The Presidency of the House of Representatives (HoR) has rejected the High State Council’s (HSC) unilateral appointment of a Deputy Head for the Audit...

The Director General of the General Union of Libyan Chambers of Commerce, Samir Al-Tarmal, held a meeting in Berlin today with the Federation of Germa...

Eastern Libya’s parliament backs a sea border pact with Ankara, a shift that analysts say redraws Libya’s alliances.

Until now, the virus was considered non-transferable to humans, making the patient the first documented human case.

The Swiss government told the BBC that the freed national was on her way back to Switzerland.

The wife of a diplomat based in Abuja travelled to Kampala for a vacation.

It is the latest in a series of attacks by the Houthi movement which have targeted airports and other sites in the kingdom.

Disaffection has often driven down turnout among Arab Israelis, but there is a strong push to get rid of the right-wing governing coalition.

Gaza families brace for 'another famine' as UN cuts food aid Submitted by Ahmed Dremly on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 11:24 Funding shortages will leave half a million people without critical assistance, fuelling fears of a hunger crisis as food prices soar and displaced families struggle to feed their families Ola Shamali cooked a small portion of lentils on Tuesday as her family cuts back on food to make their remaining supplies last as long as possible (Hussain al-Jerjawi/MEE) Off Ola Shamali and her family of nine have begun cutting back on food, bracing for hunger after the World Food Programme (WFP) announced a one-third reduction in food assistance to Gaza.  Funding shortages will leave half a million people without access to critical aid, the UN agency said earlier this week.  The announcement has sent fear throughout Gaza of a return to a severe hunger crisis in the strip, a year after Israel’s siege led to famine.  “It means we are going to live on the edge of famine,” said the Palestinian mother. “My father is still suffering from the deteriorating health caused by last year’s famine.”  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Her 78-year-old father, Mohammed Shamali, has bladder cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. He needs a stable, nutritious diet, but the family can barely afford to provide it. His diet should include protein- and fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts and meat. Until now, Ola has sold part of the family’s WFP food assistance to buy some of these items for him. Now, she fears the reduced aid will leave the family with too little food, and no means of securing the nutrition her father needs. The family lives in a makeshift displacement tent on Al Wihda Street in Gaza City. Their home in Al Shujaiya, in eastern Gaza, was destroyed in March 2025. 'Death is more merciful than this life' - Ola Shamali, Palestinian mother  When Shamali heard the news of the cuts on the radio inside her tent, she wanted to go to the market to buy vegetables and other essentials for the coming days. She feared prices would climb further or restrictions would once again limit food entering Gaza. But she had no money to buy anything. “We don’t have money to buy food,” she told Middle East Eye. “We completely depend on the charity distribution of food. If it stops, we will die of hunger.” Life in the tent is already a daily struggle, she said, with no privacy, proper sanitation or electricity. Rain earlier this week damaged the shelter, forcing the family to repair it. “We are living a miserable life in tents,” she said. “And now they want to reduce the food portions entering Gaza. Death is more merciful than this life.” Shamali’s family is among around 1.8 million people living in displacement sites across Gaza. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), nearly two-thirds of families live in tents or makeshift shelters that deteriorate quickly in harsh weather. Designed for temporary use, they offer little protection against the elements. Food prices soar Ahmed Jelow, 28, was walking with friends near his makeshift displacement tent in central Gaza City when he heard about the WFP announcement. “I checked social media for updates, then called my aunts, uncles and some friends, urging them to buy white flour if they could afford it. Every period of starvation in Gaza began with cuts like this,” he said. “The WFP food parcels contained beans, white flour, oil and pasta. The quantities were small, but they helped feed my family and me.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Jelow lives with eight family members in a makeshift tent at a displacement shelter in Gaza City. He and his brother Adnan are the family’s main breadwinners. Israel’s starvation of Gaza leaves children stunted Read More » Their father was killed in Israeli attacks in 2014. Another brother was killed last year. Fearing further border closures or restrictions on food supplies, Jelow went to the market to stock up on tinned food, white flour and oil. He was shocked to find that prices had already risen. “Most food products have gone up in price. A 25-kilogram bag of white flour used to cost 70 shekels [$22]. Now it costs 150 shekels [$48]. A kilo of sugar has risen from four shekels to seven, while a tray of eggs has jumped from 28 shekels [$9] to 55 [$17],” he said.  “I bought a few things that could last for 10 days, but it is not enough,” he added. Jelow works as a musician at traditional weddings, earning as little as 50 shekels [$16] on a good day. If prices continue to rise and food assistance is cut further, he fears he will no longer be able to feed his family. He said many people he knows, including his relatives, are terrified of returning to what he called the “nightmare of starvation” they endured during the first two years of Israel’s genocide. “We ate one meal a day, usually soup or lentils, which did not provide even the minimum energy our bodies needed,” he recalled.  “One day, we made bread from white flour contaminated with rat droppings. We cleaned it and ate it because we had no other choice. “People risked their lives trying to get flour from areas near Israeli checkpoints. Many of my friends were killed while trying to do so.” ‘We don't want to starve again’ Nasser al-Shurafa, 56, a displaced father of four living in Tal al-Hawa, west of Gaza City, went to three bakeries to buy bread, as he does every day.  To his shock, all three were closed. “They said they had no white flour because the borders were closed,” he said.  'I believe we are going to suffer from starvation again' - Nasser Al Shurafa, Palestinian father  He added that some traders were also raising the prices of flour and vegetables, fearing Israeli forces would further restrict the entry of commercial trucks into Gaza. The price of a kilogram of onions had jumped from four shekels to 15, while potatoes had risen from five to around 22 shekels a kilogram. Tomatoes had climbed from eight to 25 shekels. “My children have a clothing stall, and they work day by day. When they work, we can bring food home for one day,” he said. “We cannot afford to buy food before it runs out of the markets. “For three years, we have been suffering and living an unbearable life, deprived of even the most basic of our human rights. I believe we are going to suffer from starvation again. “We appeal to the WFP, the UN and all powerful organisations and institutions around the world to protect us from another famine." Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Can Iran negotiate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis? Submitted by Zahra Ladha on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 09:54 Tehran launches a diplomatic initiative in an attempt to bring both sides to the negotiating table Saudi-backed Yemeni government fighters ride on the back of a truck during battles against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis at the Jabal Han front west of the city of Taiz on 21 October 2026 (AFP) Off As the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis continued to escalate, Iran, a longstanding ally of the Yemeni group, offered to mediate between the two sides on 11 October. Eleven days later, neither side has accepted Iran’s offer. There is little indication that either the Houthis or Saudi Arabia are prepared to return to the negotiating table in the near term.  Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthis - officially named Ansar Allah - reaffirmed on Monday that attacks on Saudi Arabia will continue until Riyadh ends the “financial and economic siege on the Yemeni people”, which the group says has been imposed on Yemeni ports of entry for nearly 12 years. Saree also said the attacks would continue until Saudi Arabia halted its military operations against the group. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Analysts believe Riyadh is probably unwilling to meet these demands. "I do not foresee the Saudi-led coalition or Yemen’s internationally recognised government conceding to Houthi demands for full control over Yemen’s airspace and maritime access, along with billions of dollars of compensation," Mohammed Basha, an expert on Yemeni affairs, told Middle East Eye. "Such concessions would effectively reward the Houthis militarily, politically and financially without securing meaningful guarantees for lasting peace." In the meantime, the Houthis are likely to continue escalating attacks, while Saudi Arabia leverages its regional and international partnerships to defend its territory.  Fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces has intensified across several fronts, including in Taiz and Marib, further complicating the prospects for a durable settlement. Even if Saudi Arabia and the Houthis find enough common ground to begin negotiations, which appears unlikely, the most likely outcome is a fragile ceasefire.  "Beyond the restrictions on airports and ports and economic compensation, the Houthis’ demands include access to oil and gas revenues, and importantly, political recognition," Alex Jalili told MEE.  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "I would therefore distinguish between a temporary cessation of attacks, which could certainly emerge from negotiations, and a more durable settlement." Diverging interests According to a statement by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi on Tuesday, both the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have yet to respond to Tehran’s offer of mediation.  For Riyadh, the decision to accept Iranian mediation would carry implications beyond the immediate conflict with the Houthis.  Demonstrating deterrence against the Houthis and other Tehran-linked groups has been a key priority for Riyadh amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. This was particularly evident when Saudi Arabia and the US launched joint air strikes on Iraq on 29 July, targeting Iran-linked groups there.  At the same time, as the ongoing conflict reshapes the regional balance of power, Riyadh is also attempting to demonstrate its position in the emerging security order, including through the signing of the Mecca Pact with Turkey and Pakistan.  'Iran wants to preserve the leverage that the Houthis provide without allowing that leverage to produce an uncontrollable escalation' - Sina Toossi, analyst Accepting Tehran’s mediation in a conflict with the Houthis, which Riyadh characterises as an Iranian proxy, would probably undermine both objectives. Beyond this, Houthi-Saudi Arabia negotiations can be managed by other regional interlocutors.  “Riyadh already has established channels of communication with the Houthis including through Oman. Accepting Tehran as mediator could also reinforce the perception that Iran is the ultimate guarantor of Houthi behaviour, something Riyadh has little interest in legitimising,” Jalili told MEE. Still, Riyadh’s reluctance to accept Iranian mediation over the Houthi conflict should not be conflated with an unwillingness to engage with Tehran more broadly. Last Thursday Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for public diplomacy confirmed that Riyadh maintains direct communication with Tehran. The Houthis also appear to assess that further attacks on Saudi Arabia will increase their leverage in later negotiations.  “The Houthis have demonstrated that they can threaten critical infrastructure, disrupt economic activity and exploit vulnerabilities in Saudi air defences. That gives them considerable leverage, which they are unlikely to relinquish in exchange for marginal concessions,” Jalili added. As a result, the Houthis are unlikely to accept Iranian mediation until they believe they have made sufficient military gains to strengthen their position in negotiations. Iran’s objectives Mediating the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis would probably allow Iran to shape the terms of a ceasefire while leaving the door open to renewed conflict. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "Iran would likely favour a comprehensive agreement that builds on the 2022 ceasefire, including arrangements over Yemen’s ports, airports, salaries and reconstruction, alongside credible Saudi security guarantees," Sina Toossi, a senior non-resident fellow at the Centre for International Policy, told MEE. Yet a comprehensive agreement would not necessarily produce a durable settlement. A fragile truce that preserves the Houthis’ ability to resume hostilities could ultimately better serve Tehran’s strategic interests amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. The renewed hostilities have also provided Tehran with another means of pressuring Riyadh. On 20 July, the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi air strikes on Sanaa International Airport and what they describe as a wider blockade of Yemen's airports and ports. Gulf exports more oil than it did before Iran war despite surge in Hormuz attacks Read More » With Iranian threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz compounded by Houthi threats around Bab el-Mandeb, Tehran has additional means of exerting pressure on regional energy exports. Tehran, like Riyadh and other regional capitals, is also attempting to shape the emerging post-war order in the region. A stronger Houthi position in Yemen could also help preserve Tehran's regional influence as the war reshapes the balance of power. At the same time, Iran needs to ensure that the road to a ceasefire does not prompt a wider regional conflagration. “There is a fundamental tension here: Iran wants to preserve the leverage that the Houthis provide without allowing that leverage to produce an uncontrollable escalation,” Toossi told MEE. Such an escalation would probably further undermine Tehran’s already fractious relationship with Saudi Arabia. Indeed, Riyadh has already accused Tehran of encouraging the Houthi escalation in violation of its commitments under the 2023 rapprochement agreement. While unlikely on current indications, an uncontrolled escalation might include offensive campaigns by Turkey or Pakistan, signatories of the Mecca Pact, against the Houthis, or a UK entry into the conflict beyond defensive support for Saudi Arabia. Such a scenario could see Iran-linked groups in Iraq, which have had close cooperation with the Houthis for several years, drawn into the conflict.  And the failure to contain such a regionalisation of the conflict could plausibly push some Gulf states to take a more aggressive stance against Tehran, undermining prospects for any renewed negotiations between Iran and the US. For Tehran, the challenge will therefore be to preserve the strategic leverage afforded by the Houthis without allowing the conflict to undermine its wider regional and diplomatic interests. Yemen War News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, October 22: The New York Times's sources report plans for fresh strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections. In other news, the French Senate publishes a 30-step proposal for how to "take back control", just days after protests gave way to riots. Also, how software engineers found and patched up bugs in the language that makes up 70 percent of the internet. Finally, the story of a man for whom what happened in Vegas did not stay there.

In an interview with FRANCE 24, exiled former Tibetan leader Lobsang Sangay said any successor to the Dalai Lama appointed by China "is going to be a fake one". He also likened Beijing's ethnic unity law to "an ethnic erasure", said Tibetan concerns had been "downgraded a bit" in US-China talks and accused China of failing to warn of the deadly August floods on the Nepal-Tibet border.

The article discusses the diverse dimensions of cricket grounds and highlights a new website, cricketboundary.com, that compiles accurate measurements of 124 professional cricket grounds worldwide, utilizing satellite imagery and verified data. The creator developed this resource to address inconsistencies in boundary measurements across existing sources, enhancing the ability to compare different grounds visually and statistically. This initiative reflects a growing interest in precise cricket statistics and the unique characteristics of each venue.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that escalating tensions between Israel and Iran could draw Lebanon into a new conflict, emphasizing the unpredictability of wars and the need for dialogue. Israeli military activity, particularly in southern Lebanon, and threats against Hezbollah's involvement in potential Iranian attacks heighten concerns, with officials cautioned about the grave consequences of renewed hostilities.

Over 500 people in South Africa have fallen ill from a gastrointestinal illness that causes stomach cramps and diarrhea, which authorities are blaming on poor water quality in two different cities in the country.

Two men plunged into raging floodwaters in Queensland, Australia, to save a driver from a sinking four-wheel-drive on Thursday. The dramatic rescue ended in an emotional embrace.