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Syrian rebels claimed to have seized a key southwestern city close to the border with Jordan as on Saturday they pressed on with a lightning-fast offensive that threatens to further destabilize a region already convulsed by war. "Once they get Homs, then really Damascus is cut off and they'll all be centered around Damascus and Latakia on the coast." But Hellyer said there was not yet a definitive outcome to the conflict despite the rebels' rapid advance. The collapse of government control in Daraa and the threat to Homs signals a growing vulnerability in Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s hold on power. The observatory says more than 820 people, including 111 civilians, have been killed across the country since the rebels began their offensive.

Persons: “, Bashad Al, Assad, OMAR HAJ KADOUR, Hellyer, hasn't, Bashar Al, Deir, Israel Organizations: NBC, Syrian, Human Rights, ”, Getty, Royal United Services Institute, NBC News Locations: Jordan, Daraa, Hayat Tahrir, U.K, “, ”, Hama Saturday, BAKR, AFP, Syria, Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Russia, Iran, Tartus, Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, H.A, London, Latakia, Idlib, Raqqa, Jaber, Golan

☆ Israel says another rocket barrage from Lebanon kills 2 in Israel, hours after 5 were killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

TEL AVIV, Israel — Rockets fired from Lebanon killed two more people in northern Israel on Thursday, Israeli medics said, raising the death toll there to seven in what marked the deadliest strikes to hit Israel since its military invaded southern Lebanon earlier this month. First responders carry the shrouded body of a woman who was killed Thursday when a rocket fired from Lebanon hit near Kiryat Ata in northern Israel. First responders transport a woman following a rocket attack near Kiryat Ata in northern Israel. Agricultural areas along Israel’s border, where much of the country’s orchards are located, are closed military areas that can only be entered with official permission. In Israel, rockets, missiles, and drones launched by Hezbollah have killed at least 68 people, about half of them soldiers.

Persons: Hassan Nasrallah, Ahmad Gharabli, Magen David Adom, Sheikh Naim Kassem, “, ”, Hassan Ammar, Jean Fakhry, Zahraa Younis Organizations: Israel — Rockets, Biden, Getty, Refugees and Migrants, National News Agency, Lebanese Health Ministry, Hezbollah Locations: TEL AVIV, Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, Iran, Kiryat Ata, AFP, Haifa, Metula, Israel’s, Baalbek, Lebanon’s, Bekaa, Deir, “

☆ Israeli airstrike hits Gaza's Beit Lahia, Hezbollah names new leader after Knesset bans UNRWA
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

It came hours after the Israeli parliament outlawed a key United Nations aid agency in a move that could throttle the supply of medicine, food and education in the devastated territory. Gaza airstrike kills dozensThe strike hit a five-story building in the northern city of Beit Lahia housing some 200 people, according to the Gaza government media office. The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday's airstrike from NBC News. The law bans UNRWA, the U.N.'s Palestinian aid agency, from operating inside Israel or having any contact with Israeli authorities. But Israel has long criticized UNRWA, alleging it has been infiltrated by Hamas and intensifying that pushback after Oct. 7.

Persons: —, Sheikh Naim Kassem —, Hassan Nasrallah, Kamal Adwan, It's, Philippe Lazzarini, Matthew Miller Organizations: Hezbollah, Palestinian Health Ministry, Health Ministry, Israel Defense Forces, NBC News, AFP, Getty, West Bank, UNRWA, State Locations: Gaza, Nations, Lebanon, Iran, Beit, Beit Lahia, Israel, United States, Washington, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Britain

☆ Hezbollah is not Hamas. Can Israel afford another all-out war?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Since October 8, the day after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel, there has been regular cross-border fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military. Hezbollah first fired at Israel to protest the war in Gaza, demanding a ceasefire there as a condition to end its attacks. Should Israel enter full-scale war with Hezbollah, experts say it will face a much stronger threat than Hamas – and commensurate costs. “It’s devastating on the Israeli economy, on Israeli society,” Guzansky said, adding that the impacts will live on for years to come. Domestically, while Israelis showed a greater appetite for fighting at the outset of the Gaza war, polls show that domestic support has waned over the last months.

Persons: Israel, –, ”, Yoel Guzansky, Tsur Shalom, Abbas Ahmad Srour, Mohammad Hussein Kassem, Chris McGrath, Hassan Nasrallah, ⁠ Behnam Ben Taleblu, ” Ben Taleblu, Mizrahi, ” Orna Mizrahi, ” Mizrahi, Yoav Gallant, Guzansky, Netanyahu, Mostafa Alkharouf, ” Guzansky, “, Lebanon's, Jack Guez, Amir Yaron, That’s, Moody’s Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Israel, Institute for National Security Studies, National Security Council, Reuters, Military, Ramat, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Washington DC, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli, Division, Getty, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Lebanon's Hezbollah, Bank, Israel Democracy Institute Locations: Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Tel Aviv, Kiryat, Moreshet, Haifa, Aita al Chaab, Israel’s, Iraq, Yemen, –, Ramat David, Lebanese, Iran, ”, Anadolu, Independence, Kiryat Bialik, AFP

☆ A 'male' humanoid robot was unveiled in Saudi Arabia. It then inappropriately touched a female reporter.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A 'male' humanoid robot appeared to inappropriately touch a female reporter during a presentation. Named 'Muhammad,' it is Saudi Arabia's first humanoid male robot. AdvertisementA Saudi robotics company's unveiling of a "male" humanoid robot didn't go as planned after it appeared to inappropriately touch a female reporter. Saudi robotics company QSS debuted "Muhammad the Humanoid Robot" at DeepFest in Riyadh last week. Saudi Arabia unveils its man shaped AI robot Mohammad, reacts to reporter in its first appearance pic.twitter.com/1ktlUlGBs1 — Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) March 6, 2024On X, social media users accused the robot of inappropriately touching the female reporter.

Persons: Muhammad, —, QSS, Al Arabiya, Rawya Kassem, Mohammad, ake, orth Organizations: Service, Saudi Locations: Saudi, DeepFest, Riyadh, Muhammad, Saudi Arabia, uman

☆ Israel-Hamas war live updates: UN agencies say first aid convoy ‘far from enough’; Israel vows to step up Gaza bombardment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Joanna Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The comments by Hezbollah's deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, came as Israel shelled and made drone strikes in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fired rockets and missiles toward Israel. For Hezbollah, heating up the Lebanon-Israel border has a clear purpose, Kassem said: "We are trying to weaken the Israeli enemy and let them know that we are ready." Hamas officials have said that if Israel starts a ground offensive in Gaza, Hezbollah will join the fighting. "Do you believe that if you try to crush the Palestinian resistance, other resistance fighters in the region will not act?" Kassem said in a speech Saturday during the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter.

Persons: Hezbollah's, Sheikh Naim Kassem, Kassem, Israel Organizations: Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Iran

And the risk of triggering a broader war with Hamas' allies in Lebanon and Syria might also give them pause. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed in the war — mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. Israeli forces killed at least five people early Sunday in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Sunday’s fatalities brought the death toll in the West Bank to 90 Palestinians since the war broke out on Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry. In Gaza, the Israeli military said the humanitarian situation was “under control” as aid workers called for the opening of a round-the-clock aid corridor.

Persons: Khan Younis, Benjamin Netanyahu, Daniel Hagari, Israel, ”, Sheikh Naim Kassem, Kiryat Shmona, Joe Biden, Dina al, Khatib, “ It’s, ___ Magdy, Amy Teibel, Bassem Organizations: West Bank, Hamas, Ministry, Nasser Hospital, Tel, Sunday, Palestinian Health Ministry, Islamic Jihad, Health Ministry, paramilitary Border Police, Associated Press Locations: RAFAH, Gaza, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, Rafah, U.N, Khan, Tel Aviv, Israeli, Damascus, Aleppo, Iran, Kiryat, Jenin, West, Tulkarem, ”, U.S, “, Cairo, Krauss, Jerusalem, Beirut

☆ Prominent Egyptian activist and govt critic jailed for six months
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hisham Kassem, a former newspaper publisher publisher and political activist, speaks during an interview with Reuters TV at his family's cemetery, in Cairo, Egypt, June 13, 2023. Kassem is a leader of al-Tayar al-Hurr, or Free Current, a newly formed liberal group. No serious challenge is expected against Sisi, a former army chief who has continued backing from the security forces. Kassem, a former publisher of Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper, had started then suspended a hunger strike while in detention. Sisi has presided over a far-reaching crackdown on political dissent that has swept up critics from across the political spectrum.

Persons: Hisham Kassem, Ahmed Fahmy, Abdel Fattah al, Kassem, Nasser Amin, Amin, Sisi, Masry, Aidan Lewis, Omar Abdel, Nick Macfie Organizations: Reuters TV, REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, Sisi, Authorities, U.S, Thomson Locations: Cairo, Egypt, Rights CAIRO, United States

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Thursday that Egypt's poor human rights record hasn't improved, but it won't withhold as much military aid as it did last year regardless. Egypt has been a top recipient of U.S. military aid since it signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal with Israel in 1979. Congress in recent years has attached restrictions meant to pressure Egyptian leaders to curb human rights abuses to a comparatively small portion of the more than $1 billion in annual military aid to the country. Rights groups and some congressional Democrats had urged the Biden administration to take a hard line against Egypt on human rights, while some lawmakers said strategic interests should be prioritized. U.S. officials said the decision announced Thursday did not signal that the U.S. believed Egypt had made progress on human rights.

Persons: —, Biden, Abdel Fattah el, ” Amr Magdi, ” Magdi, Hisham Kassem, Sen, Chris Murphy, Sisi, Kassem, Jamal Khashoggi, “, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, State Department, Human Rights, Connecticut Democrat, Freedom, U.S . State Department, PEN, Amnesty International, Amnesty, Saudi, Newsweek Locations: Egypt, U.S, Israel, Connecticut, Taiwan, Ukraine, PEN America, Saudi Arabia

☆ Bulldozers tear into Cairo's historic Islamic cemeteries
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Hatem Maher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A view shows the City of the Dead, where tombs and historic cemeteries have been demolished due to a new construction project underway on the Salah Salem road, in the capital city of Cairo, Egypt, June 13, 2023. Known as the City of the Dead, the cemeteries along the eastern edge of Historic Cairo have been a resting place for Egypt's deceased since the arrival of Islam in the seventh century A.D. Some tomb owners who want to transfer the bodies of their family members say they are given little time beforehand. But only 102 sites among more than 2.5 million tombs in the area have received this designation, conservationists say. "I imagine that in five years' time, we won't find anything except maybe 20% of the current City of the Dead," Lafi said.

Persons: Salah, Hadeer Mahmoud, Sisi, Egypt's, Hisham Kassem, Abdel Fattah al, Ahmed Urabi, Hossam Abdel Azeem, Amr ibn, Moaaz, Lafi, Patrick Werr, Aidan Lewis, Emma Rumney Organizations: REUTERS, UNESCO, Thomson Locations: Salah Salem, Cairo, Egypt, CAIRO, Historic Cairo, el

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