jeudi 2 avril 2026
Iraq revives Syria land route to export oil to Europe
Iraq revives Syria land route to export oil to Europe: Seeking for new ways to balance the books, Baghdad shifts exports overland as regional war disrupts maritime routes
Lebanon says Israeli attacks killed 27, injured 105 in past 24 hours
April 2, 2026 at 4:51 pm. Middle East Monitor
A view of the damaged cars following the Israeli airstrikes on the Dahieh area in the south of Beirut, Lebanon on March 30, 2026. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency]
Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed 27 people and wounded 105 others over the past 24 hours, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Thursday, Anadolu reports.
The ministry added that the total death toll since March 2 has risen to 1,345, with 4,040 people injured.
Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in the south since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.
Lebanese authorities said that nearly 1,318 people have since been killed and 3,935 others wounded in the Israeli assault.
Israeli attacks kill 50 more people in Lebanon in past 24 hours: Health Ministry
(Finalement le proxy d'israël ne part pas en guerre. Mais avec les américains, les israéliens et leurs proxys, on ne peut pas avoir confiance dans leur parole. note de rené)
UAE rejects report claiming it is ready to join war on Iran to reopen Hormuz
April 2, 2026 at 4:17 pm. Middle East Monitor
The United Arab Emirates has rejected reports suggesting that it is willing to join the war against Iran in order to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying such claims are misleading and do not reflect its actual position.
In a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Dhabi said: “Recent reporting suggesting a shift in the UAE’s posture is misleading.” The ministry stressed that the UAE maintains a defensive posture focused on protecting its sovereignty, population and infrastructure, while reserving the right to self-defence against what it described as “ongoing unlawful and unprovoked attacks.”
The statement came in response to a report by The Wall Street Journal, which claimed that the UAE “is willing to join the fight” to reopen the strategic waterway by force.
Abu Dhabi said that the Strait of Hormuz remains a vital artery for the global economy and reiterated that freedom of navigation there must be preserved. However, it stopped far short of endorsing direct participation in the war, instead saying it is prepared to support collective international efforts to safeguard maritime security, in coordination with partners and in line with international law.
READ: Qatar’s emir warns Trump of ‘serious consequences’ from war with Iran
The UAE’s denial also undercuts claims that Gulf Arab states have been pushing US President Donald Trump and Israel to escalate the conflict. Those narratives appear increasingly detached from reality. The Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia has become deeply frustrated with Trump’s erratic handling of the war, including threats to strike Iranian infrastructure, suggestions that Gulf states should pay for the conflict and repeated uncertainty over Washington’s endgame.
The same FT report said Riyadh blames Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for igniting the conflict and fears being left to deal with the consequences of a wounded but more militarised Iran. It also reported growing Saudi unease over the lack of clear US strategy, as well as anger at Trump’s public remarks about Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Rather than cheering escalation, Gulf states appear increasingly disillusioned with Washington and alarmed by the fallout from a war they did not want. The UAE statement and Saudi frustration together suggest that the region’s Arab powers are far more concerned with containing the conflict than joining it.
READ: Gulf allies urge restraint as Washington weighs escalation
Iraqi Islamic Resistance claims 41 attacks on US bases in Iraq and region
April 2, 2026 at 11:08 am. Middle East Monitor
The group calling itself the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” said its fighters carried out 41 attacks on what it described as “occupation bases” in Iraq and the wider region on Wednesday.
In a statement, the group said: “The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq carried out 41 operations today, Wednesday, 1st April 2026, using dozens of drones targeting occupation bases in Iraq and the region.”
Its military media also released footage showing the launch of drones towards those bases.
US forces in Iraq have recently faced a sharp increase in attacks using drones and rockets, mainly targeting bases in Baghdad and Erbil.
The group and Iran say these operations are part of their response to what they describe as US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic, which began on 28 February.
Meanwhile, a joint statement by six Arab countries called on the Iraqi government to “take the necessary measures to immediately stop attacks carried out by factions, militias and armed groups from Iraqi territory against neighbouring countries.”
READ: The US offers up to $3M reward for info on attacks targeting diplomatic facilities in Iraq
(Tiens les tibétains en exil veulent apprendre le chinois. note de rené)
Taiwan to send Mandarin teachers to Tibetan schools in India
Focus TaïwanNew Delhi, March 25 (CNA) Taiwan will send Chinese-language teachers to Tibetan schools in India, under an agreement signed Wednesday with a Tibetan higher education institute.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the education division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in New Delhi and the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education.
Under the MOU, Taiwanese teachers will be placed in Tibetan schools to teach Mandarin, thus creating more opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding, according to TECC head Chen Mu-min (陳牧民), Taiwan's representative to India.
The initiative marks the first formal collaboration in higher education between Taiwan and the Tibetan community in India, Chen told CNA.
Tenzin Pasan, principal of the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education in Bangalore, said the school has been offering Mandarin courses since its establishment in 2008, but they have been mostly taught by Tibetan instructors.
With the establishment of the new partnership, TECC will help to recruit native Chinese-language teachers, thus enhancing the quality of the courses, the principal said.
Jigmey Tsultrim, chief representative of the Central Tibetan Administration's (CTA) settlement in southern India, said the MOU reflects the shared values in education, ideas, and democracy between the two sides and will strengthen bilateral ties.
Culture and education, including language, transcend borders, he said, adding that the new program could help to inspire more Tibetan youth.
Tashi Dickey, secretary of the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, said the MOU was a milestone for the Tibetan community in India.
Learning Mandarin expands job opportunities for Tibetan students and can open doors for the wider Tibetan society, enabling them to better express themselves to Chinese-speaking audiences as they confront China and fight for a free Tibet, Dickey said.
Inscription à :
Commentaires (Atom)