Syria says meeting with Israeli officials sought to ‘contain escalation’
Syrian diplomatic source said Saturday that a US-mediated meeting with Israeli officials in Paris this week sought to "contain the...Geostrategy
UN chief blasts ‘lack of compassion’ for Palestinians in Gaza
United Nations, United States -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday slammed the international community for turning a blind eye...Geostrategy
Eastward shift: GCC builds strategic ties with ASEAN
Trade between GCC and ASEAN doubles, marking a new economic collaboration era as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and UAE enhance...Trade between GCC and ASEAN doubles, marking a new economic collaboration era as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and UAE enhance ties by signing Treaty of Amity and Cooperation
The UAE dominates Gulf investments in ASEAN with 74% share from 2016 to 2021 as recent free trade agreements with Indonesia and Singapore indicate expanding GCC-ASEAN ties
‘Coup attempt’ in troubled Niger as president held by guards
Niamey, Niger -- An attempted coup was underway Wednesday in the fragile state of Niger, where members of the Presidential Guard...The head of the West African bloc ECOWAS said Benin President Patrick Talon was heading to Niger on a mediation bid after the region was struck by a new bout of turbulence.
Both ECOWAS and the African Union lashed what they called an "attempted coup d'état," a term echoed by a source close to Bazoum.
Proton says will analyze VPN sign-ups to identify attacks on democracy
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Internet privacy company Proton announced Wednesday a new VPN Observatory, tracking demand for its services to detect attacks...Switzerland-based Proton said its new observatory would document spikes in sign-ups to its virtual private networks.
VPNs provide a secure, encrypted connection over the internet between a user and a server, giving users greater anonymity.
Five Moroccan migrants drown off Western Sahara: NGO
On Saturday authorities said six migrants drowned off northern Morocco trying to reach Spain. Mohamed Zendour, of the Moroccan Association...Morocco in northwest Africa is a transit country for many migrants trying to get to Europe via Spain's mainland or its Canary Islands in Atlantic
Spain's coastguard on Tuesday said it had rescued a migrant boat off the Canary Islands, pulled 84 people to safety and also found a man's dead body
Amnesty voices concern over Iran’s ‘intensified hijab crackdown’
Amnesty International expressed concern over the crackdown launched by Iran against women deemed to have violated the Islamic republic's dress...Amnesty said that Iran has begun a new crackdown on women's dress after the intensity of protests died down
The country's conservative clergy who dominate the leadership and parliament passionately defend the dress code
8 civilians, 7 soldiers killed in separate Yemen blasts
A government security official said that "an arms dealer was killed along with his wife and five of his children...An official in the government forces reported that four Yemeni soldiers were killed Tuesday evening
The government military official said "the Houthis infiltrated the road and planted four explosive devices"
Tunisians rally on second anniversary of Saied’s power grab
During Tuesday's protest, Ennahdha spokesman Imed Khemiri denounced "the return of a policy of intimidation... which restricts freedom of expression...Addressing the crowd, veteran politician Ahmed Nejib Chebbi denounced a "total failure" by Saied in managing the state
The opposition has kept up its protests against Saied's dramatic July 2021 move sacking the government and suspending parliament
Iranian authorities arrest several Bahais for links with Israel
Tehran, Iran - Iranian authorities have arrested several followers of the Bahai faith accused of spying for Tehran's arch-foe Israel, local..."A number of members at the core of the Bahai spy party have been arrested in Gilan province" in Iran's north, said Fars news agency.
Fars reported the group was alleged to have links "with the Zionist center known as Bayt al-Adl located in the occupied Palestinian territories".
UN begins pumping oil from decaying tanker off Yemen
"The United Nations has begun an operation to defuse what might be the world's largest ticking time bomb," UN Secretary-General...The transfer of 1.14 million barrels of Marib light crude from the 47-year-old FSO Safer to the new vessel is expected to take around three weeks.
The UN hopes the $143 million operation will eliminate the risk of an environmental disaster that it estimates would cost $20 billion to clean up.
Three Palestinians killed by Israel troops: Palestinian ministry
Violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year has killed at least 201 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian. They include,...The Israeli army said three "armed terrorists" had opened fire on its soldiers from a vehicle in a Nablus neighbourhood and the troops fired back "to neutralise" them
Since early last year, the territory has seen a string of attacks by Palestinians on Israeli targets, as well as violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities
