Gaza ceasefire, post-conflict planning on Blinken’s Saudi visit agenda
Blinken is due to travel on to Egypt, which neighbors Gaza and whose envoys have been involved in previous mediation...Geostrategy
Libya closes Tunisia border crossing after outbreak of clashes
Tripoli, Libya--Libya ordered the "immediate" closure of its main border crossing with Tunisia on Tuesday following clashes between armed groups and...Geostrategy
Somali MPs vote in prez election as famine threat looms
Somali lawmakers gathered in Mogadishu Sunday to vote in the country's long-overdue presidential election, with 35 candidates vying for the...The poll has been dogged by claims of irregularities and is well over a year behind schedule
The vote is expected to draw a line under a political crisis that has lasted well over a year
2,000 attend new Tunisia opposition alliance demonstration
A crowd estimated at more than 2,000, lower than expected, took part Sunday in the first demonstration of a new...Veteran opposition figure Ahmed Nejib Chebbi announced the formation of the new alliance on April 26 to "save" Tunisia from deep crisis following Saied's power grab last year.
Demonstrators said they were disappointed by the numbers that turned out for the first public show of support for the alliance.
Blinken offers ‘deep condolences’ to family of Palestinian journalist
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the family of slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh after criticizing Israel's...The top US diplomat "noted Abu Akleh's journalistic body of work and the importance of a free and independent press"
Al Jazeera said Israel shot her "in cold blood"
Macron meets Mohamed bin Zayed, offers condolences
The UAE's new president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks Sunday with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron as world...British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US Vice President Kamala Harris, US Secretary of State A. Blinken and Israeli President Isaac Herzog are also expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi
Presidents and monarchs from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Tunisia, and Sudan's de facto leader, were among a long line of dignitaries to offer their condolences
Finland to announce NATO decision as Sweden holds key meet
The Finnish government is expected to officially announce its intention to join NATO on Sunday, as Sweden's ruling party holds..."Hopefully we can send our applications next week together with Sweden," Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Saturday
Finland has been leading the charge, while Sweden appears anxious at being the only non-NATO country around the Baltic Sea
Biden congratulates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on being elected UAE president
US President Joe Biden congratulated the UAE's de facto ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on being elected Saturday...US Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to the UAE on Monday to lead a presidential delegation
The 61-year-old Sheikh Mohamed, a trained soldier, has long been a quiet power behind the throne of Abu Dhabi
Israel reopens Gaza crossing for workers after two weeks
Israel reopened on Sunday its only crossing with the Gaza Strip to Palestinian workers nearly two weeks after closing it...Israel had closed the crossing on May 3 ahead of Israel's national memorial and independence days
Israel and Hamas, the rulers of the impoverished coastal enclave, have fought repeatedly over the last 15 years, most recently in May last year
Lebanon votes in first election since crisis
Lebanon headed to the polls today for its first election since multiple crises dragged it to the brink of failed...Observers have warned not to expect any seismic shift, with every lever of power firmly in the hands of traditional sectarian parties
Since the last election, the country has been mutilated by a blast at the Beirut port that went down as one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history
British PM Boris Johnson to travel to UAE after president’s death
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will fly to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to pay his condolences following the...In a statement on Friday, Johnson expressed his sadness at the Sheikh's death, calling him "a wise and respected leader who will be missed enormously"
The UAE's long-time de facto ruler Sheikh Mohamed was elected as president of the oil-rich Gulf state on Saturday
Finland seeks to reassure Russia about NATO bid
Finland on Saturday sought to allay Moscow's fears about its bid to join NATO, as fierce fighting raged in Ukraine's...Finland and Sweden are poised to jettison decades of military non-alignment to join NATO as a defence against feared further aggression from Russia
Moscow has warned Finland, with whom it shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border, that it would take "reciprocal steps."
