Syria and Saudi Arabia expand cooperation with talks in Damascus and Riyadh
Syrian and Saudi officials held parallel meetings in Damascus and Riyadh on Sunday, signalling deeper cooperation across humanitarian, agricultural an...
Italy and Algeria agreed on Wednesday to cooperate on fighting terrorism and managing migration flows during an intergovernmental meeting in Rome, while companies signed new deals in energy and telecommunications.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili, following a visit to Algiers by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in March.
"Our bilateral relations have reached a level of intensity and solidity that had never been achieved before," Meloni told a news conference after the meeting.
Algeria is Italy's leading trading partner in Africa, with bilateral trade worth almost 14 billion euros ($16.4 billion) and Italian investments amounting to 8.5 billion euros, according to Meloni's government.
"I express my confidence in what we have achieved at this summit. The agreements signed open broad horizons for a model strategic partnership that reflects the depth of our relations," Tebboune said.
The two governments signed 13 agreements, including one on fighting terrorism and its financing, though they did not specify which threats the pact targeted.
The countries also agreed to coordinate search and rescue operations for migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa to Europe.
Meloni’s right-wing government, elected in 2022, has pledged to curb migrant arrivals.
Italian energy group Eni signed a $1.3 billion production-sharing contract this month with Algerian state-owned oil and gas company Sonatrach to explore and develop hydrocarbons.
On the sidelines of the Rome meeting, Eni and Sonatrach signed an additional agreement to expand cooperation.
"We are very satisfied with the collaboration between Eni and its counterpart Sonatrach, which will become even stronger," Meloni told reporters.
Eni buys gas from Sonatrach under a long-term contract, making Algeria a key fuel supplier for Italy after Rome cut ties with Russia's Gazprom following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
A separate deal will involve Sparkle, a subsea cable company and unit of Telecom Italia (TIM), which is set to be sold to a consortium led by Italy’s Treasury later this year.
Sparkle will sign a preliminary agreement with Algerie Telecom to build a new subsea cable linking the two countries.
"Algeria is a strategic partner, and we are working hard to make this partnership ever broader, stronger and more diversified," Tajani said at a business forum attended by over 400 companies from the two nations.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Syrian and Saudi officials held parallel meetings in Damascus and Riyadh on Sunday, signalling deeper cooperation across humanitarian, agricultural and investment sectors.
U.S. President Donald Trump has delivered his “last warning” to Hamas, urging the group to accept a deal to release hostages from Gaza.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday that the 2026 election would determine whether Hungary pursues greater alignment with the European Union or maintains an independent policy path.
President Donald Trump indicated he is prepared to escalate sanctions on Russia as the conflict in Ukraine continues.
Thousands of tributes are pouring in on social media for late Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail in the United States two weeks ago.
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