Hundreds of Jewish worshippers came to Tunisia’s oldest synagogue on Wednesday, renewing an annual pilgrimage that had been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic for the past two years. Pilgrims passed through airport-style scanners and passed a heavy, armed police guard to enter the whitewashed Ghriba synagogue on the southern Tunisian resort island … Read more
For the first time beyond the minority’s homeland in the north and east of the country, thousands of Tamils killed in Sri Lanka’s decades-long separatist war were honored on Wednesday. Clergy from Buddhist, Hindu and Christian communities offered prayers in Colombo and lit a clay lamp for those who perished between 1972 and May 2009 … Read more
At least ten people, including a four-year-old kid, have died in floods and landslides across India this week as a result of exceptionally severe rains, with forecasters warning of additional deluges on Wednesday. Experts say extreme weather around the world is being driven by climate change, made worse in South Asia by damming, deforestation and … Read more
According to a new rumor, iOS 16 will feature “major changes across the system” as well as some new Apple apps. The information comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, which was just released. When asked which operating system he thinks would get the most attention at the forthcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in … Read more
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is slated to visit Indonesia in November as he wraps up operations of his electric car company in India. The Indonesian government wants to use its massive nickel reserves to build a world-class electric battery sector, according to IANS. Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo, Indonesia’s president, met Musk over … Read more
As people ditch their traditional lifestyles, Uber said Monday it is ramping up to be a “go anywhere, get anything” service, testing delivery robots, weaving in Google voice commands, and more. The San Francisco-based tech firm unveiled enhancements to its platform as it navigates tough economic conditions but looks to ride a busy travel season. “After two … Read more
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dissolved Guinea-parliament Bissau’s on Monday and announced that early legislative elections would be held by the end of the year to address the country’s long-running political crisis. Tension between parliament and the presidency has gripped the West African state for months. Embalo cited “persistent and unresolvable differences” with parliament. “This political … Read more
Zimbabwe asked the European Union for help on Monday to sell $600 million in ivory it had accumulated due to a global prohibition on the sale of tusks. International trade in ivory has been banned since 1989 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Zimbabwe Parks and … Read more
Colombia’s last recognized rebel group called a 10-day truce on Monday to allow for calm presidential elections later this month. Colombians head to the polls on May 29 with leftist former guerrilla Gustavo Petro the favorite. “We are declaring a ceasefire from 0:00 on May 25 until 24:00 on June 3, so that those that … Read more
Following demonstrations in other cities in recent days, dozens of bus drivers went on strike in the Iranian capital on Monday to protest their living conditions. The drivers and workers of the Tehran Bus Company decried the failure to implement a decision by the Supreme Labour Council to introduce a 10 percent salary increase, reformist … Read more
On Monday, the last touches were being put on the 75th anniversary edition of the world’s most prestigious film festival in Cannes, promising a return to its full glamour. Dangling from ropes above the fabled Palais des Festivals, workers were unfurling the huge poster for the Cannes Film Festival’s golden jubilee, which this year features … Read more
Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated in a newspaper piece Monday that the UK government has abandoned ambitions to stop all prosecutions related to the Northern Ireland conflict, instead giving immunity to those who cooperate. The government in July last year announced a plan to end prosecutions related to the conflict, which left 3,500 people dead over three … Read more
On Monday, the Alpine city of Grenoble will restart one of France’s most contentious arguments by allowing Muslim women to swim in state-run pools while wearing the “burkini.” The all-in-one swimsuit, used by some Muslim women to cover their bodies and hair while bathing, has become a controversial talking point during the holiday season in … Read more
Since the military administration of President Siad Barre fell in 1991, Somalia has been in disarray. A new president was elected about midnight on Sunday after a long process. His ouster was followed by a civil war and the rise of the Al-Shabaab Islamist group, which is linked to Al-Qaeda and tried to take over … Read more
Since the military administration of President Siad Barre fell in 1991, Somalia has been in disarray. A new president was elected about midnight on Sunday after a long process. His ouster was followed by a civil war and the rise of the Al-Shabaab Islamist group, which is linked to Al-Qaeda and tried to take over … Read more
As Ukraine braces for a new assault by Moscow’s soldiers in its eastern Donbas area, Russia warned Finland and Sweden that joining NATO would be a “grave mistake.” The two Nordic countries are poised to jettison decades of military non-alignment due to fears of aggression from Russia, with which Finland shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border. … Read more
Raila Odinga, a veteran Kenyan politician, said on Monday that he has chosen Martha Karua, the country’s “iron lady,” as his running mate in the August presidential election. If the pair win the high-stakes polls, Karua — a lawyer and former justice minister — would become Kenya’s first female deputy president. “Following tense consultations, we … Read more
JetBlue Airlines, an American low-cost carrier, announced a hostile takeover proposal for Spirit Airlines on Monday, after the latter had rejected a prior offer in favor of a combination with Frontier. Earlier this month, Spirit reiterated its support for a merger with Frontier Airlines, saying it concluded the $3.6 billion JetBlue offer involved excessive regulatory … Read more
