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More news - News 24 hours A reformist candidate critical of Iranian government policies, including the mandatory headscarf law, will face a hardline conservative in a presidential runoff next week, Iran’s Interior Ministry announced Saturday. It follows a special vote called after the previous leader, Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash last month. The second round of voting, scheduled for July 5, will pit reformist Masoud Pezeshkian against Saeed Jalili, an ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator. The need for a runoff was prompted by low voter turnout and a field of three leading candidates, with Iranian law requiring a winner…

Related media - Breaking news Haiti's new prime minister, Garry Conille, met with top Democratic congressional leaders Tuesday to request more American assistance, after a U.S.-backed international police mission arrived to restore stability in a country besieged by criminal gangs. The Biden administration plans to allocate $100 million for the mission, with the United States as the lead donor. However, Mr. Conille told Democrats that more money is urgently needed to address basic infrastructure and services. “This is a critical point,” Mr. Conille said, stressing the need for continued investment after meeting with lawmakers and international financial institutions. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick,…

More news - Latest news U.S. defense officials raised the security alert level at military bases in Europe over the weekend in response to vague threats from the Kremlin about Ukraine using long-range weapons on Russian soil, U.S. and Western officials said. Officials noted that no specific information has been gathered about potential Russian attacks on U.S. bases. However, any such attack by Russia, overt or covert, would mean a significant escalation of its war in Ukraine. Russia has stepped up its sabotage efforts in Europe, aiming to disrupt the flow of materials to Ukraine. So far, no U.S. bases…

More news - News 24 hours Israelis expressed growing concern Sunday that President Biden’s faltering debate performance could embolden the country’s Middle Eastern adversaries at a critical moment for American leadership in the region. Israeli commentators across the political spectrum have sounded the alarm that Iran and its allies could exploit Biden's apparent weakness as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and faces the prospect of all-out conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. U.S. officials have been working to broker a diplomatic solution to tensions between Israel and Hezbollah to prevent a broader regional war that could involve both Iran and the…

Related media - Latest news Iran’s presidential election on Friday saw a remarkably low turnout, with initial estimates suggesting only about 25 percent of eligible voters participated. That was a significant drop from the 70 percent turnout seen in previous elections and fell short of the 50 percent target set by ruling clerics, who view voter turnout as a measure of their legitimacy. Years of economic hardship and severe social restrictions have left many Iranians disillusioned with politicians’ broken promises. For some, abstaining from voting is a way of expressing their rejection of the government. Reports from Tehran showed empty…

Related media - Breaking news Israel ordered evacuations in eastern Gaza on Thursday as heavy attacks hit the region, leaving scores of people dead, according to Palestinian officials and residents. Those in the area described a desperate scramble to escape amid ongoing explosions. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the attacks, which reportedly targeted the Shajaiye neighborhood, an area badly damaged by previous intense fighting. Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, noted that the army was conducting a ground operation to eliminate Hamas, based on intelligence that suggested the group was regaining control of the neighborhood. A witness from a…

More news - News 24 hours Kenyan lawmakers passed a controversial finance bill on Tuesday, sparking outrage from thousands of people who marched on Parliament in Nairobi. Protesters have called on the government to reject the proposed tax increases, arguing they would disproportionately burden Kenyan citizens. Clashes broke out as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Footage captured by international media showed the chaotic scene, including the use of force against protesters. Reports of human rights activists being kidnapped ahead of the protest also emerged, raising concerns about freedom of expression. The proposed legislation has set off a…

More news - News 24 hours “We understand who is behind these terrorist acts,” Sergei Melikov, Dagestan's top official, said in a speech to its residents. He drew a comparison between the victims of the assault and Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, saying they were facing the same enemy. “We must understand that war enters our home,” Melikov added. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, in his daily press conference on Monday appeared to draw a link between the violence in Dagestan and Ukraine's separate attack on Sunday on occupied Crimea. Local officials declared a three-day mourning period in Dagestan, a multi-religious…

More news - Latest news A UN-run school in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in May. Most of these schools are now used as shelters.Credit…Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock Karim al-Masri was due to start his final exams on Saturday morning, a few weeks after graduating. Instead, he spent the morning filling bags of water to freeze into ice, which he sold to support his family.“I was supposed to study and prepare for final exams,” said al-Masri, 18. But, more than eight months into the war, “I spend my days working to provide for my family to cope with the situation.”Al-Masri was…

Related media - News 24 hours The biggest losers of the election appear to be the Greens, who have seen their support plummet by a quarter compared to five years ago. However, the Greens, with their 53 seats, could play an important role by strengthening centrist majorities as an alternative to far-right parties. Final data from all 27 EU countries is expected to be made public early Monday morning. The results appear to have largely maintained the balance of power in the European Parliament, which approves legislation, the bloc's budget and its top leaders, including the president of the powerful…