By Pesha Magid QUSRA, West Bank, Aug 17 (Reuters) - He watched from thousands of miles away on a security camera feed as militant Israeli settlers encircled his West Bank house, fearing he could lose his home forever amid increasing Israeli seizures of Palestinian property in the occupied territory. Loui Ridi, a Palestinian American living in Toledo, Ohio, owns one of three homes that have been under Israeli settler siege for nearly a week in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, a case that has drawn U.S. condemnation
A federal judge in Manhattan ruled against the State Department's suspension of immigrant visas
UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel. It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor. After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syria's past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project. Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar. What they're saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that th
European leaders are meeting Kyiv as Ukraine holds celebrations for its 35th Independence Day. The so-called Coalition of the Willing is set to hold talks regarding support to the country, four-and-a-half years after the Russian invasion started, with the European Union having announced it was releasing over six billion euros in aid. But US support to Kyiv regarding critical air defence is still missing. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more
Human-caused climate change was the main driver of record-breaking sea temperatures around Europe this summer, scientists said on Wednesday, warning of severe risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. The Mediterranean averaged a record 27 degrees Celsius in July, while waters near Mallorca reached 33 C in early August
France, Italy, Britain and Germany criticised Israel’s plan to build more than 1,200 homes in the West Bank, calling for the plans to be withdrawn and settlement expansion to end
This Saturday saw a continued exchange of fire between Kyiv and Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macron announced Paris would deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine, whose air defences are running short after the latest round of deadly Russian attacks. Details from the ground by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Ukraine, Emmanuelle Chaze
The El Nino weather phenomenon is expected to increase the likelihood of drought and excess heat across the region
The sanctions come a month after Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to dismantle the court "brick by brick."
Israeli settlers fatally shot 17-year-old Karim Sanad Shalaldeh while Israeli forces killed 58-year-old Fathi Khazem