Day News Recap: Deadly crises span Congo, Indonesia and Gaza as markets split on risk appetite
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history, with government data putting deaths at 2,325 as the crisis continues to spread its toll. 🔗Indonesia is also facing a major disaster after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Flores island, killing at least 68 people, displacing about 5,000 residents and leaving aid shortages and aftershocks to hamper rescue work. 🔗In the Middle East, the Gaza war and wider regional tensions remained in focus as Jared Kushner prepared to meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv after more than two hours of talks with... [Continue Reading]
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Putin signs law restricting consular services for Russians abroad in political cases
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed new legislation that restricts consular services for Russian citizens living abroad who have been sentenced in absentia in political cases. The measure affects people convicted of offences such as violating the foreign agent law or discrediting the Russian army, according to the supplied material. It is part of a broader tightening of pressure on Russians who oppose the war in Ukraine from outside the country.The law means affected citizens may be unable to renew Russian passports or receive other essential consular services. The supplied material says the measure could affect thousands of Russian citizens,... [Continue Reading]
Iranian parliament advances bill restricting contact with US and Israeli media
Iran's parliament has approved in principle a bill that would punish Iranians who give interviews to media outlets in the United States or Israel, in a further tightening of controls on foreign contact and information flows. The measure was passed on Sunday, 16 August, and still needs further review before it can become law. It also seeks to restrict unauthorised contact with foreign embassies, organisations and institutions, both inside and outside Iran.Under the draft legislation, anyone who speaks to a foreign outlet without permission could face prison terms of six months to two years. The bill also says any contact... [Continue Reading]
UN warns Afghan women's aid groups may shut as funding runs short
The United Nations has warned that more than half of women's organisations still operating in Afghanistan could stop work within the next year because of funding shortages. The warning comes as the country marks five years since the Taliban returned to power, a period in which women's rights and access to public life have been sharply restricted. UN Women said the risk is especially acute for groups providing support to women and girls in a country where humanitarian needs remain high.Susan Ferguson, UN Women's special representative in Afghanistan, said donor countries should not cut funding for women's programmes because doing... [Continue Reading]
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Romania shuts down Cernavoda nuclear plant as Danube flow hits record lows
Romania has paused operations at its sole nuclear power plant after record-low water levels in the Danube reduced the cooling water available for its reactors. The controlled shutdown began on Thursday at the Cernavoda plant, according to the national nuclear energy company, Nuclearelectrica. The facility's other reactor had already been shut down last month, leaving the plant fully offline.The plant usually supplies about a fifth of Romania's electricity, making the outage significant for the country's power system. Romeo Urjan, the plant's director, said he did not expect operations to restart within the next 10 days. The Ministry of Energy said... [Continue Reading]
Fear the Shia, Arm the Sunnis: The Uncomfortable Numbers Behind America’s War Narrative
“When fear is managed carefully enough, a nation can be taught to look away from the blood on the floor and stare instead at the shadow on the wall.” A friend of mine, whose name I will not reveal because he asked me not to, sat across from me over dinner and placed a question on the table that would not leave me alone. He was born into a Muslim Shia background, and for the angle of this article, that detail matters, not because I wish to reduce a man to a sect, but because sect has become one of... [Continue Reading]


