The SESAME project was conceived with CERN in Geneva as a model and took 20 years to get off the ground. The first synchrotron, which accelerates electrons and produces light used to study matter, has been operational since 2017. Whilst wars and crises have directly affected member countries in the Middle East, the laboratory has continued to operate.
Emphasis on Islamic nationalism marked the celebrations. From presidentialism and emergency decrees to crackdown on media and Gülen’s followers, the coup d'etat reshaped the government and the president’s leadership.
While Israel is already in campaign mode for the 27 October elections, the New Path has emerged as an alternative to traditional parties in upcoming Palestinian elections, the first in 20 years, on 28 November. Its leader, Samer Sinjlawi, spoke to AsiaNews about its goals: dialogue and coexistence for a "tired" society.
According to UNICEF, schooling for over 100,000 children is at risk for the coming year. The displacement of people in the south has become permanent. Even Christian schools are on the brink of collapse due to a lack of funds. A “solidarity fund” has been set up to stem the bleeding, but donors are growing weary.
A strategic rail link in Golestan is among the targets of the latest US raids in Iran, threatening Tehran's ability to move goods, fuel, equipment, and strategic materials along its northern corridor. This could have possible "regional consequences" involving Russia and China, as well as increase the weight of sanctions.
The bombings in the Syrian capital, coinciding precisely with Macron’s visit and his meeting with Trump in Turkey, have reignited doubts about the extent to which the former jihadist-turned-president truly controls the country. The army is ‘absorbing’ more than sixty militias but without dismantling the local power bases, while international players pursue different objectives regarding the ‘new Syria’.
For Khalil Sayegh, nothing suggests Hamas plans to lay down its arms. The visit of Patriarchs Pizzaballa and Theophilus is a positive sign for a population haunted by a humanitarian tragedy amid international silence. The situation is "bad” with "daily violations and killings" by the Israeli military.
An Israeli drone killed a school principal in Nabaṭiyya al-Fawqā yesterday. Local residents live in a precarious situation, caught between Netanyahu and Hezbollah. Christian villages say Israeli prime minister’s claim “distorts our position.” At least 12 children have been killed or maimed every day since 2 March, UNICEF reports.
At least 16 soldiers were killed and 22 wounded in an incident south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. A military source calls it the "deadliest Houthi attack in years." This could have serious repercussions on the fragile truce in Iran and spark new clashes in the country, where the war has claimed more than 10,000 lives since it broke out in 2014, leaving the population starving.
Bishop Palinuro spoke to AsiaNews about the visit of a delegation from the Turkish Catholic Church to the president who “showed particular interest in the needs" of the local community. Both sides hope “to overcome a difficult past and open a new era of relations." Erdoğan asked for "prayers" for the success of the NATO summit.
Following the diplomatic recognition of the breakaway region, military cooperation and speculation over a possible Israeli presence in the city of Berbera have increased. Rumours about military bases have so far not been officially confirmed, but the Horn of Africa is becoming increasingly central to regional competition.
The authorities have stepped up pressure on one of the few remaining places of worship for the Protestant community in Iran. St Peter’s Evangelical Church has been operating for almost 150 years. Six security officers raided the premises and ‘identified’ those present. The property is worth ‘tens of millions of dollars’. The crackdown has intensified since the signing of the truce with the United States.
On Sunday, the Israeli cabinet approved a proposal for formal recognition of the genocide, which now goes before the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, for a vote. This has sparked criticism in Turkey and Azerbaijan. For Armenians, it is a political move that reflects current tensions and conflicts. For Kegham Balian, an activist with “Save The ArQ,” Israel’s action is an "insult to the memory" of the 1.5 million murdered by the Ottoman Empire.
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