LONDON: US President Joe Biden will refrain from shaking hands during his upcoming visit to Israel, the White House has told the office of Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
According to a Jerusalem Post report, the decision was made, in part, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the US and in Israel.
WASHINGTON: A man US officials called the leader of Daesh in Syria was killed Tuesday in a drone strike, the Pentagon said.
Maher Al-Agal was killed while riding a motorcycle near Jindires in northern Syria, and one of his top aides was “seriously injured,” Pentagon Central Command spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn told AFP.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed Agal was killed in a drone strike.
LONDON: The organizers of the Cannes Film Festival have condemned the arrest of Iranian filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof, Mostafa Al-Ahmad and Jafar Panahi and called for their immediate release.
Rasoulof and Al-Ahmad were taken into custody on Friday after protesting on social media against violent crackdowns on Iranian civilians. Panahi was held on Monday after he went to the prosecutor’s office to follow up on the arrest of Rasoulof. They are being detained at an undisclosed location.
AL-MUKALLA: Armed Houthis on Monday raided a community radio station that airs music and other programs in Sanaa for the second time and looted broadcast equipment, ignoring a judicial ruling that allowed the radio to resume operations.
Majili Al-Samadi, head of Voice of Yemen radio, said on Facebook that armed men forced their way into his office and seized equipment, despite a verdict from the Specialized Press and Publications Court ordering the Houthis to allow him to resume broadcasting.
LONDON: Marrakech has been ranked seventh in a new list of the world’s 53 best cities, compiled by British events magazine Time Out.
Dubai (40), Abu Dhabi (45) and Doha (53) were the other Arab cities receiving plaudits for their offerings in nightlife, liveability, and practical issues such as walkability and sustainability.
The magazine’s annual ranking this year was the first since 2019 to not revolve around resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic, instead focusing on the fun and practical frills that each city has to offer.
