Tag: Al Jazeera

(USA/Afghanistan) Biden says ‘tough’ to meet May 1 Afghanistan withdrawal deadline (Al Jazeera)

US president disparages agreement struck by former President Trump with Taliban as ‘not very solidly negotiated’. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/biden-says-afghanistan-withdrawal-deadline-of-may-1-tough

(Kenya) Kenyan court upholds ban on female genital mutilation (Al Jazeera)

Kenya’s high court refused to allow female circumcision for consenting adults, saying the practice does not have health benefits. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/kenyan-court-upholds-ban-on-female-genital-mutiliation

(Mali) Attackers on trucks and motorbikes raid Mali base, kill 33 troops (Al Jazeera)

Attack on a military post in Tessit, near Mali’s border with Burkina Faso and Niger, also left 14 soldiers wounded, army says. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/at-least-33-killed-in-northern-mali-attack

(Lebanon) Lebanon’s Aoun tells PM-designate Hariri to form government or go (Al Jazeera)

President Michel Aoun tells PM-designate Saad Hariri either to step down or form a government as soon as possible to tackle the country’s economic...

(Sudan) Sudanese military firm agrees to give up civilian business (Al Jazeera)

Finance ministry hails move that it says will allow the public to benefit at a time of severe economic crisis. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/sudanese-military-company-to-give-up-its-civilian-operations

(Turkey) Top Turkish prosecutor files case to close pro-Kurdish HDP (Al Jazeera)

US warns that efforts to remove legislator Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, over a 2016 social media post, is ‘troubling’. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/turkey-expels-pro-kurdish-legislator-seeks-to-disband-hdp-party

(India/Middle East/USA) Eyeing US crude, India plans to buy less oil from Middle East (Al Jazeera)

Indian state-run refiners including Indian Oil Corp, the country’s biggest crude processor, are planning to cut purchases from Saudi Arabia in May and buy...

(Egypt) Egyptian activist sentenced to 18 months for ‘fake news’ (Al Jazeera)

Sanaa Seif, arrested in June last year, denied accusations she ‘broadcast fake news and rumours’ about Egypt’s health situation. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/egyptian-activist-sentenced-to-18-months-for-fake-news

(Syria) Syria launches COVID vaccine drive as Israel questions swirl (Al Jazeera)

Anchal Vohra The Syrian government finally kicked off its vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus in the war-torn country last week. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/syria-launches-covid-vaccination-drive-amid-economic-challenges

(Tunisia/Libya) Tunisian president in Libya for talks with new unity government (Al Jazeera)

President Kais Saied becomes the first head of state to visit the war-torn country a day after an interim administration took power in Tripoli. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/tunisian-president-in-libya-for-talks-with-new-unity-government

(Lebanon) Lebanon: Aid to be disbursed in dollars as Lebanese pound crashes (Al Jazeera)

The European Union, United Nations, and World Bank confirmed a deal between Lebanon’s central cank and its deputy prime minister to distribute aid in...

(Europe/China) EU envoys agree first China sanctions in three decades: Diplomats (Al Jazeera)

Measures come as the bloc accuses China of ‘serious human rights violations and abuses’ on the Uighur minority. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/eu-envoys-agree-first-china-sanctions-in-three-decades-diplomats

(Innovation/Technology) Coinbase pegs valuation at $68bn ahead of landmark listing (Al Jazeera)

Coinbase Global, the biggest US cryptocurrency exchange, says recent private market transactions value the firm at around $68bn. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/3/17/coinbase-pegs-valuation-at-68bn-ahead-of-landmark-listing

(Innovation/Technology) Climate concerns to crime: Bitcoin’s dark side draws scrutiny (Al Jazeera)

Ben Piven Bitcoin has enjoyed a blistering rally since last fall, but that ascent has also renewed attention on environmental, social and governance concerns surrounding...

(USA) US white supremacist propaganda surged in 2020: Report (Al Jazeera)

The Anti-Defamation League says the number of distributed hateful messages more than doubled from 2019. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/white-supremacist-propaganda-surged-in-us-in-2020-report

(USA/Ireland) US will not take sides on UK-EU Northern Ireland rift: Official (Al Jazeera)

The statement comes ahead of the first meeting between President Joe Biden and Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/us-will-not-take-sides-on-uk-eu-northern-ireland-rift-official