Tensions have increased between Egypt and Ethiopia in recent days as Ethiopia prepares to fill its Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) for the third time, starting next August. Ethiopia earlier this week accused the European Union of “bias towards E…
Displaced Syrians struggle amid shortage of humanitarian aid
Many residents in displacement camps across northern Syria are struggling following a recent decline in humanitarian aid, The New Arab’s Arabic language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported. The aid reaching camps – of which there are around 1,500 near …
Taliban call for release of frozen funds after earthquake
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration called on international governments on Saturday to roll back sanctions and lift a freeze on central bank assets following the earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands homeless this week. The …
Christian extremists destroy LGBT monument in east Beirut
Christian extremists have torn down a flower monument depicting the rainbow flag in east Beirut, as Lebanon experiences a wave of homophobic and transphobic incidents. In a video published by “Soldiers of God” on facebook, one individual shouts to the …
Detained former Tunisian PM Jebali goes on hunger strike
Former Tunisian prime minister Hamadi Jebali announced on Saturday that he would go on hunger strike until he is released from incarceration, after being detained by Tunisian authorities. The hunger strike was confirmed by Jebali’s lawyers, after they …
Greater abortion access in Saudi Arabia than in US states
Saudi Arabia has some of the most permissive abortion laws in the MENA region, according to the US-based Centre for Reproductive Studies. The Saudi legal code, which is regularly criticised by human rights groups for discriminating against women in fam…
Turkey’s spy agency captures alleged Greek spy: report
Turkey’s national intelligence organisation caught a Greek citizen on suspicion of espionage activities on behalf of Athens, local media reported on Saturday. Mohamed Amar Ampara, who was captured in Turkey, was being interrogated by the spy agency, pr…
Iraqi PM to head to Saudi Arabia, Iran for new dialogue
Iraq’s caretaker prime minister is set to fly to Saudi Arabia, followed by Iran, carrying a new initiative aimed at renewing talks between the two regional arch foes, an official said Saturday. The official said Mustafa al-Kadhimi was scheduled to trav…
Taliban appeal for more aid after deadly earthquake
Vital medical supplies reached hospitals on Saturday in the remote area of Afghanistan hit by an earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people this week, as the country’s Taliban government appealed for more international aid. Authorities have called o…
Qatar emir visits Egypt sealing end to Saudi-led rift
The emir ofQatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, arrived in Egypt on Friday, 18 months after the two countries restored relations to end a Saudi-led rift of more than three years. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed the emir at Cairo airport on h…