The top U.N. court said Friday that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is “unlawful” and called on it to end and for settlement construction to stop immediately, issuing an unprecedented, sweeping condemnation of Israel’s rule over the lands it captured 57 years ago, AP reports   Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly denounced…

A large forest fire broke out in Izmir, Turkey. Due to strong winds, the fire reached settlements. Airplanes and helicopters are involved in extinguishing the fire, according to A Haber TV channel, UNN reports. The fires occurred in a forested area in the Gaziemir and Budzha districts yesterday, July 18. This caused disruptions in the…

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a drone explosion over central Tel Aviv in the early hours of Friday that struck buildings, leaving one person dead, The Guardian reports.   The Israeli military said it believed the drone was Iranian-made and launched from Yemen.   “An initial inquiry indicates that the explosion in Tel…

In a phone call, Turkish President Erdogan praises the US presidential candidate’s “brave stance” following the attack.   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, describing it as an attack on democracy.   Erdogan expressed his sorrow for the incident and wished Trump, the 45th President of the United…

Ursula von der Leyen won support from EU lawmakers on Thursday for another five-year term as president of the European Commission, the EU’s powerful executive body, Reuters reports.   “I would plain and simply like to express my gratitude to the leaders who endorsed my nomination for a second mandate as President of the European…

The EU sees the possibility of direct bilateral engagement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, said Charles Michel, President of the European Council, on the sidelines of the 4th European Political Community summit in Oxford.   “In recent months we have seen the possibility for direct bilateral contact between Azerbaijan and Armenia. And, you know, I have…

U.S. President Joe Biden sought to reassure Black voters that he will continue to work on their behalf, telling BET News in an interview to be aired late on Wednesday (July 17) that they “know where my heart is”, Reuters reports.    “If I had some medical condition that emerged. If somebody, if the doctors…

Germany will halve military aid for Ukraine next year, even with the possibility that Republican candidate Donald Trump could return to the White House and curb support for Kyiv, Reuters reports.   German aid to Ukraine will be cut to 4 billion euros ($4.35 billion) in 2025 from around 8 billion euros in 2024, according…

The new government in the United Kingdom will focus on attempting to drive economic growth, modernizing border security and nationalizing the country’s rail networks, King Charles III said on Wednesday, reading a speech written by the Labour government he authorized, ABC News reports.   Those efforts were included in the more than three dozen bills…

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez was convicted on all 16 criminal counts he faced including bribery at his corruption trial, completing the once-powerful New Jersey Democrat’s dramatic downfall, Reuters reports.   The jury in Manhattan federal court deliberated for more than 12 hours over three days before reaching a verdict in a trial that had taken…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his concern over the civilian death toll in Gaza during a meeting with a pair of visiting senior Israeli officials on Monday, The Times of Israel reports.   The Israeli military has launched several deadly attacks in recent days including close to a refugee camp and multiple UN-run…

France expresses its indignation at the July 14 and 15 attacks by Israel on the school of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East and Al-Maghazi camp, where displaced persons have taken refuge, the statement of the French Foreign Ministry reads.   “The strikes in recent days, which…

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India summoned the Ambassador of Ukraine to New Delhi in connection with the statements of Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia. This was reported by the Economic Times newspaper citing its sources.   It is noted that India postponed the meeting of…

Former US President Donald Trump called for all criminal cases against him to be dismissed, TASS reports.   Earlier on Monday, a court in Florida dismissed the case in which Trump was accused of improper handling of classified documents due to irregularities related to the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith to the case.  …

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas submitted her resignation to President Alar Karis on Monday morning, ERR News reports.   Kallas is stepping down after being nominated as the European Union’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.   She technically remains head of the government until the new coalition is sworn…

The Popular Front Party (PFP) will boycott the snap parliamentary elections to be held on 1 September. This decision was made by the party’s Supreme Majlis on 13 July.    “More than 300 political prisoners in the country have still not been released, freedom of assembly is prohibited, election commissions are under the full control…

As a result of the negotiations between Azerbaijan and Iran, from July 15, 2024, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tehran resumed its activities at a new address. The Ambassador and the representative staff returned to Iran.   Azerbaijan closed its Embassy in Tehran after a January 27, 2023, armed attack that killed its security chief…

US President Joe Biden had a phone conversation with former US President, Republican Donald Trump, after the shootings at a rally in Pennsylvania, the White House reports.   Biden called for an end to political violence after gunfire erupted at Republican challenger Donald Trump’s political rally in Pennsylvania earlier on Saturday, saying in televised remarks…

The world’s population is expected to grow to an estimated 10.3 billion people in the mid-2080s, according to a new report from the United Nations, USA Today reports.   That’s up from the current global population of 8.2 billion people.   The United Nations report identified the following population trends:   The estimated size of…

Russian shelling of Ukraine killed four people on Saturday, officials said, as the two countries exchanged drone attacks, one of which set ablaze a Russian oil depot, AP reports.   Two people died in Ukraine’s partly occupied Kherson region and two were wounded in the attack close to the regional capital, said Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin….

The newly elected President of Iran published an article entitled ‘My message to the new world’. Masoud Pezeshkian assured that his administration will give priority to strengthening relations and cooperation with neighbors for the sake of the prosperity of the region.   “We will conduct a policy based on opportunities, maintaining a balance in our…

A Sukhoi Superjet passenger plane crashed in the Moscow region on Friday (July 12) and three crew members were presumed killed, the Russian emergencies ministry said, Reuters reports.   It said the plane had crashed in woodland near the city of Kolomna and there had been no casualties apart from those on board. The cause…

During the 12 days of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Budapest has caused great damage to the community, the representative of the German Foreign Ministry stated during the briefing.   “We have to see how Hungary’s presidency of the EU Council will turn out in the future. Now we are on the…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that Israel must control the 20km long border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, known as the ‘Philadelphia Corridor’.   Netanyahu’s office reported this, denying the information of the Reuters agency that Israel is considering the possibility of withdrawing forces from that zone.   “The Prime Minister insists that…

The Russian side is interested in seeing the current period of complications between Yerevan and Minsk come to an end as soon as possible, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told RIA Novosti.   Asked whether Russia intends to participate in the settlement of the conflict between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Belarusian President Alexander…

The President of Azerbaijan went on an official visit to Islamabad. Ilham Aliyev was received by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.   It is noted that bilateral relations, in particular, key issues of strategic partnership, are on their agenda.   According to the Azerbaijani side, Aliyev’s visit testifies to Azerbaijan-Pakistan friendly relations…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agreed that the relative calm prevailing in bilateral relations is mutually beneficial and should continue, Ekathimerini reports.   The two met for less than an hour Wednesday evening on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington DC. Besides bilateral relations, they discussed developments…

NATO leaders announced a commitment to provide long-term security assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said NATO summit joint declaration, published on July 10, The New Voice of Ukraine reports.   This step is aimed at strengthening Alliance’s deterrence and defence, bolstering long-term support to Ukraine so it can prevail in its fight for freedom,…

U.S. Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya will travel to Tbilisi, Georgia, and Yerevan, Armenia from July 9-17, 2024, US State department spokesman Matthew Miller reported. The Under Secretary will engage on democratic governance and anti-corruption; media freedom and freedom of expression; and inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable…