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Tunisia to Take Measures Against Coronavirus

An employee arranges sunbathing chairs on a beach near the Hasdrubal Hotel in Hammamet, Tunisia (Reuters)
An employee arranges sunbathing chairs on a beach near the Hasdrubal Hotel in Hammamet, Tunisia (Reuters)
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Tunisia to Take Measures Against Coronavirus

An employee arranges sunbathing chairs on a beach near the Hasdrubal Hotel in Hammamet, Tunisia (Reuters)
An employee arranges sunbathing chairs on a beach near the Hasdrubal Hotel in Hammamet, Tunisia (Reuters)

Tunisia’s Speaker Rached Ghannouchi called for an urgent meeting of the heads of the parliamentary blocs to discuss the economic and social developments in Tunisia and the effects of the novel Coronavirus.

Ghannouchi also plans to call for an accountability session to question the government on the country’s health situation. He will also address the required urgent decisions and measures in the framework of the utmost unity, teamwork, and speed of interaction with the developments.

Ghannouchi said that these two meetings aim to promote coordination between the parliament and the government to overcome the crisis and study the government’s legal proposals to overcome these difficult social, economic, and health circumstances.

On Monday, the Tunisian government held an urgent session during which ministers discussed a plan that addresses the economic and social repercussions of the coronavirus crisis.

The Prime Minister did not attend the session, raising speculations about the reasons for his absence.

Fakhfakh said in a televised speech that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 24. He announced a new set of preventive measures, including the closure of air and land borders, except for goods and certain evacuation flights.

The measures will take effect on March 18.

Last week, Fakhfakh announced a number of urgent preventive measures to confront COVID-19. He explained that measures were taken to prevent the third stage of the pandemic.

Maritime borders will be closed to all countries while air borders with Italy will be suspended permanently, and all passengers arriving to Tunisia are required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Tunisian authorities are expected to increase the strict procedures after the health authorities predicted a rise in the number of confirmed cases, which will have a negative impact on a number of economic activities, especially the tourism sector and transportation.

Former Minister of Economy Hakim Ben Hammouda predicted the losses of the national economy to range between $660 million and $2.2 billion.

This will likely be reflected on the job opportunities in Tunisia, increasing the unemployment rate from 1.5 percent to 4.1 percent during the coming period.

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Arab World

Bomb Blast at Damascus Cafe Kills Five

A police vehicle near the site of what Syrian state media reported was a blast at a cafe in central Damascus, Syria, July 2, 2026. REUTERS/Yamaam Al Shaar
A police vehicle near the site of what Syrian state media reported was a blast at a cafe in central Damascus, Syria, July 2, 2026. REUTERS/Yamaam Al Shaar
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Bomb Blast at Damascus Cafe Kills Five

A police vehicle near the site of what Syrian state media reported was a blast at a cafe in central Damascus, Syria, July 2, 2026. REUTERS/Yamaam Al Shaar
A police vehicle near the site of what Syrian state media reported was a blast at a cafe in central Damascus, Syria, July 2, 2026. REUTERS/Yamaam Al Shaar

A bomb went off at a cafe in central Damascus on Thursday, killing at least five people and wounding 16, Syrian authorities said.

The blast took place near the capital's Palace of Justice, a key government building, sparking scenes of panic in the busy area.

An AFP correspondent saw ambulances weaving their way through traffic with their sirens blaring as they headed to the site, and security forces cordoned off the area of the blast.

"The explosion that occurred in a cafe near the Palace of Justice in Damascus resulted from an explosive device planted in the location," state television said, after earlier reporting that authorities were seeking to determine the source of the blast.

Nour Khayyat, 40, who owns a shop selling batteries for solar panels near the site of the explosion, told AFP that "at about 3:00 pm (1200 GMT), I heard a powerful blast and the storefront shook".

"People rushed to the cafe and called ambulances," he added.

Mohammed al-Zahabi, the owner of a glasses shop next to the targeted cafe, was trembling as he told AFP that "after the blast, I felt strong pressure, and the whole place shook".

"I ran to the place and saw people lying on the floor with blood pooled around them everywhere," he added, saying the scenes recalled the blasts that Damascus experienced during the nearly 14-year civil war.

Damascus has been the site of multiple attacks and incidents since the new authorities took over following the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

The deadliest came in June 2025, when an attack on a Damascus church killed 25 people.

The suicide attack was later claimed by an Islamist group, while the authorities blamed it on the ISIS.

Arab World

Sudanese Army Says It Shot Down Hostile Strategic Drone in White Nile State

Sudanese army soldiers parade in the streets of eastern Sudan's city of Gedaref on August 14, 2025 to mark the 71st anniversary of the formation of the Sudanese army. war. (Photo by AFP)
Sudanese army soldiers parade in the streets of eastern Sudan's city of Gedaref on August 14, 2025 to mark the 71st anniversary of the formation of the Sudanese army. war. (Photo by AFP)
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Sudanese Army Says It Shot Down Hostile Strategic Drone in White Nile State

Sudanese army soldiers parade in the streets of eastern Sudan's city of Gedaref on August 14, 2025 to mark the 71st anniversary of the formation of the Sudanese army. war. (Photo by AFP)
Sudanese army soldiers parade in the streets of eastern Sudan's city of Gedaref on August 14, 2025 to mark the 71st anniversary of the formation of the Sudanese army. war. (Photo by AFP)

The Sudanese army announced on Thursday that it had shot down a hostile Chinese-made FH-95 strategic drone over the town of Tendelti in White Nile State, marking the second drone of the same model that the military says it has downed during the conflict.

In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Armed Forces' Office of the Official Spokesperson said Sudan's air defenses had successfully intercepted and shot down a hostile FH-95 strategic drone over the skies of Tendelti.

Tendelti is located in White Nile State in southern Sudan and borders North Kordofan State to the west, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified drone strikes on the state capital, El Obeid.

The RSF had not issued an official response to the army's announcement at the time of publication.

Several cities across central and western Sudan have recently witnessed a marked escalation in reciprocal drone attacks between the Sudanese army and the RSF.

In recent weeks, Tendelti has been repeatedly targeted in attacks attributed to the RSF. Similar strikes have also hit the cities of Rabak and Kosti in White Nile State, as well as Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan State.

Since the outbreak of the war in Sudan in April 2023, both sides have significantly expanded their use of drones, with attacks reaching cities far from the front lines. The increased use of unmanned aircraft has contributed to higher civilian casualties and further worsening the humanitarian situation in the affected areas.

Arab World

Syrian Foreign Minister Visits Beirut after Trump Comments about Taking on Hezbollah

File photo: In this photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani before their meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
File photo: In this photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani before their meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
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Syrian Foreign Minister Visits Beirut after Trump Comments about Taking on Hezbollah

File photo: In this photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani before their meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
File photo: In this photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, shakes hands with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani before their meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)

Syria's foreign minister travelled to Beirut ‌on Thursday to meet Lebanese government leaders, in his first visit there since US President Donald Trump raised the possibility of Syrian forces combating Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, however, has previously denied what he called rumors about any Syrian presence entering Lebanon.

The Syrian minister, Asaad al-Shibani, met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on his first stop, and then headed for a meeting with the parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah.

Syria's new government under Sharaa has emerged as a US ally since his forces ‌toppled President Bashar al-Assad ‌in 2024, and has largely stayed out ‌of the ⁠regional war between ⁠the US and Israel, and Iran.

Trump said last month he had spoken to Sharaa about combating Hezbollah, after criticizing Israel — which is at war with the group — for killing too many civilians in Lebanon and not getting the job done. "I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah, because to be honest with you, ⁠I think they do a better job of doing ‌it," Trump said.

DAMASCUS WARY OF ‌BEING DRAWN INTO WAR

Reuters reported in March that the US had encouraged ‌Syria to consider sending forces into eastern Lebanon to help ‌disarm Hezbollah, but that Damascus was reluctant to embark on such a mission for fear of being sucked into the war in the Middle East and inflaming sectarian tensions in Syria and Lebanon.

Sharaa has since Trump's comments ‌said that "the rumors circulating about Syria entering Lebanon are completely unfounded", according to Syrian state media.

The former opposition forces ⁠and commanders ⁠that now run Syria fought against Hezbollah for years while it deployed to Syria to support former President Bashar al-Assad.

Now that they are in power, they are having to calibrate alliances and military action carefully in efforts to maintain relative stability in Syria, which is still recovering from 14 years of civil war.

Syria long dominated Lebanon under the Assad family, sending in forces in 1976 during the 1975-90 civil war and controlling Lebanon's post-war politics until its withdrawal in 2005.

Any Syrian intervention could fuel sectarian tensions in both Syria and Lebanon, home to a mosaic of sects including Sunni Muslims, Shi'ite Muslims, Christians and Druze.