Author: Steven Sahiounie

A group of top progressive Democrats is urging President Joe Biden to “shift” US policy on Israel, citing escalating violence A group of 14 top Democratic members of the US Congress has penned an open letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to re-examine Washington’s enduring support of Israel. Specifically, the group called for a probe into whether US weapons were used in violence against Palestinians, and for assurances that “US taxpayer funds do not support projects in illegal settlements.” The open letter was published on Thursday, spearheaded by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), and signed by 12 other…

President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed today that Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites are a red line, and that the Palestinian people and leadership will not tolerate Israel’s attacks on worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. “The attacks that we saw today on our people celebrating Holy Saturday in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in occupied Jerusalem, as well as the preceding attacks on worshipers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the desecration of its courtyards, are condemned and rejected,” said the President during a Ramadan Iftar banquet at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.…

The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed to the concern of the Russian side about the “dramatic events taking place in Sudan” Moscow calls for a ceasefire in Khartoum, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday as it expressed concern over the developments in the Sudanese capital. “We are calling on the conflicting sides to show political will and restraint and to take steps toward a ceasefire immediately,” the statement reads. The Foreign Ministry stressed that hostilities were taking place with the use of heavy equipment “in the area of the Republican Palace, the General Command of the Armed Forces,…

“Tel Aviv” will be the focal point of the protests with smaller protests set to take place in 150 other sites across occupied Palestine. i24NEWS has reported that tens of thousands of Israeli settlers took to the streets in protest of the judicial reforms proposed by Netranyahu’s government: marking the 15th week of the streak of protests against the judicial reform bill. “Tel Aviv” will be the focal point of the protests with smaller protests set to take place in 150 other sites across “Israel”. Israeli Channel 13 reported that around 162,000 people are demonstrating in “Tel Aviv” against the judicial reforms. The…

The suspect in the leaking is expected to face Espionage Act charges and the probed investigation will reportedly take months to finish, according to CNN. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed during a press conference on Saturday that the recent leak of Pentagon classified files has not impacted any cooperation between the US and its allies, after communicating with them afterward at “high levels”. Blinken added at the conference in Vietnam: “… we have made clear our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and our commitment to our security partnerships. What I’ve heard so far, at least, is an appreciation for the…

UAE is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle East: whereby trade was estimated to amount to around $4 billion in 2022 which marks a 32% increase from 2021. Today, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived in the UAE after finishing a two-day visit to China for the purpose of strengthening economic and diplomatic bilateralism. President Lula was welcomed at the Abu Dhabi airport by the Emirati Energy and infrastructure minister Suhail bin Mohammed al-Mazrouei. Afterward, he is expected to meet Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. UAE is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle…

At least three civilians were killed in clashes between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan on April 15, according to the doctors’ committee in the country. The committee said that the clashes wounded “dozens” of other civilians and military personnel, without providing any further details. Clashes broke out in the early morning as a large force from the RSF attempted to take over the presidential palace, the residence of the army chief and Khartoum International Airport in the capital, Khartoum. The army responded quickly with support from the air force, whose fighter jets and attack helicopters hit several…

The Israeli navy today opened fire and water hoses at Palestinian fishing boats sailing off the northern Gaza coast and forced them to return to shore, reported WAFA correspondent. He said the navy fired live bullets at the fishing boats and then opened water hoses at them in order to sink them which forced the fishermen to return to the shore to avoid being hit. Fishing is an important living source for Gaza’s two million impoverished population in light of the tight air, land and sea blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip since 2005. Source: Wafa

After finding an unexploded American bomb, 385 police officers have been mobilized to adequately contain the incident.  15,000 civilians in the German city of Dresden have been evacuated after discovering an unexploded American bomb ranging back to the second world war, according to German police. “It is a 250-kilogram US-made air bomb,” the local police told the Bild newspaper. The bomb reportedly needs to be deactivated on the spot and cannot be transferred for risk detonation. The newspaper added that the dangerous area includes two nursing homes whose patients can’t be transported for health complications. 385 police officers have been mobilized to…

The League of Arab States stresses that the organization is prepared to intervene and look into the situation upon cease of fire. Following the breakout of clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Saturday, the League of Arab States (LAS) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit voiced his condemnation of arms use and urged for an immediate ceasefire. In its statement, the LAS said that “Aboul Gheit condemns the use of arms in Sudan and calls for an immediate ceasefire,” adding that Aboul Gheit requested the stop of escalations and stressed that the organization is prepared to…