Lebanon resumes ‘voluntary’ repatriations of Syrians
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that an unspecified number of people had arrived from Lebanon as part of the...Geostrategy
Kuwait emir dissolves parliament in new political crisis
The state's ruler attributed his move to the "interference" of some MPs in the emir's powers and others imposing "conditions"...Geostrategy
EU chief wants global experts panel to confront AI challenges
Von der Leyen said the proposed AI group should be similar to the UN's IPCC panel, whose reports establish scientific...Von der Leyen said the proposed AI group should be similar to the UN's IPCC panel, whose reports establish scientific consensus on climate change.
The EU is leading the charge on regulating AI, and aims to green light what would be the world's first law covering the technology by the end of the year.
Kim Jong Un says Russia will win ‘great victory’ over enemies
"We are confident that the Russian army and people will win a great victory in the just fight to punish...Putin meanwhile praised "the future strengthening of cooperation and friendship between our countries," while hosting Kim at a Far East spaceport.
Experts say Russia may seek artillery shells and antitank missiles from North Korea, which wants advanced satellite and nuclear-powered submarine technology in return.
Iraq court sends 18 police officers to jail for Sweden embassy fire
Supporters of the powerful Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr set the Swedish embassy in Baghdad alight on the night of...Eight police received three-year jail terms, seven got two years and three months and three others were sentenced to 18 months in prison
Some of the Iraqi police involved in the case were permanently disbarred from the force, according to the court's verdict
No India-Middle East trade corridor without Turkey: Erdogan
Ankara, Turkey - Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that India-Middle East trade corridor proposed during the G20 summit...Turkish president highlighted Turkey's significance as a strategic location bridging the gap between the Middle East and Europe
Turkey already supports another proposed corridor that connects the Gulf region to Turkey and Europe through a comprehensive transportation network
Bahrain prison inmates suspend strike after 36 days
According to some activists at least 800 inmates joined the strike, the biggest in Bahrain's history. But Bahraini authorities said...The strike was suspended on Monday, after a meeting between jail officials and a group of prisoners
The prisoners can now have extra family visits and some inmates have been released from solitary confinement
Red Cross warns death toll may surge as 10,000 missing in Libya floods
The death toll from freak floods in eastern Libya is expected to soar dramatically, with 10,000 people reported missing, the...World Health Organization spokeswoman Margaret Harris meanwhile described the situation in Libya as "a calamity of epic proportions".
In eastern Libya, the storm hit the coastal town of Jabal al-Akhdar especially hard, as well as Benghazi, where a curfew was declared.
WTO says era of de-globalization is closer than it appears
Geneva, Switzerland - The de-globalization of international trade is far from being a reality, but "the first signs of fragmentation" are...After this phase of slowing globalization, the question is "whether we are moving towards a phase of deglobalization", said WTO official Ralph Ossa.
"We're quite far away from deglobalizing, but at the same time, you start seeing... the first cracks in the system," the WTO official said.
Iraq asks Sweden to extradite accused in Quran burning incident
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - Baghdad has asked Sweden to extradite Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who stoked international outrage by desecrating the Quran,...The Swedish government has condemned the desecrations of the Quran but upheld the country's laws regarding freedom of speech and assembly.
The accused in the Quran burning incident said that Iraq was seeking his extradition to try him according to Islamic law.
Normalization of Israeli-Saudi ties hit Palestine, security barriers
Despite Israel's strong determination and increasing US mediation efforts, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tel Aviv-Riyadh still face serious...The Chinese-mediated restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran served as a catalyst for US efforts to advance Tel Aviv-Riyadh ties.
For Israel, the normalization of relations with Arab countries has remained an important strategic goal for years.
A third of the global population still without internet: UN study
Around 100 million more people are able to access the internet since last year's census by the International Telecommunication Union...That means 67 percent of the world's population, or 5.4 billion people, are now online. However, the other 2.6 billion people are still without access.
With the developed world already online, the biggest growth areas for connectivity are in low-income countries.