It was hailed as a breakthrough, a rare display of regional cooperation, and a positive step that may pave the way for resuscitating talks between Palestinians and Israelis, which have been on hold since 2014. 　　But a recent water agreement, signed under the auspices of US President Donald Trump's Middle... More

　　Less than half of Lebanon's school-aged Syrian refugee children enrolled in school last year, and it is expected that at least 50 percent will drop out of classes by the time they are nine years old. Half of the remaining number will leave school by 10, according to the United... More

　　Many Palestinians in Gaza were hopeful that life conditions would improve after a reconciliation agreement between rival groups Hamas, Gaza's rulers, and Fatah, which governs over the West Bank. 　　But electricity in Gaza is still being rationed to four hours per day, three weeks after the deal. It had originally... More

　　This week, Palestinians around the world are marking 100 years since the Balfour Declaration was issued on November 2, 1917. 　　The declaration turned the Zionist aim of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine into a reality when Britain publicly pledged to establish "a national home for the Jewish people" there.... More

　　Turkish aid campaigns worldwide will open new doors in political, commercial, and diplomatic ties, as well as human affairs, according to the head of Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). 　　Speaking to Anadolu Agency in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya, Mehmet Gulluoglu said that his agency is operating hand-in-hand... More

　　After two days of ceremonious meetings, Southeast Asian leaders missed the bullseye in talks about two major human rights issues affecting their region: Myanmar's handling of the Rohingya crisis and the Philippines' bloody campaign against illegal drug traffickers. 　　Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, this year's Chairman of the Association of Southeast... More

　　Jarablus, a city in northern Syria near the Turkish border, is one of the few places to rebound after fighters from ISIL were defeated with help from Turkey. 　　More than six years of war in Syria means it will take massive reconstruction efforts to rebuild cities that have been reduced... More

　　According to UN analysis, regime bombardment has levelled residential areas, infrastructure and businesses. 　　The UN has released satellite imagery from areas inside Eastern Ghouta, showing the destruction continuous regime bombardment has caused. 　　The Damascus suburb has been targeted by the continuous air attacks since the Syrian regime, aided by Russia,... More

　　The U.S. declined calls from the UN Security Council for an investigation into violence on the Israeli-Gaza border that left 18 Palestinians dead, a UN official said Monday. 　　Speaking at a press conference at UN headquarters, Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Permanent Representative of Peru to the UN and president of the Security... More

　　The killing of 35-year-old Palestinian scientist Fadi al-Batsh in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur has taken the wraps off a covert programme of targeted killings of Palestinians deemed a threat by Israel. 　　Al-Batsh studied electrical engineering in Gaza before going on to earn a PhD in the same subject in... More

　　When Yahia al-Amari's three gas cylinders ran dry, he scoured the entire Yemeni capital to find a place where he could refill them. 　　The 50-year-old walked to nearly every petrol station in Sanaa last month, hoping to find enough fuel to cook his family of seven their first hot meal... More

　　Relatives of as many as 18 Russian citizens, including eight children, have expressed concern about the wellbeing of their Egypt-based family members, saying they are unable to establish their whereabouts after they were taken away by suspected secret police officers. 　　According to the relatives, Sakinat Baisultanova - a 31-year-old divorced... More

　　by Maxwell Gomera 　　· 　　By now billions of people around the world are following advice to practise social distancing and "shelter at home" to prevent the alarming spread of a new coronavirus disease, COVID-19. The virus joins a growing list of emerging zoonotic diseases or diseases caused by bacteria, viruses,... More