Author: Steven Sahiounie

The decision to detain Pavel Durov, co-founder of the Telegram messenger, is not political, French President Emmanuel Macron said. “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter,” the French leader wrote on his X page. Macron added that he sees “false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.” “France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship,” he said.…

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Monday that a comprehensive war in the Middle East can be avoided, despite the extreme tension the region is witnessing. Albares said in an interview with the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser that avoiding such a war begins with a ceasefire in Gaza, allowing humanitarian aid to pass without hindrance to civilians in the Strip, and then establishing a framework for dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis. He stressed in this regard that a ceasefire in Gaza and preventing the war from spreading to Lebanon should be among the priorities of…

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has condemned the Israeli national security minister’s promise to build a synagogue in the holy site and the compound’s storming by Israeli settlers who also performed Jewish rituals. Itamar Ben-Gvir is trying to push the region towards a state of “perpetual conflict” and is undermining regional and international efforts to end the war on Gaza and the “genocide” of Palestinians, the ministry added in a statement. “The ministry holds the Israeli government fully and directly responsible for the consequences of this incitement by Ben-Gvir and others like him, particularly in turning the conflict zone into a…

While about 255,000 hectares of land were damaged in fires in Türkiye between 2012 and 2023, 1.7 million hectares were added to the forest asset in the same period. According to a record compiled by Anadolu based on the data of the country’s General Directorate of Forestry (OGM), prevention, extinguishing, and reforestation steps are of strategic importance in the fight against forest fires. In this regard, the OGM tries to intervene in forest fires in a timely and effective manner by using airplanes, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), watchtowers, cameras and land vehicles. It is stated that rising temperatures due…

President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran says all Muslim nations as well as other countries must unite in pressuring the supporters of Israel to end the crimes of the regime and its campaign of genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip. Pezeshkian made the remarks in a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran on Monday. He hailed Qatar’s efforts to establish ceasefire in Gaza and criticized those countries which claim to defend human right for keeping silent vis-à-vis Israel and its crimes against the people of Palestine. Israel has massacred over…

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reviewed the latest developments in Gaza and the Middle East and the bilateral relations between Egypt and Bulgaria in a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev on Monday. During the call, El-Sisi reviewed the latest developments pertinent to the Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire and provide humanitarian aid, stressing the need to end the tragedy that the Palestinian people face in Gaza immediately. He also explained that it is important for the international community to undertake a decisive role in the recognition of the Palestinian State, in a way that supports peace in the…

The prolonged arrest of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov expires on August 28, the Paris Prosecutor’s office announced. “The custody period was extended until the 25th August 2024 by an investigative magistrate and can last up to 96 hours (that being the 28th August 2024) given the applicable procedure for organized crime offences, as referred to above,” the prosecutor’s office said. Pavel Durov was detained in the Le Bourget airport in Paris on August 24; on the next day, his custody period was prolonged to 96 hours. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that his decision was not political and called to…

Israeli occupation Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated on Monday that he would build a synagogue in the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city of al-Quds, sparking widespread criticism within the Israeli government. Ben-Gvir told the Israeli Army Radio that “the policies on the Temple Mount allow prayer, period,” referring to the Jewish name of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. After “Israel’s” occupation of the eastern part of al-Quds, it made an arrangement that permitted Jews to visit al-Aqsa Mosque but not perform rituals there. However, in recent years, the increasing number of Israeli settlers, some performing provocative rituals accompanied by Israeli occupation…

The foreign ministers of Iran and Qatar discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues, particularly the ongoing Israeli-US genocidal war in Gaza, now in its 11th month. Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is in Tehran on a key visit, met with Abbas Araqchi on Monday. This is the first official trip to Tehran by the top Qatari official since the new Iranian administration took office in July. Al Thani is also scheduled to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The visit comes as Iran has vowed to defend its absolute…

President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh today evening on an official visit. The Presidency was received by Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Ambassador to Palestine Nayef Al-Sudairy, several officials, and the staff of the Embassy of the State of Palestine to Saudi Arabia. President Abbas is scheduled to meet tomorrow with the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The President is accompanied by the Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Hussein…