A drone exploded in Iraq’s northern city of Erbil on Wednesday injuring three people and damaging several cars, according to a statement by Kurdistan’s counter-terrorism service. An explosive drone detonated on Pirmam road in Erbil’s outskirts at 9:35 …
Morocco refuses entry to passengers on Covid-hit liner
Morocco has refused entry to passengers on a German cruise liner after some tested positive for Covid-19, Moroccan media reported Wednesday. The Mein Schiff Herz, owned by German tourism giant TUI and capable of carrying 1,900 passengers plus crew, had…
Mickelson says doesn’t condone rights abuses on eve of LIV
Golfer Phil Mickelson said on Wednesday that he does not condone human rights violations in Saudi Arabia as he prepares to tee off in the inaugural event of the divisive LIV Golf Invitational Series funded by the Gulf kingdom. The American six-time maj…
Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah ‘left to die’, says aunt
The aunt of imprisoned Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah has accused Egyptian authorities of intending to let him to “die”, in a series of tweets posted onto social media on Tuesday. Ahdaf Soueif, a critically-acclaimed novelist, also said that Egypt…
Saudi Arabia to invest $1 billion into anti-ageing
Saudi Arabia has committed to investing $1 billion a year into anti-ageing research by creating a non-profit dedicated to the biology of extending the vitality span of healthy humans. The Saudi royal family founded a non-profit called the Hevolution Fo…
Egypt imprisons dozens in 2014 Rabaa sit-in case
An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced dozens of people to prison in relation to the Rabaa Al-Adawiya sit-in in 2014, in which hundreds were massacred by security forces during a brutal crackdown on protesters. The Court of Cassation province on Tuesda…
Iran disconnects nuclear site cameras after Western censure
Iran on Wednesday disconnected some of the UN atomic watchdog’s cameras monitoring its nuclear sites, its atomic energy agency said, after Western nations accused the Islamic republic of failing to cooperate. The move was announced after the UK, France…
Mapping the complexities of Turkey’s new Syria offensive
For months, even years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened that Turkey’s armed forces and their Syrian rebel allies will launch a new attack on areas currently controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The group is dominated …
‘Politics’ behind electricity deal delay: Lebanon minister
Lebanon’s caretaker energy minister said on Wednesday that “politics” was behind the delay of a US-backed deal to supply his country with electricity from Jordan via Syrian territory to ease crippling power shortages. Walid Fayad told Reuters that the …
Iran army commander threatens Israel with ‘destruction’
An Iranian army commander issued a warning against Israel, threatening to “destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa” should its foe “make a mistake”. Iranian Army Grounds Commander Kioumars Heidari said: “For any mistake made by the enemy, we will raze Tel Aviv and …