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'Situation escalated' - Japan PM orders urgent safety checks on nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, UAE as conflict spills over into Gulf countries

'Situation escalated' - Japan PM orders urgent safety checks on nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, UAE as conflict spills over into Gulf countries

"Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Saturday that Tokyo is widening its safety checks across the Gulf as tensions rise after the US and Israel exchanged attacks with Iran. Takaichi said that 'as the situation continued to escalate,' she issued instructions not only to Iran and Israel, but also to nearby countries, including Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, to confirm the safety of Japanese nationals and ensure they are protected. She said Japan has been preparing for emergencies, including early evacuation if needed, and added there are no reports of Japanese nationals being injured so far. The United States and Israel launched a joint strike on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to 'destroy Iran's missiles.'  In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said that 'widespread missile and drone attacks' against Israel were underway. US bases were also reportedly targeted in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq and Kuwait. The developments follow three recent rounds of talks between Iranian and American officials, one held in Muscat and two in Geneva. Russia, China, France, Bahrain and Colombia have called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, where members were divided between urging an immediate halt to hostilities and pressing Iran to abandon its nuclear programme. Iranian state media reported the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the attacks, prompting Tehran to declare 40 days of national mourning and a seven-day public holiday, with all government offices and schools closed as the country prepares for funeral rites."

'They are not criminals!' - Dakar protesters denounce Rabat prison sentences for Senegalese fans after AFCON violence

'They are not criminals!' - Dakar protesters denounce Rabat prison sentences for Senegalese fans after AFCON violence

"Hundreds took to the streets of Dakar to demand the release of 18 Senegalese fans jailed in Rabat, denouncing what they described as harsh prison sentences handed down after clashes at the 2025 AFCON final. Footage shows demonstrators marching through the capital while waving Senegalese flags and holding up signs reading, 'free the hostages' and 'free our supporters.' "They are not criminals; they are supporters. It is passion. It is a sport. Sport should strengthen people, but sport should not lead to this. The supporters must be released, because we cannot say they are detainees - they are hostages," said one demonstrator. "We have always proclaimed the fraternal bond between Morocco and Senegal. Unfortunately, we see that when Moroccan interests are threatened, they cast those relations aside, do they not?" Added another. One protester called on the Senegalese government to ramp up its' efforts in securing the return of its jailed citizens from Rabat. "We, as society, as the people, are telling you to redouble your efforts so that our young people can return, and that they come back in good mental and physical health. This is a demand," he stressed. The 18 Senegalese nationals were sentenced by a court in Rabat over clashes linked to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, with Moroccan authorities citing offences related to public disorder, violence and property damage. The rulings have sparked diplomatic contacts between Dakar and Rabat, as Senegalese officials seek clarification on the legal proceedings and press for assurances regarding the detainees' rights and conditions."