Turkey tops Council of Europe list for incarceration rates
Turkey has been ranked first among member states of the Council of Europe (CoE) for its annual incarceration rate, with a record number of inmates convicted for terrorism offenses. ...
German firms unveil lavish post-blast Beirut port plan
A German delegation on Friday unveiled a spectacular multi-billion-dollar project to rebuild Beirut port and its surroundings but admitted it was contingent on far-reaching government reforms. ...
Iraq blames public for new coronavirus record, urges vaccinations
Iraq’s Health Ministry has warned of “dire consequences” ahead because citizens are not heeding coronavirus prevention measures, after the country reached a new high in daily infection rates. ...
South Korea says tanker and captain detained in Iran released
A South Korean-flagged tanker and its captain detained in Iran in January have been released, the foreign ministry in Seoul says. ...
Lebanese parties abate public anger with ration cards, resilience calls
While the official ministerial committee in Lebanon continues to ponder the allocation of ration cards to 800,000 families before lifting subsidies on basic goods, parties have rushed to absorb their supporters’ resentment. ...
Turkey and EU blame each other in ‘sofagate’ scandal
Turkey and the EU blamed each other on Thursday for seating arrangements that left European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen without a chair during a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. ...
Statement signed by Jordan’s Prince Hamza pledges support to King Abdullah II
Jordan’s Prince Hamza bin Hussein has signed a document reiterating his support for King Abdullah II. ...
US urges de-escalation between Sudan, Ethiopia
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday pressed for an easing of tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia as fears grow of a spillover from the bloody Tigray conflict. ...
Jordan's former crown prince under house arrest over alleged coup
Jordanian authorities raided the palace of the kingdom’s former crown prince on Saturday and arrested two senior aides after uncovering what intelligence officials believe was an attempted coup against the ruling monarch, King Abdullah. ...
Egypt mummies pass through Cairo in ancient rulers' parade
Egyptians are witnessing a historic procession of their country's ancient rulers through the capital, Cairo. ...
Rights groups urge Russians to wake up to Syria abuses
Rights groups in Moscow urged Russians to take responsibility for abuses in Syria as they released a damning report on Friday on the country’s role in the decade-old conflict. ...
US calls on Iran to release all American citizens wrongfully detained
The US on Friday reiterated previous calls for Iran to release all American citizens detained in the country. ...
Syria Kurds say 125 Daesh militants captured in displacement camp sweep
Kurdish forces on Friday said they had captured 125 suspected Daesh members as part of a security operation in northeast Syria’s Al-Hol displacement camp. ...
Turkish police detain pro-Kurdish lawmaker who lost his seat
Turkish police on Friday detained a former lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the party said, after his parliamentary status was revoked last month over a finalized sentence on terrorism charges. ...
US, EU mull sanctions on Lebanon politicians over government formation deadlock
The US, the European Union (EU) and many Arab countries are considering imposing sanctions, including freezing assets and travel bans, on a number of Lebanese politicians found responsible for the inability to form a government, Western diplomatic sources have reported. ...
Suez Canal: Egypt begins inquiry into cargo ship's grounding
Egypt has begun a formal investigation into how a giant container ship blocked the Suez Canal and disrupted global trade for almost a week. ...
Suez Canal reopens after giant stranded ship is freed
Traffic has resumed in Egypt's Suez Canal after a stranded container ship blocking it for nearly a week was finally freed by salvage crews. ...
Lebanon 'could sink like Titanic' without new government
One of Lebanon's top politicians has warned that the entire country could sink like the Titanic unless a new government is formed. ...
Israeli-owned ship hit by missile in suspected Iranian attack: Official
A cargo ship owned by an Israeli company was damaged by a missile in the Arabian Sea on Thursday in what was suspected to be an Iranian attack, an Israeli security official said. ...
Suez Canal: Owner of cargo ship blocking waterway apologises
The Japanese owner of the giant cargo ship that has been blocking Egypt's Suez Canal since Tuesday has apologised for the disruption to global trade. ...