 hostages since the US-brokered ceasefire started on October 10. Three are believed to st

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Thousands mourn Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli airstrike

Thousands of people on Monday attended the funeral organized by the militant Hezbollah group for its top military commander, a day after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut.

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Afghanistan says Pakistani airstrikes have killed 10 people, mostly children

Shahzaib Wahlah, our correspondant in Islamabad Pakistan, has more.

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Pakistan strikes on Afghanistan after Peshawar attack kill at least 10

Pakistan carried out air strikes inside Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing at least 10 civilians, according to the Taliban government, a day after a deadly suicide blast on a security compound in Peshawar intensified tensions between the neighbours.

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Monday, november 24, 2025

Trump moves to classify Muslim Brotherhood chapters as ‘terrorist organisations'

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order launching a process to designate specific branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organisations. The order singles out chapters in Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and hands the task

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Israeli army fires top commanders over October 7 failures

Israel’s military chief dismissed several senior officers and reprimanded others over failures during Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and left 250 hostages. Former heads of intelligence, operations, and south

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Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ends controversial mission in Palestinian enclave

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Monday announced the end of its mission in the war-torn Palestinian enclave. The US- and Israeli-backed organisation controversially took over aid distribution at the height of Israel's military operation in Gaza blocking

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Saudi Arabia to open new alcohol stores despite ban, sources say

Saudi Arabia plans to open two new alcohol stores sources have said, in addition to one that opened in the capital Riyadh last year despite a decades-old ban on selling alcohol. The new stores would be open to non-Muslim foreigners, sources said.

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Major Israel strike in Lebanon sparks ceasefire dispute

Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon on Sunday, killing civilians in Beirut as well as a senior Hezbollah commander. It was the most significant attack since last year’s ceasefire, which Lebanon says has now been violated. As Noga Tarnopolsky reports fr

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Hundreds attend funeral of Hezbollah top commander killed in Israeli strike

Hundreds of supporters on Monday joined a funeral procession for Hezbollah military chief Haytham Ali Tabatabai and other members of the militant group whom were killed by Israeli strikes on Beirut. Israel has escalated its attacks on Lebanon in recent w

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Israeli army chief announces dismissal of generals over October 7 attack

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir late Sunday announced the dismissal of three generals and disciplinary action against several senior officers over their failure to prevent the October 2023 attacks by Hamas.

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Pope heads to Lebanon, Turkey in debut overseas trip amid heightened Mideast tensions

On his first international visit since he was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV heads to predominantly Muslim Turkey and Lebanon later this week to promote peace and unity. Israel on Sunday launched a deadly strike in Beirut targeti

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Airstrike in Beirut targets Hezbollah leader, kills civilians

An Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb killed at least five and wounded dozens, targeting Hezbollah commander Ali Tabtabai. The attack sparked panic and raised tensions ahead of the Pope’s visit, with Lebanon and Hezbollah condemning it as a ceas

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Sunday, november 23, 2025

'Haytham Ali Tabtabai had been wanted by both the US and Israel for years'

Israel killed militant group Hezbollah's top military official in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said, despite a US-brokered truce a year ago. 'Haytham Ali Tabtabai had been wanted by both the US and Israel fo

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Gaza civil defence says 21 killed in Israeli strikes

Gaza's civil defence agency said 21 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple Israeli air strikes on the Palestinian territory on Saturday, further straining the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. Shirli Sitbon has this story.

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Israel kills a senior Hezbollah official in Beirut strike

Israel has killed Hezbollah's chief of general staff in an air strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday. Lebanese officials said the air strike killed at least five people and wounded 28 more.

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At least 98 Palestinians have died in custody since October 2023, Israeli data shows

Israeli data indicate that at least 98 Palestinians have died in custody since October 2023, though the actual number is likely much higher, as hundreds of detainees in Gaza remain unaccounted for, according to Israel-based human rights group Physicians

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Gaza ceasefire under strain: Israeli military launches airstrikes against Hamas militants

Israel launched on Saturday airstrikes on Gaza which killed at least 24 people and wounded dozens in the latest test of the fragile October 10 ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the strikes targeted and killed five senior Hamas me

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Saturday, november 22, 2025

Israel launches strikes on Gaza in latest test to fragile ceasefire

Israel launched air strikes on Gaza Saturday which killed at least 24 people and wounded dozens in the latest test of the fragile October 10 ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the strikes targeted and killed five senior Hamas memb

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Gazan students bound for Canada remain trapped in administrative limbo

More than 130 Gazan students are pleading with Canada to grant visas so they can attend universities that have already offered them full scholarships. Some visa applications have been pending for more than 18 months without progress. Two students have al

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Friday, november 21, 2025

Gazan students remain in limbo as Canadian visas stall

Over 130 Gazan students who have been offered places at Canadian universities remain stranded in Gaza, some waiting over 18 months for visas. Two students have already lost their lives, while others continue to face extreme risks. Canada attributes the d

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Egyptian students in Russia pressured to join army or leave

Russia has long been a preferred destination for students from across Africa seeking affordable higher education. In 2023, Russia estimated that 32,000 students from the Middle East were living in the country — nearly half of them Egyptian. But in recent

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Thursday, november 20, 2025

'Path to stability': EU pushes Palestinian Authority reform to help end Gaza war

The European Union on Thursday sought to boost reform of the Palestinian Authority and assert a larger role in post-war Gaza, pledging reconstruction and fresh funding.

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Cristiano Ronaldo attends White House meeting and dinner with Donald Trump

Cristiano Ronaldo and his future-wife Georgia were at the White House on November 18 as President Donald Trump hosted a glitzy dinner to honor Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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Gaza faces Israel’s ‘yellow line’

The Israeli army has started to mark the so-called “yellow line” behind which it must withdraw as part of the ceasefire deal it signed with Hamas. They have told Gaza’s residents to stay west of the line, preventing hundreds of thousands of them from ret

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Lebanon army arrests notorious drug lord Nouh Zaiter, military source says

The Lebanese army on Thursday arrested infamous drug kingpin Nouh Zaiter during an operation in the country's east, according to a military source. Zaiter, who is under European and US sanctions, is accused of running a vast cross-border narcotics empire

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Gaza: Israeli strikes leave at least 27 dead

Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed 27 people Wednesday, officials in the Strip said, with Israel and Hamas each accusing the other of violating the fragile ceasefire in the Palestinian territory. The strikes were among the deadliest in Gaza since the tru

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Israeli air strikes kill 27 in Gaza as fragile ceasefire frays

Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed 27 people on Wednesday, according to local officials, as Israel and Hamas traded accusations of breaching a fragile ceasefire that has largely held for more than a month. The violence unfolded alongside renewed Israeli

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Wednesday, november 19, 2025

Netanyahu visits Israeli troops inside Syrian buffer zone as tensions rise

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops stationed in Syria’s UN-patrolled buffer zone on Wednesday, praising their role in Israel’s defence as Damascus condemned the rare trip beyond the ceasefire line.

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‘They feel forgotten’: 30,000 West Bank residents remain displaced 10 months after Israeli operation

Ten months after Israel’s “Iron Wall” operation in the occupied West Bank, more than 30,000 people remain displaced from three refugee camps. In recent weeks, some of those displaced have been staging protests, demanding the right to return to their home

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Israel strikes southern Lebanon amid rising tensions with Hezbollah

Israel launched fresh strikes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after a drone attack killed one person and wounded students on a passing bus, as clashes with Hezbollah continued.

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Lebanon files complaint against Israel for building controversial wall inside its territory

Lebanon will file a complaint to the U.N. Security Council against Israel for constructing a concrete wall along Lebanon's southern border that extends beyond the "Blue Line", the Lebanese presidency said on Saturday. The Blue Line is a U.N.-mapped line

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Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon kills 13 people

An Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed 13 people and wounded several others, state media and government officials said. It was the deadliest strike on Lebanon since a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war

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Tuesday, november 18, 2025

Israeli army says it struck 'Hamas training compound' in Lebanon, killing at least 13

Lebanon said at least 13 people were killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in the country's south as Israel said it targeted a "Hamas training compound" operating in the area.

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The prince and the president: What drives US-Saudi relations?

As the Middle East undergoes a once-in-a-generation shift in political fault lines, great power diplomacy could make the difference for millions between peace and stability or turbulence and endless conflict. So what's driving that diplomacy? Between the

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