Mena Today

Doubts rose on sealing a global treaty to curb plastic pollution on the last day of scheduled talks, as over 100 countries pushed to cap production while a handful of oil-producing countries wanted to focus only on plastic waste.

For a second year running, there is no Christmas cheer in Bethlehem, with tourists shunning the Palestinian city and many residents seeking a way out as the Gaza war grinds on.

The low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced the gradual resumption of operations in Israel, starting on December 20. The airline will initially restore service on the Tel Aviv-Larnaca route, with four flights per week. 

The Syrian army said on Saturday dozens of its soldiers had been killed in a major attack led by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels who swept into the city of Aleppo, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years.

The Israeli military said on Sunday that a projectile launched from Yemen was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory.

European Council president Antonio Costa and Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, arrived in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday, using the first day in their new roles to send a message of support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Turkish Airlines has officially announced the resumption of flights to and from Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport (AIB) beginning December 3, 2024, according to an official statement released on Saturday.

The capture of Aleppo by rebel forces marks a significant turning point in the Syrian conflict, delivering a devastating blow to President Bashar al-Assad, his key ally Russia, and the Hezbollah militia that has been a cornerstone of his ground forces. 

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called the government illegitimate on Saturday and said she would not leave office when her term ends next month, defying the prime minister as he accused pro-EU opposition forces of plotting revolution.

A FIFA sub-committee report on Qatar's 2022 World Cup legacy said soccer's world governing body has a responsibility to compensate migrant workers but the organisation has not acted on a recommendation to do that by using its legacy fund.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf thanked Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday for his role in securing the Lebanon cease-fire, saying Iran remains committed to supporting Lebanon and its "resistance." 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's choice to head the U.S. health department, will be in Romania next week to meet Calin Georgescu, the surprise far-right winner in the first round of a presidential election, a Romanian television station said.