Last Saturday was marked as World Press Freedom Day as campaigns to silence journalists has gathered momentum around the world, including in Western countries which claim to be beacons of free speech and democracy.

Donald Trump was among world leaders to attend the funeral of Pope Francis who was one of the 21st century's most admired and beloved global figures and whose death moved millions to grief.

On Saturday, Iranian and US envoys are set to engage in a third round of indirect negotiations on limiting Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions.

Israel is systematically squeezing the 2.3 million Palestinians into less and less of the narrow coastal territory of Gaza. The UN has said Palestinians are being confined to about one-third of the Strip and that area is fragmented.

Writing in the liberal Israeli daily Haaretz on April 6, Gideon Levy argued that press freedom in Israel "is an extremely selective matter." Focusing on broadcasters and newspapers, he said, they tailor their output to "entertain the viewers, not annoy them, God forbid, lest they

Donald Trump adopted the slogan "America First" during his 2016 and 2024 campaigns for the presidency.

Israel continues to push Palestinians to leave Gaza while enticing them with promises of settlement in unnamed countries.

Hamas refusal to agree to a US proposal for an extension of the ceasefire in Gaza is given by Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu as his reason for returning to all-out war.

The Muslim world has added its considerable weight to the plan adopted by the Arab summit for the reconstruction of Gaza while Palestinians remain in the strip.