Mena Today

Hamas' acting Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said in remarks broadcast on Wednesday that there would be no hostages-for-prisoners swap deal with Israel unless the war in the Palestinian enclave ended. 

Egypt is in talks with U.S. and other foreign companies to purchase long-term volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it seeks to cut its reliance on more costly spot market purchases to meet power demand, three sources said.

Ukraine fired a volley of British Storm Shadow cruise missiles into Russia on Wednesday, the latest new Western weapon it has been permitted to use on Russian targets a day after it fired U.S. ATACMS missiles.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said in a televised speech aired on Wednesday that his group had reviewed and given feedback on a U.S.-drafted ceasefire proposal to end fighting with Israel, and that a halt to hostilities was now in Israel's hands.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates next month, a source briefed on the plans said on Wednesday, as Britain seeks to deepen ties with the wealthy Gulf states.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Pope Francis to use his influence with Christian governments to stop war in the Middle East, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan opposes a U.S. decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack inside Russia, saying it would further enflame the conflict, according to a readout shared by his office on Wednesday.

President Vladimir Putin's spy chief warned the West on Wednesday that it risked disastrous consequences if the United States and its European allies stoke a direct military confrontation with Russia over Ukraine.

Greek police arrested an Algerian man suspected of smuggling tablets of pain-fighting drug pregabalin to France from Greece, following an operation with French authorities and EU police agency Europol.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said he will travel to Israel on Wednesday to try to secure a ceasefire ending the war with Lebanon's Hezbollah group after declaring additional progress in talks in Beirut.

France's foreign minister said on Wednesday that U.S.-led efforts for a truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon had created the chance for a lasting cease-fire and he called on both sides to accept a deal on the table. 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey refused to allow Israeli President Isaac Herzog to use its airspace to attend the COP climate summit in Azerbaijan, highlighting Ankara's stance amid tensions with Israel.