Protests break out in Libya over rumors of normalization with Israel
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has stated that he met Najla Mangoush, the foreign minister in one of Libya’s two rival governments, in Italy last week. However, Mangoush denied that the meeting had anything to do with so-called normalization of ties with Israel
Trade unions and communists condemn French state’s persecution of energy workers’ leader Sébastien Menesplier
Sébastien Menesplier, the leader of the National Federation of Mines and Energy, was summoned by the police for his role in organizing a strike against the unpopular pension reforms. Unions and the French left have termed it an unprecedented escalation of attacks on labor organizing
Tunisian government announces more measures to restrict online content
The Tunisian president and several ministries announced plans to restrict social media and online content which is determined to be “harming the country’s interests”
Russian foreign minister says they are open for talks but reject West’s attempts at intimidation
Citing the fate of the 2014-15 Minsk agreement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal for mediation between Russia and Ukraine, calling it empty posturing and an attempt to seek attention
BRICS summit ends with six new members and calls for inclusive multilateralism and UN reform
BRICS has decided to invite six countries to join the bloc — Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The leaders also agreed on a future plan of expansion and called for increased use of local currencies in trade as opposed to the dollar
Egyptian authorities arrest publisher and activist Hisham Kassem
Hisham Kassem faces charges of slander and verbal assault. He is the leader of the political group al-Tayar al-Hurr (the free current), formed in June this year, which plans to support an opposition presidential candidate against President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the upcoming elections next year
Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozin reportedly killed in a plane crash
Prigozin, the founder of the Wagner paramilitary company, along with several top officials including its co-founder Dmitry Utkin and deputy head Valery Chekalov, were on board a flight that crashed in Russia’s Tver region
Peace groups protest Ireland’s involvement in Ukraine war
Protesters slammed the Fine Gael-Fianna Fail-Greens government for the decision to provide weapons training to Ukrainian army recruits and called for maintaining the traditional Irish policy of neutrality in international conflicts