Golf star Rahm quitting LIV tour over ‘unacceptable’ terms

Jon Rahm is quitting LIV Golf due to "unacceptable" terms, the star's lawyer said on Wednesday, dealing a significant blow to the divisive breakaway tour as it attempts to relaunch itself after declaring bankruptcy. Along with Bryson DeChambeau, double major winner and former world number one Rahm was arguably the most prominent golfer to defect from the PGA Tour and join the free-spending Saudi-backed league. But LIV filed for bankruptcy protection last month after its deep-pocketed Middle Eastern backers pulled the plug.

Syria weighs military aid for Saudi Arabia amid Yemen war, sources say

By Timour AzhariRIYADH, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Syria is carefully considering providing military assistance to key ally Saudi Arabia amid an escalating war against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, a US official and a Syrian military official briefed on the matter said.Options being considered include defensive aid to protect the kingdom from attacks, or deployment of forces in an offensive capacity to help Saudi-backed Yemeni troops fight the Houthis,

Bulgaria halts rescue operation for crew of sunken ship

By Alex Lefkowitz SOFIA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has halted its search for the missing crew of a ship that sank after being hit by a drone about 70 nautical miles (130 km) off its coast, Vice-Admiral Rumen Nikolov of the Maritime Administration Executive Agency said on Wednesday. Early on Tuesday, two ships were hit in a drone attack in Bulgaria's Black Sea exclusive economic zone. One sank and the other was damaged. The crew of the damaged ship were rescued, but the crew of the sunken one remain missing.

US quietly aids Saudi Arabia’s Yemen offensive with intel, refueling

Pentagon aims to keep Yemen and Iran wars separate while shielding the flow of Gulf oil exports from attack as Riyadh bears the brunt of the Houthis’ missile and drone barrages.

Turkey to send Mecca pact to parliament, opening path to Saudi deployment

Parliamentary ratification will remove a legal hurdle for Turkish military deployment to Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defense pact.

The status of Iran’s uranium enrichment programme

(Corrects date of interview to Monday in paragraph 1)By Francois MurphyVIENNA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - US Vice President JD Vance told Reuters on Monday that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries’ seven-month war.While it is not clear what exactly he meant, below is a summary of what is known, and not, about the current status of Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, which is at the heart of its nuclear infrastructure.WHAT DID IRAN HAVE BEFORE THE US AND ISRAEL BOMBED?

Protests in major Turkish city after mayor defects to Erdogan party

More than 1,000 protesters gathered in Turkish opposition stronghold Izmir on Wednesday, angered by the defection of the city's

Exclusive-Saudi Arabia launches air safety probe into flydubai incident, sources say

By Allison Lampert, Tim Hepher, Steven Scheer and Federico MaccioniOct 7 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has launched an air accident probe following last week’s cockpit stabbing on a flydubai jet, as experts examine any fallout for aviation safety alongside a separate UAE-led criminal investigation, three people close to the matter said.Safety probes designed to keep flights safe are normal after accidents but are not mandatory when a deliberate act is involved,

Exclusive-Lebanon’s Hezbollah gets $200 million from Iran to help displaced, sources say

By Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily BEIRUT, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Hezbollah has received $200 million from Iran to help Lebanese displaced by this year’s war with Israel, two people with direct knowledge of the transfer said, in what would be the first significant aid from the group to supporters who bore the brunt of the conflict. The US disputed the claim. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement that the money "is not there," accusing Hezbollah of "trying to save face with fake stories about cash influxes from Iran."

Iran joins SCO drill as China resists direct intervention in US-Iran war

An IRGC official said the exercise will focus on countering extremist activities and containing violent groups.

Rubio says Iran ‘lost’ Hormuz. Has it?

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Iran has “lost complete control” of the waterway, pointing to the recovery in Gulf oil exports in September.

Attacks on tankers in Hormuz hit highest of any week since start of Iran war, sources say

By Jonathan Saul LONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Attacks on tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz hit their highest last week of any week since the Iran war began, according to maritime security sources tracking incidents, amid a bigger export push by Gulf producers. Attacks, attempted attacks and harassment activity including drone overflights, surveillance and hailing using VHF radio by Iran's Revolutionary Guards have persisted in the strait, the US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said in a note on Sunday.

African Union delegation meets Congo rebels, calls for continued peace efforts

Oct 7 (Reuters) - An African Union delegation that met Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Congo has called for continued engagementin the peace process, as fighting continues despite ongoing mediation efforts.• The delegation, which includes three former presidents, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde and Botswana’s Mokgweetsi Masisi, met leaders of the AFC/M23 rebel group on Monday,

US enrichment stance unclear as Vance urges ‘meaningful’ Iran cuts

It’s unclear whether Vice President Vance was signaling a retreat from earlier demands of zero enrichment in a final deal or describing preliminary steps Iran would need to take to end the war.

Spared, married, hanged: the last weeks of Iranian protester Alireza Sepahi

Alireza Sepahi was arrested in the wake of Iran's January protests, was spared public execution in July after suffering a heart attack and married his fiancee on the eve of his death. But on the morning of October 5 came the moment the 25-year-old had feared for months when he was hanged in the central city of Isfahan. He had married his partner Mahshad Kashani, 22, who was also jailed over the protests, in a ceremony conducted by telephone by their lawyer on the eve of the execution, according to reports by several rights groups.

Latest defection hands Erdogan’s AKP control of Turkey’s third-largest city

The ruling party’s takeover of Izmir’s mayoralty is the latest example of the unraveling of the opposition parties’ historic gains in Turkey’s 2024 local elections.

Erdogan aide named suspect in Turkey financial scandal

Former AKP deputy chairwoman Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya is facing allegations of being linked to a market manipulation scandal.

Iranian official says ‘illegal routes’ in Strait of Hormuz to soon be blocked

DUBAI, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz deemed illegal by Iran will soon be closed, an adviser to the Revolutionary Guards’ Commander told the semi-officialFars News Agency on Wednesday, referring to the southern pathway hugging Oman’s coast.

Israeli fire kills Palestinian in West Bank settler clash

A Palestinian man was killed and nine people were injured during an Israeli settler attack followed by army intervention in an occupied West Bank village on Wednesday, according to the mayor and the Palestinian health ministry. The Palestinian health ministry said 44-year-old Ali al-Bazzari died and nine others were injured "as a result of an assault by occupation forces and settlers" on the village of Burqa, north of Nablus in the northern West Bank.

Turkey sending technical, defensive support to Saudi Arabia to help fight Houthis, officials say

By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Timour Azhari ANKARA/RIYADH, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Turkey is sending mainly defensive and technical support to Saudi Arabia to help it fight Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, two officials said on Wednesday, after the NATO member and Pakistan pledged to act on the collective defence commitment of their newly formed alliance.

Mayor of Turkey’s secular stronghold Izmir joins Erdogan’s party

By Ece Toksabay and Huseyin HayatseverANKARA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - The mayor of Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city and a bastion of its secular opposition, joined President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party (AKP) on Wednesday, amid a crackdown on the opposition in which dozens of mayors have been jailed.Cemil Tugay, elected mayor in 2024 as a candidate of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) before quitting in June, formally joined the AKP at a ceremony in Ankara,

Yemen’s Houthis claim new attacks on Saudi airports as conflict deepens

The Houthis claimed a flurry of attacks on Saudi targets on Wednesday including firing a ballistic missile at Riyadh airport, as the group battles for territory in Yemen against government forces supported by the kingdom. The Houthis, who control most of northwest Yemen, captured swathes of coastal land from Yemen’s pro-government forces last month after the country’s civil war reignited in July. The fighting has displaced more than 200,000 people within the country, the United Nations said Wednesday.

IEA, EU discuss proposed oil, diesel stocks release, sources say

(Adds dropped word 'release' in paragraph 1) By Kate Abnett and Holger Hansen BRUSSELS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - The International Energy Agency and European Union on Wednesday were discussing an oil and diesel stocks release proposed last week with diplomats and analysts expecting it to include volumes pledged in March. War with Iran and Ukraine has damaged refineries and disrupted tanker traffic, helping send diesel prices to record highs and impacting inflation and sectors including trucking and agriculture.

Israelis mark three years since October 7 as Palestinians mourn Gaza’s destruction

By Rami Amichay and Mahmoud Issa KFAR AZA, Israel/GAZA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Israelis gathered in silence on Wednesday in a kibbutz near the Gaza border that was overrun by Hamas militants on October 7 three years ago, mourning victims of attacks that set off Israel's assault in Gaza and plunged the Middle East into war. In the Gaza Strip, devastated by two years of Israeli bombardment, Palestinians sheltering among the ruins of destroyed cities recalled life before a war that displaced nearly the entire population and tore apart families.

Mourning, war and elections as Israel marks October 7

Israel marked the third anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack on Wednesday with silent tributes, new strikes on Gaza and intense political debate, weeks before elections in which the country's deadliest day will be front and centre. At the site of the Nova music festival, where Hamas militants in trucks and paragliders opened fire around dawn on October 7, 2023, family members bowed their heads in silence -- although at least one instead put on techno music in tribute to the fallen.

Pacific nations insist world must increase efforts to meet global warming limit

By Peter Hobson NADI, Fiji, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Global governments must increase efforts to reduce emissions because the planet is "hurtling past" a critical temperature target that would restrain sea level rises and extreme weather, delegates at a major climate conference in Fiji said on Wednesday. Pacific nations, which are among the world's most vulnerable to climate change, are trying to lock their priorities into global climate negotiations at the ministerial meeting in Fiji, a precursor to the COP31 forum in Turkey in November.

Houthis attack Aden airport as fighting intensifies in Yemen

By Enas Alashray, Mohammed Ghobari and Timour AzhariOct 7 (Reuters) - Yemen’s Houthis attacked Aden’s international airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones on Wednesday, the country’s Transport Ministry said, as fighting between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed government forces intensified.Fighting has been focussed in recent days on areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait,

Exclusive-In interview, US Vice President Vance says Iran must cut enrichment to end war

By Jacob Bogage FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Oct 6 (Reuters) - US Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries’ seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.

Transcript of US Vice President Vance interview in Alaska

By Jacob Bogage FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Oct 6 (Reuters) - US Vice President JD Vance gave an exclusive interview to Reuters on Monday while campaigning in Alaska, a state that has emerged as a key battleground in the November elections that will determine control of Congress. This transcript of the interview, which took place after a rally at Fairbanks International Airport for Republican US Senator Dan Sullivan, has been edited lightly for length and clarity. Jacob Bogage, Reuters:

Trump says nobody knows who is running Iran

By Gram Slattery and Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that nobody knew who was running Iranduring the US-Israeli war with Iran, now in its eighth month.QUOTES AND DETAILS:• “Their leaders are gone, their second group of leaders are gone, and the biggest problem I have is nobody knows who the hell is running the country,” Trump said.• Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said on Sunday Washington knows very well who their counterpart is in Iran and how the decision-making system in Iran works.

Satellite images could indicate return to activity at Iranian compound: Report

The images show renewed vehicle and earth-moving activity at an Iranian compound that Israel struck in March.

From Amaliqa to Houthis, here are main armed groups fighting in Yemen

The Saudi-backed government is supported by several armed groups with varied histories, while the Iran-backed Houthis are largely unified under one command.

Yemeni government fighters shown driving vehicles over Houthi opponents

By Edward CarronOct 6 (Reuters) - Video posted by government forces in Yemen showed them driving armoured cars over Houthi fighters as they recaptured areas around the vitalBab el-Mandeb Strait from the Iran-backed group on Monday in a deadly new phase of the fragmented country’s war.The videos gave a glimpse into the brutal closing stages of a pitched battle for control of territory near the strait that the Houthis had captured last month.

Iran’s execution drive intensifies as war provides cover for repression

Iran has recently executed more protesters, raising fresh questions about how it is using wartime narratives and global inattention to reshape its approach toward dissent and instill societal fear.

Iran drone plot fears led US to remove bombers from UK base, US officials say

WASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - A suspected plot involving Iran to launch a complex drone attack on a key British airbase led the United States to remove its B-1 bomber aircraft from the base, two US officials told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.Iran has denied any involvement in any alleged plot at RAF Fairford, the preferred European ​base for US bombers.

Israeli settlers beat AFP photographer covering West Bank

Armed Israeli settlers on Tuesday beat an AFP photographer, leaving him requiring hospital treatment, as he covered ongoing violence by settlers against West Bank olive farmers. Jaafar Ashtiyeh, 58, a veteran photographer for the international news agency in the Palestinian territory, had tried to rush into a car for safety but two men tackled him down and clobbered him with their rifle butts, according to witnesses, his family and fellow journalists.

Kuwait strips 415 more of citizenship as crackdown continues: What to know

Kuwait is seeking to attract wealthy foreigners to reside in the country while escalating its crackdown on citizenships it says were obtained fraudulently.

West Bank olive harvest begins amid settler attacks on Palestinians, groves

Between 80,000 and 100,000 Palestinian families in the West Bank rely on the olive harvest for primary or secondary sources of income, according to the United Nations.

Syria’s Sharaa in Riyadh as Saudi airports come under Houthi attacks: What to know

Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Riyadh as the Houthis escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia and warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace.

US Senator Murphy says Pentagon denied him access to US base in Qatar

(Amends word order in paragraph 1) By Timour Azhari RIYADH, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy said the US Department of Defense denied him access to a key US military base in Qatar during a visit to the Middle East, describing it as part of a US government effort to conceal the impact of the Iran war. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US base in the region and has repeatedly been attacked by Iran during the war launched by the US and Israel in February.

Key aircraft incidents that reshaped aviation safety rules since 9/11

By Gianluca Lo Nostro Oct 6 (Reuters) - A flydubai co-pilot stabbed his captain with an emergency "crash axe" in what UAE prosecutors have called a terrorist attack, with the plane plunging 16,000 feet in 30 seconds before it was brought under control by passengers and a stand-by crew. It landed safely thanks to some heroics from the injured captain, with all on board surviving. The co-pilot is being questioned, with Israeli officials saying that he had planned the attack even before joining the airline.

Flights continue in Saudi Arabia despite Houthi attacks, airspace threats

Overnight attacks on King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport damaged facilities and wounded three people.

Attacks on civilian shipping in Black Sea are unacceptable, EU’s von der Leyen says

BRUSSELS, Oct 6 (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable after civilian ships were hit in Bulgaria's economic zone in the Black Sea. "Commercial ships – and innocent crews – are being targeted, with lives already lost at sea," she said. While the circumstances of the incidents are being investigated, the situation in the Black Sea is increasingly concerning, von der Leyen added.

Iranians spied on London-based journalists ‘on behalf of’ Tehran: UK prosecutor

Three Iranian men went on trial in the United Kingdom Tuesday charged with spying for Iran, allegedly laying the groundwork for a violent attack against at least one London-based journalist. The Iranian nationals visited addresses linked to people including two journalists working for the Farsi-language Iran International television news network, which Tehran has labelled a terror organisation.

Three years after Oct. 7, Hamas’ grip on Gaza tests Netanyahu’s ‘total victory’

Israeli intelligence assessments indicate that Hamas remains active, with the group estimated to have about 30,000 armed fighters, roughly the same as its estimated strength before the attack.

Yemen’s Houthis claim attack on Riyadh airport, deny losing territory

Yemen's Houthis claimed an attack on the main airport in the Saudi capital while also denying on Tuesday losing territory to government forces, as fighting intensified. After declaring a counter-offensive, government forces claimed Monday to have pushed the Houthis out of the Bab al-Mandab area, a key shipping route in the Red Sea, as well as the port city of Mocha, which was captured last month. Claims by both sides have been impossible to independently verify with the situation on the ground moving fast and access for journalists difficult.

UK PM weighs delay to roadmap for higher defence spending, Times reports

LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering delaying an announcement on how and when Britain will raise defence spending to 3% of GDP, The Times reported on Tuesday, pushing back a key milestone on the path to meeting NATO's target of 3.5% by 2035. Britain is under pressure to spell out how it will meet the NATO commitment and respond to a heightened security threat. Burnham has pledged to meet the 2035 target, but his government has yet to set out the steps required to get there.

Explainer-One year on, Trump’s Gaza plan has not stopped Israeli fire or disarmed Hamas

JERUSALEM, Oct 6 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump’s year-old plan to end the Gaza war has stalled, with Israel mounting near daily attacks and occupying around two-thirds of the shattered enclave where Palestinians face dire conditions. The initial phase resulted in a ceasefire on October 10, 2025 and secured the release of the last remaining hostages seized in Hamas’ 2023 attacks on Israel, along with freedom for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel.

Britain likely to expel Israeli diplomats if Jerusalem consulate closes, sources say

By Alexander CornwellTEL AVIV, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Britain is likely to expel Israeli diplomats if Israel carries out its order to shut the British consulate in East Jerusalem this week in a dispute over sanctions targeting Israeli settlements, four sources said.Israel on September 8 ordered Britain to close the East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city, after Britain said it would impose a ban on trade of goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Explainer-How is the Nobel Peace Prize decided?

By Gwladys Fouche OSLO, Oct 6 (Reuters) - The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday. Here is a look at how the award works: WHO IS NOMINATED? Some 287 candidates have been nominated,including 208 individuals and 79 organisations. We don't know who because the list is kept secret for 50 years, inside a vault in the basement of the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo. Still, nominators, of whom there are thousands worldwide, can choose to reveal their choices. IS US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP NOMINATED AND CAN HE WIN?

Flydubai co-pilot completed portion of his flight training in New Zealand, police says

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash a plane last week was in New Zealand seven years ago to complete a portion of his flight training for a U.K.-based company, New Zealand police said in a statement on Tuesday. Police said the man was in New Zealand between November 2018 and May 2019 on a six-month student visa.

War-weary northern Israelis rethink loyalty to Netanyahu before election

On Israel's border with Lebanon where Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets and drones, previous backers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say they are rethinking how they will vote in the first election since the war. "Many I know were right-wing and were Bibi supporters, and today they're not," said plant nursery owner Sigal Malachi, using a nickname for Israel's longest-serving premier.

US envoy attends event with Sudanese army chief in Egypt

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - An envoy of President Donald Trump said he attended an event over the weekend with the head of Sudan's army, which is fighting a war with paramilitary forces that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. DETAILS: • US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos said on X he attended a lunch hosted by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah ​al-Sisi alongside Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Americans in Saudi Arabia warned of possible attacks as Yemen fighting flares

A new travel advisory warns of “the potential for aerial drone or missile attacks in Saudi Arabia” and urges US citizens to “remain vigilant.”

Hormuz tanker attacks mount, putting oil flows at risk

Roughly a dozen reported attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz suggests Iran is once again dialing up the pressure as US economic sanctions plunge the rial to new lows.

Yemen military announces retaking of Mokha from Houthis amid Red Sea offensive

Saudi Arabia is providing significant air support to the Yemeni government offensive and held a meeting with senior Turkish and Pakistani officials amid the escalation.

UAE-Syria move ahead on $20 billion real estate mega-developments

Major housing and tourism projects in Damascus and Latakia are set to advance following a new agreement with UAE real estate tycoon Mohamed Alabbar.

UK security adviser visited Israel in bid to keep Jerusalem consulate open, sources say

By Alexander CornwellTEL AVIV, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Britain’s top national security official quietly visited Israel last week in a bid to prevent the closure of his country’s consulate in East Jerusalem which was ordered by Israel after London announced sanctions on Israeli settlements, three sources said.

Turkey, Pakistan to deploy forces to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

Turkish, Saudi and Pakistani officials agreed to bolster military cooperation under the Mecca defense pact as Houthi attacks and fighting in Yemen intensify.

Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan hold summit amid Ethiopia tensions

All four countries have increasingly tense relations with Ethiopia, driven by disputes over the Nile, Red Sea access and security.

UN rights council slams Taliban’s ‘oppression’ of women

The UN Human Rights Council on Monday unanimously urged the Taliban to repeal all practices restricting the fundamental freedoms of women and girls, saying Afghanistan's i

Mideast oil exports surpass prewar levels despite pipeline, ship attacks

Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing sources, that Saudi Arabia’s key East-West Pipeline was flowing as normal, despite an earlier report that it had closed again following a new attack.

Romania says two dead after fire on ship, Ukraine blames Russian drones

Oct 5 (Reuters) - Two people died and others were rescued after a fire on a ship in the Black Sea outside Romania's territorial waters, Romanian authorities said on Monday, as Ukraine blamed Russian drones for the incident. Romania's interior ministry said 11 crew members of the ship which sank had been rescued. The country's Naval Authority said the incident involved a fire on the ship Royad Mammadov.

Israel bars UK Greens leader over Zionism-racism resolution: What to know

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced Sunday that Green Party of England and Wales leader Zack Polanski would be barred from entering Israel after his party adopted a policy defining Zionism as a form of racism.

US pulls B-1 bombers from UK air base amid security fears: What to know

The withdrawal of a dozen strategic B-1B bombers back to the US came amid heightened concerns about a potential Iranian-linked plot to attack the facility.

Iran’s economy deteriorates, oil minister resigns, workers protest: What to know

Iran’s oil minister has resigned amid mounting economic pressure from US sanctions and restrictions on the country’s exports.

Afghan Taliban says problems with Pakistan can be resolved through diplomacy

KABUL/ISLAMABAD, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Problems affecting relations between neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan can be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Monday at talks on Afghanistan held in Moscow.• Instead of seeking “political understanding”, Pakistan’s powerful military uses only military language in relations with Afghanistan and has carried out aggression in violation of international laws, Muttaqi said

US judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit that used abortion clinic access law against protesters

(This Oct 2 story has been repeated to add a picture and additional codes, with no changes to text.) By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A US judge dismissed a lawsuit against pro-Palestinian organizations and protesters that President Donald Trump's administration brought last year under a law traditionally used against people blocking access to abortion clinics.

Yemeni government forces advance to Bab el-Mandeb Strait

By Mohammed Ghobari and Timour AzhariOct 5 (Reuters) - Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have secured effective control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Yemen’s Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani told Reuters on Monday, though fighting continues with Houthi forces in the area.

Yemeni government forces drive Houthis from Bab el-Mandeb Strait

By Mohammed Ghobari and Timour AzhariOct 5 (Reuters) - Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces staged a lightning advance on Monday to retake the coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait up to the city of Mocha, the government said, pushing the Iran-backed Houthis out of most of the areas they seized last month. The forces of the internationally recognised government, backed by heavy Saudi air strikes, reached the outskirts of Mocha late on Monday and Houthi fighters were retreating into the highlands, four government sources said.

Rubio, asked about US bombers leaving UK, says no direct link with suspected plot

By Kate Holton and Jonathan Landay LONDON/WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday there was no direct link between the sudden removal of his country's bombers from a British airbase and a suspected Iranian plot at the site last week.

Yemen, Saudi Arabia strike Houthis as counteroffensive gets underway

Yemen's military backed by Saudi jets attacked Houthi targets including in the capital on Monday as they launched an ambitious counteroffensive to recapture all territory held by the group following its recent lightning gains. The Yemeni military said it carried out more than 1,000 strikes and began an offensive against the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, while the Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognised government said 100 warplanes flew sorties at dawn.

October 7 families join election race with hope of healing Israel

By Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose TEL AVIV, Oct 5 (Reuters) - One was inspired by her son's last stand trying to fight off attackers rampaging through a kibbutz. Another by her son's final words as militants tossed grenades into a bomb shelter packed with fleeing revellers from a music festival. A third by the brothers he campaigned to bring home from captivity in Gaza.

For freed Israeli hostages, every moment is now precious

By Shir Torem and Hannah Confino TEL AVIV, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Taken with their children or alone. Held for weeks, months or years. Confined in captors' homes or Hamas tunnels as war raged above them. Israeli former hostages seized on October 7 say they now cherish even the smallest moments of freedom. Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack was Israel's single deadliest day. The militants rampaged through villages, a music festival and army bases, killing 1,200 people and dragging 251 hostages back to Gaza.

Three years on, Israeli rescuer cannot escape October 7

Israeli rescuer Natan Kenig says it does not take much of a trigger for him to relive the October 7, 2023 attack: his eyes open or closed, at home or out with friends, he still sees the rockets, torched cars and lifeless bodies. "I saw atrocities. The most terrible things in the world," he said. Three years after Hamas led the deadliest attack ever against Israel, Kenig, like so much of the country, remains traumatised. The flashbacks come daily, to the point that he has needed to see a therapist.

Israel wear black armbands in Ireland tie over Hamas attack

Israel's national football team wore black armbands in their Nations League clash against Ireland on Sunday to commemorate the victims of Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, after Irish players wore them to protest the war in Gaza. The simple black armbands were inscribed with the numbers "7.10" to mark the date of the attack. The move comes a week after the teams played at a near-empty stadium in Hungary, with Irish players bowing their heads during Israel's national anthem and no exchange of handshakes over Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

Iran’s oil minister resigns for personal reasons, state media reports

DUBAI, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned for personal reasons, and Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the government-owned National Iranian Oil Company, will be acting minister, state media said on Sunday. Mohsen Paknejad, oil minister of the OPEC member country since August 2024, resigned as the seven-month-old war between Iran and the US has put pressure on the country's economy.

UK Green Party declares Zionism is racism, angering Israel

By David Milliken LONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Britain's Green Party voted to class Zionism as a form of racism, drawing criticism from British Jews and from the Israeli government which said it now viewed the party as "a body that gives legitimacy to terrorism". The Greens – who received 6% of the vote in a national election in 2024 and have around 10% support in recent opinion polls – said they regarded Zionism as "an ethnonationalist political project" and repeated their call for Britain's Labour government to end all arms trade with Israel.

UK Green party adopts ‘Zionism is racism’ policy

The UK’s left-wing Green party voted Sunday to define Zionism as racism at the party’s annual conference, drawing sharp backlash from three British Jewish groups, the ruling Labour Party and Israel’s government. Members of the Green party, which has five MPs in Britain’s 650-seat parliament and which enjoyed a boost in recent local and special elections, backed the motion at the party’s conference, with 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against.

Turkey says Mecca pact committee to meet in Riyadh on October 5

ISTANBUL, Oct 4 (Reuters) - A committee of the Mecca defence pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will hold talks in Riyadh on Monday, with Turkish ministers among those attending, the Turkish foreign ministry said on Sunday. The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced on Sunday the beginning of a major military operation against the Iran-backedHouthis earlier on Sunday, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.

Yemeni government launches offensive to seize all areas from Iran-backed Houthis

By Mohammed Ghobari, Timour Azhari and Eman Abouhassira ADEN, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government said on Sunday it was launching a major military campaign to recapture all areas of the country controlled by the . The government’s armed forces would press the offensive “until the country is liberated from the grip of the terrorist militia,” Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi said in a televised address. A military spokesman later called on the Houthis to lay down their weapons.

Australia probes flydubai co-pilot’s links to the country, police say

By Praveen Menon and Alexander Cornwell SYDNEY/TEL AVIV, Oct 4 (Reuters) - A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday. The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team – which comprises federal police, Victorian state police and the ASIO intelligence agency – were "investigating the man's links to Australia," the Australian Federal Police spokesperson said.

Like a ‘vertical roller coaster’: Simulating flight FZ1073’s sudden plunge

By Ben Makori SHERFIELD ON LODDON, England, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Flydubai's flight FZ1073, which plunged 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds before being levelled out and landing safely, would have felt like a "vertical roller coaster", according to an aviation instructor who recreated the descent in a flight simulator for Reuters.

Iran tells US there is no military solution to Middle East war

Iran's top diplomat insisted on Sunday that there would be no military solution to the United States' war against the Islamic republic, with talks on ending the conflict apparently at an impasse. A campaign of heavy bombardment failed to bring a decisive close to the war launched by the US and Israel in late February, and Washington in recent weeks has dialled back military operations in favour of economic pressure.

Future of French far-right star in balance after antisemitism claims

After one of the most meteoric rises in the history of French politics, Jordan Bardella, the 31-year-old top ally of Marine Le Pen, is fighting for his political life after allegations he made antisemitic comments as a teenager in 2013. Just a week ago, all was looking rosy for Bardella, with polls predicting Le Pen is on course to win the presidency at the fourth attempt, and the young leader of her National Rally (RN) party subsequently set to take the job of prime minister.

Haunted by grief, Gaza’s displaced still wait overseas for return

By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Omar al-Hassayna fled Gaza for Cairo after an Israeli airstrike wiped out much of his large family. Three years on, he remains there waiting for enough stability, security and reconstruction in his still devastated homeland to return.

Asian Games close in Japan after records, rancour and rain

The Asian Games in Japan closed on Sunday after a fortnight lit up by record-smashing young stars but marred by mishaps, mediocre crowds and accusations of misma

US carrier George H.W. Bush visits Thailand after six-month Middle East deployment

PHUKET, Thailand, Oct 4 (Reuters) - The US aircraft carrier GeorgeH.W. Bush arrived in Thailand's resort island ofPhuket on Sunday with about 4,800 personnel aboard for a rest-and-recreation break after six months supporting US operations in the Middle East. • For the last six months, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its strike group supported Operation Epic Fury and theUSnaval blockade in the US Central Command area of responsibility to secure maritime security and stability in the Middle East, according to the US Navy.

In Egypt’s Sinai, Gazan builds school for children displaced by war

In Egypt's North Sinai, Palestinian teacher Hadeel Zourob watches dozens of displaced Gazan children file into the region's only Palestinian school,

Qatar and Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix to go ahead - F1 boss

The final races of the Formula One season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead as planned despite tensions in the Middle East, the sport's CEO Stefano Domenicali said Saturday. "Based on the information we have, everything is confirmed for (us to stay in) Qatar and Abu Dhabi," Domenicali told French broadcaster Canal Plus on the sidelines of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was relocated to the Sepang circuit in Malaysia this weekend.

Ireland cut short news conference before Israel game

The Republic of Ireland's press conference on Saturday on the eve of their second Nations League match against Israel in Serbia was cut short as head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson fielded questions from Israeli journalists. Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Hungary in their first match on Tuesday following a turbulent build-up in which the Irish players voted to fulfil the fixture despite unease among the team over the war in Gaza.

UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning ‘terrorist act’

UAE investigators have said the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel this week was planning a "terrorist act" and used the cockpit's emergency axe to attack the captain, but they did not reveal his motive. During the flight on Wednesday, its Indian captain was assaulted by the co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Portugal prosecutors probe legality of US use of Lajes base in Iran war

LISBON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Portuguese prosecutors said on Saturday they had opened a probe into the legality of the centre-right government's authorisation of the United States' use of the Lajes Air Base in the Azores during the Iran conflict, following a complaint by an opposition party. A longstanding agreement with the US allows Washington to use the base without prior authorisation during peacetime, but requires Portugal to give approval once hostilities begin.

Yemen’s Houthis say they attacked Aramco facility in Riyadh with missiles, drones

Oct 3 (Reuters) - Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Saturday they had targeted an Aramco facility in the Saudi capital Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, saying the attack was in retaliation for Saudi attacks on Yemen’s Sanaa and other provinces. A large plume of smoke and fire was seen rising in the vicinity of an Aramco facility in Riyadh earlier on Saturday, a witness told Reuters.There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities of an attack on an Aramco facility.

Israeli strike kills five in Gaza, including four women, health officials say

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas CAIRO/GAZA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - An Israeli airstrike killed at least five Palestinians, including four women, in an apartment building in Gaza City early on Saturday, health and civil defence service officials said. Among the dead were a Christian mother, Maisa Abu Dawoud, and her daughter Mary, medics and the church said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The strike destroyed the apartment building and started a fire.

Man arrested in Fairford air base investigation released on bail

LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - British counter-terrorism police investigating a suspected plot involving an air base used by the US said on Saturday they had released on bail a dual UK-Iranian national who had been arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.The 25-year-old man was detained on Thursday over the incident last weekend involving the RAF Fairford base in western England from where US bombers have taken part in raids against targets in Iran.Police confirmed he had now been released,

Aboard the USS George Washington, young sailors adjust to war with Iran

By Ed Ou ABOARD USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - An emergency alert blares from a loudspeaker, and Damon Dennard and other sailors on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington are scrambling. Dennard, 23, is readying bombs for loading onto aircraft as his crewmates race to their positions. "It has been eventful," says Dennard, an aviation ordnanceman airman apprentice. Once the alert ends, he takes a breath, sits on one of the bombs and jokes that he probably expected an easier deployment.

Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe, attempted ‘terrorist attack’, UAE says

Oct 3 (Reuters) - The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM. The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identity.

Trump’s integration policies build on Gulf, Turkey ties and Syria success

Iran’s influence, and the potential for renewed conflict, complicate progress in Iraq.

Explainer-What do we know about flydubai flight 1073?

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Here is what we know, and don't know, about the reported attempt by the copilot of flydubai flight 1073 to crash the plane on September 30 before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLANE? The flight, carrying more than 170 mostly Israeli passengers and crew, departed Dubai at 0305 GMT, according to flight data reviewed by Reuters.

After US exit, Iran gains space in Iraq and a harder balancing act

For Iran, the easier part may have been getting Washington out, but it may now have to struggle turning the absence into durable influence and reviving its allied militias without provoking instability.

Saudis plan assault on Houthis to break Red Sea chokehold

By Timour Azhari and Mubasher BukhariRIYADH, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is planning an offensive against Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, with options being considered including a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts, regional and Western officials told Reuters. The operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will by led by Yemeni forces on the ground, which are overseen by Riyadh, and supported by Saudi air strikes, according to six people with knowledge of the preparations.

Algeria moves to restore death penalty for arson: What to know

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune wants a return to executions after another summer of devastating wild fires, but rights groups say the amendment passed by parliament is problematic.

How Netanyahu is capitalizing on MBZ meeting, FlyDubai attack to gain in election polls

The past week was an especially good one for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as security once again took center stage in the election campaign.

As Guterres exits, here are contenders for UNSG and their Middle East outlook

The next UN secretary-general will inherit a Middle East agenda dominated by crises.

Italy says EU naval mission in Red Sea still insufficient

ROME, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Friday that contributions to an EU naval mission protecting Red Sea shipping remain insufficient, as Rome presses allies to do more to safeguard traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. • In a statement issued after meeting in Rome with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Crosetto welcomed a decision by some member states to contribute additional assets to Aspides, without identifying the countries involved

Why are Egypt and Ethiopia clashing over Tigray, Somalia and the Nile?

Egypt expelled an official at the Ethiopian Embassy in Cairo on Thursday following a similar move by Ethiopia that same day, in the latest sign of tensions between the neighboring African countries.

Turkey mine collapse death toll rises to five: What to know

Authorities have detained nine people including executives of the mining company on suspicion of negligence.

Ex-UN director who protested Gaza famine challenges his dismissal

By Emma Farge and Crispian Balmer GENEVA/ROME, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A former senior UN food agency official has said he has launched an appeal against his dismissal, alleging it was motivated by his stance on hunger in Gaza, in a case that has exposed tensions within the Rome-based organisation. Benjamin Davis, 62, a Spanish American director at the Food and Agriculture Organization, was informed hisemployment would end on September 30 at the request of Director-GeneralQu Dongyu, according to documents seen by Reuters.

Ethiopian forces near Tigray capital, fears grow of wider conflict

Oct 2 (Reuters) - Ethiopian government forces closed in on the capital of the northern rebel stronghold of Tigray onFriday, residents and a diplomat said, as fears grew that fighting could spill into a wider war after Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties. Banks and shops in the city, Mekelle, were closed with the Ethiopian National Defence Force and allied militiamen reported to be within striking distance, two residents, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told Reuters.

Syrian students get caught in rift between Druze leaders and Damascus

By Yamaam Al-Shaar , Khalil Ashawi and Nayera AbdallahSWEIDA, Syria Oct 2 (Reuters) - Young people in Syria’s Sweida province are unable to progress through school and university due to a deepening rift between the post-Assad Islamist government and the Israel-aligned Druze leaders of the last area outside central control.Their dilemma reflects deep trauma and lingering instability in the province, where hundreds of Druze were killed last year in sectarian violence by government-linked forces and Israel struck Syria’s military,

Pilot in flydubai attack says could not let ‘all those people die’

An Indian pilot attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flight from the UAE to Israel said Friday that he "could not let all those people die", in his first public remarks after he helped stop the plane from crashing. His actions on Wednesday helped avert disaster when he managed to open the cockpit door despite suffering injuries, allowing passengers and crew to take control of the plane and make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Palestinians from Gaza rebuild in Mexico City through food

By Diego Oré MEXICO CITY, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Loud noises still cause anxiety for Mohammed Abed, a Palestinian systems engineer from Gaza. The planes that crisscross the skies of Mexico City and the rumble of summer thunder evoke memories of the 2025 Israeli bombing campaign in Gaza, where an air strike killed his 4-year-old daughter.

How FlyDubai attack exposes gaps in Israel-UAE security ties

Israeli officials believe the Flydubai incident could strain Israel-UAE relations but is unlikely to undermine long-term security cooperation between the two countries.

Indian flydubai pilot opened cockpit door to save passengers

Indian flydubai captain Smit Machchhar knew he had to act quickly after an alleged in-flight attack by his co-pilot, opening the cockpit door in a "last push" to get help and avert disaster, he said Friday. "I was trying to save my own life, but I knew I could not let all those people die," Machchhar said during a call from his hospital bed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a video posted by the leader on social media.

Indian pilot tells PM Modi he opened flydubai cockpit door during attack

Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Indian pilot stabbed by his co-pilot on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv replayed the dramatic attack and his desperate effort to open the cockpit door to seek help, in a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. Smit ​Machchhar, seen with a tube in his nose and bandages on his head and hands, spoke to Modi from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi during a nearly 10-minute clip released on the prime minister's social media channels, wiping away tears as he narrated his ordeal.

Yemen carried out 20 strikes on Houthi targets in Taiz province, spokesperson says

Oct 2 (Reuters) - The military spokesperson for Yemen's internationally recognized government said on Friday that warplanes carried out 20 strikes over the past three hours targeting Houthi movements, personnel, vehicles and military equipment in Taiz province. The strikes come amid the most serious escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a UN-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022.

Evacuated in an incubator, now back in Gaza getting to know mama

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mahmoud Issa CAIRO/GAZA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Bissan was born because of an airstrike. Two weeks into the war in Gaza in October 2023, an Israeli attack ripped through her family's home in Beit Lahiya near the Israeli border, killing a sister she never got to meet. The blast seriously injured her pregnant mother, who was forced to deliver Bissan six weeks early to save both their lives.

Eritrea cuts ties with Ethiopia over Asmara embassy closure

Oct 1 (Reuters) - Ethiopia ordered the closure of its embassy in Eritrea and declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona nongrata on Thursday, prompting Asmara to sever all diplomatic ties with its neighbour after overnight blasts heard in Addis Ababa sparked fears aboutrenewed conflict in northern Ethiopia spreading.Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that has battled troops loyal to Ethiopia’s federal government since last week.

Arab Israeli candidate drops out of election race

Arab Israeli politician Sami Abu Shehadeh withdrew his candidacy on Thursday from October's parliamentary election after Israel's Supreme Court indicated a majority of its judges supported barring him from the race. Arab Israeli parties are seen by political analysts as potential kingmakers in the October 27 election, with polls showing neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition nor the main opposition bloc on course for a majority.

Israel courts Europe’s far right, finding friends but also unease

Saudi coalition accuses Houthis of drone attack on Medina

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis struck an electricity distribution station in the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led coalition said Thursday, sparking strong condemnation from the Muslim world. The alleged attack came as fighting intensifies in Yemen, where government forces said they carried out attacks on Houthi targets and AFP journalists heard explosions in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.

Ireland game interrupted twice by Gaza protests

The Nations League football match between Ireland and Austria in Dublin on Thursday was twice briefly interrupted by demonstrations in support of Palestine.  In the 19th minute, spectators threw tennis balls covered in Palestinian flag stickers onto the field.  The players left the pitch for a few minutes before the match resumed.  In the 35th minute, a man ran onto the pitch waving a Palestinian flag, briefly interrupting the match again.  The game ended in a 2–2 draw.

Spotlight on UK-UAE ties amid Manchester City scandal

The Manchester City financial scandal threatens to tarnish one of Abu Dhabi's most dazzling showcases of "soft power" and confronts the United Kingdom with a delicate balancing act in preserving its long-standing ties with the Emirates. "I can't intervene more in the process. It would be wrong for me to do that," UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC after the Abu Dhabi-backed club was found guilty of violating Premier League rules between 2009 and 2018.

US sanctions target Iran’s auto, rail sectors as blockade chokes ship lanes

By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran's rail and auto sectors and their foreign suppliers, the Treasury Department said on Thursday, widening its wartime economic campaign to isolate Tehran. The sanctions are part of the department's "Operation Economic Outcast," announced August 24, which aims to cut Tehran's funding for the war, missile construction, cyberattacks and theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC.

UK police arrest dual UK-Iranian man in Fairford air base investigation

LONDON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - British counter-terrorism police investigating a suspected plot involving an air base used by the US to target Iran said on Thursday they had arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. In an incident which triggered a huge police response, raised ‌alarm among Western allies, and remains largely unexplained, five British men in their 20s were arrested on Sunday on suspected terrorism and explosive offences near RAF Fairford in western England.

Libya’s pay strike rallies teachers across divided nation

In Libya, a teachers' strike over pay has shut schools and delayed the start of the school year, rallying educators across the oil-rich but politically divided country. Their demands include higher salaries, health insurance and compensation for overtime.

Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of drone attack in Medina

The kingdom previously accused the Yemeni group of targeting the holy city of Mecca as fighting escalates.

Turkey-Greece cable dispute hits impasse as Ankara insists on prior coordination

Turkey and Greece are increasingly at an impasse over the Great Sea Interconnector project, which aims to link the power grids of Greece and Cyprus and eventually Israel.

Journalists decry crackdown after Turkey blocks news site over ‘LGBT propaganda’

By Ali Kucukgocmen ANKARA, Oct 1 (Reuters) - A Turkish journalist whose articles were cited among the grounds for blocking independent news portal T24 said the decision effectively treated objective reporting about LGBTQ+ people as a crime, as the outlet prepared to appeal the order on Thursday. A court ordered access to T24's website and social media accounts blocked after authorities said it had published 118 pieces of content over the past year deemed to constitute "LGBT propaganda".

Man City sponsor Etihad says considering legal action against Premier League

UAE airline Etihad, Manchester City's main sponsor, has said it is considering legal action against the Premier League after the bombshell ruling against the English football giant over Premier League financial rule breaches. It was announced this week that the Abu Dhabi-backed club was found guilty of more than 100 breaches of financial rules in the world's richest domestic league.

Exclusive-Citing Iran war, US waives rights condition on Egypt military aid

By Alexander Dziadosz, Patricia Zengerle and Humeyra Pamuk CAIRO/WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The US State Department said on Thursday it has waived human rights conditions for more than $300 million of military aid to Egypt in light of Cairo's "helpful role" since the launch of the US war with Iran. Egypt started to get significant US support after signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, and has received about $1.3 billion a year in US military aid since the late 1980s.

Pentagon deploys thousands more Marines, another aircraft carrier to Mideast

The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and some 4,000 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Makin Island follow the USS Theodore Roosevelt in cycling into the Arabian Sea as the US blockade of Iran shows no sign of ending.

How airlines try to make sure pilots are safe to fly

The apparent attack by the co-pilot on a flight to Israel, in which he stabbed his captain and tried to crash the plane, is a reminder that the cockpit is an extremely sensitive place in terms of aviation safety.  What can be done to stop an airline pilot from deliberately crashing a plane?    - What happened? -

Rights, faith groups urge Congress to block $2.8B bomb sale to Israel

If the Trump administration moves forward with the transfer, dozens of groups are urging lawmakers to seek a joint resolution of disapproval.

West Bank settlers attack Israeli activists as Netanyahu claims ‘hoax’

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attention surrounding settler violence was a “tremendous hoax.”

Turkish court orders access ban on popular news portal over ‘LGBTQ+ propaganda’

ANKARA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - A Turkish court has ordered access to the website and social media accounts of independent news portal T24 to be blocked over content deemed "LGBT propaganda", the Justice Ministry said on Wednesday. Dozens of people were jailed earlier this month under an investigation targeting LGBTQ+ groups in Turkey, dubbed "My Family is Safe", which the government says is aimed at protecting children and family values.

Israeli airlines plan to resume Dubai flights after flydubai incident

By Steven ScheerJERUSALEM, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Israel’s three largest airlines said on Thursday they planned to resume flights to Dubai after what Israeli officials have said was an apparent attempt to crash a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv the previous day.Dubai has been one of the most popular destinations for Israelis since the United Arab Emirates signed the Abraham Accords in 2020. The UAE accounted for 1.5 million, or 8.3%, of the passengers travelling through Ben Gurion International Airport in 2025, behind only Greece and the United States.

Syria denies meeting with Lebanon’s Hezbollah in Turkey: What to know

The Syrian government denied reports that Syrian officials met with Hezbollah representatives in Turkey, as relations between the two sides remain fraught with tensions mainly over the Lebanese group’s support for Assad’s forces against rebels during the Syrian civil war.

Turkey to receive first 2 C-130J aircraft in December under $730M UK deal

The aircraft are part of a 12-plane procurement deal from the United Kingdom as Ankara seeks to rapidly modernize its aging air fleet.

Netanyahu says flydubai co-pilot underwent Islamist radical indoctrination

WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the co-pilot who tried to crash a passenger jet on its way to Israel had undergone Islamist radicalization.“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News. No motive has been determined for Wednesday’s harrowing near-disaster on Wednesday’s flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, when passengers were able to subdue the attacker and a reserve crew aboard landed the plane in Saudi Arabia.

Malawi ex-army chief arrested following allegations over Sudan arms

Malawi's anti-corruption agency said it arrested the previous army chief on Thursday on allegations including dealing in property linked to "terrorism". General Paul Valentino Phiri's arrest comes months after the Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) reported unverified allegations, based on purported US intelligence, that Malawi military personnel may have helped Sudanese rebels acquire heavy weaponry.

Israel-UAE flights disrupted as airlines plan rescue flights: What to know

Israeli carriers are preparing repatriation flights from Dubai starting on Friday, subject to security approval.

Israelis swell with pride over foiled plane disaster

Israelis swelled with pride Thursday after passengers wrested control of a plane to prevent near-certain death, days before the anniversary of the October 7 attack, their country's worst-ever security failure. For many Israelis, the foiled disaster on the flydubai plane bolstered their view that their country is exceptional, that with their can-do spirit -- and nearly universal military training -- they can save themselves against all odds.

Iran readies harder retaliation if attacked as diplomacy faces long odds

By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Iran is preparing a broader and more forceful response if the United States resumes large-scale military attacks, sources said, while continuing a diplomatic push that Iranian officials privately see as unlikely to succeed. The planning reflects a conviction within Iran's leadership that any renewed US campaign must be met with a stronger response than before, even as Tehran seeks to avert escalation through talks.

Israel’s Netanyahu: Co-pilot of flydubai plane underwent radical Islamist indoctrination

By Alexander Cornwell and Maayan LubellJERUSALEM, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The co-pilot of a passenger jet who stabbed the captain in an apparent attempt to crash the plane as it flew to Israel had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was clearly suicidal,Israel’s prime minister said Thursday.

UAE probes possible ‘terror’ link in attack on flight to Israel

The United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday it was probing a possible "terrorist" link to an apparent attack by a pilot on board a flight to Israel that saw passengers reroute the plane to stop it from crashing. The dramatic events on Wednesday ended with passengers being given a hero's welcome by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu back home in Israel as they arrived from Saudi Arabia, where the plane made an emergency landing hours earlier.

Indian pilot hailed as ‘hero’ after cockpit struggle

Pakistani airstrikes kill nine in Afghanistan, Taliban say

KABUL, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan hit three houses on Thursday, killing nine people, the Afghan Taliban government said, while Islamabad said the strikes killed 22 “terrorists” after targeting their hideouts.The airstrikes mark an escalation in fighting between the neighbours after three months of relative calm.Those killed in the strikes on Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces included women and children,

Trump will not win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, but he may influence who does, say experts

OSLO, Oct 1 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump will not win this year's Nobel Peace Prize as he wages war with Iran, but his influence will still be felt by the awarding body that picks the laureate, according to experts. Last year's award, to Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado, was unique in the prize's 125-year history, coming amid repeated lobbying by Trump to get the award. Weeks later, Machado gave her gold Nobel medal to Trump, in a bid to win support for her efforts for a democratic Venezuela.

Netanyahu says Israel will get to the ‘root’ of co-pilot in foiled bid to crash flydubai flight

By Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Israel will get to the “root” of the co-pilot who engaged in a foiled attempt to crash an Israel-bound flydubai flight and that Israel will “possibly” be participating in the probe into the incident.DETAILS AND QUOTES• “We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices, whether Iran was behind it.

Immigration judge rules US can deport president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - A US immigration judge ruled the US government can deport Palestinian American Salah Sarsour, who is the president of Wisconsin's largest mosque and a US permanent resident, under a Cold War-era law. Sarsour, who grew up in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in late March and released in mid-June after a federal judge said he had raised a substantial free speech retaliation claim that would render his detention unlawful.

Netanyahu and Modi hail Indian flydubai pilot as hero

By Kanjyik Ghosh Oct 1 (Reuters) - The leaders of Israel and India hailed Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as a hero for saving passengers after he was stabbed by his colleague in an alleged attempt to crash a flydubai plane on Wednesday. Passengers on the flight reached Israel safely on Wednesday after customers and crew foiled the co-pilot's attempt to crash the aircraft, Israeli officials said. The struggle began when he stabbed the pilot and sent the jet plunging nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 m) in less than 30 seconds.

Fury, Joshua kick off ‘battle of Britain’ in good spirits

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua were all smiles as they kicked off the countdown to their much-anticipated heavyweight showdown at a pre-fight press conference in London. The British two-time world champions will finally lock horns in Cardiff on December 11 after years of false starts and barbs at each other. Those expecting fireworks as the two shared a stage in front of a crowd of 1,000 fans were left disappointed as both showed respect for their adversary's career.

Ronaldo leaves Portugal training camp after coach says he is dropped

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Wednesday that he had left the team's training camp in Denmark after coach Jorge Jesus told reporters that the striker would be dropped for their next match. Ronaldo had been due to train with his team-mates at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen on Wednesday but left abruptly after Jesus's press conference. The veteran coach had said that Ronaldo, who spent the entire match on the bench against Norway on Sunday, would not start Thursday's Nations League clash away to Denmark either.

Turkey bans T24 news site as dissent crackdown widens: What to know

Turkish authorities cited alleged LGBTQ+ propaganda for the ruling against the independent news website.

Tunisian president eases cybercrime penalties after rights groups’ criticism

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied on Wednesday eased penalties under a cybercrime decree that human rights groups had said was designed to muzzle dissent. The move marks a rare retreat by Saied since he consolidated control over much of Tunisia's political system in 2021 and came hours after civil society groups, led by the UGTT union, announced plans for a large national march in protest against what they see as curbs on rights and freedoms.

Turkey freezes ex-minister’s assets as fund scandal grows

Turkish prosecutors have moved to freeze the assets of a senior governing party official and former minister who resigned at the weekend over allegations she profited from an investment fund crisis.  The move to freeze the assets of Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, a senior figure within President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP, came on the eve of the reopening of parliament after the summer recess.

FlyDubai incident spotlights key global link for Israeli travelers

The flight carrying 174 passengers was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv when an incident in the cockpit prompted an emergency landing.

Turkey seizes Iran’s Caspian Airlines jet over $3.4M debt

The court-ordered seizure at Istanbul Airport comes as Iranian carriers face mounting pressure from sweeping new US aviation sanctions.

Italy’s main opposition PD boycotts antisemitism bill vote amid split on left

By Angelo Amante ROME, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Italy's Democratic Party did not take part in a parliamentary committee vote on Wednesday on a highly contested bill against antisemitism, highlighting divisions on the left over a law seen as potentially curbing criticism of Israel. A PD source said the party considered the definition of antisemitism included in the bill was "divisive" and urged the right-wing ruling coalition backing it to change its formulation, but this call is likely to fall on deaf ears.

Israelis march between once-closed West Bank settlements

Hundreds of Israelis marched Wednesday  between newly rebuilt settlements in the northern West Bank to celebrate a Jewish holiday, a symbolic show of their return to an area until recently almost fully Palestinian. Settlers of all ages carried traditional bundles of fruit and branches used to celebrate the ongoing week-long holiday of Sukkot, or the Feast of the Tabernacles, with inflatable castles and clowns bringing a holiday atmosphere to the hilltop above Palestinian communities.

FlyDubai incident recalls decades of Middle East airline hijackings: What to know

In 1968, the PFLP hijacked an El Al flight from Rome to Tel Aviv, marking the first political hijacking of an aircraft tied to the Middle East.

Man City future in doubt after guilty verdict

Manchester City face an uncertain future after being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules in a bombshell verdict that former player Mic

‘Do something,’ begs Iranian woman after death sentence over protests

An Iranian woman sentenced to death over protests earlier this year has begged the international community to save her life and others facing the death penalty, according to an audio message from prison shared by rights groups on Wednesday. The plea by Mahboubeh Shahbani, 33, from her jail in the eastern city of Mashhad comes as the authorities executed two more men on charges linked to the mass January protests.

Israel PM says one of the pilots of rerouted flight tried to crash plane

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that one of the pilots of a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight had tried to crash the plane and kill its passengers, after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers gave a similar account of the incident on board, describing a fight for control after the plane suddenly plummeted, losing around 17,000 feet of altitude in the span of a minute, according to the Flightradar24 website.

Passengers overcame pilot who tried to crash flydubai flight, Israel says

By Alexander Cornwell, Rami Amichay and Lina ObeidJERUSALEM, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The co-pilot of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv tried to crash the plane after stabbing the pilot, but passengerssubdued him while other pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia, Israeli officials said on Wednesday.Describing the event as “a highly severe security incident”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 from the United Arab Emirates to Israel,

UK links Iran to suspected plot outside airbase used by US bombers

LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Britain has "strong indications" that Iran was involved in a suspected plot against a British airbase used by US forces to strike Iran, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday. In an incident which triggered a huge police response, raised alarm among Western allies, and remains largely unexplained, five British men in their 20s were arrested on Sunday on suspected terrorism and explosive offences near RAF Fairford in western England. The five, who all live in London, were later released on bail.

FlyDubai flight lands in Tel Aviv after distress alert, Saudi diversion

With 100 Israeli nationals among the 174 passengers, the country's security agencies initially feared the plane had been hijacked, according to a report.

Iran receives US feedback on seven-day trust-building plan

Sept 30 (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi received US feedback via Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday on a seven-day plan aimed at building trust between Washington and Tehran, with sequencing the main sticking point, an official, who was not Iranian butwas briefed on the talks, told Reuters. Araqchi is expected to discuss the US response in Tehran on Wednesday, the official said.

Explainer-How the US controls Iraq’s oil revenues

By Ahmed RasheedDUBAI, Sept 30 (Reuters) - US forces are set to withdraw on Wednesday from their last bases in Iraq, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, which ​have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war.Still, since its 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US has held effective control of the country’s oil revenue dollars, giving Washington extraordinary leverage over Baghdad’s affairs,

Iran says it receives US response to latest proposal as Washington pulls out of Iraq

By Ahmed Rasheed, Jana Choukeir and Andrew MillsBAGHDAD/DUBAI, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Iran said on Wednesday it had received a US response to its latest proposal to resurrect the collapsed ceasefire in the Gulf, days after President Donald Trump said he had rejected it.Iran’s allies were celebrating on Wednesday after Washington withdrew the last of its forces from neighbouring Iraq, where 4,500 US troops died in the biggest US war of the century.

US-led coalition ends mission in Iraq

A US-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago to fight jihadists concluded its mission on Wednesday, a move celebrated by the country’s leaders, but which some fear will embolden pro-Iran armed factions. Coalition troops deployed to Iraq and Syria in 2014 to fight the Islamic State group, which had seized large swathes of territory, committing massacres and forcing thousands of women and children into slavery. The group was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, but coalition forces stayed on to battle the group’s remnants.

West Bank’s violent settlers part of a new generation fuelled by ideology

A mass attack by Israeli settlers on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank has placed new focus on the emergence of a generation of radicals in the territory. A loosely connected movement of hardline Israeli settlers, most of them young and including school dropouts from outside the West Bank, known as the "Hilltop Youth", is behind the surging violence against Palestinians.

US Senate blocks measure demanding report on rights violations in West Bank

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - US Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a bid to require President Donald Trump's administration to report to Congress on increasing violence in the occupied West Bank, including the deaths of American citizens. The procedural vote was the latest sign of friction between US Democrats and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government over Israel's treatment of Palestinians and of Republicans' continuing strong support for his coalition.

Joy mixed with fear as US forces quit Iraq leaving potential security vacuum

By Ahmed Rasheed and Muayad Hameed BAGHDAD, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Iraqis celebrated the departure of US forces after more than two decades of war on Wednesday, though many were worried that a security vacuum could increase the power of Iran-backed militia or provide an opening for the return of Islamic State. The withdrawal of the final troops, mainly from an airbase in Erbil in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, ended the biggest US war of the century, which brought widespread devastation and chaos from which Iraq has yet to fully emerge.

Antisemitism at UK universities is increasing, security charity says

LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Antisemitism at British universities is on the rise, with incidents up nearly 80% from before the October 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel, a report by a charity which provides security advice to Britain's Jewish community said on Wednesday. • The Community Security Trust (CST) said it had recorded 178 university-related antisemitic incidents between the 2024 to 2026 academic years, with a 14% increase during 2025/26.

Trump says he does not know if Iran is going to ‘give up yet’

By Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he does not know if Iran is going to "give up yet" but cast the country as doing "very poorly" in its war with the US. DETAILS AND QUOTES: • "I don't know if they are going to give up yet but they'll give up," Trump told reporters. • "They are doing very poorly," he added. • A US blockade has cut Iran's financial lifeline - oil exports, and economic costs of the war have made life tougher for Iranians.

UAE vice president visits Saudi Arabia in first visit since rift

Sept 29 (Reuters) - UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and met with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the kingdom’s defence minister, the first visit by a senior UAE official to the kingdom since a deep rift emerged between the two Gulf powers last year.The visit, following an invitation by Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, occurred as Riyadh faces increasing pressure from the Iran-backed Houthis, who have for weeks fired salvos of missiles and drones at the kingdom.

Morocco’s king appoints first woman prime minister following election

By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT, Sept 29 (Reuters) - King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri on Tuesday as Morocco's first woman prime minister after her liberal-centrist party came out on top in a September 23 parliamentary election, the royal palace said. The king asked El Mansouri to form a new government, the palace said in a statement.

Who is Fatima El Mansouri, Morocco’s first woman prime minister?

Her appointment marks the first time a woman has served as Morocco’s head of government and the second time a woman has held the position in the Arab world.

Who are the Emiratis behind crisis-hit Manchester City?

Over the course of nearly two decades, Emirati money has turned once mediocre Manchester City into one of the most dominant teams in world football.  Now, the club face substantial sanctions and potentially even automatic relegation from the Premier League. In February 2023, the league brought 115 charges against City for breaching financial rules and failing to cooperate with its investigations.

As Iran’s grip on Hormuz weakens, what leverage does Tehran have left?

Six months into the war, Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz is weakening. The world is slowly learning to live with it, oil flows are recovering, alternative routes are expanding and Tehran’s own economy is bearing the cost of keeping the waterway under pressure.

US imposes sanctions on 13 tied to Iran weapons procurement

By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON, Sept 29 - The US government announced fresh sanctions on Tuesday against 13 individuals and entities, including some based in Russia, China, Hong Kong and Pakistan, saying they helped Iran procure weapons and components. The sanctions announced by the Treasury and State departments are part of the Trump administration's effort to isolate Iran economically and force it to negotiate an end to the war that began with a US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28.

After indirect talks, new US sanctions target Iran’s weapons supply

The latest sanctions come after the two sides held another round of indirect talks over a possible deal to end the war.

Saudi stocks hit wartime low as Aramco slides, Gulf oil exports rebound

Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All-Share Index fell 1.17% on Tuesday, dragged down by oil giant Aramco, as investors digested signs that Gulf oil exports are recovering.

US troops exit Iraq after 12 years as Iran war reshapes regional security

The Pentagon is completing its troop withdrawal under a 2024 agreement with Baghdad, but the move risks leaving Kurdish allies vulnerable to attack while potentially ceding ground to Tehran’s long-term influence.

Israeli settlers attack West Bank village, blocking family’s return home

By Ali Sawafta and Lina Obeid JALUD, West Bank, Sept 29 (Reuters) - More than 100 Israeli settlers have attacked a village in the occupied West Bank, preventing a Palestinian family from returning home and clashing with troops, witnesses said. Two houses belonging to the Tubasi family in Jalud village were seized by settlers weeks ago, amid a surge of settler violence and land seizures that have drawn international condemnation.

Iran’s rial hits record low as pressure on oil exports mounts

The rial was trading at more than 2.5 million to the dollar in Tehran’s open market on Tuesday.

MBS hosts Sheikh Mansour as Saudi-UAE ties thaw: What to know

The renewed outreach comes as Saudi Arabia faces mounting attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis.

Iranians stagger under soaring costs of seven months of war

By John Davison and Emily Giles LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Iran's leaders may radiate bullishness in their war with the United States, but life is becoming ever tougher for ordinary citizens unable to afford basic necessities or rent as a US blockade cuts the state's financial lifeline - oil exports. From an engineer forced out of Tehran by high rent to a woman forced to stop smoking because of the price of cigarettes and carers struggling to buy medicines, all areas of daily life are affected.

Lebanon seeks Turkey’s help to join Syria-Saudi rail link: What to know

Beirut is seeking Ankara’s support to link its ports to a railway project aiming to link Turkey to the Gulf, through Syria and Jordan.

Yemen health system at ‘breaking point’: WHO

The escalating fighting in Yemen is pushing the country's health system to "breaking point", the World Health Organization said Tuesday, warning that diseases like cholera were already circulating widely. A renewed ground campaign waged by the Iran-backed Houthis against Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces has left hundreds dead and is deepening the country's humanitarian crisis, with at least 145,000 people displaced this month alone, United Nations figures show.

African leaders to gather in Egypt for business summit

African leaders will meet in Egypt on Friday for a business summit that Cairo hopes will bolster its clout across the continent. The inaugural three-day Alamein Africa Forum is part of Egypt's push to reassert itself in a continent where China and Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates, have emerged as major players. After long focusing on the Middle East and the Mediterranean, Egypt is keen to rebuild its influence within Africa.

Iran’s IRGC slams Trump as Ghalibaf threatens oil infrastructure

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that no other country in the region will be able to sell oil if Iran is unable to do so.

Italy distances Egypt from verdict over Giulio Regeni as opposition attacks

By Crispian Balmer ROME, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Italy signalled on Tuesday it wanted to avoid a diplomatic rupture with Egypt after three Egyptian security officials were found guilty in absentia of the 2016 kidnapping of student Giulio Regeni, who was killed after his abduction. "There has been a conviction. Egypt has not been convicted, three people have been convicted," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, appearing keen to separate the verdict from Italy's broader relationship with Egypt.

Settler attack on West Bank village injures Israeli forces, drawing rare rebuke

More than 100 Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank early Tuesday, drawing rare Israeli government condemnation after they injured three members of the security forces. The raid, along with another attack on a different West Bank village on Tuesday, comes amid mounting international criticism of settler violence, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed in an address last week to the United Nations.

Iraq War film ‘Atonement’ tells story of US Marine seeking Iraqi family’s forgiveness

By Ryan Patrick Jones TORONTO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Three generations of an Armenian-Christian family were driving home in Baghdad in April 2003 when US Marines in a firefight with Iraqi forces fired on their cars, killing three men. Almost a decade later, two women who survived the attack sat down in their Glendale, California, living room with one of the Marines who pulled the trigger.

Using old election playbook, Netanyahu projects image as Israel’s protector despite Hamas attack

By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using the same campaign playbook that has served him for decades as he tries to retain power in an election next month, presenting himself as the only person who can keep Israelis safe in a hostile region. But four weeks before the election, he is struggling to salvage his security credentials, shattered by Hamas' surprise attack on southern Israel on his watch on October 7, 2023 — one of the country's worst security breaches.

French far right says antisemitism claims part of ‘total war’ to derail presidency bid

Jordan Bardella, a key ally of French far-right presidential frontrunner Marine Le Pen, on Tuesday said allegations he made antisemitic comments in 2013 marked part of a "total war" against their party ahead of the 2027 polls. "We are seeing the beginnings of a total war, an attempt to destabilise the presidential campaign," National Rally (RN) leader Bardella, flanked by Le Pen, told party deputies.

Rubio says UK airbase incident involved a foreign state

By Toby Shepheard and Will Russell FAIRFORD, England, Sept 29 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the "hands of a foreign actor" were involved in an incident in which five men were arrested on suspected explosives and terrorism offences near a British airbase used by US forces to strike Iran. British police declared a major incident at the RAF Fairfordbase in western England following the arrests early on Sunday, and the government held a national emergency meeting.

Trump denies offering Iran sanctions relief for nuclear concessions

By Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump on Monday denied offeringIran sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds in return for nuclear concessions from Tehran. DETAILS:• “This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, responding to anAxios report that cited US officials as saying that he was willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release Iranian frozen funds in return for “concrete” Iranian steps regarding the nuclear program.• The Axios report did not identify the US officials.

8.3 mn refugees at risk due to ‘severe’ funding cuts: UN

Nearly 8.3 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people face losing vital assistance from UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency warned Tuesday, as protection services crumble due to "severe" funding cuts. "UNHCR's ability to protect and assist refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and stateless people is being eroded by a sustained and worsening funding shortfall," the agency said in a report detailing the human cost of budget cuts.

UAE president discussed bilateral relations with Israel’s Netanyahu, state news agency says

CAIRO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed bilateral relations during a visit on Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Gulf country, the Emirati state news agency WAM reported on Monday. The report by WAM was the first UAE confirmation of Netanyahu's visit. The Israeli prime minister's office said on Monday that Netanyahu visited at the invitation of the UAE president. It said the visit "focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and on regional challenges".

Iraq announces Iran flights to resume: What to know

Iraqis protested the latest move aimed at pressuring Iran and an Iran-backed militia vowed a response if the flights do not come back.

Trump says US will win Iran war ‘very soon’

By Bo Erickson and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump told reporters that United Statesofficials talked with mediators trying to end Washington's war with Iranon Monday, adding the US will win the Iran war "very soon." "We're going to win, as far as I'm concerned, it's going to be one way or the other," Trump said in the Oval Office. "It's going to go pretty quickly." Trump also said that gas prices will come tumbling down after the US wins the war.

UAE’s Sheikh Mansour to visit Saudi Arabia amid strained ties

The two Gulf countries have been at odds over Yemen, where Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while the UAE has supported the separatist Southern Transitional Council.

Syria Golan detentions fuel fury at Israeli forces, doubts in new government

Israeli forces have detained hundreds of Syrians and continue to conduct strikes and incursions in Quneitra, fueling resentment among residents who say Damascus has failed to protect them.

Exclusive-US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq’s Najaf, source says

By Timour Azhari and Ahmed RasheedSept 28 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump’s administration was set to grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions program on Monday to allow for flights carrying Shi’ite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Tether USDT aids Iran funding, Senate report says

By Chandni Shah Sept 28 (Reuters) - Tether's USDT stablecoin has become a "significant financial lifeline" for Iran and a tool for funding proxy organizations, including Hezbollah, according to a report led by Senate Democrats, published on Monday. Led by Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the report analyzed 846 crypto wallets that have been sanctioned by Israel and the US in connection with Iran.

Netherlands regrets Israel retaliation in settlements row

The Netherlands said Monday it regretted Israel's decision to revoke accreditation of Dutch diplomats based in the West Bank, the latest retaliation by Israel to mounting Western pressure over settlements. Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and exerts power over diplomats' entry into the Palestinian territory, on Monday ordered Dutch officials to surrender their diplomatic privileges. "I deeply regret this unnecessary decision," Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said.

Iranians face arduous journeys as US sanctions ground planes

Flying out of Iran has long required patience in the face of restrictions and delays, but new US sanctions have grounded flights at short notice and left war-weary travellers feeling trapped as they try to leave the country. Among those scrambling for a way out is Mitra, a 49-year-old woman who had planned to travel to Paris via Istanbul along with her brother, but who now faces a long journey by road to get to Turkey.

Ex-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to sue Netanyahu over Oct. 7 accusations: What to know

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar of withholding information in the hours before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, but the former security chief rejected the claim, saying he intends to file a defamation suit.

Italian court convicts three Egyptians in absentia for kidnap of slain student Regeni

By Crispian Balmer and Marco Roberti ROME, Sept 28 (Reuters) - An Italian court on Monday convicted three Egyptian security officials in absentia for the 2016 kidnapping of student Giulio Regeni, whose tortured body was found days after his disappearance in Cairo, but dismissed a murder charge against one defendant.

French far-right leader Bardella denies media claim he made antisemitic remarks

By Michel Rose PARIS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - French far-right leader Jordan Bardella on Monday denied a report by investigative website Mediapart alleging he made antisemitic remarks in private messages over a decade ago, calling the allegations "crude fabrications". The report comes as Bardella's far-right National Rally (RN) party, whose presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is leading polls ahead of next year's election, seeks to clear its racist image and build close ties with Israel.

New US aircraft carrier heads to Middle East as Iran war stretches on

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is expected to be the fifth US Navy carrier to participate in the now seven-month war against Iran.

Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh wins Council of Europe’s rights prize

Iranian human-rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh on Monday won the Council of Europe's Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize in recognition of her long-running advocacy work, months after being released following her latest arrest. Still in Iran after her release on bail in May, Sotoudeh said in a brief video message that "one day, the sun of freedom will shine upon our country as well" and added "perhaps one day, truth will find its way to our country too."

Rubio meets Saudi FM as fight against Yemen’s Houthis intensifies

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit comes two days after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted multiple Houthi drones and ballistic missiles.

Oil rises amid Hormuz impasse, Trump attack threat

Oil rose after weekend reports suggested talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz had stalled.

Shipping giants sail cautiously back into Red Sea despite Houthi threats

Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk announced earlier this month that three services under their shipping partnership would shift from the Cape of Good Hope route back to the Red Sea.

Turkey’s FM in UAE to discuss Yemen war, Hormuz closure: What to know

The top Turkish diplomat was set to stress Ankara's support for a peaceful and “united Yemen” amid renewed Houthi advances.

Iran rallies thousands of volunteer fighters as talks with US stall: What to know

Iran has been leading a volunteer recruitment drive and providing military training to civilians as talks with the US remain stalled.

Lebanon PM meets Rubio as Israel talks stall: What to know

The visit comes as US-brokered talks between Lebanon and Israel have made little headway, with Israeli elections looming.

US, Iran set to hold separate talks with mediators on Monday or Tuesday, official says

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Qatari mediators are likely to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in New York and separately with the US side on Monday or Tuesday, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters, in a fresh push to end the war. The talks are expected to focus on an amended version of a seven-day proposal that Iran presented last week on the sidelines ofthe United Nations General Assembly, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

UK police say releasing on bail five men held over airbase incident

British police said Monday five men arrested near an airbase used by the United States were being released on bail, as officers probed whether a "foreign state" could be involved in a suspected bomb plot targeting it.   The release of the five -- all London-based Britons in their mid-20s -- came as Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced an emergency meeting of top officials to ensure they have "the full picture".

Court convicts Turkish comedian of insulting president but orders release, broadcaster says

ISTANBUL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A Turkish court convicted comedian Deniz Goktas of insulting PresidentTayyip Erdogan on Monday but ordered his release after almost three months in custody, broadcaster NTV said. Goktas, 32, was jailed in early July pending trial after an investigation was opened into remarks made during a stand-up performance in Istanbul that included references toErdogan, the Koran and jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Iran rejects suggestion it is linked to UK airbase arrests

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Iran's embassy in London on Monday rejected what it described as "unfounded and malicious speculations" linking Tehran to five British nationals who were arrested over the weekend near Britain's RAF Fairford airbase. In a statement posted on X, the embassy said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" attempts to connect Iran to the arrests and said such speculation would only serve to "fuel Iranophobia propaganda" in Britain.

Turkey widens $18B fund probe as fallout hits ruling party, free speech

More than 50 people have been detained in connection with the investigation into the fund scandal, the ruling party’s deputy chair has resigned, and the X accounts of dozens of journalists and economists have been blocked.

On secret UAE visit, Netanyahu asked MBZ to deny pre-Oct. 7 warnings

During his trip to Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Mohamed bin Zayed to deny reports that he had been warned ahead of the Oct. 7 attack that Hamas was preparing a major assault.

Qatar’s extended LNG force majeure prolongs supply cuts to Europe, Asia

Italy’s Edison said Monday that QatarEnergy would be unable to deliver LNG to it until early December.

Lebanon hopes for new staff-level agreement with IMF

BEIRUT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Lebanon hopes for a new staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund, Finance MinisterYassine Jaberhas said, adding that a full IMF program still required Beirut to pass a final law to address losses from its financial crisis. Lebanon first signed a staff-level agreement with the IMF in April 2022, more than two years after its financial system imploded following decades of profligate spending and corruption in theruling elite. But it was slow to implement the promised changes.

20 Israelis stranded in Ethiopia seek evacuation as fighting resumes: What to know

Twenty Israeli tourists are asking the Foreign Ministry to arrange their evacuation from the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, where fighting resumed on Tuesday.

Comedian convicted for Erdogan ‘insult’ but freed pending appeal

An Istanbul court convicted a popular Turkish comedian on Monday of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and another offence but ordere

Factbox-What is known about arrests at US airbase in Britain

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - British police have arrested five men near an airbase used by the US for strikes on Iran. Below is what is known so far about the incident at RAF Fairford: SECURITY STEPPED UP RECENTLY A local councillor, Tristan Wilkinson, told Reuters there had been a specific threat about six weeks ago from the Iranians against the base in western England, leading to increased surveillance in the area.

Five suspects arrested in explosives case near UK airbase were British nationals

By Toby Shepheard FAIRFORD, England, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Five suspects arrested by British police on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses after white vans drove towards an airbase used by US forces were all British nationals from London in their early 20s, police said on Monday. British officials said they were still investigating any possible motive for the incident near RAF Fairford, a British base that houses US bombers which fly missions against Iran.

Saudi foreign minister arrives in Washington for talks with Rubio

DUBAI, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Saudi state news agency said, amid escalating hostilities between Riyadh and Yemen's Houthis. The two will discuss bilateral ties as well as key regional and international developments, the agency added.

Israel’s Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Israeli official says

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi and met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday, a senior Israeli official told Reuters. There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu's office and the UAE's foreign ministry.

Trump expects talks with Iran to resume in coming week

Hezbollah plans to contribute to project to house thousands of Lebanese displaced, chief says

BEIRUT, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Sunday it would contribute soon to a project aimed at housing thousands of people displaced due to the war with Israel. • The announcement was made by Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem during a speech commemorating the second anniversary of leader Hassan Nasrallah's killing by Israel in 2024

Washington denounces Iran’s truce proposal as ‘cynical’

A top US official on Sunday dismissed a proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz presented by Iran as "cynical" and indicated it was a non-starter for Washington. Iran's truce plan, announced by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations earlier this week, calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade in order for the key waterway central to the world's energy supplies to be opened.

UK police arrest 5 by air base under terrorism act

LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - British police said counter-terrorism officers were leading efforts to establish what had happened at an airbase used by the US Air Force on Sunday, after they arrested five men on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. The five men were also arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act. (Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

Deputy chair of Turkey’s AK Party resigns after trading allegation amid funds crisis

ANKARA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - A deputy chair of President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party stepped down after an opposition politician accused her of making a large profit on shares just before a funds crisis triggered a major selloff on the country's stock market. Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, the AK Party's deputy chair responsible for social policies and who also served as family minister from 2016 to 2018, said late on Saturday she had asked Erdogan to relieve her of all her duties so the allegations could be investigated.

Iran’s army voices readiness for potential renewed US attack

DUBAI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iran's armed forces are prepared for any renewed U.S. attacks, state media quoted army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia saying on Sunday, after US President Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting. Akraminia said Iran's armed forces were fully prepared for confrontation and warned that the US would suffer greater damage if it launched another attack on his country.

Trump says men arrested at UK air base used by US were looking to do ‘big damage’

By Toby Shepheard FAIRFORD, England, Sept 27 (Reuters) - British police arrested five men on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences on Sunday near an air base that has been used by the US to strike Iran, after a tip-off that three vans had been seen heading to the military airfield. US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been looking to do "big damage" and had been under investigation by British and US authorities.

Iran insists on diplomatic solution after Trump rejects peace plan

By Trevor Hunnicutt, Yomna Ehab and Jana ChoukeirWASHINGTON/UNITED NATIONS/DUBAI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iran insisted on Sunday that only diplomacy can solve its conflict with the United States and Israel, after US President Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting.“Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met,” Iranian Foreign Minister AbbasAraqchi posted on social media.

Oman calls for self-restraint, dialog in Mideast conflict

Russia accuses Europe of seeking to thwart Ukraine talks

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Europe Saturday of "doing everything" to thwart talks to resolve the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, in an outspoken UN speech in which he vowed his country would achieve its Ukraine aims. "Europe is doing everything it can to thwart peace talks in which the Trump administration is interested," he said.

Iran proposes plan to reopen Hormuz within seven days: minister

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had offered Washington a plan that would see the Strait of Hormuz reopened to maritime navigation within seven days once agreed. Araghchi met for talks on Tuesday with US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, and previously set out conditions for ending the war and reopening the vital energy shipping channel.

Pakistani, Saudi, Turkish chiefs discuss closer military ties

Sept 26 (Reuters) - The military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey discussed enhancing intelligence sharing, military coordination and capability integration at a meeting in Riyadh on Friday,

Despite fanfare, Xi shows Trump no sign of breaking with Iran

Beijing has significant leverage over Tehran, but little incentive to use it for Washington’s benefit, given its reliance on Iranian oil.

Pakistan PM calls Houthi Mecca attacks ‘red line’ at UN

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the UN Friday that further attacks on the Islamic holy city of Mecca would be a "red line" for Islamabad. Pakistan maintains ties with Iran which backs the Houthi fighters responsible for firing missiles at Saudi Arabia where Mecca is situated. But Islamabad is strategically close to Saudi, and entered into a defense agreement with the kingdom, and Turkey, last month.

Could Iran’s 7-day Hormuz proposal culminate in diplomatic deal?

Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in seven days brings into focus the central challenge facing diplomacy with Washington: how to turn military leverage into a negotiated path without giving up too much in return.

Can Turkey’s Bashiqa withdrawal pave the way for deeper Iraq ties?

Ankara hopes the planned handover of its Bashiqa base will deepen security cooperation with Baghdad and unlock broader economic ties, but implementation hinges on restoring Iraqi state authority in Sinjar, where previous efforts to remove armed groups have stalled.

Iran will make no nuclear concessions, Iranian official says

By Parisa Hafezi and Don Durfee UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Iran will show no flexibility over its nuclear program even if the United States accepts its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which calls for steps including the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the waterway would remain closed until “all of Iran’s conditions are met” by the United States.

Trump, Xi end summit with tea, tour of US archives - and little sign of progress

By Steve Holland and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping drank tea at the White House and visited the National Archives on Friday, ending a three-day summit that showcased personal diplomacy rather than big public breakthroughs on a host of contentious issues. Trump said "our farmers are going to be happy" as a result of the talks but did not provide details. "America is very happy about this visit, and I'm sureChina is very happy also," he said.

What France’s military deployment means for Saudi Arabia’s fight against Houthis

New pledges of limited British and French military deployments fall short of what Riyadh would likely need to defend its skies should the Houthis escalate further.

How Syrian Air is braving regional turbulence to rise from the ashes

In an interview with Al-Monitor, CEO Anwar Akkad lays out his ambitious plans to expand the carrier’s fleet, destinations and role in reconnecting Syria to the world.

UN expands list of companies linked to Israeli settlements

By Emma FargeGENEVA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office issued a list on Friday adding 61more companies operating in Israeli West Bank settlements, which the global body considers illegal.The database is highly sensitive as firms could be targeted for boycotts or divestment to pressure Israel over settler expansion in the territory that is home to over 3 million Palestinians.The database, first released in 2020, now includes 214 firms, mostly from Israel, but also from 10 other countries including France, Germany,

Saudi Arabia’s return to Hormuz puts oil transfer network to the test

For months, Saudi Arabia had been eschewing the Strait of Hormuz, but the kingdom has now resorted to ship-to-ship transfers through the vital waterway.

UN Security Council condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemeni Houthi fighters in a rare show of unity from the UN’s top body. The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, hitting its tankers, seizing swathes of Yemen’s Red Sea coast vital for oil exports and causing energy prices to jump, while also raining missiles on the kingdom.

Trump warns Xi over Chinese support for Iran, receives assurances, US envoy says

By Bo Erickson, Susan Heavey, Katharine Jackson and Parisa Hafezi WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump warned Chinese President Xi Jinping against providing support to Iran during talks in Washington this week and received assurances that China would not do so, theUS ambassador to China said on Friday. The warning came amid reports that China had supplied Iran with shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers and thatTehran had found ways to evade sanctions on its oil sales with Chinese help.

‘Free for all or for no one’: Iran warns neighbors over flight bans

Several countries in the region have suspended Iranian flights under US sanctions after Washington warned global companies they would no longer have access to the dollar system if they do business with Iranian airlines.

Trump’s Africa adviser denies Libya plan would entrench rival families

The reported unification plan for Libya has been met with pushback in a country torn apart by rival factions and foreign interference.

South Lebanon children return to school destroyed by Israel strike

In southern Lebanon, eight-year-old Yara Ajami started the academic year this week in a doorless, windowless classroom after her school was destroyed by an Israeli strike. Well known in the area for its excellence, Ajami's elementary school in Burj Qalaway was struck by Israel in May, two months after Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the Middle East war by attacking its southern neighbour.

Explainer-What has turned the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan from partners to foes?

By Asif ShahzadISLAMABAD, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Pakistan’s air force struck 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, its second round of strikes in four days after three months of relative quiet along the two countries’ 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border.Islamabad said it struck militant hideouts in retaliation for drones launched from Afghanistan.

Fifth candidate enters race to lead WHO as nominations close

(Fixes typographical error in headline) GENEVA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - A fifth candidate has entered the race to lead the World Health Organization, the agency's website showed as the deadline for nominees closed overnight. • Candidates from five countries have submitted applications to replace Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as Director-General of the WHO • They are: Qatar's Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari, Saudi Arabia's Hanan Balkhy, Belgium's HansKluge, Spain's Maria Neira and Indonesia's Budi Gunadi Sadikin

US proposes trilateral meeting with Ukraine, Russia in UAE, Zelenskiy says

KYIV, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The United States has proposed that the United Arab Emirates host a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia to discuss efforts to end their four-and-a-half-year war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. "The American side has proposed... meeting at a technical level in a three-way format," Zelenskiy told reporters in a briefing via WhatsApp. "We are awaiting a proposal from the United States regarding the date, and the United States has suggested the Emirates as a possible location."

Pact with Saudi and Pakistan could expand to Muslim world, Iran, Turkish speaker says

ANKARA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - A defence pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan could turn into a broader pact "for the Muslim world" that includes Iran, Turkey's parliament speaker said on Friday, adding that it is expected to be submitted for ratification from next month.

Child malnutrition rises in Yemen as fighting intensifies, says UNICEF

By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The United Nations children's agency reported on Friday a rise in acute malnutrition among children in Yemen, including in the most severe cases, as fighting disrupts access to healthcare and treatment centres. “We're very concerned about a very visible increase in acute malnutrition among children,” UNICEF’sCountry Representative in Yemen, Akhil Iyer, told reporters in Geneva via video link from Aden.

Ireland’s Gaza stance spills from Eurovision into football

No Irish supporters in the stadium, no home match in Ireland and no pundits or Irish commentary on television: the country's strong support for the Palestinian cause is increasingly reshaping its sporting and cultural calendar. Ireland face Israel in football's Nations League in Hungary on Sunday before a designated Irish "home" game in Serbia on October 4, amid protests and calls for a boycott over Israel's war in Gaza.

Can Netanyahu turn Israel’s UN isolation into strength at home?

The absence of a Trump meeting would have been awkward for Netanyahu, who has long portrayed himself to Israeli voters as uniquely close to the US president.

In West Bank art centre, Palestinian children paint hopes beyond checkpoints

By Pesha Magid JERUSALEM, Sept 25 (Reuters) - On the outskirts of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian woman has transformed her home into an art centre where children use drawing to process their experiences of settler violence and Israeli military raids. Artist Sarah Abu Madi says she founded the centre - Rommana, meaning pomegranate in Arabic - in 2020 to give local children a place to express their feelings and talk about what they had experienced.

Russian, Iranian foreign ministers say only diplomatic solution to conflict around Iran

Sept 25 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart met on Thursday and Moscow said both agreed that only a diplomatic settlement could end tension in the Middle East sparked by the US-Israeli war against Iran. "Current regional and international issues were discussed with emphasis on the situation around Iran," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement after Lavrov and Iran's Abbas Araqchi met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Saudi Grand Mufti tells troops to be ready to sacrifice their lives fighting Houthis

By Timour Azhari and Hatem MaherRIYADH, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s top religious authority called on soldiers in the kingdom to be ready to lay down their lives to fight the Iran-backed Houthis until the group is ousted from power,

Britain warns Iran it will not tolerate hostile activity on UK soil

Sept 24 (Reuters) - Britain’s foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and told him his country would “not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil” from groups linked to Iran.British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also discussed the war in the Middle East,

Police arrest actors, politicians protesting against Netanyahu outside UN

By Maria Tsvetkova NEW YORK, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Police arrested at least 30 people including actors and politicians as they protested outside United Nations headquarters on Thursday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his speech at the General Assembly. Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon, Emmy winnerHannah Einbinder, Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and New York City council member Chi Osse were among those arrested.

France to send military to protect Saudi Arabia on Red Sea oil route, Macron says

PARIS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - France will send troops and defence systems to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, which is key for energy transport, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.Macron also said a US ban on diesel exports, which the White House has denied is under consideration, would be “catastrophic,” both globally and for the US economy.

Dozens of delegates walk out of UN hall at start of Netanyahu speech

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Dozens of delegates at the United Nations walked out of the hall when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his speech to the General Assembly meeting of world leaders on Thursday. Describing them as "moral cowards," he asked for anybody else who felt that way to leave before he began to talk. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Howard Goller)

US Senate rejects resolution curbing Trump’s Iran war powers

WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The US Senate on Thursday narrowly rejected a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop the Iran war until hostilities are authorized by Congress. The Senate voted 50 to 49 to reject the resolution, which had passed the House of Representatives in July. The vote was largely along party lines, with most of President Donald Trump's Republicans rejecting the measure and almost every Democrat voting for it. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chris Reese)

Delegates walk out as Netanyahu touts Iran war, slams Qatar and Turkey at UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s statement that the Golan Heights will “remain Syrian territory,” while praising US President Donald Trump, whom he did not meet on the trip.

Israel policies threaten ‘life and existence’ of Palestinians, Abbas says

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said at the UN on Thursday that Israeli policies no longer just jeopardized a two-state solution but were now threatening the "very life and existence" of his people. He also slammed the United States for denying him a visa to attend the United Nations' top-level annual meeting as "punitive." He instead pre-recorded a video message that was played to the gathering in New York.

At UN, 80 countries demand reopening of Hormuz, condemn Iran, Houthi attacks

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Some 80 countries demanded the urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday and condemned Iran and its Houthi allies for attacks in the region and disruption to international trade and energy security. "Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten international security and navigational rights and freedoms," said a joint statement read out by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani at the United Nations.

Gaza suffers world’s worst ever economic crisis: UN

Gaza is suffering the world's worst economic crisis ever recorded, with nine in 10 businesses destroyed and hundreds of thousands of people unemployed, a top UN development agency warned on Thursday. Israel's military offensive sparked by Hamas militants' attack in October 2023 devastated the territory of two million people before a patchy ceasefire was announced in October 2025.

US and Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Hormuz and end US blockade, sources say

By Samia Nakhoul, Parisa Hafezi and John IrishSept 24 (Reuters) - US and Iranian negotiators in New York are exploring a phased path out of war that would involve Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifting its economic blockade of Iran, sources close to the talks said.The strait has become the central bargaining chip in efforts to end the nearly seven-month US-Iran conflict,

Abbas pledges first Palestinian parliamentary vote in 20 years as doubts mount

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta Sept 24 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed plans to hold legislative elections on November 28, the first such vote in 20 years despite serious domestic doubts it will go ahead, as he seeks to advance internationally backed reforms. Abbas, 90, used a pre-recorded video address to the UN General Assembly to condemn US restrictions on the Palestinian delegation's access to UN headquarters, calling them a breach of Washington's obligations as host nation.

Turkey warns Greece-Cyprus-Israel power cable needs Ankara’s approval

The Greece-Cyprus-Israel undersea power project has again stirred tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey deployed warships during survey work in 2024.

Sudan pushes back after US calls army-led government illegitimate

Washington appears to be turning up the pressure on the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces to accept a US ceasefire proposal he rejected in July.

France says ICC warrant posed no obstacle to Netanyahu overflight

PARIS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - France defended its decision to let Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plane cross its airspace en route to the United Nations on Thursday, saying international law did not require action despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him over alleged war crimes.

UN says Yemen violence struck camps and health centres

By Emma Farge GENEVA, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Displacement camps and health centres have been attacked during surging violencein Yemen between Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and Iran-backedHouthis, UN agencies said on Thursday, deploring a growing civilian death toll which includes children. The latest fighting marks a sharp escalation in Yemen's civil war, which had largely been frozen since a 2022 truce, as well as a widening of the conflict that has grown out of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Iran flights continue, UAE route closes on day 2 of US sanctions

All flights by Iranian carriers to the UAE have been canceled, according to Iran's ISNA news agency.

Iran threatens to expand war to Indian Ocean: What to know

An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader has threatened to open a new front in the Indian Ocean if the US resumes its strikes against Iran.

US Democrats tee up pre-election war powers vote as some Republicans break with Trump on Iran

By Patricia ZengerleWASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The US Senate scheduled a vote for Thursday on a resolution directing President Donald Trump to end the war in Iran or seek congressional authorization, as Democrats sought to force a political reckoning on the unpopular conflict before November’s midterm elections.With polls showing Trump’s Republicans struggling to keep their slim congressional majorities on November 3, more of them have been edging away from the war, which haspushed up food and fuel prices.

Israel’s US envoy says son fighting for life after attack

Israel's ambassador to the United States said Thursday that his soldier son was fighting for his life after a Palestinian attacker rammed his car into him at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter also lashed out at French President Emmanuel Macron for focusing on settler violence in his address to the UN General Assembly this week.

Saudi Arabia thwarts Houthi ballistic missiles, Yemen’s Saudi-led coalition says

By Mohammed Ghobari and Timour Azhari Sept 24 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday, thwarting attacks on the southern province of Taif and Yanbu area on the Red Sea, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said. It was not clear whether there was any damage or casualties in either Taif and Yanbu, the main alternative route for Saudi oil, after a widespread emergency alert was issued for areas including Jeddah and the holy city of Mecca.

Norway gives additional $13 million in aid to Palestinians

HELSINKI, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Norway's government said on Thursday it will give an additional 125 million Norwegian crowns ($13.17 million) in aid to the occupied Palestinian territories through the United Nations and the World Bank, including public sector budget support. • Norway recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 and chairs the international donor group for the Palestinians. • Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement the need for international support was "greater than ever".

Turkey’s Erdogan says equal climate pace unrealistic due to financing gaps

ANKARA, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said it was unrealistic to expect all countries to make the same progress on climate policy while inequalities in access to financing and technology persisted, adding he expected support from all nations for Turkey's COP31 Climate Summit action agenda.

Turkey’s Erdogan tells Ukraine’s Zelenskiy that Black Sea attacks are inexplicable

ANKARA, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy that attacks by Russia and Ukraine on commercial vessels in the Black Sea were inexplicable and steps must be taken to stop these, according to a readout from his office on Thursday. NATO member Turkey, which has maintained cordial ties with both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has repeatedly urged the warring sides to stop attacks in the Black Sea.

Netanyahu expected to berate New York’s Mamdani in ‘campaign speech’ at UN

By Alexander Cornwell and Emily RoseTEL AVIV, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to use his UN address on Thursday to berate New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal, a feud that highlights the Israeli leader’s growing isolation ahead of elections at home that he may lose. Addressing the mayor directly in a video statement this week, Netanyahu said he was going to New York “to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers” and “to tell the truth about you.” He falsely accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas militants.

US and Indian top diplomats discuss Russia sanctions bill signed by Trump

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar discussed on Wednesday US measures that could be leveled against countries that engage economically with Russia and Iran, with New Delhi reiterating concerns over a sanctions bill recently signed into law by President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump signed the bill called "Lindsey ⁠O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," named after deceased South Carolina Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham.

Moroccan centrist party tops parliament vote after boost from football chief

By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT, Sept 24 (Reuters) - A liberal-centrist party founded by an adviser to Morocco's king came out on top in parliamentary elections after a late boost from the man credited with leading the national football team to global fame, early results showed on Thursday. The vote is not expected to fundamentally change the political balance in the country, a constitutional monarchy where the king retains sweeping powers over foreign policy, defence and other key portfolios.

Ukrainian foreign minister says he discussed keeping tension low with Iranian counterpart

Sept 23 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday he discussed ways of keeping tension in check at a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi. Sybiha said on X the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York was a follow-up to a telephone conversation the two held in July.

Israel’s Netanyahu expected to denounce enemies, allies with UN spotlight

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing a difficult reelection campaign at home, addresses the UN Thursday where he is expected to lash out at both enemies and allies that have crossed him in recent months. Netanyahu will also likely raise the case of Israeli ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter whose son, a soldier, was badly injured in an alleged Palestinian ramming attack in the occupied West Bank.

Trump should press Xi to stop support for Iran, Democratic senator says

WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - US Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said on Wednesday President Donald Trump should press Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit this week over China's support for Iran, saying that Chinese firms were helping Tehran economically and militarily. • In a Senate speech, Shaheen cited reports that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before launching a missile attack that killed three American soldiers and wounded four others.

Turkey and Iraq agree Turkey will turn over military camp in northern Iraq

CAIRO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Turkey and Iraq agreed on Wednesday for Turkish forces to hand over a military camp in northern Iraq to the Iraqi government gradually, they said after talks in New York, adding they also agreed to end the presence of "outlawed armed elements" in northern Iraq. After Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the sides said in a joint statement they had agreed to deepen security cooperation.

Top Yemen official calls for US military support against Houthis

Abdullah Al-Alimi Bawazir did not specify what military assistance his government was seeking from Washington but emphasized the need for cooperation on "intelligence and security."

Exclusive-US drafted a memo condemning UK over West Bank sanctions. It was never released

By Humeyra Pamuk and Alexander Cornwell WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM, Sept 23 (Reuters) - In early September, US officials in Jerusalem and Washington prepared a draft statement attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemning plans by the UK, France and Canada to block imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Turkey agrees to hand over contentious Bashiqa base to Iraq

The planned handover of the Bashiqa base would address one of the most contentious issues in Ankara-Baghdad ties, while the two sides also discussed restoring Iraqi state authority in Sinjar.

New Zealand says China is its most persistent state-backed cyber threat

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - New Zealand's cyber security agency said China was the country's most persistent and capable state-backed cyber threat, as foreign actors targeted government agencies and organisations in sectors including health, education and information technology. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of the New Zealand intelligence community, said it had identified activity suspected to originate from foreign state actors that put sensitive New Zealand information at risk.

Israeli bulldozers smash Palestinian olive trees ahead of annual harvest

DEIR NIZAM, West Bank, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Palestinian villagers wailed over the mangled remains of their olive trees on Wednesday after Israel's military uprooted them with bulldozers, days ahead of the annual olive harvest, normally a source of joy for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Abd Alfattah Tamimi, who owns an olive grove on village land near Ramallah city, watched as a military bulldozer smashed the top of one of his trees and then tore its roots from the ground.

Fresh clashes leave 6 dead in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan: What to know

Iran is experiencing worsening violence in the southeast amid the broader regional conflict and following a dispute over the environmental impact of a gold mine.

Race to evacuate war-damaged Gaza buildings after deadly apartment block collapse

By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Mahmoud Issa and Dawoud Abu Alkas GAZA/CAIRO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Officials in Gaza say plans to evacuate people from war-damaged buildings after the deadly collapse of an apartment block last week face major challenges, including a lack of demolition equipment and limited land to relocate residents.

Rubio: US-Iran talks ‘positive,’ no breakthrough yet

The top US diplomat said it was “significant” the two warring sides spoke at all.

Cargo vessel attack in Hormuz kills 1 as world leaders gather at UN

India said 19 other Indian seafarers were rescued after the MV Cape Dao was hit by an unknown projectile.

Rubio, after Lavrov talks, says Russia has also voiced interest in ‘limited ceasefire’

By Tom Balmforth, Antoni Slodkowski and Simon Lewis UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia have both voiced an interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy-related targets, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York. Ukraine and its allies have pressed for a moratorium in attacks on energy infrastructure and for guarantees on Black Sea shipping, fearing Russia could target power and heating facilities this winter.

French foreign minister says Palestinians ‘must’ hold polls

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Wednesday the Palestinians "must" hold fresh elections amid growing international concerns they will be delayed because of logistical challenges. "They absolutely must be held," he said, noting legislative polls had been slated for this November and presidential elections for the first quarter of 2027.

A Tunisian activist’s journey from Gaza flotilla hero to jailed hunger striker

TUNIS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A year ago, Wael Naouar stood on the deck of a boat at Sidi Bou Said port on Tunisia's Mediterranean coast, waving to thousands of supporters before setting off to try to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by breaking Israel's naval blockade. Today, Naouar is more than a month into an open-ended hunger strike in a prison outside Tunis, demanding that the charges of financial misconduct against him and three other activists arrested with him be dropped.

Pezeshkian says Iran open to US talks, region must settle own disputes

“Our regional issues must be resolved in the region at the hands of the countries in the region,” Iran’s president said on Wednesday.

Dutch to resume Eurovision with new broadcaster

The Netherlands will participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest after all, as its public broadcaster said Wednesday it would step in to replace a company that had pulled out over the Gaza conflict. "The Dutch public broadcaster will once again take part in the Eurovision Song Contest from 2027 onwards with a Dutch participant. An independent team of experts will carefully guide the process surrounding the act," said the NPO (national public broadcaster).

Golan will remain Syrian, vows President al-Sharaa at UN

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa insisted at the UN Wednesday that the Golan Heights region will remain Syrian after Colombia last month recognized Israeli sovereignty over the strategically important territory. "Any attempts that violate our sovereignty, violate international law, will be stopped. Golan will remain Syrian territories," al-Sharaa said at the UN meeting of world leaders in New York. Colombia's new hard-right government in August recognized Israel's claim over the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in 1967.

US moves to ground Iran’s airlines: Who is complying and who isn’t?

Istanbul remained the most popular destination from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport on Wednesday with 24 flights scheduled, according to Flightradar24.

Lebanon’s PM calls for international force to replace UNIFIL: What to know

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is urging world leaders to maintain an international presence in southern Lebanon as Israeli attacks escalate.

Pezeshkian says Iran won’t surrender, after Trump’s annihilation threat

By Parisa Hafezi, Humeyra Pamuk and Jana Choukeir UNITED NATIONS/DUBAI, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech at the UN on Wednesday that Tehran would never surrender to the US but still believes in diplomacy, a day after President Donald Trump used the same forum to threaten to "annihilate" Iran.

US Senate Democrats seek sanctions over Israeli settlements, bill says

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A group of US Senate Democrats will introduce legislation on Wednesday to sanction individuals or groups that facilitate Israel's "E1 project," a widely condemned West Bank settlement plan cutting across land the Palestinians seek for a state, according to a copy of the legislation seen by Reuters.

Kremlin says UK Burnham’s decision to stir up anti-Russian sentiment in UN speech was short-sighted

MOSCOW, Sept 23 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham had unwisely chosen to stir up anti-Russian sentiment in a speech to the UN General Assembly in which he accused Russia of spreading lies and disinformation, something it said would do nothing to ease tensions in Europe. Burnham told the United Nations on Tuesday that London would set up a new National Centre for Information Defence and singled out Moscow for particular criticism when it came to spreading what he called disinformation.

Oil prices fall after Trump hails ‘good’ talks with Iran

Oil prices fell on Wednesday after President Donald Trump said US and Iranian representatives had met for "very good" talks at the United Nations. International benchmark Brent crude and main US contract West Texas Intermediate were below the symbolic $100 mark that has been repeatedly breached since the Middle East war began in February. Brent hit $98.41 and WTI lowered to $89.23 per barrel in afternoon Asian trading.

Argentina’s Milei addresses UN as tensions rise over Falkland Islands

By Leila Miller Sept 23 (Reuters) - Argentina's President JavierMilei on Wednesday willaddress world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly amid escalating tensions with Britain over oil exploration around the Falkland Islands, a largely self-governing British overseas territory whose sovereignty Argentina has long disputed.

With reconstruction stalled, Gazans shelter in buildings at risk of collapse

In her Gaza City apartment, Heba Arafat walks uphill across a living room slanted at a steep angle after Israeli airstrikes caused the building's foundations to collapse, leaving the entire structure tilted. Like thousands of people in Gaza, Arafat chose to risk living in an apartment building damaged during nearly three years of war between Israel and Hamas, with countless Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian territory.

Moroccans vote in election set to shape government before World Cup

By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Moroccans vote in an election on Wednesday that will shape the government overseeing the final stages of a $20-billion push to prepare for the 2030 World Cup and projects to direct economic gains towards the country's disenchanted youth. The parliamentary poll is not expected to fundamentally alter the balance of power in Morocco, where the king retains sweeping powers over policy direction, defence and foreign affairs.

Iran submits conditions for reopening of Hormuz to U.S. representative, state media says

DUBAI, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in a meeting during which Iran's conditions to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz were conveyed to the US, according to Iran's state media. Conditions for reopening the strait include immediate lifting of the naval blockade, immediate release of frozen Iranian assets and end of war across all 'resistance' fronts, state media added.

Trump tells Middle East leaders US-Iran talks have ‘momentum’

Trump hosted top officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq on the sidelines of UN General Assembly.

US ties Sudanese army leader’s UN visa to ceasefire plan, sources say

By Daphne Psaledakis, Nafisa Eltahir, Antoni Slodkowski and Khalid AbdelazizSept 22 (Reuters) - The United States is withholding a visa for Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ahead of his scheduled UN appearance in a move that Sudanese and other sources say is linked to a US-backed ceasefire proposal that Khartoum has resisted.The dispute, first reported by Reuters, threatens to deepen tensions between Washington and Sudan’s army at a critical moment in the civil war,

Trump threatens Iran with ‘hell’ but reveals fresh talks

President Donald Trump revealed that US and Iranian officials held talks Tuesday for the first time in months, even as he told the United Nations he was still deciding whether to "annihilate" Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Trump's roving envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Trump's carrot-and-stick approach began with a bombastic speech to the UN General Assembly in New York focused heavily on his stalled, unpopular war against the Islamic Republic.

As Trump confirms US-Iran meeting, can Pezeshkian find at UN path to a deal?

In New York, Pezeshkian will be seeking leverage, not reconciliation, as Iran scrambles to balance military defiance, economic crises and tentative mediation against the costs of prolonging the conflict.

Turkey, US sign $2M grant deal for small nuclear reactors: What to know

The new cooperation deal comes as Ankara seeks to expand nuclear power and reduce reliance on Russia.

Trump at UN: Threats, diplomacy and ‘super intelligence’

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump used his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to defend the US-Israeli campaign against Iran while laying out his foreign policy priorities. Here are the major issues he addressed in a 37-minute speech: * IRAN. He warned he could annihilate Iran without a peace deal and predicted one would be reached after US midterm elections on November 3 when the makeup of Congress will be decided.

Egypt hosts Greece, Cyprus defense ministers: What to know

Egypt is looking to increase security and energy cooperation with both countries as part of a focus on the eastern Mediterranean.

Spain allows US extradition case against pro-Palestinian donor to proceed

MADRID, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Spain on Tuesday allowed a US extradition request for pro-Palestinian donor James Cox Chambers to proceed to court, despite protests from the government's left-wing coalition partners who argue the case is politically motivated. The case is politically sensitive for Spain's Socialist-led government, whose pro-Palestinian stance has drawn rebuke from the Trump administration and contributed to wider tensions with Washington.

Turkey’s $18B Ponzi-like scandal likened to Madoff as arrests mount

Turkey detained 14 more people Tuesday as authorities widened a probe into one of the country's largest investment-fund scandals.

Turkish carriers halt Iran flights as US sanctions bite: Who could follow?

On Monday, three major Turkish carriers canceled flights to and from Iran ahead of new US sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector.

Trump says he thinks US will make deal with Iran after election

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he thought the US would make a deal with Iran after mid-term elections are held on November 3. "I believe we'll make a deal right after the election because it doesn't make sense for them not to. They're waiting to see how I do in the midterm election," Trump said during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu, Michelle Nichols, Katharine Jackson;Editing by David Ljunggren)

Trump calls on all ICC members to resign immediately

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged members of the International Criminal Court to resign and condemned what he called an "out of control institution" and "an evil group of people." Trump told the United Nations General Assembly that the US would not allow military servicemembers to be subject to what he called show trials by an anti-American tribunal. "I call on all nations that are members of the ICC to officially resign from this rogue institution immediately," he said.

France mulls new UN Security Council resolution on Hormuz, diplomats say

By John Irish UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - France has started drafting a UN Security Council resolution in coordination with the United States on setting up ​an international mission to restore movement in the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats said on Tuesday. Paris has unsuccessfully attempted in the past to put a resolution together on the subject, but the latest move follows talks between France's President Emmanuel Macron on Monday evening and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Tunisia says 2026 summer hottest on record

Currency collapse heaps more pain on civilians in divided Sudan

By Eltayeb Siddig , Nafisa Eltahir and Khalid Abdelaziz OMDURMAN, Sudan, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The Sudanese pound has haemorrhaged nearly half its value in army-held territory since the start of the summer, piling misery on civilians trying to rebuild their lives and complicating authorities' efforts to project normalcy in areas they control. The collapse is one of the most dramatic since Sudan's armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces went to war nearly 3-1/2 years ago and is putting even basic commodities out of reach for many.

Putin and Saudi crown prince call for safe passage via Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb

MOSCOW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday in which they highlighted the need for safe passage via the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz straits, key global maritime trade routes, the Kremlin said. It also said the two leaders held a detailed exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East and emphasised that a political and diplomatic settlement remains the only viable path forward.

Trump administration asks US Supreme Court to allow detention of pro-Palestinian scholar

By Nate RaymondSept 22 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s administration has asked the US Supreme Court to overturn a decision that led to the release of a Georgetown University scholar who had advocated for Palestinian rights and opposed Israel’s war in Gaza.The Department of Justice on Monday asked the high court to consider whether federal immigration law barred a lower-court judge from ordering Badar Khan Suri released, after hearing his claims that his detention violated his due process and free speech rights under the US Constitution.

Iran seizes assets of 394 people accused of spying for ‘hostile enemy’

The crackdown comes amid heightened tensions in the region as the US and Iran trade threats.

Trump urges complete isolation of Iran, expects deal after election

(Fixed typo in headline) By Michelle Nichols and Daphne Psaledakis UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for complete economic isolation of Iran, showing no intention to resume talks at the UN General Assembly but saying he believed a deal would be done after the US midterm elections in November. Iran had earlier hinted at the prospect of reviving negotiations to end their almost seven-month-old conflict, with the presidents of both countries due at the UN in New York.

Saudi Arabia restarts East-West oil pipeline, sources say

By Trixie Yap, Nidhi Verma and Florence TanSINGAPORE/NEW DELHI, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has restarted operations at its East-West Pipeline and could resume exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu later on Tuesday, three sources briefed on the matter said, as signs mounted of an increase in Middle Eastern oil flows.The resumption of supplies on Tuesday helped to drive selling on global oil markets. Global oil benchmark Brent crude fell by more than $2 a barrel towards $97, its lowest since September 8. [O/R]

More Yemenis expected to flee from upsurge in fighting, UN says

GENEVA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands more people could be driven from homes in Yemen by an upsurge of fighting that has already displaced more than 130,000 people this month, the UN refugee agency said on Tuesday. “Intensifying fighting in Yemen could drive more mass displacement, with growing numbers of people expected to flee, both within Yemen and to Djibouti, Somalia, and other countries," UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told a Geneva press briefing.

Why Netanyahu is distancing himself from Trump ahead of Israeli election

No meeting has been announced between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit in New York.

Macron says talks with Trump on Red Sea, Ukraine ‘constructive’

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he had "very constructive" talks with his US counterpart Donald Trump on the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Macron spoke with Trump after arriving in New York ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations. "We had a very good discussion. It was very constructive," he told reporters after the meeting.

Trump to use UN speech to defend Iran war, tout peace efforts

By Gram Slattery and Humeyra PamukUNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump opened his UN General Assembly address on Tuesday by touting the strength of the US economy, kicking off a speech in which he was expected to argue that the war with Iran prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to promote what he sees as progress toward peace and a global order increasingly aligned with American interests.“I can report to you with pride that America is back,

Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of deadly strikes as thousands flee

Charges against pro-Palestinian Stanford protesters to be dismissed

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Charges against five former and current Stanford University students will be dismissed in relation to a 2024 pro-Palestinian demonstration in which protesters barricaded themselves inside the school president's office. California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office said on Monday it would dismiss the charges if the five defendants completed 100 hours of community service each and paid about $52,000 combined in restitution to the university.

G7 foreign ministers call on Iran to stop arming Houthis

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - G7 foreign ministers on Monday called on Iran to end its arming and support of Houthis in Yemen, which they said constituted a dangerous pattern of escalation that risked undermining international trade and creating global instability.

Despite military might, Saudi struggles to crush the Houthis

Saudi Arabia has deep pockets and cutting-edge weapons yet for more than a decade it has been unable to quash Yemen's battle-hardened Houthis. The Iran-backed group has now attacked Riyadh with a missile strike, seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast and is blockading Saudi oil exports, seemingly unimpeded. Experts say Saudi Arabia has struggled to rebuff the group in part due to its reliance on ineffective proxies on the ground, while rugged terrain and Iranian support have favoured the Houthis.

UK to provide Saudi with military air-to-air refuelling support

Britain has agreed to provide some military support to Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis to support its own "national security", a UK defence minister said Tuesday. A British tanker plane will provide "defensive" air-to-air refuelling for Saudi warplanes to help the country defend against Houthi strikes, the UK government confirmed late Monday.

EU’s Kallas says Red Sea mission needs more than 10 warships

By John Valera NEW YORK, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The European Union's naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea would need to boost its numbers to more than 10 warships, its foreign policy chief said on Monday, adding that for now there were not that many in the area. The EU's Aspides mission was launched in 2024 to protect shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, and diplomats have said there are currently six warships operating.

UK’s Burnham agrees to Saudi request for refuelling support

LONDON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday he had agreed to a request from Saudi Arabia to provide defensive air-to-air refuelling for a limited time period, a move he described as helping to stabilise the wider region. Riyadh requested support after the Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia, a new front in the wider war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

World Food Programme ramps up response in Yemen as hunger fears escalate, official says

By Antoni Slodkowski UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The acting chief of the World Food Programme on Monday said the agency was ramping up its response to the escalating crisis in Yemen, where Houthi fighters seized the country's Red Sea coast, displacing tens of thousands of people. Nearly 700 people have been killed and thousands injured, according to the UN, as the group made their advance. More than 120,000 Yemenis have fled their homes within Yemen, and thousands more by boat across the Red Sea to Africa.

Rubio meets Iraq’s PM as remaining US troops prepare exit

The meeting in New York comes less than two weeks before remaining US troops are set to leave Iraq.

Saudi Arabia pauses star-studded Red Sea film festival as Houthis hit kingdom

The postponement arrives as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants are increasingly disrupting the kingdom’s economy and could also impact other high-profile international events.

Far-left leader pushing to lead Berlin says city has voted for change

By James Mackenzie BERLIN, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The far-left leader pushing to take over as mayor of Berlin promised on Monday to tackle unaffordable rents in the German capital, but faced early pressure to take action over accusations of antisemitism in parts of the local party. Elif Eralp led the Left Party to their best result in Berlin where they displaced Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party in the mayor's office and look set to head a coalition governing the city for the first time.

Turkey, US resume F-16 talks ahead of expected Trump-Erdogan meeting

The issue is returning to US-Turkey talks as Ankara races to modernize its air force amid expanding fifth-generation fleets in the region.

Trump, in call with Yemen president, did not pledge military support against Houthis, say sources

By Timour AzhariSept 21 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday, four people familiar with the matter said, discussing the advances of the Iran-backed Houthis around a vital global waterway.Alimi requested US support for his Saudi-backed government in its fight against the Houthis, who this month took key areas along the Bab al-Mandeb strait in a lightning offensive.

Iran threatens to expand war with new weapons if US attacks resume

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to expand its attacks in the region and use new weapons.

Gaza students return to in-person schooling for first time in three years

By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Haseeb and Alwazeer CAIRO/Gaza Sept 21 (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza returned to in-person teaching on Saturday for the first time in nearly three years, albeit in damaged or makeshift school buildings and tents, and with uniforms, notebooks and pens unaffordable for many families.

Syrian ammunition depot explodes in fourth such blast this month

ALEPPO, Syria, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A series of explosions tore through an army weapons depot in northern Syria early on Monday,the fourth such incident this month, wounding several people and sending villagers scattering. The blast was the latest in a series of mysterious and often unexplained explosions at military storage sites across Syria. Authorities offered no immediate explanation for the blasts near Al-Eis in the province of Aleppo, which were heard across nearby towns.

Pakistan says 28 killed in airstrikes on three targets in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Pakistan's information ministry said on Monday that 28 "terrorists" and suicide bombers were killed in airstrikes on three targets in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Asif Shahzad, Writing by Hritam Mukherjee; Editing by YP Rajesh)

France vows response after Iran closes language centre in Tehran

By John Irish UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - France will summon Iran's ambassador and take appropriate measures in response after Iranian authorities sealed a French language centre affiliated with its embassy in Tehran, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. "This new attack against France’s cultural presence in Iran, following the assault on two staff members of the French embassy last July, is unjustifiable and unacceptable," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement.

Xi rolls into Trump summit with China’s trade engine roaring

By Joe Cash, Trevor Hunnicutt and David BrunnstromBEIJING/WASHINGTON, September 21 (Reuters) - In the four months since the leaders of the two global superpowers last met, Xi Jinping has overseen a surge in China’s trade with the world while Donald Trump has struggled with falling approval ratings at home.That shift in fortunes has tempered expectations for their summit in Washington this week, analysts say,

Vessels trickle through Strait of Hormuz as Middle East conflict persists

By Florence TanSINGAPORE, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A total of 17 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on the weekend, down from 37 a week earlier, shipping data showed on Monday, as tension in the Gulf persisted with the US and Iran in stalemate.Visible traffic through the strait, the conduit for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has dwindled to a trickle. However, Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil on tankers travelling with their transponders off.

Trump eyes busy week of meetings as UN General Assembly gathers

By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump's two days attending the United Nations General Assembly will include a series of bilateral meetings and events with notable political figures such as the leaders of Ukraine and the United Kingdom, and New York MayorZohran Mamdani.

UAE’s Gargash expects ‘prolonged’ war, calls for Iran-Gulf security talks

“We need a new mindset that these sort of discussions ... can happen at an Iranian-American level, it should also take place at an Iranian-Arab level,” Gargash told Al-Monitor.

Waltz: ‘Door open’ to Iran talks, more countries eye Abraham Accords

Speaking at Al-Monitor Live New York, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said that several more regional states have expressed their interest in joining the Abraham Accords.

Iran and US trade threats after Houthi attacks escalate regional conflict

By Jana Choukeir and Doina ChiacuDUBAI/WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Iran and the United States exchanged new threats on Sunday, with President Donald Trump warning Iran would fail economically or face its leadership being wiped out if it didn’t make a deal, and the Iranian military saying it would retaliate harshly to any fresh attack.The conflict has looked stalemated for months, with no sign either side was ready for concessions even as it has deepened a global energy crisis,

European Commissioner discussed EU-Israel relationship, Gaza with Israeli minister

BRUSSELS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The European Commissioner for the Mediterranean said on Sunday that she discussed the European Union's relationship with Israel, regional stability and Gaza recovery efforts with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Dubravka Suica said in a post on X after the call that they discussed EU-Israel "relations and our shared interest in security and stability across the Middle East. This includes a reformed and functioning Palestinian Authority".

Palestinian gunman shoots dead Israeli in the West Bank, soldiers kill motorist

NEAR RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Violence flared in the occupied West Bank on Sunday when a suspected Palestinian gunman shot dead an Israeli man, police said, and Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian motorist who the military said was attempting to run them over. The gunman opened fire from his vehicle at Israelis gathered at a spring near the settlement of Neve Tzuf, near Ramallah, according to the Israeli military and police.

US warns of rapid escalation in Middle East war

The United States warned that fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis could "escalate rapidly" after a missile attack targeted Riyadh for the first time since the Yemen conflict resumed. US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David, a secluded presidential complex in rural Maryland, to return unexpectedly to the White House.

Games-From dressing as a man to competing with the elite, no backpedalling for Afghan Hashimi

By Amlan Chakraborty NAGOYA, Japan, Sept 20 (Reuters) - For someone who had to disguise herself as a man, dodge thrown stones and eventually flee her homeland to pursue cycling, Fariba Hashimi's seventh-place finish in the women's individual time trial at the Asian Games carried profound personal meaning for the 23-year-old Afghan.

World leaders return to UN amid wars in Middle East and Ukraine

By Antoni SlodkowskiUNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - World leaders gather in New York this week for the UN General Assembly, bracing for President Donald Trump’s return to the rostrum for a second year running, with talks centering on the widening conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and the risks of artificial intelligence.Nearly 130 heads of state meet with the post-World War Two order under strain and with the UN itself struggling to remain relevant and weathering attacks from Trump,

Singer Ed Sheeran says Gaza situation ‘unjustifiable’ following controversy

Pop star Ed Sheeran said Saturday the situation in Gaza is "unjustifiable," following a wave of criticism that he had failed to back his opening act who was booted from their tour after making pro-Palestinian comments. Sheeran, 35, has denied being behind the decision to remove Macklemore, instead blaming the tour promoter. "What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate," Sheeran said as he opened his show in Philadelphia, his first since the controversy involving rapper Macklemore.

Turkey says it could help meet Saudi military needs under defence pact

ANKARA, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that Saudi Arabia may have military needs due to theongoing attacks by Yemen’s Houthis and that Turkey was ready to help under a trilateraldefence pact that also includes Pakistan.“We see there are very serious attacks on Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty. We have an alliance agreement in our pact. We are in serious solidarity on this point... They may have some military needs, especially on some technical issues.

UN peacekeeping chief in Lebanon says smooth transition is critical before pull-out

By Maya Gebeily NEAR MANSOURI, Lebanon, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The head of United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon said on Saturday it was critical to ensure otherUN agencies and Lebanese troops could assume the tasks carried out by the force before it begins withdrawing at the end of this year. Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy spoke to Reuters in southern Lebanon at a position operated by the UN peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL, which has been monitoring hostilities in southern Lebanon for nearly 50 years.

US fears rapid escalation in Mideast after Houthis attack Riyadh

The United States warned Saturday that hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthis could "escalate rapidly" after a missile attack targeted Riyadh for the first time since the Yemen conflict resumed. US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David, a secluded presidential complex in rural Maryland, to return unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday.

AfD surge in eastern Germany makes some immigrants question whether they still belong

By Amina Ismail and James Mackenzie ROSTOCK, Germany, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Shahd Najeeb still remembers the trauma of fleeing Islamic State fighters during Syria's civil war. More than a decade after finding refuge in Germany, she now fears she may no longer be welcome there. "When I think about the time we left Syria, I still don't know how we managed to get through it," she told Reuters in her home in Rostock, on Germany's Baltic coast. "It was like a nightmare."

Death toll at 31 in Pakistan police compound attack, AFP reports

Sept 19 (Reuters) - The death toll in a suicide attack at a police compound in northwest Pakistan has reached 31, AFP reported onSaturday, citing a police official. The attacker rammed an explosives-laden car into the police facility on Friday as officers and their families were praying in a mosque, officials said. (Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)

UN chief ‘deeply regrets’ US visa refusal to Abbas for annual meeting

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "deeply regrets" Washington's decision to deny a visa for the second year running to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, a UN spokesman said Friday, preventing him for attending the UN General Assembly. The US State Department said Thursday it was refusing to grant visas to Abbas and other Palestinian officials for next week's assembly. Only members of the Palestinian mission to the UN will be able to attend the meeting, which begins Tuesday.

US troop deaths during Iran war exceed Pentagon count by at least four, Washington Post reports

Sept 18 (Reuters) - More US troops have died during the US-Israeli war with Iran than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed, the Washington Post reported on Friday. Defense Secretary PeteHegseth denied the report. The Post, citing five unidentified officials, reported that there had been at least 22 military fatalities, four more than were listed in the data available on the Pentagon's public database.

As Iran regime marks 200 days of war, is it also preparing for dissent?

Seven months into the war with the US, Iranian authorities staged a pro-government mobilization in Tehran, combining patriotic spectacle with a carefully calibrated demonstration aimed for domestic internal security capacity.

Syria’s Shibani visits Latakia airport to review Russia deal progress: What to know

Syria is seeking to ensure that the August deal to turn Russian facilities in the country into joint training centers is implemented.

What to expect as UN General Assembly convenes amid Iran war

The US State Department denied visas to Palestinian officials seeking to attend the UN summit, yet authorized the Iranian delegation’s travel to New York.

Costly overhaul fuels fears for Cairo’s street kiosks

Cairo's omnipresent street kiosks, where commuters grab cigarettes, children buy sweets, and residents stop for cold drinks or phone credit, are set for a makeover that some fear could price many small operators out of business. Authorities in the Egyptian capital this week launched a scheme to standardise thousands of licensed kiosks, giving existing operators three months to adopt a unified design costing between 50,000 and 60,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,000-$1,200), a hefty sum for many small business owners.

Saudi Aramco curbs Europe crude exports to support Asia supplies

Saudi Arabia is sending about 60 million barrels of crude through the Strait of Hormuz to Oman’s Sohar port this month and next, Reuters reported.

Lebanon charges 5 in alleged Hezbollah operation to train Assad loyalists

A Lebanese military court has charged the five, including an Assad-era Syrian officer and Hezbollah members, with running a cross-border security network planning attacks in Syria’s coastal region.

Isolated Syrian-Druze city blames Damascus for shortages

In her bakery, Hoda Kiwan impatiently awaits flour and fuel, which have become scarce in southern Syria's Sweida, the Druze-majority city still outside Damascus' control. "I am suffering from a shortage of gas and flour, especially after the road was cut off, but there is nothing I can do," the 59-year old said, her hair wrapped in the Druze white headscarf as she prepares potato pastries.

Suicide attack kills 16 near mosque in northwest Pakistan police compound

ISLAMABAD, Sept 18 (Reuters) - At least 16 people were killed and 57 wounded after a suicide attacker rammed an explosives-laden car into a police facility in northwest Pakistan on Friday as officers and their families were praying in a mosque inside, officials said. Five police officers were among the dead after the vehicle smashed into the outer wall and gunmen who accompanied it opened fire in the city of Kohat, provincial police chief Zulfikar Hameed said.

Italy’s minister calls for more ships to protect Red Sea navigation

By Angelo Amante ROME, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Italy's defence minister on Friday called for a stronger naval presence in the Red Sea to protect merchant shipping amid concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway threatened by the widening Middle East conflict. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have made rapid advances in recent weeks along the Red Sea coast, further complicating routes in a region that also includes the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic had already dwindled because of the U.S.-Iran war.

Anti-Assad music star makes triumphant return to Syria

Syrian singer Assala Nasri has made a triumphant return to Damascus with a sold-out concert following 15 years of exile due to her opposition to ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of fans welcomed the 57-year-old, known mononymously as Assala, at a venue in the Syrian capital where she bowed and opened the show with songs hailing the Syrian people. "Souls of my heart, I missed you," she repeatedly said to endless cheers on Thursday night.

How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to capitalize on Riyadh’s need for intelligence assistance to make normalization headway ahead of the October elections.

Palestinian state more distant than ever, a year after recognition

When France, Britain and other Western powers last year recognised a Palestinian state, entrepreneur Adam Bader felt a sense of hope. "I was happy when I heard about it," said Bader, 27, who lives in the occupied West Bank's city of Tulkarem, which has seen repeated Israeli raids in recent years. "Now a year on, we're not seeing any improvement. On the contrary," he said. "The situation is getting worse by the day and no one can do anything."

Analysis-As Iran war grinds on, Trump to face skeptical world leaders at UN

By Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations a year ago, he touted the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites just months earlier as "totally obliterating everything" and said he had brought peace between Israel and Iran. Returning to the world body on Tuesday, Trump will face a deeply skeptical audience increasingly rattled by six months of war between US forces and an emboldened Iran, growing regional instability and a nuclear threat that has not disappeared despite his claims.

South Korea’s Lee rules out military involvement in Middle East conflict

By Heejin Kim and Joyce Lee SEOUL, Sept 18 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into conflict, but Seoul was reviewing whether to play a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region. South Korea has maintained a naval presence off the coast of Somalia in an anti-piracy mission, while resisting calls from US President Donald Trump to play a more active military role in supporting Washington over the war in Iran.

South Korea’s Lee says will not deploy military to get involved in Middle East conflict

SEOUL, Sept 18 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday he would not deploy any military assets to the Middle East that would draw the country into conflict related to the Iran war. However, the government is considering whether to expand its role safeguarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Lee said at a news conference. (Reporting by Jack Kim, Joyce Lee, Heejin KimEditing by Ed Davies)

Indonesia calls off search for journalists missing while covering volcano eruption

JAKARTA, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Indonesian rescuers called off a search on its 10th day for eight people missing at sea, including five journalists who were covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatauearlier this month. • Ash from Mount Anak Krakatau, situated halfway between Java and Sumatra islands, blanketed the capital Jakarta and some surrounding areas after its initial eruption late on September 4.

October 7 survivors, families take centre stage in Israel vote

Sharon Sharabi shot into the limelight in Israel after the Hamas attack of

Doom Loop? Ed Sheeran struggles against Gaza tide

Ed Sheeran faces boycott calls and desertions, leaving the British singer with a career crisis that underlines how even the world's biggest stars are being sucked into the politic

Assad-era Syrian official jailed for 60 years by US court

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - A former Syrian government official who ​headed the Damascus Central Prison under ousted PresidentBashar al-Assad and was convicted of ‌torture by a US federal jury has been sentenced to60 years in prison by a US judge, federal prosecutors said. Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, was charged in 2024 and convicted in March on one count of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture for his involvement in the abuse of prisoners at Adra Prison, as ​it is colloquially known in Damascus.

China’s Djibouti base upgrades should boost its monitoring reach, report says

WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - China has made upgrades to its military base at Djibouti that should significantly enhance its ability to monitor military activity across the Middle East and Africa, a report by a US think tank released on Thursday said. Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank said commercial satellite imagery showed that China's military had installed new antennas, satellite communications equipment and other assets at its only formally acknowledged overseas military base.

UN allows Palestinian president to again speak via video after US denies visa

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to allow Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas to address the annual gathering of world leaders next week via video - for the second year in a row - after the United States again denied him a visa to travel to New York.

US to allow Iranian leaders to attend UN General Assembly

By Simon Lewis Sept 17 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will allow top Iranian officials to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, the State Department said on Thursday, even as Washington and Tehran remain at war andcontinue intermittent talks aimed at ending the conflict. A State Department spokesperson said a "core delegation from the Iranian regime" would be allowed to attend the meeting in line with the United States' obligations as the world body's host country.

Turkey detains finance executives amid market turmoil

Several prominent Turkish finance executives were swept up by authorities on Thursday amid efforts to contain a market rout that has exposed strains in the country’s investment-fund industry.

Trump administration approves $24B sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia

Trump first announced the planned sale in November 2025, ahead of hosting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.

US sanctions Iranian crypto exchange BitBank over Hormuz payments

The US government says the exchange was used to channel payments from an Iranian maritime-insurance scheme to the regime.

US Democrats look to stop Trump’s Saudi nuclear deal

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - US House of Representatives Democrats raised concerns on Thursday about President Donald Trump's civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, and said they had introduced a resolution of disapproval seeking to block the deal from coming into force. Trump sent the proposed agreement to Congress in August, opening a 90-day window for lawmakers' review and giving them an opportunity to try to pass a resolution of disapproval.

Explainer-Why are world leaders at the UN next week and what will they talk about?

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - World leaders gather in New York every September for several days of high-level debate starting on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly. WHO SPEAKS WHEN? The United Nations was formed in 1945 with 51 original members and has since grown to 193 members. Leaders of two non-member observer states – known at the UNas the Holy See and the State of Palestine – and an observer member, the European Union, can also speak. This month marks the start of the 81st session.

Former Assad official sentenced to 60 years in US for torture

Samir Ousman Alsheikh was convicted by a jury in March of three counts of torture, one count of conspiracy to commit torture, visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud.

Serbia opens factory to assemble Israeli-made drones: What to know

Serbian President Vucic said the factory will put together “state-of-the-art” Israeli-designed drones and employ around 100 workers.

Ireland will boycott Eurovision 2027, RTE says

LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Ireland will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row, broadcaster RTE said on Thursday, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza. Ireland was one of five countries to not take part in the 2026 edition in protest at Israel's participation, with Iceland, Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain. Dutch public broadcaster AvroTros last month said it would boycott again in 2027.

Gaza documentary sparks political storm in Israel

On a street in southern Israel, a graffiti artist paints a mural depicting the filmmakers behind the award-winning documentary "NAZA". But this is not a tribute.  Red targets are painted next to the two Israeli directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, whose faces are branded with the word "TRAITORS". A month ahead of close-fought elections, the documentary, which uses anonymous military sources to speak about Israel's widespread killing of civilians in Gaza, has unleashed a political storm.

In Yemen, China exploits US security gap while seeking to curb Houthis

The Houthis’ advances around Bab al-Mandab point to another crack in the US-led Gulf security architecture—one China could gain from diplomatically and economically, even as it seeks to prevent a wider regional escalation.

Serbia opens Israeli drone assembly plant

Sept 17 (Reuters) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that Serbia had opened a factory to assemble advanced Israeli-made drones, which will supply the Serbian military and armed forces in other countries. • Plant to assemble "state-of-the-art" Israeli-designed drones, he said in a post on Instagram. • Facility to employ around 100 workers. • The government and its Israeli partners expect to open at least three more factories across the country, he added.

China, US top diplomats discuss ‘high-level interactions’ in call, Beijing says

BEIJING, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call that the two countries "should prepare well for the next stage of high-level interactions in the spirit of equality, respect and reciprocity," Wang's ministry said. Head-of-state diplomacy serves as the anchor of China-US ties, Wang said, adding that the two sides should strengthen communication, advance cooperation, manage differences and respect each other's core interests.

Greek parliament lifts immunity of ex-Commissioner amid ‘Qatargate’ probe

ATHENS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Greece’s parliament lifted the immunity of one of the country’s former European Commissioners on Thursday, clearing the way for further action by authorities investigating the “Qatargate” corruption case, one of the biggest scandals to hit the EU.Dimitris Avramopoulos — a former Athens mayor and current lawmaker with the ruling conservative New Democracy party — has denied any wrongdoing or links to the case,

Pakistan announces austerity measures to conserve fuel as Gulf conflict spirals

Sept 17 (Reuters) - Pakistan announced on Thursday a cut in fuel for official vehicles, bans on vehicle purchases by the state, foreign visits by officials, and official dinners, as part of a slew of austerity measures in a bid to conserve energy as fuel prices spike due to the Gulf conflict. • Pakistan is facing the prospect of gas and power shortages as the Gulf conflict disrupts LNG supplies and drives up petrol and diesel prices.

Macron hosts Lebanon security talks to back ‘indispensable’ army

The leaders of France, Lebanon and Jordan on Thursday met in Paris to to drum up international support for the cash-strapped Lebanese army which President Emmanuel Macron described as "indispensable" for bringing stability to the country. Also on the agenda was the creation of a new force to succeed a longstanding UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, where Israel is locked in fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

How soon can Saudi Arabia restart its key oil pipeline?

State-run oil company Saudi Aramco is reportedly working to bypass a damaged section of the East-West Pipeline to regain partial capacity.

Turkey’s Erdogan to run for ‘final’ third term in 2028, adviser says

If Turkey’s parliament votes to move the next election up during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s second term, he could constitutionally run for third.

Exclusive-China presses Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal, sources say

By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI, Sept 17 (Reuters) - China has privately asked Tehran to help rein in Yemen's Houthis after an appeal to Beijing by Saudi Arabia following the Iran-backed group's military blitz in the past week, according to three Iranian sources familiar with the matter. Riyadh turned to China for help after the Houthis made rapid advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, moves that have left Saudi oil exports and shipping more exposed, the sources said.

Energy disruption hits Bangladesh and Pakistan as Gulf crisis worsens

By Ariba Shahid, Ruma Paul and Sam Jahan ISLAMABAD/DHAKA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, Parvin Akter times her cooking to the neighborhood's availability of piped gas. With gas in intermittent supply as a result of a global energy crunch, she now sometimes has to wait until midnight to cook her dinner. Even switching to an induction cooker has not helped, as power outages often leave food half-cooked.

Rescue efforts end after 21 die in collapse of bomb-damaged building in Gaza; 45 saved from rubble

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu AlkasCAIRO/GAZA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Gaza rescuers wrapped up searches on Thursday in the rubble of a bomb-damaged building that collapsed a day earlier, where 21 people were killed and 45 rescued from under the rubble, a Palestinian official said.Nearly a year since a ceasefire ended major fighting in Gaza, reconstruction of the devastated territory has yet to begin. Most buildings were completely destroyed by Israeli airstrikes or bulldozed by Israeli forces, and nearly all of the rest have suffered damage.

‘One of the kindest people’: Taraneh, 21, facing execution in Iran

On the nights of January 8 and 9, twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi joined thousands of others in protests against the Iranian authorities in the central city of Isfahan. The 20-year-olds chanted anti-government slogans in the city's Shohada Square during two nights of rallies that took place across the country and were suppressed in a crackdown that rights groups say left thousands dead.

Palestinians turn rugged caves into homes after Israeli demolitions

Palestinian herder Mohammed Emar has set up a fully functional home for his family where his daughters can even sing karaoke. Only it is inside a cave after the Israeli army demolished his two houses. In the occupied West Bank's arid region of Masafer Yatta, Emar made a smooth concrete floor on two caves' rough limestone ground before applying a white limewash on the brittle stone walls.

Syrian singer Assala returns to Damascus stage after 15-year exile

The Syrian star, one of the Arab world’s most famous artists, had been in self-exile since 2011 after she openly supported the uprising against the since-ousted Assad government.

Israel adds tender for 2,167 housing units to settlement expansion plan, rights groups say

JERUSALEM, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Israel has added a tender for 2,167 housing units to its E1 settlement expansion plan, Israeli rights groups said of a project that critics say endangers a future Palestinian state. The project would bisect the Israeli-occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, fragmenting the land Palestinians hope will form the heart of a state.

Explainer-How Yemen’s Houthis went from a small mountain militia to a big regional threat

LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - A lightning advance by Yemen's Houthi group has brought the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait under its control, making the once ragged highland militia a regional player with global clout. This is how the group evolved into a formidable fighting force with Iranian support that can disrupt vital shipping and strike critical oil and gas facilities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. WHO ARE THE HOUTHIS?

UN mission finds grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran, and Tehran crimes against humanity

(Corrects paragraph 8 to remove reference to Iranian commander and replace with proximity to IRGC naval complex)By Olivia Le PoidevinGENEVA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - A UN fact-finding mission on Iran said on Thursday it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that these constituted war crimes.It also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

Morocco’s political parties battle youth disenchantment ahead of election

By Ahmed Eljechtimi and Alexander DziadoszRABAT/CAIRO, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Morocco’s political parties are trying to entice young voters to the polls next week with promises of jobs and affordable housing after violent protests last year and aborder rush on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta highlighted widespread discontent.Uneven development and continuing economic hardship among young people were seen as drivers of both events, against a backdrop of recent progress in sectors such as manufacturing,

Paris hosts military leaders to weigh post-UN mission in Lebanon

By John Irish PARIS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - European and Arab military chiefs will meet in Paris on Thursday to assess the Lebanese Armed Forces' needs and discuss the looming end of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, amid fears of a renewed Israeli military campaign in southern Lebanon. Israel and Lebanon have held several rounds of U.S.-brokered talks aimed at easing tensions along their border. But with elections in Israel and the United States approaching in the coming weeks, diplomats say a breakthrough is unlikely.

Yemenis take to boats to flee as Middle East war spreads

Sept 17 (Reuters) - Yemenis took to boats in the Red Sea to escape fighting between Iran-backed Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed forces, as the spreading Middle East war created new threats to global oil supplies. "The sea was wavy. The children were getting seasick; everyone... is not used to the sea," said Ahmad Hassan, 70, who reached Africa in a crowded boat and gave an interview to the International Organization for Migration.

Impoverished by war in Iran, Afghan migrants return to Taliban rule

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar , Sayed Hassib, Ahmad Masih Noori and Rick Noack ISLAM QALA, Afghanistan, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Mohammad Saeed had just turned 18 when he fled to Iran with his parents and younger brother and sister, escaping the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Now Saeed and his family are among thousands who have returned home to escape the economic crisis in Iran triggered by the conflict with the U.S. and Israel. The family came back nearly empty-handed, Saeed said.

Trump says ‘hopefully we are towards end’ of Iran war

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - US PresidentDonald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped an end to the war against Iran was near and a media report separately said he is expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the conflict. His comments come with the Iran war in its seventh month and with no immediate end in sight. Axios reported late on Wednesday Trump's meeting with Gulf leaders next week in New York is expected to focus on USplans for a postwar strategy.

Israel, Morocco agree to exchange ambassadors, open embassies

The move will mark the first time Morocco and Israel have exchanged ambassadors.

Netanyahu steps up threats against directors of Gaza documentary ‘NAZA’

JERUSALEM, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to pass a law to revoke the citizenship of anyone who defames Israel's soldiers, his latest threat against the Israeli directors of "NAZA", a documentary about soldiers' killing of Gaza civilians. Directed by Israeli journalists ‌Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, NAZA alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely built into Israeli targeting decisions in Gaza, something Netanyahu and the military reject.

Yemeni forces clash with Houthis near Saudi border

Yemeni government forces clashed with Houthi fighters near the Saudi border, with AFP footage showing soldiers in armoured vehicles and trucks pushing across desert terrain under the crackle of machine-gun fire. The Houthis also released footage on Wednesday of the fighting in the northwestern Al-Jawf area, as well as a video purporting to show the downing of a fighter jet belonging to Saudi Arabia, the group’s longtime foe and the Yemeni government’s main backer.

China presses Iran, US to reopen Hormuz as disruptions threaten oil supply

Conflicts in the region are disrupting two key routes for oil bound for China, with Iranian crude affected by the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi shipments facing growing risks in the Red Sea.

Israeli show ‘Fauda’ tops Netflix in Lebanon, hits top 10 across Arab states

The show was created by Israeli journalist Avi Issacharoff and actor Lior Raz, drawing on their experiences serving in the Israeli military’s elite Duvdevan unit.

Syria parliament votes to abolish Assad-era terrorism court, nullify rulings

DAMASCUS, Sept 16 - Syria's parliament voted on Wednesday to abolish an Assad-era terrorism court and nullify the legal effects of its rulings, state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV reported, in one of the first significant legislative moves by the country's new assembly. The Counter-Terrorism Court was established in 2012 as then-President Bashar al-Assad sought to suppress an uprising against his rule, and it was used to prosecute thousands of Syrians for terrorism-related offences.

Yemenis recount terrifying voyage to Djibouti

Waheda Muhammad Ali braved a terrifying sea journey from the Middle East to Africa to escape heavy fighting in her native Yemen.  At least 100,000 people have fled Yemen since fighting escalated this month between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have seized control of its coastline.

Houthi blitz leaves Saudi Arabia exposed, Iran emboldened

By Samia Nakhoul and Timour Azhari ANKARA, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The Houthi capture of ground overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has dealt Saudi Arabia its gravest setback in Yemen in years, exposing intelligence failures, the collapse of Yemeni allies and the limits of U.S. protection. A Houthi advance this week along the Red Sea coast and the capture of islands at the mouth of the strait, a vital artery for global oil supplies, has also left the kingdom scrambling for backing as Iran and its allies expand their reach.

Algeria pulls Sky News Arabia accreditation amid UAE rift: What to know

Algeria severed diplomatic ties with the UAE, which owns Sky News Arabia through Abu Dhabi-based International Media Investments, last Thursday.

Sweden expels Iran embassy employee over anti-Jewish threats

Sweden said Wednesday it had expelled an Iranian embassy employee and summoned the country's ambassador, accusing Tehran of making threats against Jewish and Israeli interests in Sweden.  "We know that Iran, over a long period of time, has conducted activities that threaten security in and against Sweden, targeting both individuals who oppose the Iranian regime and various Jewish and Israeli interests in our country," Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said in a statement to AFP.

Saudi Arabia says attempted Mecca drone attack ‘red line’ as Houthis deny claim

The escalation between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia comes as the Iranian-backed group reportedly met with US officials in Oman to discuss maritime security.

Pope Leo says Middle East conflicts strain Jewish-Christian relations

VATICAN CITY, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Pope Leo said on Wednesday that recent conflicts in the Middle East had tested relations between Jews and Christians, adding that differing views of the ongoing violence had strained dialogue but not broken it. In a new decree to mark the Catholic Church's last 60years of efforts at inter-religious dialogue, the pope also reiterated the Church's condemnations of both antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Turkey jails 8 LGBTQ+ activists pending trial as part of sweeping investigation

ISTANBUL, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Eight members of Turkish LGBTQ+ rights group Kaos GL were jailed pending trial on Tuesdayas part of a national operation the government says is protecting family values and children, but which rights groups say targets fundamental rights. Lawyers for Kaos said that besides those jailed, seven other members of the group,including a journalist, were released under judicial supervision.

U.S. officials met Iran-backed Houthis in Oman over the weekend, sources say

By Timour Azhari, Alexander Cornwell and Gram SlatterySept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. officials met representatives of Yemen’sHouthis in Oman over the weekend, five sources familiar with the matter said, days after the Iran-backed militia seized a strategic stretch of the Red Sea coast in a sweeping offensive that routed Saudi-backed forces.The meeting, which has not been made public, was held at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, three of the sources said on the condition of anonymity.

China’s top diplomat urges Iran, US to show restraint, revive talks

(Refiles to add Iran’s foreign minister’s first name in paragarph 3)BEIJING, Sept 16 (Reuters) - China encourages Iran and the U.S. to remain rational, exercise restraint, return to the Islamabad memorandum and “engage in substantive consultations,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday.

Lebanon wants Israel security deal as prelude to peace: president to AFP

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told AFP in an exclusive interview he wants a security agreement with Israel once it withdraws its troops as a possible prelude to peace, and is determined to disarm Hezbollah without a confrontation. Speaking ahead of his departure to France on Wednesday, President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon wanted a new force, European or otherwise, to prevent a security vacuum after UN peacekeepers leave south Lebanon when their mandate expires at the end of the year.

Amnesty says Iran committed ‘crimes against humanity’ in crackdown on 2022 protests

Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity in the crackdown on 2022 protests that left hundreds dead, Amnesty International said Wednesday, adding Tehran’s suppression of new demonstrations this year bore the “same hallmarks” but on an even wider scale.

War-damaged Gaza building collapses, killing 20 people sheltering inside

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas CAIRO/GAZA, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Gaza rescuers on Wednesday searched through the wreckage of a bombed-out apartment building that collapsed overnight, killing at least 20 Palestinians including children and trapping dozens of others beneath the rubble. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are living in some 2,000 buildings damaged by Israeli airstrikes across Gaza.

Ukraine war drives European demand for bigger, cheaper missile arsenals

By Maria Rugamer, Michael Kahn and Supantha Mukherjee Sept 16 (Reuters) - European militaries are increasingly exploring cheaper missiles and interceptors after conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East exposed the limits of small inventories of high-end weapons. Along Europe's eastern flank, Russia's daily drone and missile attacks on Ukraine have highlighted a lesson often overlooked in peacetime procurement planning: modern conflicts can consume weapons faster than many countries can replace them.

Saudi says Houthis target Mecca, warns of ‘red line’

The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis accused them on Wednesday of targeting Islam's holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world. The Houthis swiftly rejected as a "lie" Riyadh's statement that it had shot down a drone heading towards Mecca, which attracts millions of pilgrims each year. Fresh fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed internationally recognised government has dragged in the kingdom, with the Houthis declaring a maritime blockade on its ships in the Red Sea.

Saudis pound Yemen as Houthis solidify gains in new theatre of Middle East war

By Jana Choukeir and Nayera Abdallah Sept 16 (Reuters) - Saudi warplanes pounded Yemen, the Houthis said on Wednesday, as the Iran-backed fighters solidified their gains after a lightning advance that has extended Tehran's reach in the Middle East war and further disrupted global oil supplies. In a sign of the worsening conflict in a new theatre, the United States tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia, banning government employees from travelling within 20 miles of the Yemen border.

US touts its power, avoids Iran war at G20 Energy meeting

The United States hammered home a message touting its energy dominance at Tuesday's meeting of G20 energy ministers in Houston, while brushing past the consequences of Washington's war in Iran and environmental concerns. The meeting's slogan to "Unleash the full potential of American energy" has been repeated by US officials tirelessly in Texas since the gathering kicked off Monday.

Iran war cost hits $38 billion, forecast to rise $3 billion a month, CBO says

By Jacob Bogage WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The six-month-old U.S. war against Iran has cost $38 billion so far and that amount is projected to rise by $3 billion a month, Congress' nonpartisan bookkeeper reported on Tuesday, as the Trump administration searches for ways to end the conflict and reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. The war is expected to increase inflation by 0.5% in the first three months of 2027, according to the Congressional Budget Office accounting, which totaled expenses through August 1.

Sheeran says Israeli critic Macklemore axed from tour at promoter’s behest

By Kanishka SinghSept 15 (Reuters) - Pop star Ed Sheeran said the decision to drop pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore from his U.S. concert tour was made by organisers, not him, after he failed to defuse the latest show-business furore over the Gaza conflict. Macklemore, a longtime critic of Israel’s assault on Gaza, was axed from the U.S.

Syria’s Sharaa talks economic ties with UAE leader: What to know

The UAE is moving to boost trade and investment ties with Syria amid the conflicts in the region and following initial caution in its dealings with Damascus.

Trump administration plans $2.8B arms sale to Israel, including 2,000-lb bombs

Washington’s plan to give Israel 40,000 additional MK-84 2,000-pound bombs signals carte blanche for Israeli attacks on Iran and militias it aids across the region.

How far will Iran push Houthis against Saudi Arabia amid raging conflict?

As Iran-backed Houthis broaden attacks on Saudi Arabia, Tehran’s delicate calculation is exploiting the current conflict without being dragged into an escalation of its own making.

Trump administration plans $2.8 billion munitions sale to Israel, sources say

By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration is planning to sell to Israel a munitions package worth $2.8 billion, which will include tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs, according to a U.S. official familiar with the sale. The planned sale, which has been informally communicated to relevant congressional committees who weigh in on large arms sales, includes 20,000 MK 84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

Saudi running out of oil export options as Iran, allies choke routes

Saudi Arabia is running out of options to export its vast oil reserves as attacks force its main pipeline shut while Iran and its allies cement their chokehold on the kingdom's two main maritime routes, analysts say. The world's top oil exporter last week shut its East-West pipeline, which runs some 1,200 kilometres (700 miles) between its main oil fields in the east and the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea, after attacks on its oil facilities originating in Iraq, home to pro-Iran armed groups.

Saudi Yanbu halt deepens oil strain as Europe scrambles for crude

European crude importers are racing to secure new oil shipments as markets brace for the loss of up to 4% of global supplies into October following attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.

US energy chief says Saudi Arabia oil pipeline should be back online within days

WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Crude oil should be flowing through Saudi Arabia's vital East-West Pipeline within days, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC on Tuesday, after the kingdom was forced to temporarily close it following attacks by Iran-aligned groups. "It's still a detailed assessment, but I think it will be measured in days," Wright said on the sidelines of a G20 energy meeting in Houston. He said Saudi Arabia is taking steps to move more oil out of the Strait of Hormuz with assistance from the U.S. military.

Why Saudi Arabia’s balancing act with US, Iran, Houthis risks collapse

Houthi rebels escalated their attacks on Tuesday, triggering alerts around the holy city of Mecca, Taif and the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.

Houthi top diplomat says no intention to shut down Red Sea shipping, group open to talks

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Acting Foreign Minister of the Houthi-led administration Abdulwahid Abu Ras said concerns over a potential closure of the Red Sea are being fueled by Saudi Arabia.

What does Amazon war damage mean for Gulf cloud expansion?

Amazon’s cloud computing unit said the damage was sustained to its facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, casting doubt over multibillion-dollar investments in the region.

Alarmed Yemenis flee south as Houthis keep up attacks

ADEN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - After a drone strike sent shrapnel flying into his wife's chest, killing her, Muhammad Aiyash and his three children fled with no belongings to a new makeshift camp for the displaced in the southern Yemeni city of Aden.

UN accepts Trump nominee to head World Food Programme

GENEVA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has accepted Trump nominee Luke Lindberg from among dozens of candidates to leadthe World Food Programme, a document showed and a U.N. official confirmed on Tuesday.• Lindberg, a senior U.S. agricultural official, was recommended by Guterres andQu Dongyu, a Chinese national heading the Food and Agriculture Organization, according to a September 11 letter to the head of the WFP board.• Some 54 candidates applied for the job, according to the letter, which did not name them.

Israeli strikes in Gaza kill two people, including a child, medics say

CAIRO/GAZA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Israeli airstrikes hit a vehicle, killing at least two Palestinians, including a child, and wounding seven others in the northern Gaza Strip neighbourhood of Sheikh Radwan on Tuesday, the territory’s health officials said.The Israeli military said it had struck a militant in the area, without elaborating.Witnesses said some of the casualties resulted from a second strike that hit near a group of people who rushed to help in the rescue.

Meet Wesley Hunt, Trump’s pick for ambassador to Saudi Arabia

The Texas Republican previously served for two years in the kingdom as a diplomatic liaison officer.

Yemen conflict displaces over 100,000 people, UN says

GENEVA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday that over 100,000 people have been internally displaced by the renewed Yemen conflict and thousands more have fled by sea to Djibouti. "Humanitarian access remains a major challenge. Insecurity, damaged roads, telecommunications disruptions and movement restrictions are affecting operations," UNHCR said in a statement.

Egypt’s Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince stress need for security of Red Sea navigation

DUBAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed the need to ensure freedom and security of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea during talks on Tuesday, the Egyptian presidency said.Sisi also expressed support for Saudi measures to protect its security and stability, and for efforts to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the Yemen crisis, the presidency said. (Reporting by Mohamed Hendawy, Writing by Jana Choukeir;

Syrian Kurds aim to preserve Kurdish schooling as Damascus reasserts authority

By Orhan Qereman QAMISHLI, Syria, Sept 15 (Reuters) - SyrianKurds are seeking to preserve schooling in their mother tongue as Damascus reasserts authority over Kurdish regions that governed themselves during years of war, welcoming a decree that allows some subjects to be taught in Kurdish but saying it falls short of their demand for a fully Kurdish-language curriculum.

Saudi cancels some oil cargoes after pipeline hit, top buyer chasing alternatives

By Robert Harvey, Marek Strzelecki and Jonathan SaulLONDON/WARSAW, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has cut oil shipments to Europe after drone attacks damaged its key export pipeline to the Red Sea, trade sources told Reuters,prompting top customers such as Poland to rush to seek alternatives as cargo prices topped $120 a barrel.The attacks, which Saudi Arabia has blamed on Iraqi militia, forced the kingdom on Friday to shut its East-West desert oil pipeline,

Turkish authorities detain at least 150 at protest over LGBTQ+ arrests

ISTANBUL, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Turkish authorities detained at least 150 people on Tuesday after police intervened at a gathering outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse, where demonstrators had planned to protest about recent detentions targeting LGBTQ+ groups, witnesses said.The detentions marked the latest escalation in what rights groups and opposition figures have described as a widening campaign against the LGBTQ+ community, with authorities over the past week raiding association offices,

Saudi Arabia’s MBS visits Egypt as Red Sea crisis with Houthis escalates

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Egypt at a time the kingdom faces repeated Houthi attacks, while the Iranian-backed rebels close in on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, threatening maritime security.

UN rights chief says uncovered remains in Gaza raise concerns of war crimes

By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The recovery of hundreds of bodies from the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in Gaza during the war that began nearly three years ago has raised fresh concerns about possible war crimes, theU.N. human rights chief said on Tuesday. Volker Turk said the remains of what appeared to be entire families were being unearthed from sites destroyed during Israeli attacks, adding that many victims were women and children.

In first, Saudi Arabia activates Mecca warning system amid Houthi threat

Saudi Arabia activated emergency alerts in the holy city for the first time since Yemen's Houthi group intensified its drone and missile attacks on the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia vows to respond ‘firmly’ to Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia vowed on Tuesday to respond “firmly” to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, after the Iran-backed fighters wounded 13 people in the kingdom in an assault using ballistic missiles and drones. The Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces since Yemen’s civil war reignited in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

Saudi, Egypt demand open Red Sea, as Riyadh vows to hit back against Houthis

Saudi Arabia and Egypt's leaders called on Tuesday for free navigation in the Red Sea, after Riyadh vowed a firm response to attacks by Yemen's Houthis, who now control the southern entrance to the key waterway.  The Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces since the country's civil war reignited in July, when the group also declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

US military confirms Iran war has led to munitions shortfall

The United States is facing a shortfall in ammunition as a result of its war against Iran, the Defense Department's inspector general confirmed Monday, contrasting with President Donald Trump's assertions of full stocks. In a first-of-its-kind mandatory report to Congress, the inspector said that between February 28 and June 30, Operation Epic Fury (OEF) had an estimated cost of $33.4 billion, including $22.3 billion spent on expended munitions.

Houthis strike Saudi targets anew as talks over Strait of Hormuz stall

By Timour Azhari RIYADH, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis launched a new wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia and were digging into positions on the western coast of Yemen along the Red Sea, Yemeni officials said, as urgent deliberations took place in Riyadh over how to respond to their lightning advance. Meanwhile, Gulf Arab states postponed planned talks with Iran, raising concerns the Middle East conflict could spread further and threaten global oil supplies.

Mahmoud Khalil sues Columbia for alleged failure to protect pro-Palestinian students

By Jonathan StempelNEW YORK, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Mahmoud Khalil and other pro-Palestinian student activists sued Columbia University on Monday, accusing the Ivy League school of being deliberately indifferent to years of pervasive harassment because of their advocacy.Khalil became a face of the Trump administration crackdown on students’ pro-Palestinian protests afterU.S.

US hits major Russian bank VTB with Iran-linked sanctions

State-controlled VTB becomes one of the most prominent global names yet caught up in Washington’s ongoing effort to squeeze Iran's economy.

Turkish court jails 16 in Izmir after raids on LGBTQ+ groups

ANKARA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A Turkish court ordered the detention of 16 people pending trial in the western province of Izmir as part of a government campaign that has included sweeping raids on LGBTQ+ associations, a prosecutor’s office said on Monday.The chief prosecutor’s office in the western province of Izmir said 18 suspects had been detained under the “My Family is Safe” operation, with 16 of them ordered to be remanded in jail and the other two placed under judicial supervision.

Netanyahu says Gaza documentary ‘NAZA’ is ‘shocking incitement’

JERUSALEM, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a new documentary film which alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely built into targeting decisions in Gaza was part of a wave of global incitement against Jews. "NAZA", directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday and received a 25-minute standing ovation when it was screened on Thursday.

Third Sunni cleric killed in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan Province: What to know

Iran says it is stepping up its crackdown on armed groups in the impoverished province as Sunni clerics have been reported killed there and in the predominantly Kurdish northwest.

Saudi Arabia finds 114M tons of rare earths, uranium: What to know

The kingdom’s energy minister said that the ore discovery contains high concentrations of heavy rare earth elements and “promising” concentrations of uranium.

Portugal says Israel undermining Palestinian state through settlement expansion

LISBON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Portugal's foreign minister said on Monday that Israeli settlement expansion and economic pressure in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem were undermining prospects for a viable Palestinian state. • Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said Israel's E1 settlement plan was "extremely pernicious" because it would divide the West Bank, isolate East Jerusalem and was incompatible with a two-state solution.

Saudi pipeline shutdown exposes shrinking global oil-supply buffers

Oil prices have climbed to their highest since May as disruptions to flows through the Strait of Hormuz and the temporary shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline tighten global supply.

Rights group accuses Israel of dismantling ‘Palestinian existence’ in West Bank

Israeli rights group B'Tselem said Monday that Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank form part of a greater project designed to make it impossible for Palestinians to exist together as a people. In a report titled "The Elimination Project", the group alleged five connected Israeli tactics and policies in the West Bank: "violence, ethnic cleansing, movement restrictions, economic strangulation, social and political destruction".

Yemen’s Houthis push deeper into Red Sea, capture 2 islands: What to know

The group has captured the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands, expanding its foothold in the southern Red Sea.

Oil tops $109 after Houthi strikes, Saudi pipeline shutdown

The Houthi militia said on Monday that it fired dozens of drones and ballistic missiles at military targets in Saudi Arabia in retaliation for airstrikes by Riyadh in Yemen.

CENTCOM chief meets Saudi Arabia’s MBS amid Houthi gains in Yemen

The low-profile meeting between the Pentagon's commander in the Middle East and Saudi crown prince comes as Yemen's Houthis seized the high ground overlooking a vital economic waterway.

Iran protests as US prevents its nuclear chief attending IAEA meeting

By Francois MurphyVIENNA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The United States blocked Iran’s nuclear chief from attending this week’s U.N. atomic watchdog meeting in Vienna by opposing an exemption from so-called “snapback” U.N. sanctions, prompting protests from Tehran on Monday.Iranian nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami had been due to attend and address this week’s International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference, an annual meeting of IAEA member states that began on Monday.

Syria fuel price hikes trigger widest protests since Assad fall

By Feras Dalatey , Mahmoud Hasano and Firas Makdesi ALEPPO, Syria, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A sharp rise in fuel prices at the weekend has sparked protests across Syria, in the country's most widespread demonstrations since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad almost two years ago. Demonstrators burned tyresand blocked key roads, including the highway linking the capital Damascus to the industrial hub of Aleppo, after Syria's government on Saturday raised diesel prices by 40% to 175 Syrian pounds ($1.32) a litre.

Fuel price protests in Syria continue for second day: What to know

The Syrian government hiked fuel prices by more than 28%, prompting massive protests across at least eight provinces.

Houthis target Saudi base as Iran denies involvement in Yemen war

Yemen's Houthis launched a fresh barrage of missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets on Monday, as Iran denied any involvement in the country's revived civil war. The group, fighting the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government, last week seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which has become vital as the wider US-Iran war chokes the Strait of Hormuz.

Yemen’s displaced long for loved ones, stability as Houthis advance

TAIZ, Yemen, Sept 14 (Reuters) - As Yemen's Iran-alignedHouthi militants swept through the battered country's Red Sea coastline, thousands of panicked people fled to makeshift camps,adding to an already vast population of internally displaced people. Aisha Muhammad, like others who escaped from coastal areas and arrivedin the southwest province of Taiz, left behind her two daughters and three sons,trapped in their homes as fighting turned a once-vital corridor for trade into a route of displacement.

Incubator shortages, premature births strain Gaza’s hospitals

As monitors beep and doctors consult near them, two tiny newborns lie silently side-by-side, sharing a single incubator in a southern Gaza hospital running short on space and supplies. Gaza's youngest already face an extremely precarious entry into the world, given the dire humanitarian situation in the war-shattered territory that borders Israel and Egypt.  But for babies needing specialist care, such as those born prematurely, the road ahead is even more perilous.

Trump downplays report China entities helped Iran before attack that killed US troops

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Sept 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday brushed aside a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before an attack that killed threeU.S. troops there in July.A recent report in the Wall Street Journal cited unnamed U.S. officials about the attack in Jordan. Asked whether he would mention the issue at an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly answer, and instead equated the surveillance activities of China and the United States.

Houthis say Saudi Arabia launched over 50 strikes against them in 24 hours

Yemen's Houthis said Sunday that Saudi Arabia had launched more than 50 strikes against their positions in 24 hours, after the Iran-backed group claimed a rare drone and missile attack on a military base in the kingdom. The Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces since Yemen's civil war reignited in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

Gulf states call off meeting with Iran, Houthis launch new attack on Saudi

By Jana Choukeir and Eman Abouhassira TAIZ, Yemen/DUBAI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Arab states in the Gulf called off a meeting with Iran planned for Monday, while Yemen's Houthis launched a new attack on Saudi Arabia after fighting that has extended the Middle East war to another theatre and further jeopardised global oil supplies.

Trump says he will consider request to release more 9/11 records

By Bo Erickson, Chuck Mikolajczak and David Ljunggren NEW YORK/SHANNON, Ireland, Sept 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would consider a request from relatives of those killed in the September 11 attacks to release more records about the event and whether its perpetrators had ties to Saudi Arabia. "I'm going to look at it when I get back," he told reporters in Ireland before boarding a plane to fly back to the U.S.

Houthis’ Yemen advance leaves Gulf states with uncomfortable choice

By Samia Nakhoul ANKARA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The Houthi capture of Yemen's Red Sea coastline is reshaping the balance of power in the Gulf, strengthening Iran's hand and confronting Saudi Arabia and its neighbours with a difficult choice: absorb mounting costs or seek accommodation with Tehran. By securing a position overlooking Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world's most important shipping arteries, the Iran-aligned group has opened a second pressure point, threatening the Saudi oil exports diverted from the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel and Lebanon to meet in Rome in October, US State Department official says

Sept 13 (Reuters) - Israel and Lebanon will meet in Rome in October to discuss a U.S.-brokered security agreement intended to ease hostilities along the border, a State Department Official told Reuters.The continued implementation of the deal “remains the only viable mechanism to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and Israel’s security,” the official said,

Turkey detains dozens after sweeping raids targeting LGBTQ+ groups

ISTANBUL, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have detained at least 47 peoplefollowing a series of raids on the offices of LGBTQ+ associations in a probe into prostitution and obscenity, prosecutors said.The crackdown is part of a campaign that the government says is aimed at protecting family values.The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said operations were carried out over the weekend across 12 provinces against 38 suspects, and 26 of them were detained with authorities seizing drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm.

Iran’s economic ties to Dubai hard to break despite war

Xi pushes ‘Greater BRICS’ economic ties to give bloc larger global role

(Corrects spelling of headline tag) NEW DELHI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled on Sunday initiatives in areas ranging from AI to trade to deepen cooperation among the "Greater BRICS" emerging economies, as Beijing seeks to weld the grouping into a practical platform for Global South development. Cooperation in areas from politics and security to economics and finance are the main focus areas of the grouping, with 2026 chair India and 2027 chair China seeking wider partnership to boost its global clout.

China, Russia, India seek economic cooperation at BRICS

BRICS leaders including China, Russia and India concluded a second and final day of talks in New Delhi on Sunday, discussing “inclusive global growth”, after reaching a rare agreement calling for calm in the Middle East. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for “cooperation” within the bloc, which he has said represents “50 percent of the world’s population, 40 percent of global GDP and more than 25 percent of global trade”.

New attacks in Hormuz and Saudi test nerves as war’s spread worsens oil disruption

By Mohammed Ghobari and Nayera Abdallah ADEN/DUBAI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - New strikes on Saudi Arabia and on ships in the Gulf tested nerves in the Middle East on Sunday, after an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline and an advance by Yemen's Houthis threatened to worsen the wartime disruption to global energy supplies. Oil traders were expecting prices to rise again when markets reopen on Monday, following the weekend developments that jeopardise supplies from the world's biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia.

Israeli-made Gaza documentary wins Venice special jury prize

A chilling new documentary about Israel's AI-assisted killing of civilians in Gaza by two Israeli directors won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday. "NAZA", by Oscar-winning Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, had been tipped by some critics for the top Golden Lion prize for best film after a record-breaking 25-minute ovation at its premiere on Thursday. Receiving the award, Abraham said that in the 10 days since the festival began, "Israel killed six Palestinian children in Gaza at least".

Iran-Oman understanding does not provide for immediate reopening of Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim reports

Sept 12 (Reuters) - An understanding between Iran and Oman does not provide for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz but establishes the basis on which it could reopen, an Iranian source told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Saturday. The source said the arrangement would be a step towards Iran exercising sovereignty over the strait and that its reopening depended entirely on the United States meeting Tehran's conditions. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom, Editing by Louise Heavens)

No signed Hormuz deal expected yet from Oman meeting on Monday, Iranian official says

Sept 12 (Reuters) - A meeting between Iran and Gulf states planned for Monday in Oman will be a chance to discuss issues including the Strait of Hormuz, but is not expected to yield a signed agreement over the blockaded waterway, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday. Iran has been negotiating for months with Oman, which controls the opposite bank of the strait, over a deal that would govern transport through it. Oman has long said its negotiations are supported by other Arab countries in the Gulf.

Analysis-Houthi advance in Yemen puts U.S. in a new bind

By Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A lightning offensive by the Iran-aligned Houthis has put the militants in a position to control a crucial Middle East waterway, creating a major new problem for U.S. President Donald Trump as his war with Iran grinds on in its seventh month.