Iraq Alcohol Ban: Christian Political Party Appeals, Saying It Is Undemocratic
Christian politicians in Iraq are attempting to overturn legislation banning the import and sale of alcohol. Customs officials were given orders on Saturday to enforce the ban. It became law last month despite opposition. The group, which has five seats in Iraq's parliament, filed a lawsuit saying it was undemocratic. Public alcohol consumption is frowned upon in Iraq, a predominantly Muslim country,...
Bollywood Actor Arshad Warsi Banned From Indian Stock Market
A Bollywood actor and a YouTube influencer are among dozens who have been banned from participating in India's share market. The market regulator said it made the decision after investigating allegations of price manipulation. It said videos on four YouTube channels were used to artificially inflate the values of certain shares. Actor Arshad Warsi, implicated in the case with his wife, denied...
Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Wayne Shorter Dies At 89
One of the greatest jazz saxophonists, Wayne Shorter, died in Los Angeles at the age of 89. A well-known figure on the jazz circuit in the late 1950s, Shorter is credited with shaping much of 20th Century jazz music. The 12-time Grammy award winner played alongside several greats, including Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock. He died surrounded by his family...
57 Confirmed Dead In Greek Train Crash, As Protests And Strikes Erupt
The death toll from Tuesday's train crash in Greece has increased to 57, a coroner has told the BBC. Eleni Zaggelidou, one of ten coroners working on the investigation, said DNA had been taken from 57 intact bodies. A government minister said austerity during Greece's economic crisis in the 2000s had contributed to a lack of investment in the railways. Rail workers...
Cambodia Opposition Leader Sentenced To 27 Years For Treason
Cambodia's most prominent opposition leader has been sentenced to 27 years under house arrest for treason. Kem Sokha, the former leader of the now-dissolved Cambodian National Rescue Party, has also been barred from standing or voting in elections. He was accused of conspiring with foreign powers to overthrow Prime Minister Hun Sen's government. Hun Sen is one of the world's longest-serving autocrats,...
Argentina’s Power Largely Restored After Fire Hits National Grid
Power has largely been restored in Argentina after more than half of the country was left without electricity for several hours. More than 20 million people in major cities and large swathes of the countryside were affected on Wednesday. The blackout is believed to have been caused by a large fire in open fields west of the capital, Buenos Aires. The blaze...
Panama’s Supreme Court Rules Against Same-Sex Marriage
Panama’s Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is not a human right and the country, therefore, does not have to recognize such unions, according to a judgment published Wednesday. Following several appeals from same-sex couples who claimed the country’s family code was unconstitutional because it only recognized marriages between a man and a woman, the court began debating the...
Turkey’s Elections To Hold May 14 Despite Earthquake — Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out any election postponement on Wednesday following the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey in February and announced that the vote would take place on May 14. “(Turkish) people will do what is necessary on May 14,” he told his ruling party lawmakers in the parliament in Ankara. The Turkish president had previously suggested holding the crucial vote,...
Israeli-American Killed In West Bank As Unrest Intensifies
An Israeli American has been shot and killed in the occupied West Bank as retaliatory unrest intensifies. Elan Ganeles, 26, was killed in an attack on vehicles on a highway near the city of Jericho. The shooting happened after Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages in the West Bank on Sunday night, with dozens of cars and houses burned. That attack came after two settlers,...
Ex-Super Eagles coach, Rohr Pens Three-year Contract With Benin Republic
Gernot Rohr, a former head coach of the Super Eagles, has agreed to a three-year contract to lead the Benin Republic national team. Rohr will reportedly be introduced by the Benin Football Federation at a news conference on Friday, according to La Nouvelle Tribune. Former Benin international Moussa Latoundji, who has been temporarily in command of the Squirrels, will hand the...
