Author: Steven Sahiounie

The claims, aimed at fending off criticism over civilian casualties paint a picture of the war that makes no sense In the week that followed the expiration of the “humanitarian pause”, Israel has escalated its invasion of the Gaza Strip. Aerial bombardment by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) resumed within minutes of the uneasy week-long pause that ended on December 1. It was then followed by advances of armoured units, artillery and infantry on the ground. During the truce, Israeli forces continued issuing warnings and threats aimed mainly at Hamas but also at the Palestinian population. Once the truce was…

Source: Al Jazeera

The yen surged by as much as 1.2% earlier on LONDON – The yen headed for a fourth weekly gain against the dollar on Friday, after its biggest rally in almost a year the day before, driven by a burst of optimism among traders that Japan’s ultra-low rates policy may soon end. Activity overall across the market was muted ahead of the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report later on Friday. The yen surged by as much as 1.2% earlier on, adding to Thursday’s 2% rally after Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda gave the clearest steer yet that the central…

The euro was last down 0.5% at $1.0742, having traded around $1.07715 ahead of the payrolls numbers, near its lowest in three weeks LONDON – The euro slid on Friday, after data showed the U.S. economy generated more jobs than expected in November, lowering the chances of a rate cut early in the year, while euro zone bond yields rose and regional stocks fell. The euro was last down 0.5% at $1.0742, having traded around $1.07715 ahead of the payrolls numbers, near its lowest in three weeks. Benchmark 10-year German yields rose 9 basis points on the day to 2.279%,…

The yen fell against the dollar after staging its biggest rally in almost a year the day before Hannah Lang in Washington and Amanda Cooper in London, Reuters News WASHINGTON/LONDON – The dollar rose on Friday after the latest U.S. nonfarm payrolls report came in stronger than expected, with U.S. employers adding 199,000 jobs in November. The yen fell against the dollar after staging its biggest rally in almost a year the day before. The U.S. dollar index was last up 0.43% at 104.13. The yen was 0.55% lower against the dollar at 144.955. Source: Zawya

The Strait – between Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore – marks the entry point between the Indian Ocean into the South China Sea, a maritime chokepoint through which much of the goods manufactured in Asia pass out into the world (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) As tankers, car-carriers and other merchant vessels pass through the Malacca Strait, unlit fishing boats criss-cross the shipping lanes at night, making it one of the most challenging sea areas of the world to transit, even during peacetime. Should a major war ever come to Asia, those…

International aid charities have raised the alarm about an “apocalyptic” situation in the Gaza Strip and warned of starvation and disease outbreaks amid Israel’s long-running brutal aggression on the besieged territory. In a video conference with journalists this week, international organizations depicted a bleak picture of what UK-based Save the Children called the “horrors” unfolding in Gaza after more than two months of a fierce Israeli bombardment campaign against the coastal silver. “Those who survived the bombardment now face imminent risk of dying of starvation and disease,” said Alexandra Saieh of Save the Children. “Our teams are telling us of…

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran says the United States and Israel are clueless about how to either continue the war in the besieged Gaza Strip or negotiate a ceasefire. “The US and Israel neither have a strategy on how to maintain the [Gaza] war nor do they know how to achieve a ceasefire,” Amir-Abdollahian addressed a group of university students at Tehran University on Saturday. “Resistance factions have declared they have so far mobilized between 10 and 12 percent of their forces, and are fully prepared for a prolonged war with Israel.” The Iranian minister said Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, launched…

Fighters from the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah have carried out multiple strikes against Israeli military outposts in close proximity to the border between Lebanon and the 1948 occupied territories in response to the atrocities in Gaza. Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Manar television channel, citing a Hezbollah statement released on Saturday, reported that the group had targeted Israeli soldiers in al-Samaqah region with a number of missiles, causing casualties among the troops. Additional strikes hit the vicinity of the Ramia military base, leaving several Israeli soldiers injured. Hezbollah fighters targeted another gathering of Israeli soldiers near the Metula region, resulting in casualties. Israeli forces at the Ruwaisa al-Asi…

The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces has warned that the military units will prevent the passage of all ships bound to the occupied territories in the Red Sea, stressing that they will become a legitimate target if they pass the country’s territorial waters. Brigadier General Yahya Saree made the warning in a statement on Saturday, as Israel continues its brutal war and total blockade on the Gaza Strip. “If Gaza does not receive the food and medicine it needs, all ships in the Red Sea bound for Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, will become a target for our armed…