In a continuation of its repressive policies, the most recent decree from the Taliban government has now ordered Afghan women to restrict their movements and cover their faces in public. “The best and the foremost form of hijab is for women to not leav…
NATO: Finland, Sweden must change laws if needed says Turkey
Finland and Sweden should change their laws if needed to meet Turkey’s demands and win its backing for their bid to join NATO, the Turkish foreign minister said on Tuesday, doubling down on a threat to veto a historic enlargement of the alliance. In a …
Erdogan discusses Syria military operations with Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed Ankara’s planned military operation in northern Syria and the war in Ukraine with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Erdogan’s office said Monday. In recent days Erdogan has said Turkey will launch a cross-bor…
Russia ‘ready to work’ on reopening shipping with Turkey
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that Moscow was ready to work with Ankara to free up maritime shipping blocked over the conflict in Ukraine. “Vladimir Putin noted the readiness of the Russian sid…
Iran slams ‘biased, political’ Cannes Film Festival award
Iran on Monday rejected as “biased and political” last week’s award at Cannes for a film about a serial killer who targeted sex workers in an Iranian Shia shrine city. Iranian Zar Amir Ebrahimi won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival on …
Rabat can ease Israel-Hamas tensions: Israeli official
David Govrin, head of Israel’s liaison office in Morocco, says Rabat’s mediations with the Palestinian movement Hamas could ease tensions between the two parties, reported The Media Line. “We truly believe that Morocco can play a very significant role …
Israeli FM confirms efforts to normalise with Saudi Arabia
Israel is pushing for Saudi Arabia to be the next Arab state to normalise relations with it, the Israeli foreign minister has said. Riyadh is being courted by Israel, the US, and a number of Gulf Arab nations to break with decades of Arab consensus by …
Political rivalry stalls Iraq’s food security bill
A stalemate has paralysed the passing of a draft law by the Iraqi Parliament to urgently deal with skyrocketing food prices in Iraq, as pro-Iran Shia lawmakers are at odds with Muqtada al-Sadr’s majority bloc over the bill. On 17 May, Iraq’s Federal Su…
Unlikely monkeypox outbreak will lead to pandemic, WHO says
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not believe the monkeypox outbreak outside Africa will lead to a pandemic, an official said on Monday, adding it remains unclear if infected people who are not displaying symptoms can transmit the disease. More …
Palestinian flag to be banned in Israeli universities
Israel is close to banning the display of Palestinian flags at universities and public buildings in the country, according to reports. The government’s legislative committee approved a draft law on Sunday that could make it illegal to wave “enemy flags…