Prayers and concern in Iran as President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter remains missing
Search and rescue teams are looking for the crash site in the remote mountain area, says Iranian state media, adding...Geostrategy
Israel says more troops to ‘enter Rafah’ as operations intensify
Israeli forces took control earlier in May of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, in a push...Geostrategy
Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia restart Nile dam talks
The massive $4.2-billion dam built by Ethiopia has stoked tensions with Egypt and Sudan as they fear the dam will...The three countries, according to Ethiopia's foreign ministry, started a second round of negotiations in Addis Ababa
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed agreed in July to finalise a deal within four months
Eastern authorities want Libya aid conference in flood-hit Derna
Benghazi, Libya - Libya's flood-devastated port city of Derna will host an international conference next month to aid reconstruction efforts, authorities...Despite a wave of nationwide solidarity since the flood, there was no immediate show of support for the proposed conference from the Tripoli-based government
And even the office of strongman Khalifa Haftar, the main military backer of the eastern administration, questioned how many donor governments would attend
Israel congratulates Saudi Arabia on national day
JERUSALEM - Israel offered its congratulations to Saudi Arabia on the kingdom's national day on Saturday as the two countries..."We send our sincere congratulations to the king, government and people of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the 93rd national day," the Israeli foreign ministry said.
"May Allah bring you goodness and blessings, security and prosperity with our wishes for an atmosphere of peace, cooperation and good neighborliness," it added in the statement.
Several UAE entities sign pact to implement ‘Sharjah Sat-2’
Sharjah, UAE -- A cooperation agreement was signed between the Sharjah Academy of Astronomy, Space Sciences & Technology (SAASST), the...Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah (UOS), witnessed the signing.
The outcome of this project will help diverse parties in making decisions, developing future plans, and conducting scientific research.
Israeli, Lebanese clash with tear gas on Golan border
JERUSALEM - Israeli and Lebanese troops exchanged tear gas fire on Saturday on a disputed and highly militarised section of...The Israeli army said its troops used "riot dispersal means" to turn around a Lebanese earthmover that had strayed into Israeli-held territory.
The Lebanese army said it was the Israeli "enemy" which had violated the demarcation line and fired smoke bombs at its troops escorting the bulldozer.
Lebanon forces rescue 27 Syrian migrants in sinking boat
The navy, with support from the civil defense, "was able to rescue 27 illegal migrants aboard a rubber boat that...Also on Saturday, security forces said they arrested a Lebanese people smuggler and 42 Syrians as he was in a vehicle "filled with a large number of Syrians".
Migrants seeking to reach Europe from Lebanon generally head for the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus 175 kilometers (110 miles) away.
Ethiopia resumes Nile dam talks with Egypt and Sudan
Nairobi, Kenya - Ethiopia said Saturday that it has begun a second round of negotiations with Egypt and Sudan over a...Ethiopia this month announced the completion of the fourth and final filling of the Grand Renaissance Dam.
Egypt and Sudan fear the massive $4.2-billion dam will severely reduce the share of Nile water they receive.
Pope says migrants not invaders, urges ‘wise foresight’ on issue
Migration is "a reality of our times, a process that involves three continents around the Mediterranean and that must be...The pope's forceful interventions came as the migration debate has been stoked by mass arrivals on the Italian island of Lampedusa earlier this month.
A French presidential official said that Macron and the pope had discussed migration in bilateral talks earlier.
Chinese President Xi Jinping declares biggest-ever Asian Games open
Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the 19th Asian Games in a colourful ceremony in Hangzhou, launching a two-week sporting extravaganza...In front of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other visiting leaders, Xi officially opened the Games at the 80,000-capacity Hangzhou Olympic stadium.
The theme of the ceremony was water and it also celebrated Hangzhou's ancient history and landscape.
Iraqi PM planning to visit Moscow in coming weeks: Foreign Minister
Baghdad, Iraq -- Iraq is working to complete the necessary preparations for the visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani...Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of UN General Assembly.
"The two sides discussed prospects for joint cooperation and developing bilateral relations between the two countries," Iraqi foreign ministry said.