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Related media - Latest news Iran's presidential election on Friday saw a particularly low turnout, with early estimates suggesting only about 25 percent of eligible voters participated. That was a significant drop from the 70 percent turnout seen in previous elections and fell short of the 50 percent target set by ruling clerics, who see voter turnout as a measure of their legitimacy. Years of economic hardship and severe social restrictions have left many Iranians disillusioned with politicians’ broken promises. For some, abstaining from voting is a way of expressing their rejection of the government. Reports from Tehran showed empty polling stations, with some voters defying dress codes, such as Mahdieh, 41, who cast her ballot without a hijab. By contrast, polling stations in cent...

Related media - Breaking news Revenue agency representatives did not respond to our email seeking comment. The Hernández sisters were initially devastated. But they filmed their interaction with regulators and sent it to one of their daughters. The young woman decided she could share her family’s experience with some friends. The video quickly spread online and soon outraged supporters were visiting the restaurant as if they were making a pilgrimage. Donations appeared at the door: spices to season the filling of empanadas, a 33-pound bag of cornmeal. Then funds began to arrive from Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and even Germany. Many people sent orders for empanadas, along with instructions for families to distribute them among local people in need. Recently, in her restaurant, Corina ...

Related media - Recent news "We understand who is behind these terrorist acts," Sergei Melikov, the senior Dagestan official, said in a speech to residents. He drew comparisons between the victims of the assault and Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, saying they were facing the same enemy. “We must understand that war enters our home,” Melikov added. In his daily press conference on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Peskov appeared to draw a link between the violence in Dagestan and Ukraine's separate attack on occupied Crimea on Sunday. Local officials declared a three-day mourning period in Dagestan, a multi-religious and ethnically diverse region, and said victims' families would receive special compensation. Dagestan's approximately 3.2 million residents are divided among dozens of et...

Related media - News 24 hours Israel ordered evacuations in eastern Gaza on Thursday as heavy attacks hit the region, leaving many dead, according to Palestinian officials and residents. Those in the area described a desperate scramble to escape amid continued explosions. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the attacks, which reportedly targeted the Shajaiye neighborhood, an area badly damaged by previous intense fighting. Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, noted that the army was conducting a ground operation to eliminate Hamas, based on intelligence that suggested the group was regaining control of the neighborhood. A witness from a human rights organization reported seeing Israeli tanks on the outskirts of Shajaiye. If confirmed, the operation would mark a...

More news - Latest news During the Iranian presidential campaign, a recurring theme dominated debates, rallies and speeches: the long-awaited return of Donald J. Trump. The six presidential candidates have repeatedly suggested that Trump's victory in the 2024 US presidential election is inevitable. The central question for Iranian voters as they go to the polls on Friday is determining which candidate is best equipped to handle Trump's presidency. Interestingly, President Biden is barely mentioned and the numerous polls indicating a close election in the United States are ignored. Instead, Trump's name is often invoked. “Wait and see what will happen when Trump comes,” said Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a cleric and candidate, during a recent televised debate. “We need to prepare for neg...

More news - Breaking news Kenyan lawmakers passed a controversial finance bill on Tuesday, sparking outrage as thousands marched on parliament in Nairobi. Protesters called on the government to reject the proposed tax hikes, saying they would disproportionately burden Kenyans. Clashes broke out as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Footage captured by international media showed the chaotic scene, including the use of force against protesters. Reports of human rights activists being kidnapped ahead of the protest also emerged, raising concerns about freedom of expression. The proposed legislation has set off a firestorm across Kenya. The East African nation, known for its relative stability, witnessed days of nationwide demonstrations. Human rights groups have d...

More news - News 24 hours “I'm in the middle of this whole thing, and even I find it hard to explain what happened,” Mr. Toth said. “People cheer for him as if they were cheering for the Hungarian national football team.” Politics, however, destroyed Azahriah's chances of representing her country in Europe's musical equivalent of the World Cup, the Eurovision Song Contest. Authorities, alarmed by Eurovision's reputation as Europe's biggest gay event, in 2020 ended Hungary's participation in the annual competition. “It would have been amazing if I could have won Eurovision as a straight white guy,” Azahriah said. David Sajo, entertainment editor for Telex, a popular Hungarian online media outlet, said he was not a big fan, but praised Azahriah for broadening Hungarian musical horizo...

More news - News 24 hours Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made fresh complaints on Sunday about the Biden administration's supply of munitions for the war in Gaza as his defense minister arrived in Washington to meet with senior US officials.Some Israeli media had described Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's visit, although planned in advance, as a "reconciliation" trip aimed at easing recent tensions with the country's most important ally. Netanyahu's government and the Biden administration are increasingly at odds over Israel's conduct in Gaza, and last week Netanyahu lashed out at the United States for withholding munitions.But on Sunday morning, Netanyahu redoubled his efforts. In a speech broadcast in Hebrew before the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said ...

Related media - News 24 hours Although much of the campaign for recognition occurred under a previous center-left government, inclusion on the list by the United Nations agency, UNESCO, was something of a coup for Italy's conservative government, the whose Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, has made it his mission to exalt Italianness. One of his projects is a museum of Italian culture, to highlight the "contribution that Italy has made to humanity", and his positions at the direction of the most important museums have favored local choices where the previous government looked for international talent. His choice in April of a director for La Scala, Milan's grand opera house, came with a statement trumpeting that the new boss, Fortunato Ortombina, was Italian, "after three fo...

Related media - Latest news Israeli troops have overrun much of Gaza since their ground invasion began in late October. But they managed to save only seven living hostages in three separate military operations, with around 120 prisoners remaining in Gaza. Several proposed rescue missions did not go ahead for fear that hostages or law enforcement would die in the process, according to two Israeli defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation. In December, Israeli special forces attempted to rescue a hostage from Hamas captivity, according to the two defense officials. Sahar Baruch, an Israeli hostage, was killed during the firefight and two Israeli officers were seriously injured. According to one of the defense officials, Israeli intelli...