Middle East

Iran appeals to people not to travel for Eid holiday to avoid COVID-19 spike

Nia N May 21, 2020

DUBAI (Middle East) – Iran’s top health official appealed to Iranians to avoid travelling during the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday later this month to avoid the risk of a new surge of coronavirus infections, state TV reported on Thursday. Iranians often travel to different cities

Middle East

Lebanon at risk of major food crisis, PM warns

Nia N May 21, 2020

BEIRUT (Middle East) – Lebanon is at risk of a major food crisis and many Lebanese may soon find it hard to afford bread because of an acute financial crunch and the fall-out of COVID-19, the prime minister warned. Writing in the Washington Post, Hassan Diab also warned of a global food security emergency triggered […]

Middle East

U.S. envoy in Afghan peace shuttle demands reduction in violence

Nia N May 21, 2020

KABUL (Middle East) – The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan has demanded that all sides reduce violence, he said on Thursday, after shuttling from Kabul to the Gulf to push a peace effort that looks increasingly precarious. The envoy, Afghan-born Zalmay Khalilzad, the architect of a February agreement with the Taliban clearing the way for […]

Middle East

13-year-old girl from Gaza teaches neighbourhood children during school closure

Nia N May 20, 2020

GAZA (Middle East) – The novel coronavirus crisis forced school closures around the globe, forcing parents to find a way to educate and entertain their kids. At the tender age of 13, from a wooden shack in the Gaza strip, Fajr Hmaid conducts classes for children in her neighbourhood. Her daily lessons include classes in […]

Middle East

Iran’s navy will still operate in Gulf despite U.S. warning

Nia N May 20, 2020

DUBAI (Middle East) – The Iranian navy will maintain regular missions in the Gulf, the ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday, a day after the United States warned mariners there to stay away from U.S. warships. “The naval units of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman will […]

Middle East

Al-Aqsa mosque, Jerusalem prayers to restart next week

Jim Stein May 19, 2020

JERUSALEM (Middle East) – Muslim prayers at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque compound will resume next week after a nearly two-month pause now that the spread of the new coronavirus has slowed, a religious council said on Tuesday. In a statement, the Council of Islamic Waqf said the restriction on outdoor prayer at the site would be […]

Middle East

Syria’s opposing parties agree to Geneva talks

Jim Stein May 19, 2020

GENEVA (Middle East) – Opposing sides in the Syrian civil war have agreed to reconvene in Geneva for negotiations on the constitution, United Nations Special Envoy Geir Pedersen said on Tuesday, saying that it could provide the arena for bridging “deep, deep mistrust”. After nine years of conflict in Syria, Pedersen referred to “relative calm”

Middle East

7 dead, 40 injured in Taliban blast near Afghan intelligence base

Jim Stein May 19, 2020

GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Middle East) – A car bomb was detonated by Taliban close to Afghan intelligence agency installation in Ghazni. The blast killed at least seven people and wounded 40. The blast is the latest in violence despite a peace accord signed between the U.S. and Taliban back in February. “Around 4:30 a.m., a base […]

Middle East

Iran complains to United Nations; summons envoy over U.S. threat on Venezuela shipment

Jim Stein May 18, 2020

(Middle East) – Iran complained to the United Nations on Sunday and summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who represents U.S. interests in the Islamic Republic, over possible measures Washington could take against an Iranian fuel shipment to Venezuela. A senior official in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration told Reuters on Thursday the United

Middle East

New Israel unity government presented by Netanyahu to legislature

Jim Stein May 17, 2020

JERUSALEM (Middle East) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his new unity government to parliament on Sunday, ending more than a year of political deadlock as he prepares to go on trial in a week for alleged corruption. His power-sharing agreement with former election rival, centrist Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, opens the […]