Iran rejects ‘step-by-step’ lifting of sanctions
Iran’s government wants the United States to lift all sanctions on its country and rejects any “step-by-step” easing of the restrictions, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported on Saturday.
...
Suez Canal says 87 ships to pass through on Thursday
he Suez Canal Authority said 87 ships were expected to pass through the waterway in both directions on Thursday, as it tries to clear a backlog since re-opening on Monday.
A ...
‘Black market’ emerges to dodge unofficial Turkish-Saudi blockade
Some Turkish exporters are rerouting food, clothing and other goods to circumvent a months-long unofficial blockade by Saudi Arabia that has sent trade to record lows, exporters and traders said.
...
Saudi to allow vaccinated fans to attend sports events
Saudi Arabia said on Monday it would allow people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend sporting events at stadiums at a capacity of 40% starting May 17 as the kingdom ...
Lebanon could sink like the Titanic, parliament speaker says
Influential parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri said on Monday that Lebanon would sink like the Titanic if it could not form a government.
“The whole country is in danger, the whole ...
Salvager hopes to free ship blocking Suez Canal by start of next week
A giant container ship grounded in the Suez Canal could be freed by the start of next week if heavier tugboats, dredging and a high tide succeed in dislodging it, ...
Lebanon could face coup or civil war; LBP drops to 13,000 to dollar
As protests flare in the streets of Beirut every day, and the cost of living rises to levels that nearly half the population of the country cannot afford, experts and ...
Netanyahu’s future unclear as exit polls forecast stalemate in Israel’s election
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prospects for retaining power were uncertain on Wednesday after exit polls in Israel‘s fourth national election in two years projected yet another stalemate.
With ...
Israelis vote, Netanyahu hopes for another term after COVID vaccine rollout success
Israelis began voting on Tuesday in a fourth election in two years, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hoping a rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout will win him another term. With coronavirus ...
Saudi Arabia proposes ceasefire in Yemen, Houthis sceptical
By Aziz El Yaakoubi
Saudi Arabia presented a new peace initiative on Monday to end the war in Yemen, including a nationwide ceasefire and the reopening of air and sea ...
Syria: end the sanctions
The Syrian civil war is ten years old this week, and it’s time to stop it. At least half a million Syrians are dead, a quarter of the pre-war ...
Brawls in shops as Lebanon’s financial meltdown hits supply of food
The collapse of Lebanon’s currency has forced many grocery shops to temporarily shut within the last 24 hours, raising fears that a country reliant on imports could soon face shortages ...
Erdogan says Saudi Arabia wants to buy armed drones from Turkey
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia is seeking to buy armed unmanned aerial vehicles from Turkey, after years of tension between the two regional powers.
Ties ...
British-Iranian aid worker appears in Iran court for propaganda trial
British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was tried on a new charge of making “propaganda against the system” at Iran’s Revolutionary court on Sunday, her lawyer said, one week after ...
Turkey says it has restarted diplomatic contacts with Egypt
Turkey has resumed diplomatic contacts with Egypt and wants to further cooperation, Turkish leaders said on Friday, after years of tension since the Egyptian army toppled a Muslim Brotherhood president ...
Lebanon’s politicians show no sign of saving their country, France says
France’s foreign minister said on Thursday time was running out to prevent Lebanon collapsing and that he could see no sign that the country’s politicians were doing what ...
Bahrain police accused of beating up children and threatening them with rape
Bahraini security forces have beaten children and threatened them with rape and electric shocks after detaining them in protest-related cases last month, the anniversary of a 2011 pro-democracy uprising, rights groups ...
Chaotic scenes in Lebanon, deadlock fuels seventh day of street protests
Demonstrators burnt tyres to block main roads all over Lebanon for the seventh straight day on Monday in anger at more than a year of economic crisis and seven months ...
Pope Francis visits Iraq’s ruined city of Mosul, hearing residents’ testimony
By Philip Pullella
Muslim and Christian residents of Mosul told Pope Francis of their lives under the brutal rule of Islamic State on Sunday as the pontiff blessed their vow ...
Lebanon’s caretaker PM pleads for a new government as protests continue
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab threatened on Saturday to stop performing his duties to pressure politicians to form a new government, citing an incident in which shoppers fought ...
Afghan president says ready to discuss elections to advance talks with Taliban
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Saturday, in a bid to push forward peace talks with the Taliban, that his government was ready to discuss holding fresh elections, insisting that ...
Pope, on Iraq visit, decries violence in the name of God as ‘greatest blasphemy’
By Philip Pullella
Pope Francis walked down a narrow alleyway in the holy city of Najav to hold a historic meeting with Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric and visited ...
ICC prosecutor to open formal probe into war crimes in Palestinian Territories
The International Criminal Court prosecutor said on Wednesday her office will open a formal investigation into war crimes in the Palestinian Territories which will examine both sides in the conflict.
...
Netanyahu blames Iran for blast on Israeli-owned ship, Tehran denies
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran on Monday for an explosion aboard an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week, an accusation rejected by Tehran.
The vehicle-carrier ...