Author: Steven Sahiounie

Pope Francis has made renewed calls on Easter for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all captives held in Gaza in a peace-focused address. Francis presided over Mass in a packed St Peter’s Square, and then delivered his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) blessing and message from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. “I appeal once again that access to humanitarian aid be ensured to Gaza, and call once more for the prompt release of the hostages seized on last October 7 and for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip,” he said.…

The Israeli occupation’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, criticizes the government for failing to reach a new captives-prisoner deal and for attacking the families of the Israeli captives. As “Israel” grapples with significant casualties among its soldiers in Gaza, the existing deep-seated divisions among its top officials are widening further. The Israeli occupation’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, criticized the government for failing to reach a new captive deal and for attacking the families of the Israeli captives. “One after the other, the ministers of the government go on air this morning and attack the families of the hostages,” Lapid said in a post…

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Syria reported that seven people have been killed so far when a car bomb exploded in the middle of a popular market in the north Syrian city of Azaz, in the northern Aleppo countryside, which is under the control of the Turkish-backed so-called National Army militants. Our correspondent mentioned that more than 30 people were injured as a result of the explosion, adding that the attack was carried out by two individuals. Unrest prevails in areas controlled by armed groups in northern Syria. On March 8, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that violent clashes erupted in the northern countryside of Aleppo…

Palestinian officials say around 80 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, as the Israeli regime continues its nearly six-month-old genocidal campaign against the besieged territory. The Gaza Health Ministry said on Sunday that nearly 32,800 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, including 77 whose bodies were brought to hospitals over the last 24 hours. It added that most of them were killed in fresh Israeli attacks on aid seekers near Gaza City. An Israeli airstrike also hit a tent camp in the courtyard of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah…

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a message from Ethiopian prime minister on Sunday, Saudi Press Agency reported. The message was received by Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan during a reception at the Ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh with Temesgen Tiruneh, the deputy prime minister of Ethiopia. Prime minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s message related to relations between his country and Saudi Arabia and ways to enhance them across various sectors. The meeting was also attended by several officials, including the Ethiopian foreign minister Taye Atske Selassie and the Kingdom’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, Walid bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji. Source: Arab News

A Turkish ship carrying humanitarian aid for people in Gaza arrived in Egypt’s Al-Arish port on Saturday. This was Türkiye’s 8th humanitarian aid ship for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, with 125,000 food packages sent by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and General Directorate of Foundations via the vessel SARDES. The ship was welcomed at Al-Arish port by AFAD President Okay Memis and the on-duty team. The materials will be transported to Gaza via aid trucks from the Rafah border crossing. Türkiye has sent 13 cargo planes and eight ships, including this one, carrying humanitarian aid materials…

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran reaffirmed its commitment to the policy of expansion of balanced relations with the other countries by observing and protecting the Islamic Republic’s dignity and expediency. In a statement on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry commemorated the 45th anniversary of adoption of the Islamic Republic as the official governing system of Iran. Hailing the “Islamic Republic Day” as the continuation and evolution of the glorious path of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran that is based upon “independence, freedom, and Islamic Republic”, the statement said those tenets were “realized and the late Imam’s…

The head of the UN condemned an explosion that targeted an Observer Group Lebanon (OGL) patrol and injured three UN military observers and a language assistant. Antonio Guterres’ condemnation of the explosion was highlighted in a statement from his spokesperson’s office that emphasized the need to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers at all times. “The situation along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel since 8 October last year, with daily exchanges of fire between non-state armed groups based in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces, continues to be of grave concern,” it said. The statement expressed “grave…

Numerous cities and capitals across Europe witnessed massive demonstrations today on the anniversary of the Palestinian Land Day, denouncing the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, now in its 176th day. Thousands participated in protests organized in the German capital Berlin, the British capital London, the French capital Paris, the Danish city of Aarhus and the capital Copenhagen, the Italian city of Milan, and Helsingborg in Sweden, in support of the Palestinian people and demanding the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. In London, demonstrators gathered in Russell Square and marched to the famous Trafalgar Square in central London, carrying…

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has demanded an immediate halt to the Israeli “genocide” faced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, urging the international community to take action. In a statement shared on his X account, President Diaz-Canel affirmed that Cuba “will continue to raise its voice as long as Palestinian territories are being destroyed by the Israeli occupation.” “We call on the international community not to shy away from condemning this crime. Cuba seeks to end the genocide,” he added. Accompanying his post was an image showing the Jose Marti Memorial, one of the most prominent landmarks in…