Dario Salvi

Saudi Arabia is ranked 172nd on the RSF list, is involved in the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi and arrests reporters. But it intends to launch a "media forum" and media awards. The goal is to become a place for "discussions and debate" at regional and international level.

The authorities announce a ceasefire after months of fighting in order to implement the de-escalation agreement reached in September 2018. For Syrian Bishop, this sign “goes in the direction of peace”, but jihadis and rebels should not use it to reorganise. In Astana, a new round of talks gets underway with the participation of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.

A royal decree published today loosens the meshes of the protection of the fair sex. Now anyone over the age of 21 can apply for a passport without prior authorization. The law also allows women to register the birth of their children, the marriage certificate or divorce. Satisfaction among activists.

Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s sixth and youngest wife went to court in the United Kingdom seeking custody of her children and personal protection. After fleeing the UAE, she now lives in a villa in London. Her husband wants his children back. The controversy is affecting relations between the UAE and Jordan.

For Washington he acts in the name of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei and is the "spokesman" of the regime. The provision provides for the freezing of assets in the US or entities controlled by the Americans. For Tehran this is the "peak of stupidity and inconsistency". Zarif: sanctions that "have no effect on me".

The decision comes on the eve of the visit of US special envoy Jared Kushner. It is not clear if the housing will be new or retroactively approved. The plan touches Area C, which includes about 60 per cent of the entire West Bank.

​The organizers cancel the controversial band's preformance "to avert a bloodbath". For the local Maronite eparchy the songs of the indie rock group "violate the values ​​of faith". Criticism from activists and civil society: a decision that represents a "dangerous precedent" in terms of censorship.

Economic crisis and unemployment are fuelling local resentment. Turkey has told a thousand refugees to leave. In Beirut, more and more immigrants have been summarily laid off, and refugees have been forced to sign repatriation forms.

The vote focused on precision guided ammunition and other equipment. The first ended with 45 votes at 40; the other two indicated a similar result. Two thirds were needed to overturn the veto. According to critics, weapons are used by Saudis against civilians in the war in Yemen.

The Chaldean bishop of Aleppo notes the lack of "no certain information" on the fate of the religious and those who took him. Possibilities and questions remain open, but with the passing of time hope of finding the truth is fading. The US has offered a reward for information.

Over the weekend, the countries still bound by the pact signed in 2015 met. Faced with moderate optimism, the Iranian delegate recalled the "unresolved issues" including the protection of businesses affected by US sanctions. Chinese delegate: common commitment to save Jcpoa, "opposition" to Washington's "unilateral" moves.

A Church source told AsiaNews that people "continue to die every day", asks for prayers. At least 400,000 have been displaced from Idlib in the past three months, as government and rebel groups fight over the region. More than a hundred people have been killed in the past ten days, many of them civilians. A girl, Riham, becomes the symbol of the horrors of war.