Media Wire

Official sources say more than 160 people were killed and 6,000 including several foreign nationals, detained in Kazakhstan during the unrest that shook the central Asian country.

Saudi Arabia has appealed to regional countries to replenish the depleted stock of intercepting missiles for its US-made Patriot air-defense system as Yemeni forces ramp up rocket and drone strikes on the kingdom, the Financial Times reported.

Iran futsal goalkeeper Farzaneh Tavasoli has been shortlisted for the best women goalkeeper of the world in 2021.

Salam Al-Zawawi was sworn in before President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, as Palestine’s new ambassador to Iran.

A top Russian diplomat says Moscow is not optimistic about the forthcoming talks with Washington. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybakov added Russia will not give in to US pressure or make any concessions ahead of the Geneva talks set for 10 January.

The situation in all regions of Kazakhstan hit by unrest has been stabilized, Acting Interior Minister Yerlan Turgumbayev said in a statement.

Tehran has updated its list of US individuals blacklisted for involvement in the assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and his companions. Iran has added 51 US officials and commanders to the list.

Electricity was cut off throughout Lebanon on Saturday. Lebanon’s state electricity company has announced its power plants had stopped working after protesters stormed a key substation and tampered with the electrical equipment.

Iran and Turkmenistan call for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, with the participation of all ethnicities.

At least 21 people died in an enormous traffic jam caused by tens of thousands of visitors thronging a Pakistani hill town to see unusually heavy snowfall.

As the new round negotiations on the removal of US sanctions against Iran continues in Vienna, a Russian diplomat says all participants recognize that some progress is being made towards an agreement on restoration of the 2015 nuclear deal.

International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that up to 90 percent of health centers in Afghanistan might shut down by the end of this year.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has denounced remarks by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over Moscow's involvement in Kazakhstan unrest. The top US diplomat has said Kazakhstan would have a difficult time getting the Russian forces, invited to quell the unrest, to leave the country.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev says, in the recent unrest in the country, there were six waves of terrorist attacks in Almaty, adding the overall number of terrorists was about 20,000,

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says a diplomatic solution is still possible to resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Binken however warned Russia of “massive consequences” if it continues what he called aggressive actions in Europe.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on Friday that he has given permission to law enforcement agents to use lethal force to quell the ongoing unrest.

Progress has been made regarding the nuclear negotiations in Vienna although time is running out, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday.

A former US ambassador to Damascus argues that it is “ridiculous” to think that the United States will leave the Middle East, particularly Syria and Iraq, in the near future.

At least 18 security forces have been killed in clashes in Kazakhstan. No details on civilian casualties have officially been revealed. Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies have also detained nearly 2,000 demonstrators, according to the interior ministry.

The Saudi-led coalition has seized another ship carrying fuel for Yemen. The vessel was supposed to dock at Yemen's Red Sea port of Hudaydah.

Heavy snow and rainfall that caused avalanches and floods in different provinces of Afghanistan, have so far claimed the lives of 11 people and wounded 23 more.

US National security adviser has told Israeli officials that the threat of “snapback” sanctions should be used as a means to deter Iran from enriching ‘weapons-grade’ uranium. Iran has warned it will take retaliatory measures if western countries use the "snapback mechanism" to reinstate sanctions on Tehran.

Spokesperson for Kazakhstan police says security forces prevented protestors from storming police buildings in Almaty on Wednesday night, adding dozens of protesters involved in the attacks have been killed.

Iranian ambassador to Iraq says Baghdad will soon host the fifth round of talks between Tehran and Riyadh. Iran and Saudi Arabia have held four rounds of dialogue so far in order to ease tensions on several issues.

Israeli forces and a settler have killed two young Palestinian men in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank.