NEWS

Pope Leo XIV Urges World Leaders to End Wars, Reject Indifference —————————————- Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful appeal for global peace on Easter Sunday, calling on world leaders to end conflicts, lay down their weapons and reject indifference toward the…

Saudi Arabia’s Non‑Oil Private Sector Contracts Sharply as Regional Tensions Weigh on Business ———————————– Saudi Arabia’s non‑oil private sector experienced a notable slowdown in March 2026, with business activity falling into contraction for the first time in nearly six years,…

Border Crossing Closed Between Syria, Lebanon After Israeli Evacuation Warning ————————————- Authorities in Syria and Lebanon have temporarily closed and evacuated the key border crossing at Masnaa (also known as Jdeidet Yabous), following an urgent warning issued by the Israel Defense…

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Afghanistan Amid Conflict, Safety Hazards ————————————— Afghanistan is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, as rising tensions with Pakistan and longstanding war remnants exacerbate civilian suffering, according to multiple reports from international organizations. The Norwegian Refugee Council…

Google Unveils Gemma 4 AI Models as OpenAI Brings ChatGPT Voice to Cars ————————————— Google has officially launched Gemma 4, the latest generation of its open‑source artificial intelligence models. The new models, released under the Apache 2.0 license, are designed to run efficiently…

Monthly SRW Report Documents Surge in Anti-Shiism Incidents, War-Related Civilian Casualties ————————————— A new monthly report by Shia Rights Watch (SRW) paints a troubling picture of escalating violence and discrimination against Shia Muslims across multiple countries between March 1 and…

Strikes Near Bushehr Nuclear Plant Raise Fears of Regional Disaster ————————————— Recent strikes near Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant have heightened international concern over the risk of a potential nuclear incident, as fighting between United States, Israel and Iran intensifies.…

Global Food Prices Climb Again as Middle East Conflict Deepens, UN Warns of Wider Surge ————————————————————- Global food prices have continued to rise for a second consecutive month, with sharper increases recorded in March 2026 as the ongoing Middle East…

Office of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Offers Condolences on Martyrdom of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Passing of Abdul Azim al-Hasani ——————————– The office of the Supreme Religious Authority, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Husayni al-Shirazi, in the holy city of Qom, expressed…

AI’s Rise Undermines Value of Some Graduate Degrees, Study Shows ———————————— Artificial intelligence is reshaping demand in the labor market, eroding the financial returns of certain master’s programs. Research indicates that the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the…