ICRC appeals to Syria for access to victims

by Simon Bradley, swissinfo.ch and agencies The president of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has demanded “immediate access” to parts of Syria hit by violence. Meanwhile, the Syrian army has begun a military operation to restore security in the town of Jisr al-Shughour near the Turkish […]

The bigots within…

Circumvention, hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness describe best the behaviour of clergy and politicians when it comes to condemning terrorists and extremism. Fearing electoral losses, the politicians and ulema have chosen to either remain mum or side with the rising tide of bigotry and fanaticism. The Sharifs of Punjab are playing the […]

Protestant group backs same-sex marriages

Though the New York Senate remains undecided about voting on legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, the region’s largest Protestant conference has approved a resolution asking its national policy-setting board to allow these weddings in its churches. At a meeting earlier this month, the 2,000 clergy and laity delegates of the […]

Qatar Foundation library to open next year

DOHA: The Qatar Foundation Central Library (QFCL) will open by the middle of next year with an immense collection of print and digital books on varies subjects, reported an Arabic daily yesterday. The library is one of the major projects of the Qatar Foundation will be a 45,000 square-metre building […]

Malta: European Asylum Support Office inagurated, Malmström underlines need for common European asylum system

Wide divergences in how member states process claims for asylum must be significantly reduced, says EU Commissioner responsible for migration issues Cecilia Malmström. European Commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmström today inaugurated the European Asylum Support office (EASO), a new European Union agency based in Malta. The documents of establishment were […]

Bahrain to sue The Independent for ‘libel’

DUBAI — Bahrain is suing British daily The Independent for alleged libel after veteran writer Robert Fisk slammed the Gulf kingdom for becoming an extension of Saudi Arabia. The Information Affairs Authority has appointed a UK-based lawyer to sue the newspaper, the official BNA news agency reported on Tuesday, quoting […]