Trump says there’s a good chance for Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal this week

WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said there was a good chance a Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached with the Palestinian militant group Hamas this week. Trump told reporters before departing for Washington that such a deal meant “quite a few hostages” could be released. Netanyahu said earlier in the […]

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First indirect Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks ended inconclusively: Palestinian sources

The first session of indirect Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks in Qatar ended inconclusively, two Palestinian sources familiar with the matter said early on Monday, adding that the Israeli delegation didn’t have a sufficient mandate to reach an agreement with Hamas. The talks resumed on Sunday, ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third visit to the […]

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Israel launches airstrikes targeting Houthis in Yemen, and Houthis hit back with missiles

DUBAI: Israel’s military launched airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, with the rebels responding with missile fire targeting Israel. The attacks came after an attack Sunday targeting a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea that caught fire and took on water, later forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. […]

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Abu Dhabi crown prince holds talks with Brazilian president on sidelines of BRICS summit

LONDON: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, discussed ways to strengthen ties between the UAE and Brazil during a meeting on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit. Sheikh Khaled emphasized the UAE’s pride in its strategic relationship with Brazil, […]

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What’s in Trump’s ceasefire proposal and can it end Israel’s war on Gaza?

Discussions of a ceasefire in Gaza have picked up in recent days. United States President Donald Trump said last week that Israel agreed to the conditions for a 60-day ceasefire, and negotiators could meet to carve out a path to finally ending Israel’s nearly 21-month-long war on Gaza. Hamas said it delivered a “positive response” […]

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Indonesia, Saudi Arabia ink deals worth US$27 billion with eye on clean energy

Saudi Arabia and Indonesia signed several deals and memorandums of understanding worth around US$27 billion between private sector institutions in fields including clean energy and petrochemicals, Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited the Gulf kingdom on Wednesday and met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two sides […]

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