Mena Today

BRICS leaders including China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for a ceasefire in Gaza and made positive noises about a non-Western payment system but mentioned Ukraine just once in their final communique.

Two attackers killed five people and wounded 22 others on Wednesday in what Ankara called a terrorist attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters, where witnesses said they heard gunfire and an explosion.

Here are some of the issues underpinning ties between Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin, who are set to meet on Wednesday in Russia on the sidelines of the summit of the BRICS grouping which NATO-member Turkey has voiced interest in joining:

Antonio Guterres' tenure as UN Secretary-General is increasingly marked by a series of diplomatic failures and ethical lapses.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel's response to Iran's Oct. 1 missile barrage should not lead to greater escalation, as he pushed for a Gaza ceasefire and an end to fighting in Lebanon.

Hashem Safieddine, whose killing was confirmed on Tuesday by Israel's military in its confrontation with Hezbollah, is widely seen as Hassan Nasrallah's likely successor as head of the Iran-backed group.

Lufthansa extended the suspension of its flights to Tehran and Beirut until early next year, the German flagship airline group said on Wednesday, over concerns of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

The body of Hashem Safieddine, who was slated to replace slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and was targeted in an Israeli attack on the Dahieh earlier this month, was found.

Russia, China and Iran are intent on fanning divisive narratives to divide Americans ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. elections and may consider fomenting violence after voters go to the polls, U.S. intelligence officials said on Tuesday.

Iran and Saudi Arabia, two major regional powers in the Middle East, are reportedly preparing to hold joint military exercises in the Red Sea. 

Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have attacked villages in the east of Sudan's El Gezira state, killing at least 25 people, following the defection of high-ranking RSF officer Abuagla Keikal who is from the area, activists said.

The International Monetary Fund further lowered its GDP growth forecast for Saudi Arabia for 2024 to 1.5% and estimated growth to accelerate to 4.6% next year in its latest World Economic Outlook Report released on Tuesday.