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West Asia
Twin bombings rock Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut
Twin suicide bombings rocked a busy shopping street Thursday in a Beirut stronghold of Lebanon’s Shia movement Hezbollah, killing 41 people and wounding more than 200 in the worst such attack in years. Health Minister Wael Abou Faour, speaking from the scene on a street of shops where vendors…
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West Asia
Canada to take in 25,000 Syrian refugees
Canada will soon discuss with Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey taking 25,000 Syrian refugees off their hands and resettling them, as per the new prime minister’s promise. After Canada’s new prime minister vowed to make good on campaign promises to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the beginning of next year and…
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West Asia
Iran appoints first woman ambassador since revolution
Iran has appointed its first woman ambassador since the 1979 Islamic revolution, naming foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham to head its embassy in Malaysia. Iranian media first said back in April that Afkham was lined up for promotion to the rank of ambassador, but the reports were unconfirmed. Foreign Minister…
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West Asia
Egyptian journalist and activist Hossam Bahgat arrested
Egyptian investigative journalist and rights activist Hossam Bahgat has been arrested, according to Mada Masr. Bahgat was summoned by military intelligence to appear for questioning this morning, apparently in connection with articles that he wrote about the Egyptian army, which the military has deemed to be a threat to its security.…
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West Asia
Syrian regime profits from enforced disappearances
According to Amnesty International report published Thursday, the Syrian state is profiting from enforced disappearances via a black market of bribes paid in exchange for information on missing people. In a report titled, “Between Prison and the Grave: Enforced Disappearances in Syria”, the London-based rights group accuses Syrian officials and prison staff…
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South Asia
Over 40 writers return Indian awards in protest over rising intolerance
Recently over 40 writers, filmmakers and academics returned their awards in protest over rising intolerance in India. Latest joining in, renowned South Asian writer Arundhati Roy returned her National Award for Best Screenplay on Thursday, which she had won in 1989. Returning her award, the Booker Prize winner said…
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West Asia
Protests ahead of Sisi’s visit to the UK
As Egypt’s president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi arrives in London for planned discussions with Prime minister David Cameron on 4th November, a broad coalition of Egyptian and British groups calls for demonstrations against him on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Hundreds of people are expected to join protests outside Downing Street against the visit…
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Politics
Turkish elections results reinforce Erdogan’s reign
Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, secured a surprise win at the polls Sunday. The conservative party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won nearly half the votes to regain its parliamentary majority. With nearly all the votes counted, the AKP, led by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, won 49.41%…
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South Asia
Saudi Raif Badawi wins EU Sakharov rights prize
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for insulting Islam, was awarded the European Parliament’s prestigious Sakharov human rights prize on Thursday 29th October. The 31-year-old blogger, who was arrested in 2012, is an advocate of free speech whose public flogging in…
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West Asia
Right activists dismiss Qatar labor reforms
Rights groups on Wednesday criticized reforms of Qatar’s “kafala” labor system for foreign workers, which critics have likened to modern-day slavery, as an AFP report shows. Qatar’s prince, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, approved on Tuesday a new law overseeing the sponsorship “kafala” system – which currently only allows workers to…
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