Category: 2. Middle East

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on Saturday opposed a South American request to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, saying such increases in numbers would lead to “chaos”.

The centenary edition, hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco with three matches also being staged in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, is already set to welcome 48 teams – a far cry from the 13 in the inaugural event in Uruguay in 1930.

“Personally, I don’t agree,” the…

Hamas expects “real progress” towards a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza, an official said, as senior leaders from the Palestinian movement hold talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Saturday.

The meeting between Hamas and Egyptian mediators come amid ongoing violence in Gaza, as the Israeli military intercepted three projectiles fired from the territory and launched air strikes and artillery shelling on several areas.

The scheduled talks in Cairo also come days after US President…

Israel announced on Saturday that its military had completed the takeover of a new corridor in southern Gaza, advancing its efforts to seize large parts of the war-battered Palestinian territory.

The military also announced a sweeping evacuation order for tens of thousands of residents of Khan Yunis and surrounding areas in southern Gaza ahead of a planned strike after projectiles were fired from there earlier in the day.

The seizure of the “Morag axis” came while Hamas expected “real…

Israel said Saturday it planned to expand its military offensive in Gaza after seizing a new corridor as part of a broader effort to take large parts of the war-battered Palestinian territory.

It also announced a sweeping evacuation order for tens of thousands of residents of Khan Yunis and surrounding areas in southern Gaza and launched strikes after projectiles were fired from there.

“Soon, IDF operations will intensify and expand to other areas throughout most of Gaza, and you will need to…

The United States and Iran begin high-stakes talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme on Saturday, with President Donald Trump threatening military action should they fail to produce a new deal.

They will be the highest-level discussions between the foes since an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme crumbled with Trump pulling out in 2018 during his first term in office.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are set to lead the discussions…

The United States and Iran begin high-stakes talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme on Saturday, with President Donald Trump threatening military action should they fail to produce a new deal.

They will be the highest-level discussions between the foes since an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme crumbled after Trump pulled out in 2018 during his first term in office.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are set to lead the discussions…

The United States and Iran held “constructive” talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme on Saturday and agreed to meet again as President Donald Trump threatens military action if they fail to reach a deal.

Oman’s foreign minister acted as an intermediary in the high-stakes talks in Muscat, Iran said. The Americans had called for the meetings to be face-to-face.

However, the negotiators also spoke directly for “a few minutes”, Iran’s foreign ministry said. It said the talks were held “in a…

The United States wants a nuclear agreement “as soon as possible”, Iran said after rare talks on Saturday, as US President Donald Trump threatens military action if they fail to reach a deal.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who briefly spoke face-to-face with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff during the indirect meeting in Oman, said the talks would resume next Saturday.

“The American side also said that a positive agreement was one that can be reached as soon as possible but that will not…

Every Friday, Alawi crosses the border from Iran into Iraq to sell his produce in the markets of Basra, which serve as a haven for Iranians grappling with economic sanctions.

He is just one of many Iranian pedlars who endure the arduous journey into southern Iraq through the Chalamja border crossing.

They bring essential goods such as chicken, eggs, cooking oil and household items to sell at low prices, hoping for a profit that would be unimaginable back home due to sharp currency depreciation…

An immigration judge ruled Friday that a pro-Palestinian student protester, a US permanent resident detained by the Trump administration, can be deported, his lawyer said.

Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jamee Comans said the government had met its burden to prove it had grounds to deport Mahmoud Khalil, Marc van der Hout said in a statement.

“Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a…