Headlines- In southern Lebanon, the Israeli army claims to have killed two Hezbollah members..
- On Wednesday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards opened fire on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
- According to US President Donald Trump, the United States is extending the cease-fire with Iran until Iran submits a proposal and talks conclude.
- It has been decided to postpone Vice President JD Vance's trip to Islamabad for talks.
- Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, hailed US President Donald Trump for accepting his country's request to extend the ceasefire.
- US President Donald Trump said Iranian ports would remain blocked until Tehran presents a "unified proposal."
- For the first time since a 10-day truce went into effect on Friday, the Iran-backed Hezbollah claimed to have fired rockets and drones at Israeli forces on Tuesday "in response to the blatant and documented violations" by Israel.
Year: 2020
White House Gets Taller, Tougher Fence...
President Trump is finally getting a bigger, stronger barrier — not along the U.S. southern border with Mexico but in his own front and backyard. The U.S. Secret Service and the National Park Service have teamed up to replace the current White House fence after a series of security breaches
China Shuts Down Everest Route, Shifts...
Media reports also highlighted a video conference call between health minister Ma Xiaowei and World Health Organization (WHO) officials, during which he “shared China’s experience in resisting the epidemic.”
A Non-Governmental Search and Rescue Team...
At least 9 people were killed in Turkey due to an earthquake in neighboring Iran this week. The country sits on an active fault line so disaster readiness and assistance is always a prime concern. The Search and Rescue Foundation, also known as AKUT, is on the front line of any disaster
Mosul Moves to Prevent Spread of...
Like many countries, Iraq is taking measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. While several medical screening check points have been deployed throughout major cities, officials in Mosul are also asking people to stay home as much as possible
COVID-19 Iran Afghan Refugees
The United Nations International Organization for Migration reports that over 83,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Iran since January 1st of this year; a significant rise primarily caused by the fear of the quickly spreading coronavirus in Iran
Myanmar’s Arakan Army Captures 30 Government...
Other officers and soldiers from Myanmar’s government army had also been captured in 2019, Khine Thukha said, while declining to give more detailed information for reasons of security
Coronavirus Sparks US Recession Fears
Fears are growing that disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic will strangle U.S. economic growth and send the country into a recession – a period of economic contraction. VOA’s Brian Padden reports that the White House is considering a range of short term measures to ease the financial strain on affected businesses and workers, but economists warn – the more the virus spreads
Uganda Politics Poetry
Ugandan poet Stella Nyanzi was released in February after spending over a year in prison for a post she made on Facebook that insulted President Yoweri Museveni. Defiant, Nyanzi used her time behind bars to write a book and is inspiring others to use poetry to express their political opinions. But as Halima Athumani reports from Kampala, Uganda’s public prosecutor plans to appeal her acquittal
In Africa, Women Entrepreneurs Struggle to...
Women make up half of the world’s population, but a recent study showed that corporations spend just one percent of their funds for acquisitions specifically on women-owned businesses. A Washington-based nonprofit is trying to change that, and says that supporting women-owned businesses has positive social effects
‘Two-Faced’ Former Uyghur Forestry Official Sentenced...
The imprisonment of Abdulla demonstrates how not even long-time civil servants are safe amid a campaign of mass incarceration in the XUAR that has seen an estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities accused of harboring “strong religious views” and “politically incorrect” ideas detained in a vast network of internment camps since April 2017