Middle East & North Africa

BEIRUT, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music funded by the Chinese government near Lebanon's capital Beirut will be a center of attraction for the Middle East region, said Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday.

"It wouldn't have been possible to build this artistic and cultural beacon if it wasn't for the cooperation between the Chinese and Lebanese governments," Mikati told Xinhua while he visited the conservatory to check the completion of the project's first phase.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy held a joint drone drill with the United Kingdom on Friday in the Persian Gulf, testing the same unmanned surveillance ships that Iran twice has seized in recent months in the Middle East.

The exercise comes as the U.S. Navy separately told commercial shippers in the wider Mideast that it would continue using drones in the region and warned against interfering with their operations.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The mother of a 16-year-old Iranian girl has disputed official claims that her daughter fell to her death from a high building, saying the teen was killed by blows to the head as part of the crackdown on anti-hijab protests roiling the country.

Mumbai, Oct 6 (PTI) BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, a prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, on Thursday appeared before the trial court here.

The Bhopal MP remained present before the special judge for NIA cases, A K Lahoti, as an official of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad who had arrested her was deposing as a witness.

The ATS official was cross-examined by Thakur's lawyer during the day's proceedings.

She arrived around 12 PM and sat on the wooden bench assigned for the accused.

Manila, Oct 7 (AP) Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been reaffirming ties with the US in a key turnaround from the often-hostile demeanour his predecessor displayed toward Manila's treaty ally.

Marcos Jr., who marks his 100th day in office on Saturday, inherited daunting problems at home, including a coronavirus pandemic-battered economy, soaring inflation, unemployment and mounting foreign and domestic debt, in addition to longstanding poverty and decades-old insurgencies.

6 October 2022; MEMO: The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has given the UN one month to recognise the country, or the UN forces deployed on the island should leave, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu said on Wednesday. The only country which recognises the republic is Turkiye.

6 October 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has planted more than 12 million wild trees and shrubs in a bid to combat desertification.

According to the Saudi Gazette, the National Centre for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) planted the trees while starting the Integrated Management and Sustainable Development of Pastures Project, which is part of the Kingdom's National Pasture Strategy Initiative, in line with Saudi Arabia's Visio 2030.

6 October 2022; MEMO: The Israeli occupation authorities have sold a Palestinians farmer's equipment after it was stolen from his farm in the occupied Jordan Valley, Wafa has reported. Suleiman Bani Odeh was told by the occupation authorities that they had sold the two water tankers taken from him two months ago. The items were sold at a public auction.

6 October 2022; MEMO: Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr today announced the freezing of all his armed factions across Iraq, except the northern province of Saladin.

Saleh Mohamed Al-Iraqi, a leader of the Sadr's movement, said the influential cleric also "banned the use of weapons in all provinces except Saladin and Samarra city."

It was not yet clear why Saladin province was not included in the ban.

6 October 2022; MEMO: Qatar's Ministry of Defence said yesterday that it has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Defence Department in Washington for US armed forces to contribute towards security at the FIFA World Cup 2022 tournament. The agreement aims to define and organise responsibilities and technical arrangements related to security cooperation, explained the ministry.