US proposes $8B arms deal with Israel; Biden plans strikes on Houthis as Gaza aid faces Trump-era cuts
The US proposes an $8 billion arms deal with Israel, plans intensified strikes on Yemen's Houthis, while Israel considers cutting...Geostrategy
South Korea’s Yoon: from star prosecutor to president facing arrest
Yoon is under investigation for his martial law declaration and faces criminal charges of insurrection, which could result in life...Geostrategy
Saudi women DJs strum a new tune
Standing behind her control tower with headphones around her neck, Saudi DJ Leen Naif segues smoothly between pop hits and...Women DJs, an unthinkable phenomenon just a few years ago in the kingdom, are becoming a relatively common sight in its main cities
Naif and her peers embody two major reforms championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: new opportunities for women and expanding entertainment options notably music
Protestors stream into Iraq parliament with hot meals and tea
Volunteers shuttled back and forth in fleets of pickups to Iraq's normally secure Green Zone Saturday as protesters who occupied...Inside the parliament building, some protesters sat at lawmakers' desks while others milled about, raising their mobile phones to film the occupation
In the gardens outside, protesters pitched a large camouflage tent by the entrance as women with children joined other supporters
Floods deepen misery in Iran as death toll rises to 80
At least 80 people have been killed and 30 others are missing in floods that have wreaked havoc across Iran...President Ebrahim Raisi visited flood-ravaged areas in Firouzkouh region east of the capital to assess the situation
Videos and pictures posted by Iranian media and on social media showed houses and cars surrounded by grey mud, and people trying to recover their belongings
King of Morocco extends olive branch to Algeria
Morocco's King Mohammed VI used an address on Saturday to "once again" reiterate his openness to restoring ties with Algeria,...Morocco and Algeria have long been at odds over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat's rule
Morocco's sovereignty over the territory was backed by Washington in a 2020 deal that also saw Rabat normalize ties with Israel
Saudi handshake fuels hope for energy-hit Europe
Mohammed bin Salman's recent Europe visit after US President Joe Biden’s trip to Jeddah suggests that KSA wants to diversify...Mohammed bin Salman's recent Europe visit after US President Joe Biden’s trip to Jeddah suggests that KSA wants to diversify its partners amidst global uncertainties, say experts
Both Saudi Arabia and France want to play a crucial role in stabilization of the region. Paris, in particular, wants greater involvement of Riyadh in Lebanon
Swedish national arrested for alleged espionage, says Iran
Iran said it had arrested a Swedish national on allegations of espionage, while Sweden's foreign ministry said the case related...The announcement of a Swedish national's arrest comes amid diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Stockholm
A Swedish court sentenced a former Iranian official to life for war crimes in the Islamic republic in 1988
Lebanon seizes Syrian ship with ‘illegal’ Ukrainian grain
A Lebanese prosecutor ordered the seizure Saturday of a Syrian-flagged ship that docked at a northern port with a cargo of...Lebanese police were instructed to consult Ukraine's embassy after it said the ship was loaded from region occupied by Russian forces
Preliminary reports indicate that the owner of the shipping company is a Turkish national and the grain belongs to a Syrian merchant
No plan to leave Iraq’s parliament, say pro-Sadr protesters
Supporters of Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr penetrated Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone on Saturday, occupying parliament with no plan to...It is the second time in days that Sadr supporters have forced their way in to the legislative chamber, months after elections that failed to lead to formation of a government
Supporters of Sadr oppose the recently announced candidacy of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for prime minister
Gazprom suspends gas export to Latvia as tensions escalate
Russian energy giant Gazprom Saturday suspended gas supplies to Latvia following tensions between Moscow and the West over the conflict...Gazprom suspended its gas supplies to Latvia due to "violations of the conditions" of purchase, the company said on Telegram.
Gazprom drastically cut gas deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline on Wednesday to about 20 percent of its capacity.
Egypt warns Ethiopia against filling up of Renaissance Dam
Egypt has warned Ethiopia against the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) reservoir, saying that it would not...Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry dismissed the unilateral filling of the dam reservoir as "a clear violation of the 2015 Declaration of Principles Agreement"
The minister underlined that Egypt also reserves its legitimate right guaranteed in the Charter of the United Nations to take all necessary measures to ensure and protect its natio
