Author: Steven Sahiounie

A four-lane bridge in the US state of Maryland has collapsed after being hit by a ship. A large section of the 1.6-mile (2.6 km) long Francis Scott Key Bridge fell into the Patapsco River, state authorities have confirmed. The incident happened at around 1:30 am, according to AP. Clips posted on X (formerly Twitter) show several sections of the bridge going down, with multiple vehicles cascading some 55 metres into the water. The Maryland Transportation Authority said that all lanes in both directions were closed and traffic is being detoured. Up 20 people could have fallen into the water as a result…

Saudi Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs Ambassador Ali Al-Yousef on Monday received Algeria’s newly appointed ambassador to the Kingdom, Sherif Walid, in Riyadh. Al-Yousef welcomed the envoy and wished him success in his new role, the ministry reported on X. On Sunday, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met his Singaporean counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan. The pair discussed relations between the two countries and ways to develop them. source: Arab News

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that an assassination attempt against him was foiled at a rally in the country’s capital of Caracas on Monday. The Venezuelan leader addressed a major rally in downtown Caracas after his name had been put on the ballot for the 2024 presidential election. “Today, two armed men were ready to carry out an assassination attempt against me here,” Maduro told the Venezolana de Television broadcaster. They were detained and confessed to being members of the already non-existent far-right Vente Venezuela party, the president added. Earlier, the Caracas authorities reported the detention of three men who had…

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian officials, state media reported, a day after the UN Security Council called for a ceasefire in the group’s war with Israel.“Hamas bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, during his trip to Tehran on Tuesday, will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian,” Iran’s official IRNA news agency said, adding that he will also meet with other senior officials.It is the second visit the Hamas leader has made to Tehran since the Iran-backed group launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 which resulted in the deaths of some…

Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, said on Monday that countries should pressure Israel to stop attacking Lebanon following a UN Security Council decision calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.The Israeli military and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah have been trading fire across the southern Lebanese border in parallel with the Gaza war. Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the UN vote.In a statement shared by his office, Mikati welcomed the move, saying it was “a first step on the path to stopping the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.”“When it comes to Lebanon, we renew our call to concerned…

Iran says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken both the issue of war in the Gaza Strip and the US national interests hostage to achieve his own personal interests. In a telephone conversation with the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian outlined the latest developments in Gaza. The conversation focused on reports about Israel’s killing of Palestinians in Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital and the massacre of women and children. “The continuation of the humanitarian crisis and Israel’s use of starvation against the people of Gaza have turned the situation into the real crisis…

Saudi Arabia has welcomed the issuance on Monday of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Kingdom has also expressed hope that a cessation of hostilities will lead to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire; the release of all hostages held by Hamas; and the parties’ compliance with their obligations under international law, as well as an increase in the flow of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip to enhance their protection, the SPA added. The Kingdom has renewed its calls on…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that now he will not send a delegation that had been expected in Washington, after the US refrained earlier that day from vetoing a UN Security Council resolution on a Gaza ceasefire. The UNSC passed the resolution on Monday, demanding an “immediate” ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends in two weeks. The US abstained from casting its vote on the council, while the remaining 14 members voted in favor of the resolution, which also demands the unconditional release of remaining Israeli hostages and highlights “the…

The UN spokesperson explains that Griffiths will continue in his role until the end of June to allow a “smooth transition” to a replacement who has yet to be named. UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, who has played a significant role in pushing for relief to Gaza and previously supervised operations in Yemen, is stepping down due to illness, the global organization announced Monday. Griffiths, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency assistance coordinator, “has informed the secretary-general of his intention to step down for health reasons,” according to UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq. Haq added that Griffiths will continue in his role…

Türkiye on Monday welcomes the UN Security Council’s passage of a resolution for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said the country’s Foreign Ministry. “We consider the UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan and humanitarian access to Gaza to be a positive step,” said ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli in a statement. Ramadan ends on or around April 9, but there are hopes any cease-fire may extend beyond then. Keceli added that Türkiye hopes that Israel will promptly adhere to the stipulations in the resolution. “We…