Middle East Archives - Page 10 of 12

Fasting is a key part of Ramadan, but for many Muslims, climate change is making food scarce all year

By Nasya Bahfen, La Trobe University Every Ramadan, volunteers at Westall Mosque and OneSpace in Melbourne hold free weekly iftars (communal dinners to break the fast in Ramadan). This year, volunteers say numbers are up. To cut down on the resulting landfill, attendees are asked to bring their own reusable food containers and water bottles. In dedicated bins, bottles and cans are collected and recycled under the […]

2 April, 2024

World

Lebanon braces for war amid Israel-Hezbollah hostilities

Cross-border hostilities are increasing between Israel and Hezbollah, with concern mounting over a potential full-scale conflict in Lebanon. Fighting has been ongoing since the war broke out in Gaza, with Israel under growing pressure to push Hezbollah operatives off the northern border and restore the security situation.

27 March, 2024

World

Negotiations for Gaza truce continue

US Vice President Kamala Harris is calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks. Hamas says an agreement on a temporary ceasefire could be reached within the next 24 to 48 hours if Israel meets its demands. The six-week ceasefire being negotiated would allow for the release of more Israeli hostages, the flow of aid into Gaza, and more Palestinian prisoners being released in […]

4 March, 2024

World

Israeli offensive threatens Gaza relief, says Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has warned that an all-out Israeli offensive on Rafah would spell the end of UN-led humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza.

27 February, 2024

World

Alleged Israeli strike hits Damascus

Regional tensions are mounting after an alleged Israeli strike on a residential building in the Syrian capital Damascus on Wednesday, with state media reporting the blast killed two people. Violence is also increasing between Israel and Hezbollah, amid growing fears of a wider spillover from the war in Gaza. Sarah Coates has more from Tel Aviv.

22 February, 2024

World

Israeli siege has placed Gazans at risk of starvation − prewar policies made them vulnerable in the first place

Displaced Gazan children wait in line to receive food. Belal Khaled/Anadolu via Getty Images Yara M. Asi, University of Central Florida The stories of hunger emerging from war-ravaged Gaza are stark: People resorting to grinding barely edible cattle feed to make flour; desperate residents eating grass; reports of cats being hunted for food. The numbers involved are just as despairing. The world’s major authority on food insecurity, the IPC Famine […]

16 February, 2024

Opinion Pieces

Israel-Egypt peace treaty has stood the test of time over 45 years: expert explains its significance

By Ofir Winter, Tel Aviv University The peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, signed in 1979 to end hostilities and normalise relations between them, turns 45 on 26 March. The Conversation Africa asked Ofir Winter, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, who studies Egyptian politics and the Arab-Israeli conflict, for his insights on the peace deal and the key challenging moments since it […]

16 February, 2024

Opinion Pieces

Wagner Group is now Africa Corps. What this means for Russia’s operations on the continent

By Alessandro Arduino, King's College London In August 2023, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died after his private jet crashed about an hour after taking off in Moscow. He had been Russia’s pointman in Africa since the Wagner Group began operating on the continent in 2017. The group is known for deploying paramilitary forces, running disinformation campaigns and propping up influential political leaders. It has had a […]

16 February, 2024

South Africa

South Africa pursues further legal action to stop Israel

South Africa is pursuing further legal action on its genocide case against Israel if it continues its deadly attacks in Gaza. Department of International Relations and Cooperation Director-General Zane Dangor says they are writing to the ICJ to "consider additional provisional measures on Israel". Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for restraint in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city following reports of airstrikes in the area. Rafah is currently home to some […]

13 February, 2024