MILAN/TRIPOLI, March 20 ā Italyās coast guard said more than 900 migrants were rescued in four separate operations in the Strait of Sicily on Saturday, while Libyan authorities said they had rescued nearly 600 migrants from four boats, one of which sank. A spokesman for Libyan naval forces, Ayoub Qassem, said the bodies of four⦠Continue reading Italy Rescues 910 Boat Migrants, Nearly 600 Saved Off Libya
U.N. Chief Furious With Morocco Over Western Sahara Demonstration
UNITED NATIONS, March 15 ā U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Moroccoās foreign minister on Monday he was angered and disappointed by a demonstration in Rabat he said was a personal attack on him over remarks he made about the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Tens of thousands of Moroccans marched though the capital on Sunday⦠Continue reading U.N. Chief Furious With Morocco Over Western Sahara Demonstration
War, Disasters Disrupt Education of 80 Million Children
LONDON, March 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) ā At least 80 million children living in areas affected by war or natural disaster had their education disrupted last year, leaving them prey to child labour, trafficking and extremism, experts said on Thursday. Many humanitarian aid appeals for 2015 ignored education, and aid appeals for education were only⦠Continue reading War, Disasters Disrupt Education of 80 Million Children
Software, Printer Problems Delayed Discovery of Bangladesh Heist
DHAKA, March 17 ā The cyber thieves who stole $81 million from Bangladesh Bank hid their tracks by installing malware that manipulated a central bank printer to hide evidence of the heist, according to a person familiar with the investigation. Earlier, two central bank officials filed a police report that said that a computer and⦠Continue reading Software, Printer Problems Delayed Discovery of Bangladesh Heist
On World Water Day, 650 Million People Canāt Get a Safe Drink
LONDON, March 16 ā Some 650 million people, or one in 10 of the worldās population, do not have access to safe water, putting them at risk of infectious diseases and premature death. Dirty water and poor sanitation can cause severe diarrhoeal diseases in children, killing 900 under-fives a day across the world, according to⦠Continue reading On World Water Day, 650 Million People Canāt Get a Safe Drink
Anti-Trump Protesters: A Patchwork of People and Facebook Pages
KANSAS CITY, Mo./BLOOMINGTON, Ill., March 13 ā Donald Trump has called them thugs, professional organizers and supporters of Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders. But the protesters who have stepped up their actions against the Republican presidential front-runner are a disparate group from different walks of life, with no national organization to speak of. They assemble⦠Continue reading Anti-Trump Protesters: A Patchwork of People and Facebook Pages
Palestinian Kills U.S. Tourist in Stabbing Spree on Tel Aviv Boardwalk
TEL AVIV, March 9 ā An American tourist was stabbed to death and at least nine other people were wounded by a Palestinian armed with a knife on a popular boardwalk in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, authorities said, while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in a meeting a few kilometres (miles) away. The attack⦠Continue reading Palestinian Kills U.S. Tourist in Stabbing Spree on Tel Aviv Boardwalk
Daesh Using Birth Control To Maintain Sex Slaves
WASHINGTON, March 13Ā ā DaeshĀ is using several forms of contraception to maintain its supply of sex slaves, theĀ New York TimesĀ reported on Saturday, citing interviews with more than three dozen Yazidi women who escaped from the militant group. TheĀ New York TimesĀ reported that DaeshĀ used āoral and injectable contraception, and sometimes bothā to ensure that the women did not⦠Continue reading Daesh Using Birth Control To Maintain Sex Slaves
Daesh Using Birth Control To Maintain Sex Slaves
WASHINGTON, March 13Ā ā DaeshĀ is using several forms of contraception to maintain its supply of sex slaves, theĀ New York TimesĀ reported on Saturday, citing interviews with more than three dozen Yazidi women who escaped from the militant group. TheĀ New York TimesĀ reported that DaeshĀ used āoral and injectable contraception, and sometimes bothā to ensure that the women did not⦠Continue reading Daesh Using Birth Control To Maintain Sex Slaves
As Hard Times Hit, Egyptians At Last Find Fault With Sisi
CAIRO, March 11 ā āYour exellency: you are not working,ā television presenter Azza al-Hemawy said, looking into the camera but addressing the Egyptian president. āNot one single issue has been solved since you took over.ā After years of hearing little but enthusiastic applause for Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and vilification of his enemies, the tens of⦠Continue reading As Hard Times Hit, Egyptians At Last Find Fault With Sisi
Tobacco Off Saudi Shelves Amid Price Rise Speculation
RIYADH, March 13 ā Cigarettes had disappeared from the shelves in some Saudi cities on Sunday amid speculation on social media that the government was about to raise prices on tobacco and other products that are harmful to health. Three Riyadh shops visited by Reuters said they had no cigarettes for sale and social media⦠Continue reading Tobacco Off Saudi Shelves Amid Price Rise Speculation
Yemen War Generates Widespread Suffering, But Few Refugees
March 9 ā Amid Yemenās misery, two young women living in the war-damaged cities of Aden and Sanaa know they are among the relatively fortunate. They are not starving, their homes have not been destroyed and they have survived bombs and bullets unscathed. But both long to escape the conflict plunging their country ever deeper⦠Continue reading Yemen War Generates Widespread Suffering, But Few Refugees
Militants, Tunisian Forces Clash in Border Town, 45 Killed
TUNIS, March 7 ā Islamist fighters attacked army and police barracks in the Tunisian town of Ben Guerdan near the Libyan border on Monday and at least 45 people, including civilians, were killed in the clashes, residents and the Interior Ministry said. Authorities sealed off the nearby beach resort town of Djerba, a popular destination⦠Continue reading Militants, Tunisian Forces Clash in Border Town, 45 Killed
Egypt Parliament Expels MP for Dining With Israeli Ambassador
CAIRO, March 3- Egyptās parliament voted on Wednesday to expel an independent lawmaker who invited the Israeli ambassador in Cairo for dinner, drawing widespread criticism and prompting a fellow deputy to attack him with his shoe. Speaker Ali Abdelaal announced that 465 lawmakers, out of 490 who attended the session voted to expel Tawfik Okasha⦠Continue reading Egypt Parliament Expels MP for Dining With Israeli Ambassador
Bahrain Opposition Leader Jailed for Insulting Ruling System
DUBAI, Feb 24 ā A prominent Bahraini opposition figure was sentenced to a year in jail on Wednesday on charges of insulting the kingdomās ruling system in a speech last year, his defence lawyer said. But the court cleared Ibrahim Sharif, former head of the secular National Democratic Action Society, or Waad, of the more⦠Continue reading Bahrain Opposition Leader Jailed for Insulting Ruling System
Yemen: Sweet Spot
The scent of the food that wafts from Matāam Souriya (Syriaās Restaurant) attracts passersby in Hada Street in the middle of the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, where Sobhi Al Marei and his colleagues are hard at work, crafting delicious meals. When the Syrian war became unbearable in Aleppo, Marei decided to shut shop and head⦠Continue reading Yemen: Sweet Spot
Saudi Arabia: The End of Oil
āThe wake-up call has arrived. The politics of waste must end,ā Khaled Al Maeena says in his 27th floor office in the Saudi city of Jeddah. He was referring to a transformation plan that has shaken Saudi Arabiaāthe biggest in decades. At the turn of the year, a newly-consolidated Ministry of Economy and Planning announced⦠Continue reading Saudi Arabia: The End of Oil
Pakistan: The Shame Of It All
The medieval practice of honor killing is defined as āthe murder of a family member, usually a female, who is perceived to have brought dishonor and shame on their family.ā In the majority of cases, an honor killing is not only justified as such by the perpetrators, but also by their families and communities. As⦠Continue reading Pakistan: The Shame Of It All
Iran Committed to OPECās Oil Output Freeze: Iranian Ambassador to Oman
Muscat (Newsweek Middle East)āĀ A day after Iranās Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh ridiculed a decision by the Organization of the Oil Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to freeze oil output, the Islamic Republicās Ambassador to Oman said his country āis committed to OPECās oil output freeze decision.ā Speaking on the sidelines of Iranās Capital Market Roadshow⦠Continue reading Iran Committed to OPECās Oil Output Freeze: Iranian Ambassador to Oman
Book Review: Extremist Eclipse
The war in Syria is becoming less and less about Syria. At the diplomatic level, it has turned into a sordid spectacle where foreign powers with conflicting and probably irreconcilable objectivesāmost notably Russia, the United States, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabiaāsquabble amongst themselves. In Europe, it has turned into a debate about immigration and the⦠Continue reading Book Review: Extremist Eclipse
Captain Emirates: Flying High
Sitting behind his desk checking his computer, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has little time to spare. The dynamic sheikh is, after all, the head of numerous high-profile government conglomerates in Dubai, prompting him to stay up to date with the latest news in order to be on top of his game. The chairman⦠Continue reading Captain Emirates: Flying High
Trump Takes South Carolina, Clinton Wins Nevada
LAS VEGAS/COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb 21 ā Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump rolled to victory on Saturday in South Carolina in a contest that saw former Florida Governor Jeb Bush drop out, while Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton beat back a strong challenge from Bernie Sanders in Nevada. The victories by Trump and Clinton solidified their positions⦠Continue reading Trump Takes South Carolina, Clinton Wins Nevada
Wife of Missing Hong Kong Bookseller Says Reunited With Husband in China
HONG KONG, Jan 24 ā The wife of one of five missing Hong Kong booksellers said she met with her husband in China, according to a statement released by the Hong Kong police on Sunday amid growing diplomatic pressure on Chinese authorities to clarify the fate of the men. Lee Bo, 65, an owner of⦠Continue reading Wife of Missing Hong Kong Bookseller Says Reunited With Husband in China
Is Zika on our Doorstep?
Three months ago, most people had never heard of the Zika virus. Today, it makes global headlines on a daily basis. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a āpublic health emergency of international concern,ā marking only the fourth time an outbreak has been given such a designation in WHOās history. The label⦠Continue reading Is Zika on our Doorstep?