Security requires regional stability
Iranian president says genuine regional security and stability cannot be achieved when one part of the region faces destabilizing measures and economic pressure. Masoud Pezeshkian called for dialogue to achieve lasting peace and stability. The Iranian president added, diplomacy is only viable when it’s based on respect and mutual commitments, rather than threats. He said regional countries must strengthen cooperation and connectivity to build resilience against war, external pressure, and economic disruptions. Pezeshkian was speaking at the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Turkmenistan. The president attended CIS summit as the sole special guest from a non-member country and its keynote speaker.
Belgium crackdown on protests
Belgian police have cracked down on student-led protests in the capital Brussels during a nationwide strike against the government’s austerity measures and budget cuts. Police also used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The clampdown came as thousands of people took to the streets of the Belgian capital. Public transport and flights are said to be disrupted. Students in Belgium are inspired by their counterparts in France who have been holding protests for days. Over 140 schools remain closed in France as demonstrations continue. That’s despite a pledge by the education minister to deploy 3,000 substitute teachers. The French government is criticized for its handling of the protests and the heavy-handed response by law enforcement forces.
US anti-ICE protests
US security forces have clashed with protesters in New York City after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot and wounded a Dominican man on Thursday. The demonstrators rallied near the scene of the shooting and a Manhattan hospital where the victim was taken. They held placards reading “Jail All Killer ICE Agents” and “Hands off NYC”, while chanting “ICE out of New York.” The protesters condemned the shooting as an example of the dangers posed by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. New York City's mayor has also slammed the shooting.
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