Syrian government says studying Amnesty report on massacres
Syria's government said late Friday it was "closely following" the findings of a new Amnesty International report urging an investigation...Geostrategy
US university calls for release of detained Turkish student
New York, United States - Tufts University on Wednesday publicly backed its student Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national detained by...Geostrategy
China announces military drills in Taiwan Strait
In a PLA statement, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Eastern Theatre Command, said "United Sharp Sword" would involve...The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said "United Sharp Sword" would run April 8 to 10 for "combat preparedness."
The move follows a meeting in California between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Israel mobilizes police, army reserves in latest spike of violence
Following the killing of three people in the West Bank and Tel Aviv, Israel has mobilized police and army reserves...In the occupied West Bank on Friday, two British-Israeli sisters were killed and their mother seriously wounded in a shooting attack
In Tel Aviv, one man was killed and seven people wounded when a car rammed into people sauntering along a cycling path along the seafront
Stress and trauma: Mental toll of Turkey’s quake
Sleeping troubles, fear of spending time indoors and profound fear of the mountains are some of the symptoms survivors in...Volunteer psychiatrist Eralp Turk tries to heal the anguish by zipping around the disaster zone with a box full of pills in his car and a notepad for recording emotions.
Social worker Aysen Yilmaz said the people she consults in Turkey's tent cities were showing all the symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
Tunisia intercepts over 14,000 migrants in January to March 2023
TUNIS, TUNISIA - Tunisia's coastguard said Friday it had intercepted over 14,000 migrants trying to reach Europe from January to March,...The figure has risen from 2,532 intercepted in the same period last year, including 1,657 from sub-Saharan Africa.
Tunisia has long served as a launchpad for people fleeing conflict in countries as far afield as Cameroon and Sudan.
SDF signs $240m loan pact for Pakistan hydropower project
Dubai, UAE -- The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed a US$240 million loan agreement to support Pakistan's Mohmand...The project is co-financed by the Saudi Fund for Development, OPEC, Islamic Development Bank, and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
By using renewable energy sources, the project will generate 800 MW of electricity production capacity.
World food prices fall for 12 consecutive months, says UN
World food prices are still high but have fallen by a fifth compared to a year ago when prices soared...FAO said the fall in benchmark prices was "driven by declines in world quotations for cereals and vegetable oils."
The UN agency added that food remained expensive for developing countries highly dependent on imports.
French foreign minister has rare meeting with Iranian counterpart in China
France's foreign minister has held a rare face-to-face meeting with her Iranian counterpart in China, urging Tehran to release French...Foreign minister Amir-Abdollohian was leading the Iranian delegation in separate reconciliation talks in Beijing between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Contacts between Iran and European powers have reduced over Tehran's deadly crackdown on the protest movement that erupted in September.
Lebanon dismantles loaded rocket launcher primed to fire at Israel
On Thursday, the Israeli army said more than 30 rockets had been fired from Lebanese territory into Israel in the...Shells hit a field and damaged a house near the Palestinian refuge camp of Rashidiyeh, an area from where rockets were fired at Israel, AFP correspondents said.
"There are no Hezbollah or Palestinian military positions here. The Israeli are unleashing their anger on banana groves," Mohsen Mortada, a resident of Qlayle, told AFP.
Children to be vaccinated in quake-hit northwest Syria
CAIRO/AMMAN, EGYPT/JORDAN - Measles and polio vaccination campaign will be launched on Saturday across northwest Syria to protect some 800,000...The vaccination drive is supported by WHO, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, in partnership with local NGOs and the Syria Immunization Group.
Raising immunization levels among children is a priority in an area where the earthquakes partially or totally destroyed 67 health facilities.
Russia’s Lavrov holds talks in Turkey to extend grain deal
The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov, who last visited Turkey in June, will discuss the grain deal, which Moscow says...Sergei Lavrov joined Turkish Foreign Minister, at a dinner breaking the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan before the pair headed into talks on Friday
The foreign ministers are due to address a joint news conference at the presidential palace where Lavrov will also meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
