Latest: More than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza over the last 22 months, says Unicef
Israel intercepts Houthi missile fired from Yemen
Dozens killed collecting aid in Gaza, health ministry says
Israeli cabinet sacks attorney general but court suspends the move
UAE and Jordan lead 62nd aid drop into Gaza
At least 60,933 Palestinians killed and 150,027 wounded since Gaza war began
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The National
16 minutes ago
- The National
UAE rejects Sudanese army claims as 'PR stunt'
The UAE has rejected allegations made by the Sudanese army that it is supporting armed conflict in the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Emirates has been subject to a series of "baseless accusations" and "PR stunts". The UAE has repeatedly denied allegations of arming the RSF, which has fought a bloody war against the army. The country is now effectively split into two parts, with the army holding Port Sudan and Khartoum, and the RSF holding the south. In recent days, the Sudanese army-linked government accused the UAE of hiring Colombian mercenaries to be deployed in Darfur, in support of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The foreign ministry statement on Tuesday read: 'The UAE affirms that these baseless allegations, entirely devoid of evidence, are nothing more than feeble media stunts aimed at diverting attention from the Port Sudan Authority's direct responsibility for prolonging the civil war that has lasted for over two years and for obstructing all regional and international efforts to achieve peace in Sudan.' In May, the International Court of Justice heard a case brought by the Sudanese military that claimed the UAE was 'complicit in genocide'. The case was dismissed and no further action taken. A report of the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan, released in April, also presented no findings or evidence against the UAE. The UAE statement also called on 'the international community to intensify its efforts to support a civilian-led political process that is independent of either warring party's control'. 'The UAE emphasises that these claims are merely attempts to derail the peace process and evade the moral, legal, and humanitarian obligations to end the conflict and pave the way for a transitional process that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people for security, stability, and development,' it added.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Ali Larijani appointed secretary of Iran's top security body
Iran has appointed Ali Larijani, a top adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as secretary of its Supreme National Security Council. The appointment by Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian was reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Tuesday. Ali Akbar Ahmadian previously held the position. The son of a prominent cleric, Mr Larijani has held several influential positions in government. He served as speaker of parliament from 2008 to 2020. He was also a national security adviser and before that the head of Iran's state broadcaster. He and his four brothers are part of a powerful conservative family with ties to other prominent members of the political class. Mr Larijani's father-in-law was the late Morteza Motahhari, a well-known cleric and a central figure in the 1979 revolution. Last month, Mr Larijani made a surprise visit to Moscow, where he met the Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Tehran's nuclear programme. Mr Larijani "conveyed assessments of the escalating situation in the Middle East and around the Iranian nuclear programme", the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the meeting at the time. Mr Putin had expressed Russia's "well-known positions on how to stabilise the situation in the region and on the political settlement of the Iranian nuclear programme", he added. Moscow has a cordial relationship with Iran's leadership and provides crucial backing for Tehran but did not swing forcefully behind its partner even after the US joined Israel's massive bombing campaign against Iran in June. Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon, while defending its "legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic energy. Mr Larijani also visited China as the sitting speaker in 2019, in the company of Mohammad Javad Zarif, who at that time was the country's foreign minister. Even after leaving office, he continued to help steer Tehran's relations with Beijing.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Lebanese government debates disarming Hezbollah in Cabinet meeting
The Lebanese government began debating disarming Hezbollah in a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, amid rising US pressure and fears Israel could escalate its attacks on Lebanon if ministers do not act. The talks were convened by President Joseph Aoun and began at 3pm local time at the presidential palace in Baabda. They continued into the evening, with sources close to Cabinet members including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam telling The National it was unclear how long the talks would last. While the meeting was taking place, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem was speaking to mark the death of an Iranian general killed during the Israel-Iran conflict in June. While none of the ministers are members of a political party, some were nominated by and affiliated with Hezbollah and its allies. Those nominated by Hezbollah were present at the meeting. Lebanese politicians opposed to Hezbollah, as well as the US, have demanded that the Cabinet formally announce their desire to disarm the group and a mark out a clear timeline for the surrender of weapons. Last week, Mr Aoun said the country's leaders must 'seize the historic opportunity' to ensure all weapons are taken under state control. The discussion over Hezbollah's weapons is highly contentious and a once unthinkable topic up for discussion under rising US pressure. Mr Salam called for the Cabinet session to conclude discussions over 'the extension of state sovereignty over all its territories' and weapons exclusivity − which means disarming Hezbollah and other non-state groups. Hezbollah has conditioned any discussion over its weapons on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon and the ending of Israel's daily bombing of the country. The US proposals would meanIsrael, at least in theory, ending its bombings, but included a condition that Lebanon's government pass a Cabinet decision clearly pledging to disarm Hezbollah. While Hezbollah was weakened by its war with Israel last year, it was not destroyed and retains some military power. It also commands strong backing from some in Lebanon, but particularly within its core Shiite support base. There are fears that sectarian strife could be significantly stroked if the weapons argument is not dealt with in the right way. In June, US envoy Thomas Barrack proposed a road map to Lebanese officials to fully disarm Hezbollah, in exchange for Israel halting its attacks on Lebanon and withdrawing its troops from five points they occupy in southern Lebanon. There is fear that a failure to issue a clear decision on Tuesday could prompt Israel to escalate its strikes, including on Beirut.
