Mena Today

Iraq will begin its first full national census in more than three decades on Wednesday, a pivotal moment as it looks to gather demographic data for future planning and development.

The Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war has stirred debate among the enclave's Palestinian clerics, with some saying it was not worth the heavy civilian death toll and others declaring the Oct. 7, 2023 assault was a Muslim duty.

Ukraine used U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory for the first time on Tuesday, Moscow said, in an attack regarded by Russia as a major escalation on the war's 1,000th day.

Intensifying efforts for a truce in Lebanon have brought into focus the role of the country's army, which would be expected to keep the south free of Hezbollah weapons but is neither willing nor able to confront the Iran-backed group, seven sources said.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II inaugurated on Monday a newly elected Parliament with an increased number of Islamist lawmakers, delivering a speech that included strong criticism of Israel. 

The IDF found Russian-made weapons in Hezbollah stores in South Lebanon, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to the United States on Tuesday, lowering the threshold for a nuclear strike just days after the administration of Joe Biden reportedly allowed Ukraine to fire American missiles deep into Russia.

Companies from Iran, Israel, China, Russia and the United States will showcase military equipment at an arms expo in Hanoi in December, Vietnam's defence ministry said on Tuesday, a rare case of geopolitical rivals exhibiting their wares together.

New EU and British sanctions are based on false claims of missile transfers to Russia and are "unjustified", Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday.

A senior U.S. mediator said on Tuesday there was a "real opportunity" to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and that gaps were narrowing, signalling progress in Washington's efforts to clinch a ceasefire.

Algerian Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui unveiled on Monday a cabinet reshuffle, marking significant changes, including the appointment of the influential Chief of Staff, General Said Chengriha, as Delegate for National Defense. Key new appointments were also made in the Ministries of Justice and Industry.

Lebanon and Hezbollah have agreed to a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire with Israel with some comments on the content, a top Lebanese official told Reuters on Monday, describing the effort as the most serious yet to end to the fighting.