Middle East

Israel

Gaza ceasefire going better than expected, JD Vance says in Israel

The ceasefire was tested by renewed fighting on Sunday and accusations from both sides of ceasefire violations, but both Israel and Hamas have said they are committed to the deal.

21/10/2025

Syria

World Bank estimates €185bn needed to rebuild Syria after civil war

Syria's civil war began in 2011 when mass protests against the government of then-President Bashar al-Assad were met with a brutal crackdown and spiralled into armed conflict.

21/10/2025

Spotlight

Global Cybersecurity Forum: How can the world guarantee online safety?

In partnership with Global Cybersecurity Forum

The Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh brought together leaders from more than 80 countries to discuss how to better prepare for rapidly evolving online threats.

21/10/2025

The Cube

Fact-checking claims that no female hostages made it out of Gaza

Commentators on social media have purported that "not a single woman" survived captivity following the release of the last remaining hostages kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October 2023. These claims are misleading.

21/10/2025

Yemen

Houthis free five UN workers but 15 foreign staff still confined

Iran-backed Houthi rebels raided UN compound in Yemen's capital of Sanaa on Saturday and detained 20 staff in latest action against the organisation.

21/10/2025

Gaza

US envoys in Israel to stabilise ceasefire after flareup of violence

More than a week has passed since the start of the US-proposed truce aimed at ending two years of devastating Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

20/10/2025

Yemen

New airstrip on island off Yemen to counter Houthi Red Sea activities

Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC show the construction of a nearly 2,000-metre runway on Zuqar Island, some 90 kilometres southeast of the Houthi-held port city of Hodeida.

20/10/2025

Gaza

Trump says ceasefire to hold after Israel airstrikes on Hamas in Rafah

Trump says the ceasefire is still in place after Israel conducted airstrikes in Rafah, stating Hamas was violating the truce.

19/10/2025

Israel

Israel identifies latest returned hostage as deceased Eliyahu Marg

The body returned to Israel by Hamas on Friday has been identified as 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit recovered from the city Khan Younis.

18/10/2025

Gaza

Experts see some parallels between Gaza and Northern Ireland

'If there was a broad lesson from the success of Northern Ireland, it’s that an inclusive process worked – and I mean inclusive in the full sense, all different parties, even including militants,' Peter McLoughlin.

18/10/2025

Europe News

EU calls on Israel to lift restrictions on aid deliveries to Gaza

Israel says the reduced amount of aid is in response to Hamas allegedly breaching the truce agreement by returning the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages too slowly.

17/10/2025

No Comment

Israel and Hamas trade blame over ceasefire violation

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered under a peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, continues to hold one week after it was announced.

17/10/2025

Israel

Trump threatens Hamas with military action over bloodshed in Gaza

The warning from the White House came after the US president previously downplayed internal violence in Gaza since a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect last week.

17/10/2025

Israel

Israel holds ceremony to mark two years since 7 October attack

President Isaac Herzog offered an apology to the victims on behalf of the state of Israel, acknowledging that the attacks had "fragmented" lives.

16/10/2025

Israel

Israel receives remains of two more hostages from Hamas

Earlier, the Israeli military said forensic testing showed that one of the bodies handed over by Hamas does not match any of the hostages. ” There was no immediate word on whose body it was.

16/10/2025

Sport

Qatar qualifies for 2026 FIFA World Cup after home win over UAE

UAE still have a chance to also make it to the finals in the fifth round of qualifiers.

15/10/2025

Gaza

Reduced aid enters Gaza as Israel accuses Hamas of violating truce

Israel says it will only allow 300 trucks carrying aid and food to enter Gaza daily, despite the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas allowing for double that amount.

15/10/2025

Syria

Syria's Al-Sharaa seeks extradition of al-Assad in first Moscow trip

The interim president of Syria arrived on an unprecedented visit to the Russian capital on Wednesday, where he is expected to demand that the Kremlin extradites toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad — who received asylum in Russia following his ouster — to face trial back in his country.

15/10/2025

Gaza

Israeli military says Hamas handed over wrong body in hostage release

Hamas has so far returned all 20 living hostages it held and seven bodies of deceased hostages to Israel, which have been confirmed as a match with DNA analysis. The Gaza-based group still has to return the remains of 21 other hostages as part of phase one of the US-brokered truce.

15/10/2025

The Cube

Are product barcodes that begin with '729' made in Israel?

In a bid to encourage a boycott against Israeli goods, online users, including French MEP Manon Aubry, have relayed a claim alleging that barcodes beginning with the digits "729" are produced in Israel – but this is not entirely accurate.

15/10/2025

Economy

Saudi Arabia pledges billions with Cultural Investment Conference

Saudi Arabia has further signalled its determination to diversify its assets by hosting a global conference to discuss investing in culture, its role in economic and social development and strengthening national identity.

15/10/2025

Destinations

Tunes of Türkiye: the country’s most iconic traditional sounds

In partnership with GoTürkiye

Türkiye’s rich musical traditions reflect its diverse cultures, regions, and history.

15/10/2025

Mobility

Flying taxis may soon ferry passengers across the skies of Dubai

Dubai plans to have flying cars in its skies as soon as 2026.

15/10/2025

Partner content

Year-round calendar of family adventures in Saudi Arabia

Partner content presented by Visit Saudi

Discover year-round family adventures in Saudi Arabia, from quadbiking across ancient valleys in AlUla to theme park thrills in Riyadh.

14/10/2025

No Comment

Freed Palestinian prisoners return home under Gaza ceasefire deal

Freed Palestinian prisoners arrived at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Monday as part of the ceasefire and prisoner-hostage exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.

14/10/2025

No Comment

Freed hostages reunite with families in Tel Aviv after two years

Several Israeli hostages released from Gaza were reunited with their families on Monday at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital, following more than two years in captivity.

14/10/2025