Off the record in Beijing: China’s growth rate is non-negotiable

Off the record in Beijing: China’s growth rate is non-negotiable

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, EastAsiaIntel.com Who is in charge of China’s macro-level financial and economic policy? Most observers will say President Xi Jinping, who is head of the two highest-level decision-making bodies: the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economics (CLGFE) and the newly set up Central Leading Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reforms […]

UN calls on Hamas to stop planned public executions

UN calls on Hamas to stop planned public executions

by WorldTribune Staff, May 26, 2016 The UN’s Middle East envoy has publicly urged Hamas to halt the public executions of 13 men, most convicted of murder connected to robberies. UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council that public executions are prohibited under international human rights law. “I urge Hamas not to carry out […]

Religious freedom group calls for UN action on ISIL genocide of Christians

Religious freedom group calls for UN action on ISIL genocide of Christians

by WorldTribune Staff, May 26, 2016 A religious freedom group is calling on the United Nations to “mobilize the international community” to take action to protect Christians against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) atrocities. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), in a letter to the UN, detailed ISIL’s executions of Christians […]

Logs show Egyptair jet had no technical problems before takeoff

Logs show Egyptair jet had no technical problems before takeoff

by WorldTribune Staff, May 25, 2016 A log signed by one of the pilots of EgyptAir Flight 804 showed no technical problems with the airliner before it took off from Paris, a report said on May 24. The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram, which published a scan of the technical log on its website, said the plane […]

Moscow denies ISIL destroyed Russian helicopters at base in Syria

Moscow denies ISIL destroyed Russian helicopters at base in Syria

by WorldTribune Staff, May 25, 2016 Moscow is countering reports that four of its attack helicopters at a base in central Syria were destroyed in an attack by Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). Amaq, an ISIL-linked news agency, on May 15 first reported the “burning of four Russian attack helicopters and 20 trucks […]

Egyptian sub joins hunt for downed flight’s black box

Egyptian sub joins hunt for downed flight’s black box

by WorldTribune Staff, May 23, 2016 Egypt has sent a submarine and underwater equipment from its offshore oil industry to assist in the hunt for EgyptAir Flight 804’s black box flight recorders. Wreckage and personal belongings from the plane that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea with 66 people on board were found on May 20 but […]

ISIL promotes Sinai hotbed as new front against Israel

ISIL promotes Sinai hotbed as new front against Israel

by WorldTribune Staff, May 23, 2016 Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) is using the Sinai Peninsula as a “steppingstone” for attacks against Israel, according to a report by national security correspondent Rowan Scarborough. The terrorist organization has launched a propaganda campaign to recruit jihadists for a force in Sinai large enough to take […]

Group provided major funds to NPR to sell Iran deal to wary public

Group provided major funds to NPR to sell Iran deal to wary public

by WorldTribune Staff, May 23, 2016 A group the White House said played a “critical role” in securing the Iran nuclear deal doled out large amounts of cash to National Public Radio (NPR) and Jewish lobby J Street to sell the deal to a wary public. The Ploughshares Fund group gave National Public Radio $100,000 […]

Afghan intel confirms U.S. drone strike killed Taliban leader

Afghan intel confirms U.S. drone strike killed Taliban leader

by WorldTribune Staff, May 22, 2016 The leader of the Afghan Taliban was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan, Afghanistan intelligence sources have confirmed. The May 21 attack killed Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the sources said. U.S. officials said the drone strike was authorized by President Barack Obama and “showed the United States was […]