Mena Today

Turkish authorities have detained 26 people and searched the offices of six LGBTQ+ associations in a series of raids that followed allegations of prostitution and obscenity, prosecutors said.

In an interview with « Ici Beyrouth », Étienne Sakr - founder and leader of the Guardians of the Cedars, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Arz ("Father of the Cedars") - reaffirmed positions he says he has held for decades: peace with Israel, full normalization, and the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Mario León Dorado as coadjutor archbishop of Rabat (Morocco), pending the outcome of an investigation into Archbishop Cristóbal López Romero, who stepped aside after sexual abuse allegations.

Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, adding to concerns about Iran-related threats to global energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline. 

Iraq closed three border crossings with Iran on Saturday, security officials told AFP, after a drone attack on a Saudi pipeline was launched from Iraqi territory, according to Riyadh and Baghdad.

Hungary's government will change legislation passed in 2020 by Viktor Orban's former government that had effectively banned gay adoption, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Saturday.

A meeting between Iran and Gulf states planned for Monday in Oman will be a chance to discuss issues including the Strait of Hormuz, but is not expected to yield a signed agreement over the blockaded waterway, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday.

Iran and the United Arab Emirates signed up to a joint statement from the BRICS group of nations that called for restraint in the Middle East war on Saturday, in what was seen as a sign of diplomatic progress between the countries divided by the war.

A lightning offensive by the Iran-aligned Houthis has put the militants in a position to control a crucial Middle East waterway, creating a major new problem for U.S. President Donald Trump as his war with Iran grinds on in its seventh month. 

Syrian government plans to turn a former military airport in Damascus into a hub for private jets are raising alarm among rights groups and residents who say redevelopment could disturb suspected mass graves and override private land claims. 

Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West pipeline after the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack in the widening Middle East war, threatening to send energy prices even higher.

A cell of "malicious actors" based in northern Yemen used Claude, the artificial intelligence system built by US company Anthropic, in an attempt to develop guided weapons, the company announced Thursday, as Iran-backed Houthi rebels press a major offensive across Yemen.