Russian legislators looking to retaliate against a new American human rights law have settled on an exceptionally vulnerable target: Russian orphans.
What Will Post-Assad Syria Look Like?
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has shown surprising staying power in the vicious civil war that’s been grinding on for nearly two years. One reason for its endurance is the contrast between its overwhelming advantage in firepower — which it has used with utter disregard for non-combatants’ lives — and numbers. By contrast, the disparate […]
Asian oil prices rise on calls for more Iran sanctions
Crude prices rose in Asia today after the United States, Britain, France and Germany moved to apply more restrictions and sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, analysts said. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in November rose 31 cents to USD 92.24 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for […]
Death toll from Yemen funeral bombing rises to 46
An al-Qaida suicide bomber killed a prominent pro-government tribal chief and at least 45 others at a funeral in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
Suicide bomber kills 25 in southern Yemen
A suicide bomber struck at a funeral in a village in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan overnight, killing at least 25 tribal fighters and wounding dozens more, officials and medics said on Sunday.
Secret Turkish nerve centre leads aid to Syria rebels, report
DOHA/DUBAI (Reuters) – Turkey has set up a secret base with allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar to direct vital military and communications aid to Syria’s rebels from a city near the border, Gulf sources have told Reuters. News of the clandestine Middle East-run “nerve centre” working to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad underlines the extent […]
U.S. committed to providing assistance for Syrian refugees
Beirut, Lebanon – The U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly stressed Tuesday the commitment of her country in providing assistance to Syrian refugees who are “fleeing violence” in their homeland.
West readies oil plan in case of Iran crisis, Reuters report
Western powers this week readied a contingency plan to tap a record volume from emergency stockpiles to replace nearly all the Gulf oil that would be lost if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, industry sources and diplomats told Reuters. They said senior executives of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which advises 28 oil consuming […]
Wikileaks founder fears the death penalty
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange says he fears the death penalty if he is sent to face charges in the United States. Mr Assange was in a London court overnight fighting against extradition to Sweden.