WHO countries strike landmark agreement on tackling future pandemics

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the country's uranium enrichment is "non-negotiable" after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff called for its cessation. The remarks precede their upcoming meeting in Oman, following talks aimed at reviving the nuclear deal abandoned by the Trump administration in 2018. While both sides view the discussions as constructive, Araghchi emphasized the need for consistent US positions to avoid complications, and noted Iran's commitment to engaging with allies like Russia...

In southern Gaza, a mobile bakery, the last operational one in the region, is being towed by a tractor due to Israeli evacuation orders amid intensified military operations. The bakery, run by World Central Kitchen (WCK), produces only 25,000 loaves daily—one-third of its capacity—due to flour shortages caused by the Israeli blockade. With 2 million Gazans reliant on food aid, the humanitarian crisis has worsened since the World Food Programme had to close its bakeries,...

Israel announced it will continue blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, which is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis amid ongoing military offensives that have turned the territory into a "mass grave," according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that this blockade is a pressure tactic against Hamas, while the UN warned that the situation is the worst it has been in 18 months, with essential supplies critically low. As hostilities resumed...

Hamas gunmen abducted Keith Siegel and over 250 others during their October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, subjecting them to dire conditions and brutal treatment in captivity. After 484 days, Siegel was released on February 1, 2025, as part of a cease-fire, but he witnessed horrific events, including the torture of a female hostage he was forced to assist. Since his return, Siegel has been vocal about the plight of remaining hostages, sharing his traumatic...

SummaryIran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Tehran's right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable, ahead of upcoming talks with the U.S. in Oman regarding its nuclear program. This statement follows U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff's demand for Iran to halt nuclear enrichment for a potential deal. While Iran is willing to address concerns about its enrichment, it firmly rejects the idea of relinquishing its enrichment rights, and Tehran is expected to reject a U.S. proposal to...

The director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan hospital, Hussam Abu Safiya, has been detained by Israeli forces under "inhumane" conditions, facing "physical and psychological intimidation," according to his lawyer. Arrested during a December 27 assault on the hospital, which Israel labeled a Hamas "terrorist centre," Abu Safiya is being held as an "illegal combatant" and has reportedly suffered torture during interrogations, along with health issues and a lack of medical care. A social media campaign, including...