BEIRUT, Lebanon – Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed hope that his country’s relations with the Gulf countries will be restored. Mikati’s remarks came during his meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Qatar on the sidelines of the Doha Forum international conference. “Lebanon always needs Arab spon...
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Saturday began casting their votes in the second and final phase of local elections. The first phase of the polls took place on Dec. 11 last year. A total of 2,531 candidates, including 676 women, are vying for seats in the polls, according to […]
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) – Azerbaijani forces thwarted a provocation attempt by Armenian forces in the recently liberated Nagorno-Karabakh region, the country’s Defense Ministry announced Saturday. The ministry said that illegal Armenian forces in the region – which was liberated in fall 2020 from decades of Armenian occupation – took advan...
WASHINGTON (AA) – The US has sanctioned five individuals and five entities in Myanmar over “genocide” of its Rohingya population. Those designated include Myanmar’s 66th Light Infantry Division, including its leaders Brigadier-General Ko Ko Oo, and and Major-General Zaw Hein. Three individuals identified as arms dealers...
PARIS (AA) – France, Greece, and Turkey will conduct a joint evacuation effort for residents in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. Speaking at the end of a two-day EU summit in Brussels, Macron said the three countries would conduct an “exceptional humanitarian operation” to ge...
MOSCOW – Moves against Russians in the West over the Ukraine war are like the ugly, racist persecution seen under Nazi Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. Speaking at a meeting with cultural workers, Putin said the West is trying “to cancel Russia,” fighting against its culture and banning Russian writers and ...
WASHINGTON – Nearly three in four US counties saw population declines in 2021 as the nation grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Census Bureau data. The figures depict a dramatic increase in declines from the two previous years. Over 73% of counties recorded more deaths than births — what is referred to as a […]
WASHINGTON (AA) – The US confirmed on Friday that it has canceled talks with the Taliban over the hardline groups’ decision to cancel secondary education for Afghan girls. State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters that the Taliban’s decision is a “potential turning point in our engagement” with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. Th...
RIYADH – The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has said that an Aramco oil facility in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah was attacked by Houthis. A coalition statement said that Saudi Aramco’s Bulk Plant in Jeddah was targeted with an “act of aggression” by Iran-backed Houthi militia. The statement added that following the attack, a fire erupted in...
BRUSSELS – The EU and US have announced a new deal to supply extra liquefied natural gas for the EU to curb the bloc’s dependence on Russian imports. “The United States together with international partners are going to work to ensure an additional 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Europe this […]
