Special to WorldTribune.com A Lebanese rock bank known for its social activism and support of gay rights was banned from performing in Jordan. Beirut-based Mashrou’ Leila was notified of the ban days before its scheduled April 29 concert in Amman, the band said in a statement on Facebook. Through its support of political and religious […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Israeli data-mining technology that could have given French authorities a chance to prevent the November 2015 terror attacks was rejected by higher-ups in Paris, an Israeli security expert said. After the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015, an Israeli company offered France terrorist-tracking software that could have helped authorities flag the terror […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has unveiled a plan aimed at kicking the kingdom’s “addiction” to oil. The 31-year-old prince believes his recently-unveiled “Vision 2030” would transform the world’s top oil exporter into a global investment powerhouse. Paving the way, Mohammed said, would be the initial public offering (IPO) of […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Iran has denounced as theft a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that awarded nearly $2 billion to the victims of terror attacks blamed on Teheran. On April 26, Iran summoned the Swiss ambassador who handles U.S. interests in Teheran. A day earlier, Iran threatened to take the United States to the International Court […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Four Iranian journalists have been given prison sentences of between five and 10 years on charges of acting against Iran’s national security. Lawyers for the journalists announced the sentences to Iranian state media on April 26. All four were arrested in November on accusations of being […]
Special to WorldTribune.com A deployment of largely Army Green Berets will join the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in Syria, Obama administration officials confirmed on April 24. The Green Berets are among a group of 250 military personnel being deployed to Syria, increasing to 300 the number of U.S. forces battling […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Turkey is continuing its all-out assault on anyone who insults its thin-skinned president. In the latest incident, a Dutch journalist who referred to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “dictator” was detained while on holiday in Turkey and now is being prevented from leaving the country. Columnist Ebru Umar, who is […]
Special to WorldTribune.com About 2,000 Saudi-led coalition troops launched an offensive that drove Al Qaida jihadists from their Yemeni stronghold on April 24. More than 800 Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) fighters were killed and the remainder fled as the force of Yemeni and Emirati troops advanced on the port city of Mukalla, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com A large bipartisan majority in the U.S. Senate is calling on President Barack Obama to immediately sign an agreement on a new defense package that includes an increase in aid to Israel. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democrat Sen. Chris Coons penned a letter to Obama that was signed by 51 Republican […]
Special to WorldTribune.com A resourceful Yazidi girl managed to escape her Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) captors after slipping sleeping pills into their tea, a report said. The 12-year-old girl and her 17-year-old aunt escaped after being held for fourth months in Tel Afar, Iraq by the terror group, the Daily Mail reported […]
