Lebanese Shia Islamist party with a political and paramilitary footprint
Renewed U.S.–Iran exchanges have resumed after a pause, with U.S. forces striking three Iranian tankers and Iran claiming attacks on U.S. vessels. Iran's parliament speaker has warned the United States that "the rules of the game have changed" while Tehran is also confronting mounting economic strain and threats to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
The 2025 Pisa results indicate Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland trail England in reading and maths, with science rankings mixed. England leads on science, while Welsh and Scottish scores drop further behind, prompting calls for reform. The OECD notes a global decline in reading and warns of digital distractions affecting performance.
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem has criticised Lebanon’s participation in US-mediated talks with Israel in Rome and has rejected a June framework that ties Israeli withdrawals to verified disarmament and Lebanese army deployments in pilot zones. Technical teams have met in Rome while Israeli strikes, demolitions and clashes in southern Lebanon are continuing and Beirut is pressing Washington for verification guarantees.
Global stocks have rallied this month after officials reported progress in talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and a string of strong corporate earnings has bolstered investor sentiment. Treasuries and oil prices have fallen as traders pare back expectations for near-term Fed hikes; strategists warn valuations and one-off earnings boosts limit further upside.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has ground toward a halt this weekend as a 60‑day ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has reached its expiry and negotiations remain stalled. Kpler data shows single‑digit daily transits; Iran has repeated demands that the U.S. lift its naval blockade, remove sanctions and pay reparations, while the U.S. says it can maintain the blockade indefinitely and is planning further economic pressure.
Kurdistan authorities have reported Iranian-launched drones struck the private office of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the residence of the region's security agency chief on 17 August, with no casualties. The attacks come as Baghdad presses for a September 30 deadline to bring armed factions under state control and as cross-border strikes and US-Saudi operations have raised tensions across Iraq.
Lebanon and Israel have identified a shortlist of potential foreign partners to verify Hezbollah’s disarmament, with the United States overseeing which nations participate. Negotiations remain in the early stages, and the next round is scheduled for early September.
Unified Syrian and Lebanese security concerns frame talks on potential cross-border operations. While Washington presses for pressure points, Damascus faces internal and regional costs. A range of options is considered, from border controls to limited troop movements, with Iran’s retaliation potential guiding calculations.
Israeli airstrikes have hit southern Lebanon early on Saturday, killing at least seven people in Ansar and four in Deir al-Zahrani, Lebanese authorities and state media have reported. Israel has said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in response to an attack that wounded Israeli soldiers; Lebanese leaders have condemned the civilian deaths. Talks under a US-backed framework are continuing.
Iran has appointed Mohsen Rezaee as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and elevated its top commanders, reshaping the security and military leadership amid ongoing US-Israel war. The moves consolidate Mojtaba Khamenei’s influence and signal a hardline stance, even as some officials call for de-escalation and negotiations.
The seventh round of talks mediated by the United States between Lebanon and Israel has stretched into a third day in Rome. Negotiators are debating prisoner releases and, controversially, the transfer of remains of Lebanese Jews buried in Beirut and Sidon. Israel ties progress to resolving long-standing disappearances and to uncovering the fate of Ron Arad. Beirut says it cannot locate such records, complicating what was meant to be a humanitarian issue.
The Gaza ceasefire framework is facing renewed pressure as Netanyahu rejects the 15-point plan, insisting Hamas must fully disarm before any withdrawal. U.S.-led mediators say the roadmap remains operative, while Hamas calls on Washington to pressure Israel. Violence persists, with casualties mounting in Gaza and settlements in the West Bank intensifying.
Lebanon has passed legislation abolishing the death penalty and replacing it with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour. Parliament has also approved a separate general amnesty law that will reduce some long sentences and free inmates detained more than 12 prison years while awaiting trial; the measures respond to severe prison overcrowding and political pressures.
Ceasefire negotiations in Gaza have stalled as Israeli air strikes resume, killing civilians and police officials. Mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar are pressing for a second phase of the ceasefire, including Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal. Health authorities report multiple casualties from coastal Gaza strikes, underscoring fragile hopes for a durable halt to hostilities.
Residents in Masafer Yatta and West Bank villages have reported repeated settler attacks, property damage and soldiers escorting or standing by during incidents. Witnesses have described settlers grazing livestock in homes' gardens, arson, and assaults near mosques. Humanitarian groups have recorded high demolition and displacement rates since October 2023.
Lebanon has passed a landmark amnesty law in a show-of-hands vote, replacing death sentences with long prison terms and reducing others. The law aims to ease prison overcrowding but faces opposition from families of soldiers and some factions. Repeal of the death penalty follows years of debate and sectarian pressures.
Karoline Leavitt has announced she will leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children. President Donald Trump has said she will remain a top outside adviser; the White House has not named a successor and senior officials are expected to brief reporters temporarily.
Lebanon and Israel continue US-brokered negotiations over a June framework aimed at Hezbollah disarmament and Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Reports detail ongoing Israeli strikes, displacement in pilot zones, and Lebanese Army deployment, with authorities warning of persistent violence despite talks.
Colombia is joining the Shield of the Americas coalition, aligning with the US-led effort against drug cartels. The announcement comes as the Trump administration urges allies to reject the ICC, arguing the court intrudes on sovereignty. Rights groups warn of legal and civilian risks amid intensified regional security operations.
Israel has stated it will maintain a long-term security presence in southern Lebanon as part of the U.S.-brokered framework to disarm Hezbollah and gradually withdraw Israeli forces. The Lebanese army will deploy in pilot zones, while negotiations in Rome aim to advance the agreement.
The Israel Defense Forces have adopted a policy of zero containment and zero tolerance toward launches of kites and balloons from Gaza toward the Negev, with officials stating that any balloon or kite will be treated as a drone, with or without explosives. The move follows clashes linked to the 2023 Hamas attacks and raises the stakes in the broader Gaza conflict.
State Senator Aisha Wahab has won the special election to serve the remainder of Eric Swalwell’s term in California’s 14th district. She will take the seat through January and will face Melissa Hernandez again in November for a full term. Outside groups tied to AIPAC spent millions supporting Hernandez; Wahab called the spending an attempt to buy the seat.
The 60-day window for a comprehensive Iran-US peace deal has expired. Talks over reopening the Strait of Hormuz remain unsettled as both sides accuse the other of violations. Trump has publicly claimed a backchannel with Iran’s IRGC, while Iran and Oman pursue a route to restore shipping lanes.
Palestinian and Israeli sources report a sharp rise in West Bank violence. Dozens of settler attacks have targeted towns including Masafer Yatta, Jenin, Qusra and Hebron, with Palestinians injured, property damaged and several homes besieged. The violence coincides with increased Israeli military operations and ongoing clashes.
Palestinian casualties mount as Israeli forces clash with militants in Jenin and Sa’ir amid a broader West Bank surge. A 14-year-old boy has been killed, and two others are wounded after Israeli gunfire following stone-throwing incidents. In Jenin, a 58-year-old man was killed during a raid described by Israeli officials as an armed confrontation.
Israel has launched airstrikes against targets in Syria, citing imminent threats from a Turkish deployment near Aleppo. The move follows recent strikes on Abu al-Duhur airbase and has drawn condemnation from Syria, Turkey, and the US, who call for de-escalation. The situation remains fluid as regional actors weigh their next steps.
Arab-led Ra’am is evaluating alliance options as its internal politics intersect with cross-communal efforts. Leaders stress a civic, rather than religious, framing while debates about joining a wider coalition persist ahead of the October 27 election.
The Israel Defense Forces have downed a drone and struck Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon after a drone attack targeted troops in Nabatieh Ridge. The incidents prompt warnings near Arab Salim and Nabatieh as strikes continue and regional tensions rise amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
The latest sanctions have intensified economic pressure on Tehran as a U.S.-led effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz stalls. Tehran says it will respond with intensified measures while Washington maintains its economic campaign.
Barrack’s comments about Israel’s status over the Golan Heights have sparked renewed international criticism and intensified debate over U.S. policy dating back to 2019. The ambassador says the remarks describe historical status, not UN positions, and emphasizes that ongoing negotiations shape the region’s future.
The Trump administration has mobilized a broad sanctions push to choke Iran’s economy while coordinating with G20 partners. Officials say secondary sanctions will target countries and firms doing business with Tehran, with a looming wave of penalties expected to press Iran’s leaders toward a deal. The effort unfolds amid a tense stand-off in the Middle East and global energy-market jitters.
Iran and the United States are locked in a widening standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran arrays for potential retaliation as Washington expands sanctions targeting Iran’s digital assets, gold, aviation and shipping. Mediators in the region push to reopen Hormuz and end hostilities amid rising economic pressure.
The United States has removed Syria from its state sponsor of terrorism list, and has also delisted the al-Nusrah Front. Damascus says the move unlocks investment and accelerates reconstruction as it seeks to reintegrate with the global economy. Washington frames the step as a path to stability, while analysts caution continued regional risks.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point in the ongoing conflict. The US has pursued an open-ended economic strategy to pressure Iran, while regional diplomacy seeks a safer passage. Several sources indicate tactical gains for the US and renewed talks, but no durable off-ramp has been established.
Israeli and international carriers are expanding routes and resuming services amid ongoing conflict-related volatility. Delta and United are returning to Ben Gurion, Israir is launching Tel Aviv-New York, and Israeli airlines are increasing capacity, while fares remain high in the near term. A direct Manila route is planned, and fares to the US show volatility through the fall travel season.
US forces have carried out strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island after they detected efforts to deploy rockets with naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has launched missile and drone attacks at US bases in Jordan and the UAE in response. Both sides are signalling readiness to hit back again while diplomatic and economic pressure continues.
Lebanon and Israel are engaged in direct talks mediated by the US, after Hezbollah-triggered conflict escalations. A framework signed in June calls for Hezbollah disarmament and a staged Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, with Greece and Athens’ arms deal cited as regional context. Lebanon seeks renewed UNIFIL support as violence persists.
Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed has apologized for remarks linking a Temple Israel attack to broader context and is pursuing outreach to Jewish voters in Michigan as the race against Republican Mike Rogers intensifies.
Israel has secured a nearly €3 billion defense export deal with Greece, delivering a multi-layered air‑defense array including David’s Sling, SPYDER and BARAK MX, plus radars and a national command system. A supplementary €26 million deal covers Rafael’s Drone Dome. The package elevates relations amid regional tensions and Europe’s security recalibration.
Arab party Raam will run on an anti-crime platform with Yoav Segalovitz, a Jewish former police official, joining the list. Abbas says cooperation is possible; poll projections place Raam at five or six seats in the Knesset. The move signals a shift toward coalition politics but is met with criticism from Likud.
Israel has intensified strikes across south Lebanon, killing dozens and hitting towns near Nabatieh and Tyre amid ongoing clashes with Hezbollah. The attacks target suspected Hezbollah facilities and infrastructure after a recent ceasefire framework, with casualties including women and children and displacement continuing in border regions.
US carriers are returning to Ben Gurion, expanding seats as demand climbs for the Jewish New Year and holidays. Despite new capacity, fares remain high through autumn, with relief not expected until November as demand shifts post-election.
The Iran war has entered its seventh month. White House aides warn Tehran can resist pressure and sustain the conflict beyond January 2029, while President Trump argues the war could end immediately after the November midterms. Public remarks differ from private assessments, signaling a possible continuation of hostilities through the president’s term.
Israeli strikes have killed civilians and damaged infrastructure in southern Lebanon, including Nabatieh and Arab Salim, as clashes with Hezbollah persist. The strikes follow Hezbollah drone activity and come amid a wider US-brokered framework and ongoing ceasefire discussions. The toll includes women and children, with displacement continuing across the region.
Tensions in the West Bank have intensified as Israeli settlers clash with Palestinians amid recurring violence. Ambassadors and officials condemn attacks, while Palestinian communities report damage to homes and religious sites. International actors warn of escalating instability in the region.
Rapper Macklemore has defended calls for Free Palestine while touring with Ed Sheeran in the US, saying criticism of Israeli policies is not a condemnation of Jewish people. Pro-Israel groups have urged removal from the tour, citing his on-stage remarks and performance with imagery from Gaza. The controversy follows his past protest songs and a growing backlash at MetLife Stadium and other venues.
The latest from Al Jazeera, AP, Independent and France 24 shows a surge in Yemen-Houthi-Israel- Lebanon-Israel-Hezbollah clashes. Houthis claim to have shot down a Saudi reconnaissance plane; Yemen's conflict has intensified around Bab al-Mandeb and al-Jawf, with air strikes and drone battles raising regional tensions. UN warns risk of full-scale war.
Salman Rushdie has been named the 39th recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Distinguished Contribution to American Letters award. The ceremony in Manhattan on Nov. 18 will also honor Perri Klass with the Literarian Award. Rushdie, who has built a career across South Asia, London and New York, has published more than 20 works and survived the 2022 stabbing attack.