Uzbekistan summons Iranian Ambassador after Samarkand described as Persian
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heri...
Iran is now facing a near‑total internet blackout as anti-government protests sweep the country. Major cities including Tehran have seen connectivity drop sharply, leaving millions of residents isolated from online communication.
NetBlocks, a digital rights monitor, reported widespread loss of access to online services on Thursday, with connectivity falling sharply across multiple providers at the height of demonstrations that have entered their second week.
By Friday (9 January), latest independent reports claim, Iran’s internet has been down for 12 hours, with connectivity dropping to around 1% of normal levels.
The shutdown comes amid an escalation in unrest, with demonstrators clashing with security forces and targeting symbols of the Islamic Republic. Authorities appear to be restricting internet access to limit coordination among protesters and control the flow of information.
Human rights observers warn that internet blackouts during periods of unrest can conceal violent crackdowns and prevent independent reporting. With online communication cut, it is difficult to confirm events on the ground, raising concerns about civilian safety.
No official statement has been issued by Iranian authorities regarding the scope or duration of the outage. Residents report that access to social media, messaging apps, and other online services has been severely restricted, intensifying fears about what may be happening amid the ongoing demonstrations.
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as strong winds and torrential rain brought down trees, cut power and disrupted transport across the island.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist attack and ‘a turning point’ for the country.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
Armenian authorities have detained 10 more people in a vote-buying investigation involving the opposition Strong Armenia party, just two days before local elections in the northern town of Stepanavan.
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding an independent commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack, three days before a national election.
Saudi Arabia religious leaders have condemned attacks targeting holy sites and civilians after authorities reported intercepting two ballistic missiles launched towards the Mecca and Medina regions, while Yemen’s Houthi movement denied targeting the two cities.
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heritage of Samarkand belongs to Persian or Iranian-Islamic civilisation, Tashkent's Foreign Ministry said.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
Foreign ministers meeting in Istanbul on Friday warned that renewed military strikes on Iran could deepen the regional conflict, urging diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
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