Category: Middle East

UNICEF Calls to Dig Deep for Turkey Earthquake Aid

UNICEF is calling on Australians to continue helping the millions of people across Turkey and Syria battered by a devastating earthquake. Three Australians died in the quake, with the death toll recently surpassing 41,000 and continuing to climb. UNICEF Australia’s Elliot Stein says more children across Turkey and Syria have been caught up in the devastation…


Key Developments in the Aftermath of Turkey, Syria Quakes

ANTAKYA, Turkey—The number of people killed in the Feb. 6 earthquakes that devastated parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria continues to rise. As chances of finding more survivors dwindled, some foreign search teams that rushed in to help have started leaving. Here’s a look at key developments Thursday from the aftermath of the earthquakes:…


Turkey Earthquake Could Result in Loss of up to 1 Percent of Country’s GDP in 2023

LONDON—The potential economic effects of the earthquake in Turkey could result in a loss of up to 1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product this year, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said in a report published on Thursday. The bank added this is a “reasonable estimate” due to the expected boost…


Deadly Road Crash Kills 6 in Egypt, Including Palestinians

CAIRO—At least six people were killed Thursday when a pickup truck and a minibus collided near Egypt’s eastern city of Ismailia, health officials said. Three others were injured in the crash. Among the dead were five Palestinians, between 20 and 50 years of age, and one Egyptian, the local ambulance service said in a statement….


Al-Qaeda’s New Leader Adel Has $10 Million Bounty on His Head

DUBAI—Seif al-Adel, a former Egyptian special forces officer and a high-ranking member of al-Qaeda with a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, is now the “uncontested” leader of the terrorist group, according to a new U.N. report on the organization. Al-Qaeda has not formally named a successor for Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was believed to…


US Forces Shoot Down Iranian-Made Spy Drone Surveying Patrol Base in Syria

The U.S. military on Wednesday announced that it downed an Iranian-manufactured drone that was reportedly surveying a patrol base in Syria that houses American troops. In a statement on Feb. 15, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down on Feb. 14 at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time as…


UN Identifies New al-Qaeda Leader in Iran

U.N. member states say that terrorist group al-Qaeda has a new leader, according to a report circulated on Monday. The report states Sayf al-‘Adl, Osama bin-Laden’s former security head, is already leading the terrorist group. The report was written by the U.N.’s Security Council and said that no announcement was made regarding the replacement by al-Qaeda…


Israel Extends COVID-19 Special Powers Law Until February 2024

Israel’s Parliament has approved an extension of special powers for the Ministry of Health (MoH) to deal with COVID-19 for one more year until Feb. 15, 2024. The parliament, known as the Knesset, passed a new law that extends the ability of the government to impose restrictions on the public for another year. “The Plenum of…


Elon Musk Hopes to Have Twitter CEO Toward the End of Year

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Billionaire Elon Musk said Wednesday that he anticipates finding a CEO for Twitter “probably toward the end of this year.” Speaking via a video call to the World Government Summit in Dubai, Musk said making sure the platform can function remained the most important thing for him. “I think I need to…


Turkey Promises Swift Reconstruction After Earthquake, Syrians Seek Aid

HAREM/JANDARIS, Syria—Turkey said it would demolish buildings heavily damaged by a huge earthquake last week and swiftly start a mammoth reconstruction effort, with thousands of families struggling to survive amid the rubble and freezing conditions. Rescuers, who flew in to save people trapped in the debris, were starting to pack, although one woman was pulled…