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Day: March 3, 2026
“It is possible that the final meeting of the [Council] of Experts to select a leader in person will be postponed until after the funeral ceremony of the martyred leader next week,” the agency’s source said, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
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According to him, special security measures have been taken to hold the meeting of the Council of Experts.
The post Iran to elect new Supreme Leader after March 6 appeared first on azeritimes.com.
Fire reported near the U.S. Consulate in Dubai after Iranian drone attack.
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The post BREAKING: U.S. Consulate in Dubai catches fire after Iranian attack – VIDEO appeared first on azeritimes.com.
Next Gen Infraco (NGIC), the company licensed by the government to build and operate the wholesale 4G and 5G networks in the country, said in a release that the National Communications Authority (NCA) had approved its preparation and requirements processes, paving the way for the commencement of operations, News.az reports, citing Telegraph.
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“Following inspections and technical validation processes, the NCA has confirmed that NGIC is cleared to proceed in accordance with its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure License. With that confirmation, Ghana’s wholesale 4G/5G platform is now live in selected locations in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale,” the statement announced.
It said the network is also live in other key locations, but nationwide expansion will progress in phases, marking a significant milestone in Ghana’s digital development agenda.
“Today, Ghana moves from 5G ambition to 5G execution. The shared backbone is commercially active and positioned to scale,” NGIC Chief Executive Officer Tenu Awoonor said.
According to Awoonor, the NGIC structure enables nationwide coordination of infrastructure investment while preserving innovation and competition at the retail level.
The NCA licensed NGIC in 2024 to build, deploy and operate the 4G/5G network platform on a wholesale basis, enabling licensed mobile network providers to deliver competitive retail services over a common national backbone, as Ghana seeks to achieve 70 percent 5G network coverage by 2027.
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The comments reflect that the Trump administration has moved on from diplomatic efforts, at least for now, while carrying out military strikes in Iran, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
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“This is a military action, and it’s got to run its course,” the official said.
Witkoff has not spoken with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the days “since this thing went kinetic” the official said, which is notable given the two have had numerous back-and-forth conversations over the past year as the Trump administration tried to negotiate a nuclear deal.
The official also disputed reports that Witkoff has spoken with Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, adding that Witkoff has never had a conversation with him.
Roughly a dozen countries have reached out to the Trump administration in recent days to see if they can aid the United States’ efforts in the war, the official said. The official emphasized that none of those conversations have included direct or indirect talks with the Iranians.
Trump posted this morning that the Iranians “want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!’”
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In the United Arab Emirates in particular, several Americans tell CNN that they have more confidence in Abu Dhabi’s leadership than Washington’s, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
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Kiran Ali, the creator of a WhatsApp group chat with 800 American women living in Dubai, says the overwhelming sentiment from members is trust in the UAE, “coupled with a bit of (a) disturbed feeling towards the US for not fronting money for evacuation, for not doing more to make sure US citizens are safe.”
She said that the US State Department’s call to immediately evacuate the region, despite airspaces being broadly closed, conflicts with the guidance it continues to give on the phone to shelter in place.
Other Americans living in the UAE tell CNN they prefer the uncertainty of missile interceptions to the risk of their kids experiencing a mass school shooting in the US.
“The cynic in me knows that my daughter has more of a chance of being hit by a bullet in the US than a drone in Dubai, so we feel very comfortable about seeing this through,” one man said.
An American man living in Dubai, says he managed to leave the UAE via its land border with Oman, and was able to book a seat on a flight to Sri Lanka after searching for hours for a flight abroad. He said the State Department’s evacuation order “felt late.”
An American woman living in Saudi Arabia says today’s attack on the US embassy in Riyad motivated her to try to fly back to the US via Africa and Europe.
They both said they wanted to return back to the Gulf as soon as possible.
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The Chile China Express cable project, supported by state-owned China Mobile, has drawn criticism from the United States, which accused Chile of jeopardizing its own security and that of the region by moving forward with the initiative, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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Tensions escalated during a meeting Tuesday between outgoing President Gabriel Boric and President-elect José Antonio Kast intended to coordinate the transfer of power. The 22-minute meeting ended abruptly amid disagreements over the sharing of information related to the controversial project and other state matters.
Weeks before Boric leaves office, the United States revoked visas for three Chilean government representatives, citing their role in directing and supporting activities that compromise critical telecommunications infrastructure.
In a televised interview, Boric said he had contacted the president-elect to provide details about the Chinese project before the United States imposed the sanctions. Kast denied that any such exchange took place — a dispute that affected preparatory activities for the change in administration.After the failed meeting, Kast ended the scheduled bilateral sessions between his future Cabinet members and the outgoing administration, marking a rupture unseen since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990.
Chilean authorities have said the project remains under evaluation. However, on Jan. 27, the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications approved a 30-year concession to install and operate a transmission network spanning 19,873 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean between Chile and Hong Kong. The decree was revoked two days later.
“The dispute between President Boric and the president-elect regarding the submarine cable reveals several errors and omissions, as well as information that this government did not disclose in a timely manner. Unfortunately, this situation has generated a climate of mistrust, especially considering the ties some ruling party figures have had with China,” lawmaker Joanna Pérez said.
On Monday, the Chamber of Deputies’ Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications Committee approved a request urging the Foreign Ministry to seek the withdrawal of U.S. Ambassador to Chile Brandon Judd. The request remains under review.
“We are a dependent country, even if it is said otherwise, but we are dignified. That is what I am demanding here: the dignity of our people, of our authorities, of our president, who submit to what the U.S. ambassador in Chile said or instructed, and it is not the first time,” lawmaker René Alinco said during the committee session.The dispute has also prompted a response from Beijing. In a statement, China’s government said the trans-Pacific cable project does not affect the interests of third countries or Chile and accused the United States of seeking to maintain a monopoly over international telecommunications.
“Above all, China and Chile are very important partners,” China’s ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingbao, told Radio Biobio. He said there is a strong need to improve connectivity between the two countries and between Chile and Asia more broadly.
“Any project must comply with the laws of each country. Projects such as this submarine cable fully comply with Chilean law and do not harm any third party, so they will not undermine regional security or the security of other countries,” he said.
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“We have the necessary resources to contain the possible impact of the trade embargo by the US,” it said in a statement. “The US must comply with international law and bilateral EU-US trade agreements” , News.az reports, citing BBC.
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