TEHRAN: Iran said Wednesday a prisoner exchange with Belgium was “finalized,” hinting at the release of Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele which Brussels swiftly rejected as “manipulation.” Vandecasteele, 42, was sentenced in January to 40 years in prison and 74 … read more
BEIRUT: Syrians living on opposite sides of the largely frozen battle lines dividing their country are watching the accelerating normalization of ties between the government of Bashar Assad and Syria’s neighbors through starkly different lenses. In government-held Syria, residents struggling with … read more
RAMALLAH: Palestinians have condemned repeated Israeli attacks on the Bab Al-Rahma Chapel in Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying the site has been vandalized, while worshippers face daily threats and abuse. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said Bab Al-Rahma was an integral part … read more
BEIRUT: Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Wednesday that there were gangs smuggling Syrians into Lebanon illegally across the border through the Bekaa or Akkar in exchange for large sums of money, “while the country can no longer … read more
CAIRO: Egypt evacuated 446 nationals and 189 others, including a Sudanese citizen in critical condition, from Sudan by road on Tuesday. Ahmed Abu Zeid, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said the Egyptian embassy in Khartoum, consulates in Khartoum and … read more