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Gaza, May 3 (IANS) Israel carried out airstrikes on Tuesday night on the posts that belong to Palestinian militant groups led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.

Palestinian security officials in Gaza said that Israeli reconnaissance drones and fighter jets hovered over the coastal enclave, ruled by Hamas, and then several explosions were heard in the northern and central Gaza Strip and western Gaza City, Xinhua news agency reported.

An Israeli military spokesman said in a press statement that the Israeli air forces began to strike on militants' posts in the Gaza Strip in response to the earlier rocket attacks from the enclave at southern Israel.

No injuries were reported following the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, the security officials said.

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Cairo, April 16 (IANS) Countries in the Middle East have expressed concerns over the ongoing conflicts between Sudan's army and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and called for an immediate ceasefire and resolution of differences through dialogue.

The fight erupted on Saturday morning in the capital Khartoum and adjoining cities. At least three civilians have been killed, according to the Sudan Doctors' Committee. The RSF announced that they have taken control of key locations, including Khartoum Airport and the Merowe military base in northern Sudan.

The latest armed conflict in Sudan has raised concerns among Middle Eastern countries, including those in the Arab League, prompting them to condemn the ongoing armed conflicts and call for de-escalation, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry conveyed deep concern about the violence in Sudan and called on Sudan's military and political leaders to prioritise dialogue, restraint, and wisdom, and unite to complete the consensus that has been achieved, including the framework agreement.

The UAE also urged Sudan's conflicting parties to exercise restraint and resolve the crisis through dialogue. In a statement, the UAE Embassy in Khartoum expressed deep concern and reaffirmed the importance of de-escalation and finding a peaceful solution through dialogue. It also emphasised the need to support the political process in Sudan and achieve national consensus for the formation of a government.

Qatar, Libya and Jordan also joined in urging Sudan's conflicting parties to immediately stop fighting and resolve their differences through dialogue.

On Saturday, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Saturday expressed his shock and condemnation of the armed fighting, especially during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

The Secretary-General also stressed the responsibility of the warring parties to preserve the security and safety of Sudanese civilians in the fighting areas and throughout the country, adding that the Arab League General Secretariat is ready to intervene with the warring parties to end the fight.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Armed Forces called for the maintenance of security and safety for Egyptian forces training in Sudan. In a statement, the Egyptian Army's spokesman noted that joint Egyptian forces are present in Sudan for training purposes and are closely following the events. Coordination is underway with the concerned authorities to ensure the security of the Egyptian forces.

Iran also expressed concern about the developments and tensions in Sudan, inviting the conflicting sides to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Major disagreements have recently emerged between the Sudanese Army, led by Chairman of Sudan's Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by al-Burhan's deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, especially over the RSF's integration into the army, as stipulated in a framework agreement signed between the military and civilian leaders on December 5, 2022.

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Jerusalem, April 16 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a joint statement, asserting that the country's economy remains "solid," despite Moody's recent downgrade of Israel's credit outlook.

Moody's lowered Israel's economic outlook from positive to stable on Friday, citing concerns over the "deterioration of Israel's governance" amid ongoing upheaval over the government's controversial judicial reforms.

In the statement posted on Smotrich's Twitter account on Saturday, Netanyahu and Smotrich stated the current instability as "temporary".

"The concern that Moody's analysts raise about the public controversy and its effect on Israel's political and economic stability is natural for those who do not know the strength of Israeli society," the statement added.

The judicial reforms have faced widespread public criticism, and the country's stock exchange has declined since their introduction. Leading Israeli economists and entrepreneurs have warned that these reforms could harm the Israeli economy and deter foreign investment, Xinhua news agency reported.

A recent survey conducted by Israeli NGO Start-Up Nation Central revealed that many hi-tech companies were already encountering difficulties in raising funds, and some Israeli firms have announced plans to withdraw capital from Israel in response to the government's moves.

Last month, Netanyahu announced a pause in the legislation in response to widespread public criticism. Negotiations between the government and the opposition are taking place in an attempt to find a compromise.

Also on Saturday, Israeli Opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Twitter that the move of Moody's is proof that the judicial reforms "endangers the livelihood of every Israeli citizen".

"They should announce that they are stopping the legislative madness and are going to take care of the economy," he added.

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Tehran, April 16 (IANS) Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully tested its newest top-attack anti-tank guided missile, state media reported.

Dubbed Sadid-365, the missile is an anti-armour projectile with a range of 8 kilometre, which is capable of destroying different armoured military vehicles, Tasnim quoted Ali Kouhestani, the head of the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC Ground Force, as saying on Saturday.

He stressed that Sadid-365 is an optically-guided missile capable of hitting targets with pinpoint accuracy, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kouhestani said in the next phase of development, the missile will be equipped with folding fins and a fire control system, and be mounted on the armoured personnel carriers of the IRGC Ground Force, with two missiles on each side of their turret.

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Jerusalem, April 16 (IANS) The Israeli Astronomical Association (IAA) has reported a bolide explosion seen in daylight in the country's sky.

The bolide, a particularly bright meteor, was seen flashing across the sky at 17:16 local time (14:16 GMT), according to reports, photos, and videos received at the IAA released on Saturday.

Igal Pat-El, a member of the International Astronomical Union, told Xinhua that according to the observed colours, it was a meteorite made of stone, probably tens of centimetre long at most, which completely disintegrated in the air and did not reach the ground.

"Meteors are observed every night, but seeing one from an inhabited place, in daylight, and over Israel is very rare," he added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Meteor is the scientific name for the popular term "falling star," a flash of light that can usually be seen in the night sky when interplanetary material enters Earth's atmosphere, ignites from the friction and leaves behind a bright trail.

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Athens, April 16 (IANS) Five people lost their lives in northern Greece when a car carrying 10 illegal migrants crashed onto another vehicle, according to local media.

The incident happened on the outskirts of Komotini city near the land border with Turkey, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported on Saturday, citing local police.

The victims were four migrants whose nationalities have not been clarified yet, and the local driver of the second car, Xinhua news agency reported.

Another three migrants were hospitalised in serious condition, according to the report.

Similar incidents have been reported many times in recent years in northern Greece. Despite efforts to fight smuggling networks at land and sea borders, thousands of migrants and refugees still try to enter Greece every year.

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Rawalpindi, April 15 (IANS) The Pakistan army's top brass has affirmed to eliminate terrorism, extremism and instability in the country by following a "whole-of-the-system" approach which was approved by the government.

According to a statement issued by the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the 257th Corps Commanders' Conference held in Rawalpindi reviewed the domestic and regional environment including external and internal security challenges Pakistan confronts, Geo News reported.

The forum, under the chair of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, affirmed that the military leadership is cognizant of the full spectrum of the challenges and it "resolves to shoulder its constitutionally mandated responsibilities with the support of the resilient people of Pakistan".

It also reiterated the commitment of the armed forces to fully support national responses against internal and external threats.

Highlighting that the security forces are undertaking intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in areas along the western border, the forum emphasised that there was a need to adopt a "whole-of-the-nation and whole-of-the-government approach to eradicate the menace of terrorism on a long-term basis".

The forum expressed its assurance to pursue the goals set by the National Security Committee (NSC) to turn the tide against terrorism through the coordinated application of all elements of national power, Geo News reported.

Speaking during the National Assembly session a day earlier, the COAS said that negotiations with militants in the past helped terrorists regroup in the country.

The army chief said the campaign will include representation not only from the security agencies but also from all departments of the government.

"This is not a new operation but a whole nation approach."

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Aden, April 8 (IANS) Yemen government officials have gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss a comprehensive three-year peace plan to end the country's prolomged civil war, a diplomat said here.

"Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman held a meeting on Thursday with Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), and other high-ranking Yemeni government officials in Riyadh, during which he presented the kingdom's plan for peace in Yemen," the diplomat told Xinhua news agency late Friday.

The proposed plan, which is based on a series of back-channel negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militia in Muscat for the past few months, has three main stages that will be implemented over a period of three years, he said, adding the Yemeni officials have already shown their initial support for the plan.

The first phase of the plan, according to the source, is "a six-month truce between warring factions in Yemen, during which hostilities will cease and efforts will be made to rebuild trust and lay the groundwork for peace".

The second phase would entail a dialogue to address key issues and grievances among the various Yemeni factions and reopen the closed roads, airspace and seaports.

The third stage would be a two-year transitional period during which a new and inclusive government would be established, paving the way for long-term stability and peace in the country, according to the official.

A truce agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebel group is likely to be announced in the coming days, the official added.

Meanwhile, another Yemeni government official confirmed to Xinhua that Muhammad Al Jaber, the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, along with an Omani delegation, is planning to meet Houthi leaders in Sanaa to discuss the "the final arrangements" of the truce.

Oman and the UN have mediated previous rounds of negotiations between the Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia, and the Houthi rebels.

Muscat's role has been crucial in facilitating talks and maintaining good relations with both parties.

Yemeni observers hope that the proposed peace plan will be a viable solution to the ongoing conflict and alleviate the country's humanitarian crisis.

The UN has been working to broker a political solution to the conflict, but previous attempts have failed due to a lack of trust between the warring parties and continued violence on the ground.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognised government.

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in the conflict in support of the Yemeni government in 2015.

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Athens, April 8 (IANS) The Bank of Greece (BoG) said the country's economy is expected to grow by 2.2 per cent in 2023, higher than previous projections.

The 2023 state budget, passed in December last year, projected a 1.8 per cent increase in gross domestic product (GDP) growth for this year, reports Xinhua news agency.

Despite successive crises, the Greek economy has shown remarkable resilience in recent years, BoG Governor Yannis Stournaras said while presenting his annual report on Friday.

This is due to continued implementation of reforms and credible policies, he underlined.

Inflation is expected to drop to 4.4 per cent in 2023, down from 9.3 per cent in 2022. This reflects an expected decline in energy prices, said the report.

Meanwhile, the general government budget will return to a primary surplus of 0.7 per cent of GDP in 2023, after three consecutive years of deficits.

An unfavourable international macroeconomic environment had cast a shadow over the outlook for the Greek economy in 2023, said Stournaras, adding that continued credible policies would be required to meet these challenges.

"The greatest risk to the prospects of the Greek economy, at a time of successive crises and elevated uncertainty, would be the loss of economic policy credibility," he warned.

"It is true that any prolonged political uncertainty could undermine the climate of confidence that has been built up in recent years.

"However, the most significant risk to the economy would be a return to the inefficient policies of the past, and the halting and/or reversal of reform efforts," he said.

General elections in the country will take place on May 21.

Political analysts have predicted that no party will secure a parliamentary majority under the current electoral law, and therefore a second round will be held under a new law, which provides for extra seats for the winning party.

Stournaras called for political forces to show "prudence and responsibility", and to agree on the implementation of key economic policies, to safeguard the achievements of the economy over the past decade.

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Aden (Yemen), April 3 (IANS) UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has called for dialogue and compromises between the Yemeni government and the Houthis to achieve long-lasting peace.

In a statement marking the first anniversary of the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Yemen's warring parties, Grundberg said on Sunday that the UN-mediated ceasefire that started in April 2022 was generally observed even after its expiration in October 2022.

Hailing the truce as "a moment of hope", the envoy added that its "most significant promise is its potential to jumpstart an inclusive political process aimed at comprehensively and sustainably ending the conflict".

"There are still significant risks," he cautioned, adding a surge in military, economic, and rhetorical escalation in recent weeks has highlighted the frailty of the ceasefire's achievements when they are not backed by political advancements towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

He also underscored the necessity "to protect the gains of the truce and to build on them towards more humanitarian relief, a nationwide ceasefire, and a sustainable political settlement that meets the aspirations of Yemeni women and men".

"At this critical time, any new temporary or partial arrangement needs to include a clear commitment from the parties that ensures it is a step on the course of a peaceful solution that is reached through the consensus of Yemenis in an inclusive political process," said the envoy.

A UN-brokered humanitarian truce that went into effect in April last year provided a glimmer of hope for a peaceful resolution to Yemen's conflict by substantially reducing violence across the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, sporadic armed confrontations have resumed in many parts of the country after the expiration of the truce in October last year.

The recent Houthi attacks against government troops in Marib and other regions have further shattered hopes for a lasting peace pact.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognised government and its allies, which include a Saudi Arabia-led coalition.

The years-long war brought the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of collapse, causing famine and widespread suffering as well as disrupting the country's food supply chain, leaving millions of people without access to adequate nutrition.

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