When Damascus traffic cops fled, volunteers stepped in

The enforcement of a law banning alcohol sales in Iraq has led to the closure of private clubs in Baghdad, causing unrest among the Christian and Yazidi communities. Despite opposition, conservative lawmakers have pushed for stricter measures, resulting in the shutdown of numerous establishments. Prohibition policies have been ineffective and have sparked violence, with some questioning the constitutionality of the ban. Many are considering moving overseas or to the Kurdish region to escape the impact...

Pope Francis condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as "cruelty", prompting Israel to accuse him of double standards. The pontiff criticized the Israeli air strike that killed seven children from one family, calling it "not war". The ongoing violence in Gaza, including Hamas attacks and Israeli retaliation, has led to a significant number of casualties and international efforts to negotiate a ceasefire. Full Article

The suspected perpetrator of a deadly ramming at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, is a 50-year-old Saudi refugee named Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, who declared himself an atheist and "anti-Islam". Despite living in Germany since 2006 and practicing as a psychiatrist, Abdulmohsen had no known links to jihadists. He portrayed himself as a victim of persecution, renouncing Islam and decrying the Islamisation of Germany, while some media outlets reported possible links to the far-right in...

A projectile fired from Yemen struck Tel Aviv, wounding 16 people, the second attack in days, with Huthi rebels claiming responsibility using a ballistic missile. Israel failed to intercept the projectile, causing damage and injuries, prompting residents to evacuate. Israel retaliated by striking Huthi sites in Yemen, with Prime Minister Netanyahu warning of severe repercussions for those targeting Israel. Full Article

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The Israeli military shot a protester in the leg during a demonstration against their activities in a village in southern Syria, following hundreds of air strikes on Syrian military facilities to prevent them from falling into hostile hands. Israel also sent troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights, calling it a defensive measure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to seize the buffer zone after Assad's overthrow, with Israel framing the move...