Press TV's News Headlines

Al-Aqsa Mosque violations

Iran has warned against al-Aqsa Mosque violations by Israeli officials and settlers, saying such moves will have serious consequences for the fake Tel Aviv regime. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remark in a phone call with Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hissein Brahim Taha. Iran's top diplomat called for the establishment of a legal international mechanism to stop sacrilegious acts against sacred places and religious sanctities. The OIC chief, for his part, strongly condemned the latest violations of al-Aqsa Mosque by a right-wing Israeli minister. He said such provocations by Zionists undermine peace and stability in West Asia.

Saudi crackdown on dissent

Saudi Arabia has reportedly arrested and jailed two Wikipedia administrators after infiltrating the highest ranks in the website's regional team. This is according to activists who said the measure was an attempt by Riyadh to control content on Wikipedia. The revelation was made in a statement by the Washington-based Democracy for the Arab World Now and a Beirut-based NGO, citing whistleblowers and trusted sources. They identified the jailed administrators as Osama Khalid and Ziyad al-Sofiani. They were volunteer administrators of the website with privileged access that allowed them to edit fully protected pages. Khalid has been handed down a 32-year jail sentence, while Sofiani given eight years in prison. The duo have been imprisoned since they were arrested on the same day in September 2020. The statement added that the arrests showed how the Saudi government is bent on controlling the narrative and Wikipedia.

Western arms in Ukraine

The US and Germany say they are sending armored vehicles and missile defense systems to Kiev, as the West continues to fan the flames of the Ukraine war. Berlin announced on Thursday that it will provide Ukraine with Marder military vehicles and a Patriot missile defense battery. Washington, for its part, said it is going to send Bradley fighting vehicles to Kiev. The announcement came after a call between US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Earlier, France had said it’s delivering light armored combat vehicles to support Ukraine’s war efforts. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Kiev’s Western allies to provide his forces with heavy tanks to boost their firepower. Russia says the West’s military support for Ukraine will only prolong the war and increase the suffering of its people.

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