World
EU calls for NGO laws in Egypt to be in line with int'l standards - (17 days ago)
Kuwait News AgencyEU High Representative Catherine Ashton Sunday reiterated the EU's firm commitment to supporting the civil society in Egypt, saying it has a crucial role to play in the ongoing transition towards democracy. A statement by Ashton's spokesman, Michael Mann, said that the EU has engaged with the Egyptian government and has provided technical advice to the authorities in the
Sudan security bans opposition newspaper - (17 days ago)
ReutersSudan's security service has banned the newspaper of the opposition Communist party, its editor said on Sunday, the third paper targeted by authorities in the past few weeks.Sudan's constitution guarantees press freedom but the security service has clamped down on independent and even pro-government media if they criticise the government."The security services have issued a publication ban
Frankfurt 'Blockupy' protesters clash with police for second day - (17 days ago)
ReutersGerman police used pepper spray and batons against anti-capitalist demonstrators from the Blockupy movement on Saturday during a second day of protests against Europe's austerity policies. Around 7,000 protesters joined an initially peaceful march through Frankfurt, Germany's financial capital. Many brandished signs with slogans that read "Make love, not war" and "IMF - get out of
China accuses U.S. of 'prejudice' over 1989 protest comments - (17 days ago)
ReutersChina accused the United States of "prejudice" on Saturday after the U.S. State Department renewed a call for Beijing to fully account for its bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in June 1989.The United States should "immediately rectify its wrongdoings and stop interfering in China's internal affairs so as not to sabotage China-U.S. relations", Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong
U.S. soldier at center of WikiLeaks case set to go on trial Monday - (17 days ago)
ReutersThe American soldier accused of the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history, which prosecutors say put lives at risk, goes on trial on Monday in a case that raises questions about the limits of secrecy and openness in the Internet era.Private First Class Bradley Manning, 25, is charged with providing more than 700,000 documents to WikiLeaks, an anti-secrecy website.He said
Taiwan passes tougher food safety law - (17 days ago)
AFPTaiwan has revised a food safety law to toughen punishment for lacing food items with banned chemicals, the government said Saturday, after the latest tainted food scandal on the island.A new clause imposing the maximum life imprisonment and a fine of up to Tw$20 million ($666,000) has been added if such an offence results in death, the health department said.Under the revisions passed by
Monsoon rains arrive in India, bring cheer to farmers - (17 days ago)
AFPThe annual monsoon, crucial to India's food output and economic growth, hit the southwest coast on Saturday, bringing cheer to farmers and boosting hopes for the struggling economy.The keenly awaited rains lashed the state of Kerala and parts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu and will now sweep across India, resulting in torrential downpours over the coming months for hundreds of millions of farmers
Jailed Pussy Riot punk rocker ends hunger strike - (17 days ago)
AFPJailed Pussy Riot punk rocker Maria Alyokhina has announced an end to her hunger strike after 11 days because the prison has met her demands, the husband of Alyokhina's bandmate said Saturday."Maria said that the prison administration took her on a special tour of the colony, to show her that her demands have been met," Pyotr Verzilov told AFP, adding that Alyokhina then "announced an end to
Spain's defense ministry orders security measures - (17 days ago)
APSpain's defense minister says he has instructed his chief of defense staff to take security measures inside and outside the country to protect military personnel after attacks on soldiers in London and Paris.Pedro Morenes said that after the attack on a British soldier in London by two suspected Islamic extremists and similar event in France, Spain has taken "precautionary measures." Speaking
Malaysia PM reaches out to opposition with electoral reform - (17 days ago)
ReutersMalaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Saturday the political opposition would be given an oversight role over the country's Election Commission, a move aimed at healing divisions following a disputed 5 May election.The opposition has held a series of rallies around the country as it refuses to accept the ruling coalition's victory, saying it was tainted by widespread fraud that the
Expert warns of new activity at deadly Philippine volcano - (17 days ago)
AFPA Philippines volcano that killed five people last month in a huge ash explosion is showing renewed signs of activity, a government volcanologist warned Saturday.The picturesque Mayon Volcano is bulging near its edifice, emitting more gas, and has a noticeable glow at its cone, resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta said."Activity has slightly increased and if there is a further escalation, it
Thousands of anti-austerity protesters march in Frankfurt - (17 days ago)
AFPThousands of protesters rallied in central Frankfurt on Saturday to voice growing European discontent against a string of austerity measures that have been applied across the continent over the debt crisis.The demonstration in Germany coincides with the 15th anniversary of the European Central Bank (ECB) and will be followed later Saturday by similar rallies in both recession-hit Spain and
China says US hacking claims faulty - (20 days ago)
APChina's Defense Ministry says recent allegations of hacking of Pentagon defense programs are faulty and underestimate China's ability to produce its own defensive weaponry.Newly publicized claims allege that China employed cyberattacks to access data from nearly 40 Pentagon weapons programs and almost 30 other defense technologies ranging from missile defense systems to the F-35 joint strike
Tribal clashes kill 64 in Sudan's Darfur: police - (20 days ago)
AFPRenewed fighting between two rival Arab tribes in Sudan's Darfur region over access to pasture has killed 64 people, police said in a statement late on Wednesday.Dozens more were wounded in the fighting between the Beni Halba and Gemir tribes, South Darfur police said.Abkar Altom of the Gemir said: "It's the fifth attack on our tribe by the Beni Halba since March." He said the attacks had
Somali journalist shot, seriously wounded: officials - (20 days ago)
AFPGunmen shot and seriously wounded a Somali journalist in the volatile southern port city of Kismayo, officials and colleagues said Thursday, the latest in a string of attacks against the media.Unidentified attackers shot Abdikadir Abdirasak Sofe -- also known by his nickname "Jijile", a reporter for London-based Royal TV -- as he walked home after work late on Wednesday."Two men, one of them
Ethiopia's dam and Nile water quotas - (20 days ago)
Egyptian GazetteTHERE is a wide gap separating the official statements and experts’ opinion over the Ethiopian step of changing the Nile course by starting the construction of the Nahda (Renaissance) Dam.When the Egyptian Presidency as well as the Ministry of Water Resources have affirmed that the dam, the biggest to be created on any river in the world, would not affect Egypt’s quota
ASIO cleared terrorist wanted for murder - (20 days ago)
SBSASIO cleared an asylum seeker to live in low security community detention even though he was wanted on murder and terrorism charges in Egypt.Australia's security watchdog cleared an asylum seeker for community detention even though he was wanted in Egypt for premeditated murder and terrorism.Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) director general David Irvine says the lapse
Russian economist flees in new sign of pressure on Putin critics - (20 days ago)
A prominent economist and government adviser has fled Russia after being questioned by state investigators, amid a growing clamp-down on groups and individuals critical or independent of President Vladimir Putin.Sergei Guriev, an English-speaking economist well known to Western investors, had been questioned as a witness in an investigation into the defunct Yukos oil company, whose founder
US drone kills Pakistani Taliban deputy: Officials - (20 days ago)
AFPA US drone strike killed the deputy chief of the Pakistani Taliban Wednesday in the country's lawless tribal northwest, officials said, dealing a major blow to the militant network.Waliur Rehman, the number two in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) faction, died along with at least five others when an unmanned US drone fired two missiles on a house in North Waziristan district early
US demands Hezbollah withdraw from Syria - (20 days ago)
AFPThe United States on Wednesday demanded the immediate withdrawal of Lebanese Hezbollah fighters from Syria, saying their active role in combat there was an "extremely dangerous escalation.""This is an unacceptable and extremely dangerous escalation. We demand that Hezbollah withdraw its fighters from Syria immediately," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.Hezbollah leader Hassan
Over 19,000 refugees flee conflict in eastern S. Sudan: UN - (20 days ago)
ReutersMore than 19,000 people have fled fighting raging in the east of South Sudan and sought refuge in neighbouring countries since the start of the year, the United Nations said on Wednesday.Almost 12,000 have entered Ethiopia from South Sudan's Jonglei state, where the army is trying to put down a rebellion.Some 5,000 South Sudanese have crossed the border to Kenya, and another 2,500 to
Tropical storm threatens to hit Mexico at hurricane strength - (20 days ago)
AFPTropical Storm Barbara picked up steam off Mexico's southern Pacific coast on Wednesday, threatening to make landfall with hurricane strength in a rural fishing region.Authorities closed four ports and urged residents to stay indoors, although television images showed people walking outside in coastal towns of the state of Oaxaca as Barbara approached the Gulf of Tehuantepec.The storm packed
One dead in attack on Afghan Red Cross office: Officials - (20 days ago)
AFPMilitants launched a suicide and gun attack on a Red Cross office in Jalalabad city, east Afghanistan, on Wednesday killing at least one guard, officials said.The assault was the latest in a series of high profile, co-ordinated attacks as insurgents pile pressure on the US-backed government ahead of the withdrawal of 100,000 NATO combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year."A
UN criticises Iran for excluding women candidates - (20 days ago)
AFPSeveral UN experts on Wednesday criticised Iran's decision to bar women from running in upcoming elections, saying the move violated international law."This mass disqualification including that of women wishing to stand in the presidential elections is discriminatory and violates the fundamental right to political participation," UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran
UK will not arm Syrian rebels despite Russia's arming of regime - (20 days ago)
The UK has said it is still committed to its pledge not to send arms to Syrian rebels, despite Russia’s insistence on arming Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.“We have made no decision to supply arms to Syria,” a UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman told Ahram Online.The UK, however, has strongly criticised the Russian decision to go ahead with deliveries of S-300
Militants attack Red Cross office in east Afghanistan: Officials - (20 days ago)
AFPMilitants attacked a Red Cross office in Jalalabad city, east Afghanistan, on Wednesday, officials said, with gunfire erupting in the area after a loud explosion."Initial information shows that at least two gunmen have taken position inside the office of the Red Cross and gunfire is continuing, there has also been an explosion," provincial government spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai told AFP.An
UK alleges new cases of Syria chemical weapons use - (20 days ago)
AFPBritain last week informed the United Nations of "new incidents" of apparent chemical weapons use in Syria, diplomats said Wednesday.London sent a letter to the world body that included "details of new incidents since April," a Western diplomat said -- the latest in a series of reports on the use of chemical arms in the more than two-year Syrian
Ethiopia to accommodate nations concerned over Dam on Nile River - (21 days ago)
BloombergEthiopia’s government said it will try to accommodate nations concerned that their water supplies may be affected by the damming of the Blue Nile River, as Sudanese and Egyptian officials met to discuss the issue.Ethiopia, source of one of the two tributaries of the Nile River, will start filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile at the “end of next
One dead, four hurt in Myanmar religious unrest: Govt - (21 days ago)
AFPOne person was killed and four wounded on Wednesday in a fresh outbreak of religious violence in eastern Myanmar, a senior government official said.Police fired warning shots to disperse rioters after the Buddhist-Muslim clashes in the town of Lashio in Shan state, according to presidential spokesman Ye Htut, who said one man was "hacked to
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AFPTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rallies supporters after riot police again clash with thousands of anti-government demonstrators in a second week of nationwide unrest.Three people have died in the protests against Erdogan and his Islamic-leaning Justice and Development Party (AKP), in power since 2002.Following are the main events of the past days:- May 28: A peaceful local protest
AFPTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing one of the biggest challenges of his decade in power with anti-government protests that critics say have exposed growing discontent with his increasingly authoritarian and conservative agenda.Here are the key events since Erdogan's Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) assumed power in the predominantly Muslim but staunchly
AHRAM ONLINEFounders of Egypt’s 'Rebel' campaign, a newly established movement that aims to withdraw confidence from President Mohamed Morsi by collecting citizens' signatures, spoke at an open forum on Wednesday to discuss the campaign, which has recently gone viral online and on the streets.'Rebel' campaigners hope to collect 15 million signatures and hold a mass sit-in on 30 June –
BBC SportWhen it's put to him that he might be the most talented athlete in the world to hold a racquet, a bashful Ramy Ashour admits "that's pretty great".The 25-year-old Egyptian is more than just the current squash world number one - his elastic, unorthodox brilliance and charisma could be the key to squash breaking out beyond its four walls and regaining a place on the wider sporting
