More than 60 groups urge Macron to pay reparations to Haiti
A coalition of over 60 rights organisations has signed a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron demanding reparations for Haiti, whose e...
Israel and Hamas indicated on Saturday that preparations for the next phase of ceasefire negotiations were underway, as mediators pushed to extend the fragile 42-day truce that began in January.
Hamas announced that there were “positive indicators” for the start of the second-phase talks, although details were not disclosed. Israel also confirmed its readiness for negotiations, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announcing that Israel would send a delegation to Doha on Monday, as invited by U.S.-backed mediators, to advance the talks.
Hamas is currently engaged in ceasefire discussions in Cairo with Egyptian mediators, alongside officials from Qatar. These talks aim to move towards the next stage of the ceasefire deal, which could potentially pave the way for a more lasting end to the war.
“We are ready to engage in second-phase negotiations that meet the needs of our people, and we call for increased efforts to support Gaza and lift the blockade on the suffering population,” said Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua.
In a separate development, Hamas expressed approval of the formation of an administrative committee made up of "national and independent" figures to govern Gaza until elections can be held. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi previously stated that Cairo had cooperated with Palestinian leaders to create such a committee to oversee Gaza's governance post-conflict.
Despite the ongoing diplomacy, tensions remained high, with Israeli airstrikes killing two Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Saturday. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted a drone that crossed into Gaza from Israel, hitting several individuals involved in a suspected smuggling attempt. This strike followed an Israeli drone attack on Friday, which killed two people in northern Gaza.
The ceasefire deal, which began in January, calls for the release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas in the next phase of negotiations, along with final discussions aimed at ending the war. The first phase of the ceasefire concluded last week, but Israel imposed a total blockade on all goods entering Gaza, demanding the release of hostages before further negotiations.
Since the truce began on January 19, Hamas has freed 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli authorities believe that fewer than half of the remaining 59 hostages are still alive.
The ongoing conflict, which erupted after Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has claimed more than 48,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza health authorities. The violence has displaced nearly Gaza’s entire population and has led to accusations of genocide and war crimes against Israel, which it denies.
As the ceasefire talks progress, the situation in Gaza remains fragile, with both sides and their respective mediators working to avert further escalation.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
The Russian state news agency has reported that Shahin Shykhlinski, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg, has been declared wanted in connection with a criminal offense.
A two-day official visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye concluded with the signing of 20 agreements aimed at expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries in key areas, including mining and rare earth minerals, space and technology, energy, and logistics.
The 5th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, chaired by the two countries’ leaders was held on Tuesday in Ankara. The meeting was focused on strengthening cooperation in the areas of economy, transport, and investment.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched its new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Azerbaijan for 2025–2029, centred on two key pillars: enabling a green and diversified economy, and fostering low-carbon connectivity and inclusive development.
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