Araghchi and Fidan hold talks on regional tensions Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan about the latest developments in the stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran, as well as broader regional tensions. Turkey has been working diplomatically behind the scenes to help end the conflict while also strengthening security along its border with Iran amid concerns that worsening conditions could lead to a large-scale displacement of people into the country.
Palestinian ministry condemns Israeli property seizure plan near Al-Aqsa The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned an Israeli plan to seize up to 20 properties near the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, calling it “ethnic cleansing”. The properties are located in the Bab as-Silsila area adjacent to the mosque, considered Islam’s third-holiest site. The ministry said the move was part of a broader effort by Israel to gradually displace Palestinians from the area while expanding the number of Israeli residents.
Gaza aid flotilla activist reports military vessel near convoy A Spanish activist aboard one of dozens of vessels sailing toward the Gaza Strip said a ship believed to be military had approached the flotilla, attempting to break Israel’s blockade. Activist Pablo Quesada Martin wrote on X that a vessel appearing to be military had been spotted near the convoy, leading organisers to activate security protocols. Israel has previously intercepted and detained activists seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The release of Global Sumud Flotilla activists must deepen pressure for Palestinian prisoners Submitted by Raouf Farrah on Sun, 05/17/2026 - 16:01 International solidarity helped secure the release of detained flotilla activists, but thousands of Palestinians remain imprisoned under torture, starvation and indefinite detention Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla, is greeted on arrival at Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil on 11 May 2026 (Nelson Almeida/AFP) Off On 30 April, Israeli naval forces illegally intercepted vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in international waters near Greece, seizing nearly 180 peaceful activists participating in the mission. While most participants were eventually released after beatings and harassment, GSF members Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Avila were transferred to Shikma Prison in Ashkelon and later brought before Israeli courts. During their imprisonment, both men endured isolation, torture and the worsening of their physical condition, before growing international pressure finally secured their release on 10 May 2026.
Executions in 2025 soared to the highest figure recorded by Amnesty International since 1981, with 2,707 people executed across 17 countries, revealed the latest annual report from the human rights organization on the global use of the death penalty. The staggering rise recorded in the report Death Sentences and Executions 2025, was down to a […] The post GLOBAL: Executions surge to highest recorded figure in 44 years appeared first on Amnesty International .
Iran warns UAE over Israel ties, says patience has limits Iran has issued a sharp warning to the United Arab Emirates, signalling rising tensions over Abu Dhabi’s ties with Israel following the recent regional escalation. Speaking to ISNA, Mohsen Rezaei, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander and current secretary of Tehran’s Expediency Council, said Iran has exercised restraint but drew a clear line. “Tehran has not ‘closed the door to friendship in dealing with the United Arab Emirates, but they should know that Iran’s patience has limits’,” Rezaei said.
Israel expands death penalty regime in the occupied West Bank Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Sun, 05/17/2026 - 22:53 Law mandates death penalty in military courts while excluding Israelis from prosecution under the same system Protesters hold placards reading 'Urgent and final appeal: Stop the execution of prisoners law before it’s too late' in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, 31 March 2026 (Zain Jaafar/AFP) Off Israel has enforced a new law mandating the death penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, after the commander of its Central Command Major General Avi Bluth signed the military order required to activate the measure on Sunday. The order compels military courts to impose capital punishment in cases where a Palestinian is convicted of killing an Israeli occupation soldier or otherwise. Judges may only consider life imprisonment if they identify exceptional circumstances, making execution the default outcome.
The bloc has been struggling to fill its storage facilities amid the Middle East crisis and soaring prices The EU has been filling its underground gas storage facilities at record-low rates for three consecutive days this week, Russia's state-owned giant Gazprom has said, citing figures by the Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) association.
Israel extends death penalty law to Palestinians in West Bank Israel’s Central Command chief, Major General Avi Bluth, has signed an order extending the application of Israel’s death penalty law to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The move follows internal discussions in which legal and security officials warned against applying civilian legislation passed by the Knesset in territory where most residents are not Israeli citizens. The law targets those accused of acts carried out “with the aim of denying the existence of the State of Israel”.
Saudi Arabia intercepts three drones entering from Iraq Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed three drones that entered its airspace from Iraq on Sunday morning. In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the drones were neutralised after crossing into Saudi territory. It added that the kingdom “reserves the right to respond” and will take “operational measures” against any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security.
Abu Dhabi denounces ‘dangerous escalation’ as Iran war ceasefire grows more precarious The United Arab Emirates has blamed a fire near its nuclear power plant on a drone launched by Iran or one of its proxies in what the UAE called a “dangerous escalation”. The fire was just outside the Barakah nuclear plant and caused no injuries or radiation alerts, but it came at an extremely tense moment in the sixth week of a ceasefire in the Iran war, with peace talks stalled and Donald Trump voicing impatience at the deadlock. Continue reading...
Saudi Arabia condemns UAE drone strike, backs security measures Saudi Arabia has condemned the drone strike that sparked a fire near a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, describing the Gulf state as a “brother” country. In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack poses a “threat to the security and stability of the region” and expressed its “solidarity” with the UAE. It added that Riyadh “supports all measures taken to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” of the Emirates.
Israeli strikes in south Lebanon kill five, wound several Lebanon’s Health Emergency Operations Center at the Ministry of Public Health released a preliminary toll following Israeli raids on several towns in southern Lebanon, according to the National News Agency. An air strike on Tairfalsiya killed three people, including a child, and wounded eight others, among them three children, one of whom is an infant. In Tirdaba, strikes killed two people, including a child, and injured three others, including a woman.
Iran, Pakistan discuss stalled US talks as Ghalibaf criticises US role Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to discuss the stalled negotiations between Tehran and Washington. During the meeting, Ghalibaf criticised the role of the United States in the region, saying “regional governments [who] thought that the presence of America would bring them security, but recent events showed that this presence not only does not bring security, but also creates insecurity”, according to Mehr News Agency. Naqvi said ties between the two countries have deepened, adding that Iran and Pakistan “were close to each other before, but now they are closer”.
Iraqi farmer killed to hide evidence of two Israeli bases in country: Report The presence of two secret Israeli bases in Iraq may have led to the death of a shepherd who discovered them, according to an investigation by The New York Times (NYT). The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Israel set up a covert outpost in Iraq’s western desert during the conflict with Iran. The site was reportedly used to support air operations and housed special forces units.
New Delhi [India], May 17 (ANI): Highlighting Taipei's advanced defensive capabilities against aggressive state actors, Chinese Studies expert at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Professor Srikanth Kondapalli, has asserted that Taiwan is no pushover when compared to other major global flashpoints like Ukraine and warned that any military incursion by Beijing would result in catastrophic casualties for Chinese forces.
Trump warns Iran ‘clock is ticking’ threatening severe consequences US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran on Sunday, saying Tehran must act quickly or face severe consequences. "For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
Vienna [Austria], May 17 (ANI): Raising the alarm over escalating security vulnerabilities, the UN atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has expressed 'grave concern' over a drone strike near a United Arab Emirates nuclear plant that triggered a fire, though it said that radiation levels remained normal.
