Category Archives: EUROPE
Comedian Zelenskiy wins Ukrainian presidential race by landslide: exit polls
Ukraine entered uncharted political waters on Sunday after exit polls showed a comedian with no political experience and few detailed policies had easily won enough votes to become the next president of a country at war.
The apparent landslide victory of Volodymyr Zelenskiy, 41, is a bitter blow for incumbent Petro Poroshenko who tried to rally Ukrainians around the flag by casting himself as a bulwark against Russian aggression and a champion of Ukrainian identity.
Maj.Gen F. Sanziri , Head of UN Peacekeeping Force in Golan Heights Dies Unexpectedly in Israel
The head of UNDOF, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, in the Golan Heights, Maj. Gen. Francis Vib-Sanziri, died suddenly on Friday at the age of 62.
Israeli envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, eulogized the general saying, “his experience and leadership led UNDOF through a complicated and challenging period that included the Iranian entrenchment in Syria and Hezbollah actions that challenged the force in their work.”
Israel used supersonic Rampage to strike Iranian targets in Syria
Israel allegedly struck an Iranian missile factory in Syria’s Masyaf on Saturday.
Israel’s Air Force reportedly used the supersonic Rampage stand-off air-to-surface missiles for the first time during a strike on Iranian positions in Syria last week, foreign media has reported.
Gaza Leader Says ‘Finger on the Trigger,’ but Hamas and Israel Are Nearing Agreement
Yahya Sinwar’s talks with other Palestinian factions indicate that the sides are preparing for a long-term cease-fire after te turmoil of Israel’s election
The meeting between the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, and
the leaders of other Palestinian factions a few days before Israel’s April 9
election has provided a large number of details about the understandings that
are taking shape between Hamas and Israel with the mediation of Egyptian
intelligence.
Fire guts Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris; Macron pledges to rebuild
A massive fire consumed Notre-Dame Cathedral on Monday, gutting the roof of the Paris landmark and stunning France and the world, though firefighters saved the main bell towers and outer walls from collapse before bringing the blaze under control.
Flames that began in the early evening burst rapidly through the roof of the eight-centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which toppled, quickly followed by the entire roof.
PSG title party delayed again after 5-1 thumping at Lille
Paris Saint-Germain missed the chance to seal their sixth Ligue 1 title in seven years for the second week running on Sunday after a 5-1 hammering at Lille, their biggest league defeat in 10 years.
Thomas Tuchel’s side could have been crowned champions in record-equalling time last weekend but failed to beat Strasbourg, and they fell short again on Sunday despite needing just a point in a match that saw them have to play with 10 men for 54 minutes and lose both captain Thiago Silva and Thomas Meunier to injury.
Satellite images show possible Iranian missile factory in Syria destroyed
“The main industrial structures were completely destroyed, including the main hangar and the adjacent three production hangers and buildings.”
Satellite images released by the Israeli intelligence firm ImageSat International (ISI) on Sunday showed the complete destruction of a possible Iranian surface-to-surface missile factory in Syria’s Masyaf District, allegedly struck by Israel on Saturday.
Israeli Air Force attacked Syrian targets, two Iranians killed
The Syrian media reported the attack attributed to Israel near an army base controlled by Iranian forces. A number of buildings were destroyed and two soldiers were killed.
Israel attacked Syrian targets near Hama on Saturday, killing two Iranians and destroying several buildings, Syrian media and foreign accounts reported.
Jerusalem to Demolish Palestinian Homes in ‘Peace Forest’, Let Settlers Build
After demolitions ordered for homes of hundreds of Palestinians under guise of zoning, Jerusalem municipality changes plans to allow for settler construction
The Jerusalem District Court court upheld some of the demolitions because the houses, built in the neighborhood between Silwan and Abu Tor, are on part of what is considered a national Israeli “peace forest.” Two weeks ago the municipality tried to change the forest’s zoning so that Elad, an NGO that moves Jewish residents into Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, would not have to destroy some of the illegal buildings it has put up there.
Israel’s Shallow Election Campaign Ended as It Deserved: A Farce
Hard-line former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman will make Netanyahu an offer he can’t refuse; the problem will be the price
There on the banks of the Danube, with his phone in airplane mode, a man who has the final say is vacationing. He’s a man who was eulogized many times during the campaign; the polls predicted he’d have a hard time making it into the Knesset. But now he couldn’t be happier.
Israel converts historical Palestinian Al -Ahmar mosque to bar
The Al-Ahmar Mosque in Safed has been turned into a bar and events hall by the Israeli municipality – Following the Israeli occupation in 1948, the mosque had previously been converted to a school, an election campaign centre, a warehouse and nightclub
The secretary of Safed and Tiberias Islamic Endowment, Khair Tabari, is calling for help to save the mosque from violations
Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft crashes during historic moon landing attempt
An Israeli spacecraft attempting to make history by becoming the first privately funded craft to land on the moon suffered an engine malfunction during its descent and crashed onto the lunar surface.
The Beresheet spacecraft was to have touched down on the moon between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET. But officials with SpaceIL, the Israeli nonprofit organization behind the mission, reported that they lost contact with the four-legged spacecraft as it neared the surface of the moon.
“We didn’t make it,” SpaceIL chairman Morris Kahn said during a livestream of the landing attempt. “The achievement to getting to where we got is really tremendous.”
Commando Gantz concedes defeat: Netanyahu eats PM JOB
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secures clear path to victory as main challenger Benny Gantz concedes defeat.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to win re-election after his main rival conceded defeat.
Israel Election 2019: Right-wing Bloc in Clear Lead, Commando Netanyahu Promises to Form Government ‘Swiftly’
Trump: Netanyahu’s victory is good sign for peace ■ Likud, Kahol Lavan tied with 35 seats each, but the right leads 65-55 ■ Netanyahu makes celebratory speech: ‘A night of great victory’ ■ Gantz: It’s looking bleak, but electoral shifts could happen ■ Gesher, Zehut, Hayamin Hehadash fail to enter Knesset
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has all but secured a 5th term on Wednesday morning, after more than 95 percent of the votes gave the right-wing bloc a 10-seat lead over the left.
Fighting Grips Tripoli As Libya Faces New Violence Among Rivals
Forces loyal to the internationally recognized Libyan Government of National Accord drive through Tripoli’s old airport on Monday. Elsewhere, Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar’s forces struck the city’s lone functioning civilian airport, part of his offensive against the capital.
Rapidly escalating violence is limiting civilians’ ability to travel in and out of Libya’s capital. An airstrike on Tripoli’s international airport Monday and other recent clashes have now forced some 3,400 people to leave their homes, according to the U.N.’s Humanitarian Affairs office.
Top Israel’s commandos battle for PM job
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won the Israeli national election, securing a record fifth term in office despite running neck-and-neck with his challenger Benny Gantz, the country’s three main television channels said on Wednesday.
With 97 percent of the votes counted, neither of the candidates’ parties had captured a ruling majority, but Netanyahu was clearly in a strong position to form a coalition government with other right-wing factions that have backed him.
