Israeli strikes kill dozens in Syria and Lebanon, rile Russia and Iran
In Syria, "Israeli strikes" targeted a Hizbollah "rockets depot" in Aleppo province, killing 36 Syrian soldiers, seven Hezbollah members and...Geostrategy
French parliament condemns 1961 Paris killings of Algerians
Paris, France - The French parliament's lower house on Thursday approved a resolution condemning as "bloody and murderous repression" the killing...Geostrategy
Turkey’s opposition scrambles to select consensus candidate
Analysts view the opposition's failure to put aside their differences just two months before the vote as one of the...Tayyip Erdogan faces the fight of his political life in what many view as Turkey's most consequential election.
The 68-year-old leader will need to overcome the twin hurdles of an economic crisis and a devastating earthquake.
Saudi Arabia to deposit $5 bn in quake-hit Turkey’s central bank
Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Saudi tourism minister and board chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development, signed an agreement with...The decision, which will shore up Turkey's foreign reserves and help it combat inflation, was made on the order of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Turkey was already suffering from skyrocketing inflation and a weakening currency before last month's massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake.
Severe punishment for people behind poisoning, says Iran
Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said those behind the poisoning of schoolgirls in recent months should face "severe punishment",...Female pupils have reported suffering symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea and vertigo after detecting "unpleasant" or "unknown" odors
Last week, deputy health minister Younes Panahi said that the suspected attacks were aimed at shutting down education for girls.
UNESCO chief in Iraq to visit war-battered cultural sites
UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay was to visit reconstruction projects and meet top officials including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and...Audrey Azoulay will on Monday tour Iraq's national museum and the historic centre of Baghdad, including Al-Mutanabi streets, home to generations of booksellers
On Wednesday, he will head to Arbil, capital of the autonomous region of Kurdistan and home to an ancient citadel that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Israeli Air Force reservists protest over legal reforms
Dozens of Israeli Air Force pilots have said they will boycott military training in protest at government legal reforms that...Judicial reform is a cornerstone of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's extreme-right administration.
Netanyahu presents the overhaul as key to restoring balance between the branches of government in a system.
Afghan universities reopen after winter break, but women still barred
The university ban is one of several restrictions imposed on women since the Taliban stormed back to power in August...The Taliban government imposed the ban after accusing women students of ignoring a strict dress code
Many officials say the ban on women's education is temporary but, despite promises, they have failed to reopen secondary schools for girls
Seoul to compensate Japan wartime forced labour victims
Japan and the United States immediately welcomed the announcement, but victims' groups said it fell far short of their demand...Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi welcomed the plan, telling reporters it would help to restore "healthy" ties
Seoul and Tokyo have ramped up security cooperation in the face of growing threats from Kim Jong Un's North Korea
Egyptian president, Iraqi PM discuss ties, alliance with Jordan
Cairo, Egypt — Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi held talks Sunday with Iraq’s prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Cairo...The talks focused on economic cooperation and security ties between the two countries, according to Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy
The leaders of Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan have held five summits since 2019, the most recent of which took place in December near the Dead Sea in Jordan
Egypt jails activists for years on ‘terrorism’: rights groups
Egypt regularly uses accusations of support or financing of "terrorism" to hold activists and opposition figures as long as possible...Egypt regularly uses accusations of support or financing of “terrorism” to hold activists and opposition figures as long as possible in pre-trial detention
The two-year time limit on such detention is regularly exceeded, say rights groups who count around 60,000 political prisoners in the country
King Abdullah meets Lloyd Austin, calls for calm in Palestinian Territories
Amman, Jordan--King Abdullah has stressed the need for restoring calm in the Palestinian Territories, as well as cease any unilateral...Jordan king called for stepping up efforts towards relaunching Palestinian-Israeli negotiations to reach just and comprehensive peace
Discussions between the two also covered the latest regional developments, as well as efforts to reach political solutions to crises in the region