Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia is at the centre of a battle for Turkey’s soul
As man-made monuments go, the Hagia Sophia is one of the world’s most distinguished. The imposing, 1,480-year-old building in the heart of Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district…
EU deplores ‘unacceptable loss of life’ in Iran protests
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini Tuesday deplored “the unacceptable loss of human lives” linked to the protests in Iran and called on “all concerned…
US demands Iran end social media blocks as protests continue
The United States on Tuesday urged Iran to stop blocking online social media and advised its citizens to set up virtual private networks, or VPNs,…
Iran protests: 12 killed in violence as demonstrators attempt to storm police stations and military bases
At least 12 people have been killed in anti-government protests in Iran and security forces have had to fight off “armed protestors” trying to take over…
Saudi Arabia, UAE introduce VAT in first for Gulf
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates introduced value-added tax from Monday, a first for the Gulf. Saudi Arabia also announced a hike of up…
Iran’s top leader says enemies have stirred unrest in country
Iran’s Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused enemies of the Islamic Republic of stirring unrest, as anti-government demonstrations that began last week continued. “In recent days, enemies of…
New Yemeni tribe turns against the Houthis
Ans tribe in the central Yemeni province of Zamar announced on Monday that it had stepped up its attacks against the Houthi militia, which it…
Netanyahu wishes success to Iran protesters, denies Israeli involvement
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Iranian anti-government protesters on Monday, while denying as “laughable” Tehran’s apparent accusations that Israel was behind…
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman congratulates Sudan’s president on independence day
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz sent a cable of congratulations to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on his country’s Independence Day. In his cable, the…
Israeli bill makes it harder to divide Jerusalem
Israeli legislators have approved a bill that makes it more difficult to divide Jerusalem. The bill passed early on Tuesday and stipulates that two-thirds support is…