Israel, Gaza violence defies truce ‘deal’
GAZA CITY, Palestinian territories: Israeli jets bombed targets across Gaza on Thursday, retaliating to Palestinian rocket attacks in spiraling violence that left a truce extension teetering on the brink of collapse. The resumption of hostilities shattered nearly three days of calm over the skies... read more »
Syria: 52 dead as IS jihadists capture eight villages
Beirut: Jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group seized a string of villages in northern Syria on Wednesday in fighting that left 52 people dead, a monitoring group said. The jihadists captured eight villages between second city Aleppo and the Turkish border, buoyed by their successes in... read more »
Pope Francis to take message of peace to Korea on first Asia trip
Pope Francis’ five-day visit to South Korea will be the first time in a quarter-century that a pope has been on the divided Korean peninsula, and the pontiff plans to bring a message of peace and reconciliations to Koreans on both sides Pope Francis will beatify more than 120 South Korean... read more »
Saudi Arabia give UN $100m to fight terrorism
United Nations: Saudi Arabia handed over a check for $100 million (Dh367 million) to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday to help finance the UN’s centre to combat global terrorism. The UN chief welcomed the gift at a ceremony in his office and said the recent upsurge in terrorism in... read more »
