Macron warns Israel over any Rafah forced population transfer
In a telephone call between the two leaders, Macron also "strongly condemned" Israel's announcement Friday of the seizure of 800...Geostrategy
Red Crescent says Israel army besieges two more Gaza hospitals
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES – The Palestinian Red Crescent said on Sunday that Israeli forces were besieging two hospitals in southern Gaza,...Geostrategy
TotalEnergies of France pulls out of Russian oil project
Russian oil firm Zarubezhneft will take over its remaining 20 percent stake in the Kharyaga project in the Arctic pending...It has promised to stop purchasing Russian oil and gas by the end of the year, and make no further investments there
TotalEnergies had already ceded a 20 percent stake in the project and the role of operator to Zarubezhneft
Iran media reports arrest of several foreign diplomats
Iran's Revolutionary Guards arrested several foreign diplomats including a Briton, accusing them of "spying", the Fars news agency and state...The British government quickly denied that any of its personnel had been arrested, describing the reports as "completely false"
State television however reported that the Briton, identified as Giles Whitaker, the UK government's deputy head of mission in Iran, was only expelled from "the area"
Belgium ratifies controversial prisoner-swap treaty with Iran
Belgium's parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial prisoner-swap treaty with Iran in the first reading of a text that still...The treaty has been slammed by an Iranian dissident group, the NCRI and as well as some US lawmakers and Amnesty International
Tehran also holds a Swedish-Iranian academic from Brussels university under the "espionage" charges, and has sentenced him to death
Iran denies making demands beyond nuclear deal
The US has during latest indirect negotiations accused Iran of raising issues "wholly unrelated" to the nuclear deal.The US has during latest indirect negotiations accused Iran of raising issues "wholly unrelated" to the nuclear deal
The US walked out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 under then president Trump, who reimposed biting sanctions on Tehran
Kurdish Iraq decries ‘unjust pressure’ from Baghdad in oil row
Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region Wednesday deplored "unjust pressure" from the federal government's oil ministry, days after the judiciary nullified oil...The move comes as the Kurdish region and the federal government remain locked in a tug-of-war over the management of hydrocarbons
Iraq's supreme court in February ordered Kurdistan to deliver the oil produced in its territories to the federal government
Sri Lanka appeals Russia for fuel and resumption of tourist flights
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic downturn since it gained independence from Britain in 1948.The Island nation has suffered months of blackouts, rampant inflation and critical shortages of food and petrol.
Russia and Ukraine were among the top sources of tourists for Sri Lanka before February's conflict began.
Twitter files suit in Indian court to challenge orders to block content
Twitter is challenging the Indian government's orders to block content on its social media site in court, local media reported...The suit is the latest showdown between Twitter and Indian authorities, which have been accused of muzzling criticism both on and offline.
Last week Twitter confirmed that India had directed it to locally censor accounts and dozens of posts, including some talking about declining internet freedom in the country.
Palestinian president holds rare meeting with Hamas chief
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh met publicly for the first time in over five years, on...Algeria's state broadcaster reported late Tuesday that representatives of the Palestinian Authority and the Islamist Hamas movement also attended this meeting
Abbas' secular Fatah party, which dominates the Palestinian Authority that rules the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has been at loggerheads with Hamas since elections in 2007
22 Malian migrants died in boat disaster off Libya: UN
Twenty-two Malian migrants died in a boat disaster off the Libyan coast, the UN said Tuesday, citing survivors who reported...Libya has become a key route for irregular migration to Europe in the chaotic years since the 2011 overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising
Many have drowned at sea, thousands have been intercepted by the Libyan coastguard, which has been backed by Italy and the EU, and returned to Libya
Israel PM talks Iran, Lebanon with Macron on his first trip
Iran and its influence in the Middle East took center stage on Tuesday in talks between Israeli Prime Minister Yair...Israel PM discussed Lebanon dispute with French president and said that he presented intelligence on Hezbollah and its activities
Emmanuel Macron said Israel and Lebanon should "avoid any action" that could worsen relations between the two countries
