Syria crisis: Rebels ‘leave Homs’ under truce
Syrian rebels have begun evacuating the last area they hold in the city of Homs under a ceasefire deal reached with the government, a monitoring group has said.
The deal means the entire city returns to government control.
Those leaving are due go to areas of Idlib province still in rebel hands.
Homs, in central Syria, was once dubbed the “capital of the revolution” and saw some of the first protests against President Bashar al-Assad, in 2011.
The first bus has left the rebel-held area of Al Waer in Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
About 800 people, including rebel fighters and civilians are due to leave throughout Wednesday, the observatory said.
Under the UN-backed ceasefire, food aid has reached the neighbourhood for the first time in nearly a year.
Anti-government protests erupted in Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, in 2011.
Beijing residents told to ‘be positive’ as smog crisis continues
China’s national broadcaster urges citizens to ‘smile’ and ‘drink more tea’ as air pollution levels reach up to ten times the level considered safe by the WHO
China’s national broadcaster urged smog-stricken citizens to grin and bear it as Beijing entered the second day of an air pollution red alert.
In a tweet entitled Tips to survive the smog, the state-run network CCTV wrote: “Smile and try to be positive (hopefully there will be less smog tomorrow).”Other suggestions from the Beijing-based broadcaster included not going outside unless absolutely necessary, blowing your nose, drinking more tea, smoking less and even wiping down your skin after spending time outdoors.
Recent days have also seen authorities caution Beijing’s 23 million residents to rinse out their mouths, shun contact lenses and hang up their winter jackets “to reduce contamination indoors”.
On Wednesday morning air pollution levels in the Chinese capital were up to 10 times higher than what is considered safe by the World Health Organisation.
Five things that Saudi Arabian women still cannot do
Despite Saudi women standing for office for the first time, the country still has a long journey towards gender equality
Women in Saudi Arabia will be voting and standing for office for the first time in the oil monarchy’s municipal elections this weekend.
Around 900 women will be standing among 7,000 people vying for seats on the county’s 284 local councils.
However, despite finally winning a right in 2015 that British women have enjoyed from 1918, and New Zealand granted its women in 1893, it remains a small step towards real gender equality.
Power is still very much left in the hands of the patriarchal monarchy of King Salman.
Amnesty International UK’s Karen Middleton told The Independent the change was “a long overdue move that is welcome but only a tiny fraction of what needs to be addressed over gender inequality in Saudi Arabia”.
A Zimbabwean town gets its water cut off – again
Team Observers
Residents of Redcliff, in Zimbabwe, a town of 35,000, have been without running water for several days now because the city has not paid its bills. This is the second time in two years that they have been through this ordeal.
In November 2014, our Observer Tendai Mbofana had alerted us to the problem after Redcliff had gone without water for several days, leading to fears of cholera.
A year later, the same scenario is unfolding again. Because Redcliff authorities have not paid their bills in full, the nearby city of Kwekwe, which provides Redcliff’s water, has cut off its supply. Our Observer sent us a few photos showing how this is affecting residents.
In an article published in the local press, Redcliff’s finance director explained why the town had such difficulties paying its bills. According to him, the city of Kwekwe charges Redcliff USD$160,000 (about €147,400) per month for water, but city authorities only manage to collect about USD$30,000 (about €27,700) from residents and local businesses.
Pakistan’s military operations created unintended consequences: Ashraf Ghani
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif opened the fifth ‘Heart of Asia ─ Istanbul process’ ministerial conference in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The theme of the conference, jointly hosted by Pakistan and Afghanistan, is ‘enhanced cooperation for countering security threats and promoting connectivity in the Heart of Asia region’.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who jointly inaugurated the conference with PM Nawaz, and Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj are among the participants who addressed the conference.
President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani thanked the people of Pakistan for “having hosted millions of Afghan refugees over decades”.
America’s ‘Made in Israel’ Policy That You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Rules requiring special labels for West Bank goods get new attention.
By: Julian Pecquet, Congressional Correspondent for Al-Monitor
Al-Monitor
To hear Republicans and not a few Democrats say it, the European Union’s recent decision to label West Bank goods is little more than an anti-Semitic ploy to harm Israel.
What none of them will tell you — and few seem to even realize — is that the United States has had similar rules on the books for the past two decades. Now that little-known US labeling policy is poised to become the next battleground as two-state solution champions and hard-line pro-Israel advocates face off over just what it means to be “Made in Israel.”
“There are a number of members of Congress who are interested specifically about how the US rule is or is not being followed,” said Dylan Williams, the vice president of government affairs for the liberal J Street lobbying group. “And, more broadly, how the United States can further sharpen the distinction in US law and policy between Israel and the territories.”
Venezuelan opposition urges Maduro to quit ‘crying,’ start working
Amid the worst economic crisis in Venezuela’s recent history, opposition leaders are calling on President Nicolas Maduro to focus on the country’s food shortages and other issues instead of his candidates’ defeat in recent elections.
CARACAS — Venezuela’s opposition on Tuesday urged leftist President Nicolas Maduro to stop making excuses for his candidates’ defeat in legislative elections and instead urgently tackle food shortages and free jailed politicians.
The worst economic crisis in the OPEC country’s recent history has Venezuelan staples including flour, milk, meat, and beans running scarce. Shortages are particularly bad for the poor and beyond capital Caracas, with shoppers lining up for hours under the sun hoping a delivery truck will arrive.
“We urge the government to stop crying and start working,” Democratic Unity coalition leader Jesus Torrealba said in a news conference under a sign reading ‘Thank you Venezuela, we won!’.