As an Israeli hostage turns 48, his wife waits for blue ticks on her messages

SummaryOn March 23, Mr. al-Nasasra was part of a Red Crescent and Gaza Civil Defense convoy searching for a previously attacked ambulance, which resulted in two crew members killed and one detained. Upon arrival, the convoy was fired upon by Israeli soldiers, leading to Mr. al-Nasasra's detention alongside survivor Munther Abed, who later recounted that al-Nasasra was blindfolded and handcuffed. Throughout the incident, eight Red Crescent paramedics, six Civil Defense responders, and a UN worker...

Demonstrators gathered in Times Square, New York City, to protest against Israeli policies and demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a detained Columbia University graduate student. Despite inclement weather, supporters chanted slogans like "Free Mahmoud Khalil Now!" and "Hands Off Our Students," with activist Linda Sarsour addressing the crowd in support of Khalil. A recent ruling by a US immigration judge allows for Khalil's deportation under a rarely invoked federal law, citing foreign policy concerns....

The first round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the US, mediated by Oman, has concluded, with talks set to resume next week, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The discussions, led by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, were described as constructive and based on mutual respect, focusing on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and the lifting of unlawful sanctions. The next round of negotiations will continue under the...

On 22 October 2023, an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah killed 21 family members of journalist and activist Ahmed Alnaouq, who was in London at the time. Stricken by survivor's guilt, he aims to share their story, having co-founded the We Are Not Numbers platform in 2015 to help young Palestinians express their experiences to the world. The initiative has since empowered over 1,500 writers to share their narratives, challenging stereotypes about Gaza and highlighting...

Alhurra, the US-funded Arabic-language news network with a weekly audience exceeding 30 million in 22 countries, has halted most television programming and laid off a significant portion of its staff due to a funding freeze imposed by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. MBN CEO Jeffrey Gedmin attributed these cuts to "irresponsibly and unlawfully" withheld congressional appropriations, criticizing Kari Lake, the Trump-appointed head of the US Agency for Global Media, for...

SummarySyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attended the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian leader Prabowo Subianto to discuss Syria's future. Sharaa, who led Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham and is viewed as an independent leader, aims to unify Syria despite concerns about his past ties to extremism. His outreach includes high-level talks with various leaders, including those from Azerbaijan and Qatar, highlighting Syria's efforts to forge new connections and...