Iranian protesters decapitated a statue of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini in northeastern Iran on Friday night, as widespread anti-government demonstrations continue following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Hooded men climbed onto the s…
Iran asks EU to take ‘realistic approach’ to Amini protests
Iran has called on the European Union to adopt a “realistic approach” regarding the protests over Mahsa Amini’s death as the bloc prepares to impose new sanctions on the Islamic republic. EU countries on Wednesday agreed to level new sanctions on the I…
Harry Potter’s Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane, dies aged 72
Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has died aged 72, his agent said on Friday. Coltrane also played a former KGB agent-turned-Russian mafia boss in two James Bond films — “Goldeneye” (1995) and “The World Is N…
At least 22 killed, dozens trapped in Turkey mine blast
Rescuers desperately searched Saturday for signs of remaining life after pulling out 22 bodies from under hundreds of metres of hard rock that buckled when a methane blast tore through a pit on Turkey’s Black Sea coast. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca s…
Tunisia mourners clash with police after young man’s death
Tunisian mourners clashed with security forces on Friday after the death of a young man from injuries sustained during a police chase a month ago. Protestors threw rocks at security forces after Malek Sellimi’s funeral in the working-class neighbourhoo…
Iranians ‘deployed by Russia to assist in Ukraine invasion’
Iranian operatives were sent to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine to launch kamikaze drones as part of Moscow’s military invasion, said the Ukrainian National Resistance Centre on Wednesday. Iranian instructors were deployed in several occupied regio…
Amnesty slams Lebanese officials over refugee return plan
Amnesty International on Friday blasted a decision by Lebanon to start sending Syrian refugees back to their country of origin, warning that the refugees could suffer abuse and persecution in Syria. “The Lebanese authorities are scaling up the so-calle…
Adidas says Moroccan art did inspire Algeria football jersey
Adidas acknowledged on Friday that the design for its new jersey collection for Algeria’s national football team was inspired by Morocco’s zellige mosaic pattern, resolving a dispute with the Moroccan government that had accused the sports apparel comp…
Saudi Arabia: Art expert open to inspecting Salvator Mundi
A renowned British art historian has expressed his “willingness” to travel to Saudi Arabia to inspect the $450-million-dollar, shrouded-in-mystery painting, Salvator Mundi. The world’s most expensive artwork, owned by theGulf Kingdom, is thought to be …
Indian and Pakistani fans reunite over shared cultural hits
On an uneventful summer day, with no news related to borders, Fawad Khan, the Pakistani actor, started trending on Twitter in India. Soon it turned into a kerfuffle, with almost everyone posting and retweeting a 40-second clip of the gorgeous actor, in…