Link to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/18/un-calls-for-calm-as-violence-flares-in-south-sudan The UN has urged calm following violent clashes in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state on February 14-15, involving the national military (SSPSF) and armed youth. The fighting led to civilian deaths and injuries, including a wounded UN peacekeeper. Heavy weaponry was reportedly used, though casualty figures remain unclear. UN envoy Nicholas Haysom condemned the violence and… Read more »
Link to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/18/deadline-for-israeli-withdrawal-from-lebanon-expires Israel has begun withdrawing troops from southern Lebanon under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah but is refusing to vacate five strategic locations, citing security concerns. While Lebanon’s army has deployed in parts of the south, officials warn that any remaining Israeli presence constitutes an occupation. Lebanon plans to seek UN intervention for full Israeli withdrawal. Despite… Read more »
Link to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/2/18/israeli-just-wanted-to-destroy-in-southern-lebanon-despite-the-ceasefire Despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah beginning in November 2024, Israeli forces continued attacks in southern Lebanon, causing widespread destruction. In Naqoura, municipal head Abbas Awada returned to find his family home demolished, despite it surviving over a year of conflict. The ceasefire agreement required Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli… Read more »
link to article:https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c203lwx4vg4o Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu warned Hamas that the ceasefire would end if hostages weren’t released by Saturday. Hamas delayed a planned release, accusing Israel of violating the deal, while Israel began military preparations. Trump backed Netanyahu’s demand, pushing for all hostages to be freed or for Israel to resume fighting. Arab countries are pressuring Hamas to keep… Read more »
Link to article:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/17/ukraine-russia-saudi-arabia-talks-peace-deal-zelenskyy-eu Ukrainian President Zelenskyy rejected peace talks between the U.S. and Russia happening in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine’s involvement stating no deal about Ukraine should be made without them. The talks, quickly arranged after a Trump-Putin call could lead to a future Trump-Putin summit. High-ranking U.S. and Russian officials are attending but Europe is excluded causing frustration among… Read more »
link to article:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/17/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-donald-trump-us-iran-nuclear-programme Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, with U.S. President Trump’s support, is considering airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, aiming to neutralize its program. While Trump prefers a deal, he demands Iran fully abandon nuclear ambitions and has approved arms sales to Israel. Iran, though weakened militarily, insists it has no plans for nuclear weapons but may change if attacked…. Read more »
Link to Article: https://apnews.com/article/syria-security-conference-turkey-pkk-sdf-kurds-ceac41eca1aed0f49975c897637d07e1 The Turkish foreign minister said Saturday that Turkey would reconsider its military presence in Northeastern Syria if the new Syrian leader eliminates a Kurdish militant group deemed a terrorist threat by the U.S, Turkey, and the European Union. At the Munich Security Conference, Hakan Fidan spoke these words along with the Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani… Read more »
Link to Article: https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-un-peacekeeper-deputy-commander-attacked-833de0ceaa718b93d3b3dfa9b301d7e7 The receding deputy commander of the U.N peacekeeping for in Lebanon was injured after protestors attacked the convoy that was taking him and the peacekeeping force UNIFIL to the Beirut airport. The deputy commander – Major General Chok Bahadur Dhakal – was set to leave the country after UNIFIL completed its mission when his convoy was… Read more »
Link to Article: https://apnews.com/article/russia-syria-putin-sharaa-cc60fa41024e200cf1d0f6f8022bfb1c This past Wednesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke with the new Syrian leader Ahmad Al-Shaara, this has been the first top level contact between the two countries leaders since President Bashar Assad had fallen. Russias Kremlin has stated that the discussion involved trade, economics, and education between the two countries. Russian military bases within Syria have… Read more »
Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9vyz747eo Today, February 8, 2025, as part of an ongoing ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, Hamas released 3 hostages and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners. The exchange of the hostages was very public where they were on stage with signed paperwork and paraded past filming crowds. Both the hostages and prisoners were regarded as being in… Read more »
