Iran emerged from years of economic isolation on Saturday when world powers lifted crippling sanctions against the Islamic Republic in return for Tehran complying with a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions. In a dramatic move scheduled to coincide with the scrapping of the sanctions, Tehran also announced the release of five Americans including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian as part of a prisoner swap with the United States. Together, the lifting of sanctions and […]
International
Monitor: ISIS kidnaps 400 civilians in Syrian city of Deir al-Zor
Islamic State militants kidnapped at least 400 civilians when they attacked government-held areas in the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor on Saturday, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday families of pro-government fighters were among those abducted. “There is genuine fear for their lives, there is a fear that the group might execute them as it has done before in other areas,” said the Observatory’s head Rami Abdulrahamn. […]
Japan, U.S. and Sokor officials agree sanctions vs Nokor
Japan, U.S., and South Korean officials agreed on Saturday (January 16) to work together on new sanctions against North Korea after the isolated state said it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country conducted a hydrogen bomb test as a self-defensive step against a U.S. threat of nuclear war and had a sovereign right to do so without being criticized, state news agency KCNA had reporter earlier […]
Taiwan opposition wins presidency, China ties could suffer
Taiwan’s independence-leaning opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen won the island’s presidential election on Saturday (January 16) after the ruling party admitted defeat, a result likely to usher in a new round of uncertainty with giant neighbour China. Vote counting started immediately after eight hours of polling in the island’s presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, with the tally carefully scrutinised by observers. Real-time vote tallies on screens at the Taiwan Central Election Commission offices showed Tsai […]
Burkina troops retake hotel from Islamists, rescue hostages
Burkina Television (RTB) showed security forces during the operation to end a siege at Ouagadougou Splendid Hotel by al Qaeda fighters to the sound of explosions and heavy gunfire on Saturday morning (January 16). A military armoured emergency vehicle drove several times to the side of the hotel during the operation to rescue hostages. Three Islamist gunmen were killed during the operation to retake the hotel which freed 126 hostages, the West African nation’s security […]
Dozens feared exposed as Sierra Leone confirms new Ebola death
(Reuters) A woman who died of Ebola this week in Sierra Leone potentially exposed dozens of other people to the disease, according to an aid agency report on Friday, raising the risk of more cases just as the deadliest outbreak on record appeared to be ending. Just a day earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared that “all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa” after Liberia joined Sierra Leone and […]
Security forces battle Islamist gunmen holding hostages in hotel
(Reuters) — Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said on Friday (January 15) it was responsible for an ongoing attack on a hotel in Burkina Faso’s capital of Ouagadougou, SITE Intelligence Group reported. A senior member of the ultra hardline group had called in December for Muslims in several countries, including Burkina Faso, to wage jihad. AQIM, along with two other groups, also claimed responsibility for killing 20 people and taking hostages in the […]
Swedish PM vows to fight for women’s rights in wake of assault cover-up allegations
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Wednesday (January 13) that anyone found guilty of sexual assault should be punished, after allegations of a police cover-up. On Monday (January 11), Swedish police ordered an investigation into allegations that officers covered up accusations of sexual assault by mostly migrant youths at a music festival in Stockholm. The announcement was made after internal police reports published in Swedish media said around 50 suspects carried out sexual assaults […]
South Korea president says China response to North Korea nuclear test is key
South Korea warned North Korea on Wednesday (January 13) that the United States and its allies were working on sanctions to inflict “bone-numbing pain” after its latest nuclear test, and called on China to do its part to rein in its isolated neighbour. Last week’s nuclear test was North Korea’s fourth, although the United States and experts doubt the North’s claim that it was of a more powerful hydrogen bomb, as the blast was roughly […]
Three arrests made by Indonesian anti-terrorism police following Jakarta attack
Media reported that three people suspected of plotting an attack were arrested before dawn in Depok, just south of Jakarta, on Friday (January 15). Metro TV said there was no indication that the men – which it described as a bomb-maker, a firearms expert and a preacher – were linked to Thursday’s (January 14) attack. “The informant told us that the people (who are arrested) were told to follow and to be devoted. (The investigation) […]
Cuban migrants continue northward trek through Mexico to the United States
Cuban migrants continued their journey through Mexico toward the United States on Thursday (January 14), flying northward from the southernmost state of Chiapas. The migrants arrived early at the Tapachula airport and spent much of the day awaiting their flight. Migrant Sandro said they were heading toward Mexico City and then on to the border. “Now we are continuing the trip to the United States which is our final destination, toward the border. What border […]
Bus crash kills 14 on ski tour
A bus carrying participants in a ski tour crashed Friday (January 15) morning in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, killing 14 people and injuring another 27. Japanese chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said that the latest information was that of the 41 people on board, no one escaped unharmed. “We have received information that of the people on the bus 14 people have been killed and 27 others were injured,” Suga said. Suga said that there would […]
