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West Asia
Egypt jails Christian students for insulting Islam
Four Coptic Christian school students, ages 15 and 16, have been sentenced on Thursday 25th February by a Minya court to five years in jail on charges of contempt of religion. Minya’s Juvenile Misdemeanor Court sentenced Mueller Atef, Albert Ashraf, and Bassem Amgad to five years in jail, and Clinton…
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South Asia
Over 150 Children die in fresh outbreak of diseases in Thar Desert of Pakistan
At least 150 children have died of waterborne disease since January this year in Pakistan’s impoverished desert district of Tharparkar, which has been devastated by drought since 2013. The media reports suggest the death toll around 173 but the government authorities have termed it an ‘exaggerated figure’. Civil society groups…
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West Asia
UAE appoints ministers for happiness and tolerance
The prime minister of the United Arab Emirates has announced the creation of a minister of state for happiness, as part of a major government shake-up. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the ruler of Dubai, said the minister would drive policy “to create social good and…
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Society
Zika virus sparks fears in Korea
The fear of the Zika virus, which is linked to the birth defect microcephaly, is growing in Korea. Although no case has been reported here, the health authorities raised the alarm for travelers, particularly pregnant women, who plan to visit the virus-affected countries, especially the Americas. The virus is spread…
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South Asia
Afghan religious scholars issue fatwa against peace talks
Maulana Mufti Mehmood Zakiri, chief of the Ittehad-e-Ulema-e-Afghanistan, has issued a fatwa, declaring peace negotiations in the presence of foreign forces as “against Islamic injunctions”. “Americans want to force the valiant Afghan nation to surrender under the excuse of peace. We hope our Mujahideen will not be deceived through these…
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Politics
Sweden and Finland plan to deport thousands of migrants
Finland joined Sweden on Thursday in announcing plans to deport tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers in a bid to contain the migrant crisis. As at least 31 more people died attempting to reach the European Union, the two Nordic countries are both struggling to cope with an influx of…
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Society
Cold paralyzes life in Korea
Extreme cold is gripping the whole nation. Heavy snowfall has blighted a number of provinces and on Jeju Island, all aircraft at the airport was grounded Sunday, while accidents have been reported in various regions. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the nation experienced record lows this winter with…
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Politics
Muslim women must learn English or be deported: British PM
British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Monday that Muslim women who fail to learn English to a high enough standard could face deportation from the country. Cameron’s comments came as his centre-right Conservatives launched a £20 million ($28.5 million, 26 million euro) language fund for women in isolated communities…
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South Asia
Another Pakistani documentary by Sharmeen Obaid nominated for Oscar
Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy ’s documentary on honor killing, “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness”, has been nominated in the ‘Best Documentary – Short’ subject category for the 88th Academy Awards. Chinoy previously won Pakistan’s first Academy Award for her documentary ‘Saving Face’ at the 84th Annual…
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Society
Romanian Photographer captures diverse beauty with ‘Atlas of Beauty’ Project
Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc decided to travel the world to capture images of beauty in different countries and cultures for her ‘Atlas of Beauty Project’. It was three years ago that the then-27-year-old photographer quit her job, picked up her camera began backpacking to countries across the globe on the…
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