JERUSALEM, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israel's flagship airline El Al announced on Sunday it will launch direct flights from Tel Aviv to the Asian capitals Manila, Seoul, and Hanoi, with three weekly flights to each destination.The new Tel Aviv-Manila route marks the first-ever direct air connection between Israel and the Philippines, with flights taking around 11 hours to Manila and 12 hours 20 minutes on the return, El Al said.The airline's Hanoi service will complement existing direct flights operated by Israeli airline Arkia, which began operating nonstop flights between Israel and Vietnam late last month.El Al will also operate direct flights from Tel Aviv to Seoul. The route, previously served by South Korea's flag carrier Korean Air, was suspended after the multi-front conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023.The new routes will provide an optimal solution for business travelers and help strengthen economic ties between Israel and Asian countries, the Israeli airline said.

CAIRO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Sunday strongly condemned repeated attacks targeting humanitarian aid convoys, medical facilities, and displaced civilians in Sudan, describing them as a serious violation of international humanitarian law.In a statement, Egypt's Foreign Ministry denounced what it called repeated brutal attacks on humanitarian assistance convoys and medical facilities in Sudan, warning that such acts undermine relief efforts and exacerbate the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe facing the country.The ministry referred to a recent drone attack that targeted an aid convoy affiliated with the World Food Programme in Sudan's North Kordofan state, which killed an aid worker and injured several others. It also cited another similar incident in the same state that left at least 24 people dead.The recurrence of such violations contributes to deepening Sudan's humanitarian catastrophe, amid rising displacement and growing food insecurity, said the statement, underscoring the urgent need to ensure the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people.Egypt also called for creating conditions conducive to easing civilian suffering and restoring stability, emphasizing the importance of halting escalation and safeguarding humanitarian operations across Sudan, said the statement.Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions both within Sudan and abroad.

TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday described the recent nuclear talks between his country and the United States as a step forward.He made the comments in a post on X, highlighting the indirect negotiations between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday.Pezeshkian said that the discussions took place as a result of the follow-up efforts by friendly governments in the West Asia region, emphasizing that dialogue has consistently been Iran's chosen strategy for resolving issues peacefully.Meanwhile, speaking at a national conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who headed the country's delegation at Friday's talks, said, No one can tell us what to have and what not to have.He assured that Iran has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, while firmly rejecting any form of bullying.Araghchi said: If they speak to Iranian people using the language of force, we will respond to them with the same language. However, if they talk to us using the language of respect, their response will be given with the same language.The Friday talks were held amid heightened regional tensions between Washington and Tehran, including a recent U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and Iran's stepped-up preparations.After the conclusion of negotiations, Araghchi said: In general, I can say that it was a good start. However, the continuation of the process depends on the two sides' consultations in their capitals and their decisions about how to continue it.

KABUL, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Four commuters lost their lives and five others were injured due to a road accident in northern Afghanistan's Samangan province on Sunday, provincial police spokesman Hashamtullah Rahmani said.The deadly mishap took place early Sunday on the main road in Rabatak area, the official said, adding that all the injured travelers had been shifted to a nearby hospital.Blaming reckless driving for the deadly traffic accident, the official noted that an investigation is underway.