Wildfires swept through the outskirts of Jerusalem on Wednesday, triggering evacuations, road closures, and an international call for help.
Flames reached the key Route 1 highway linking Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, forcing people to abandon their vehicles as smoke blanketed the hills. TV footage showed residents fleeing on foot as fire crews battled to contain the blaze.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said firefighting planes from Italy and Croatia were en route. Israel has also requested assistance from Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.
More than 120 emergency teams, supported by military search-and-rescue forces and aircraft, have been deployed. Three communities were evacuated and at least 13 people were injured. No deaths have been reported.
The fire broke out on Israel’s Memorial Day and led to the cancellation of several Independence Day ceremonies, including the main state event in Jerusalem.
As Ramadan approaches, markets in Jerusalem and the West Bank are seeing a significant drop in sales. Vendors attribute the decline to political instability, military operations, and restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities.
In Jerusalem, families of Israeli hostages commemorated the 500th day of their loved ones' captivity. They rallied outside the Hostages and Missing Families Forum tent, before marching to the Knesset, calling for the immediate release of all those still held.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began his Middle East tour on Sunday, meeting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss President Trump’s controversial proposal for Gaza.
Israeli police arrested nine protesters near Prime Minister Netanyahu’s residence, as thousands gathered outside the Knesset, demanding the government act on issues from judicial reform and corruption to securing the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on May 16 that his country has started the process of joining the New Development Bank of BRICS.
Ministers in Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) are resigning one by one amid mounting protests in Tripoli, Libya Press agency reports
The US Supreme Court on Friday paused President Donald Trump’s attempt to carry out deportations using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, siding with a group of Venezuelan immigrants in Texas who argued they were at risk of sudden removal under the rarely used wartime law.
Two North Korean fishermen picked up by South Korean patrols in March remain stranded in the South as Pyongyang refuses to respond to requests for their return.
The US has lost its final AAA credit rating after Moody’s downgraded the country to Aa1, citing growing deficits and mounting debt as risks to long-term fiscal health.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Türkiye for their first direct peace talks since 2022, with discussions lasting under two hours.
A meeting of the security agencies of the CIS member states took place on May 16th in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.
Azerbaijan has dismissed recent remarks by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with Azerbaijani Public Television in Albania, accusing him of misleading the international community on territorial claims and the OSCE Minsk Group’s dissolution.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay official visits to Hungary and Slovenia from May 19 to 22, holding talks with top leaders and participating in key bilateral and multilateral events.
The World Bank has approved a $100 million concessional loan to Uzbekistan to help integrate renewable energy into power grids and enhance electricity reliability in key regions. The national grid operator will contribute an additional $50 million to the five-year program.
Transport ministers from China and Central Asian countries signed two memoranda of understanding to enhance digitalization and streamline cross-border freight operations, aiming to unlock greater economic, trade, and humanitarian cooperation potential in the region.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on May 16 that his country has started the process of joining the New Development Bank of BRICS.
Ministers in Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) are resigning one by one amid mounting protests in Tripoli, Libya Press agency reports
The US Supreme Court on Friday paused President Donald Trump’s attempt to carry out deportations using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, siding with a group of Venezuelan immigrants in Texas who argued they were at risk of sudden removal under the rarely used wartime law.
Two North Korean fishermen picked up by South Korean patrols in March remain stranded in the South as Pyongyang refuses to respond to requests for their return.
The US has lost its final AAA credit rating after Moody’s downgraded the country to Aa1, citing growing deficits and mounting debt as risks to long-term fiscal health.
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