Women referees will officiate matches at the men’s World Cup for the first time in Qatar this year, the sport’s governing body FIFA announced on Thursday. Three women referees and three women assistant referees will be part of the global showpiece even…
Mali junta ‘blocked’ UN patrol of town, spokesperson says
The Malian army prevented United Nations forces from patrolling the central town of Djenne, a hotbed of violence and jihadist activity in the Sahel, a UN spokesman said on Thursday, the latest in a string of snags for its mission there. The incident co…
Twitter to tackle Ukraine misinformation with warning labels
Twitter Inc will begin placing warning notices in front of some misleading content regarding the conflict in Ukraine and limit the spread of claims debunked by humanitarian groups or other credible sources, the social media company said on Thursday. Th…
Jailed Egypt activist Abdel-Fattah moved to new prison
Egyptian authorities have transferred a prominent political activist from a maximum-security prison where he was allegedly tortured and denied basic rights to a new correctional facility, his family said on Thursday. Alaa Abel-Fattah was transferred fr…
London Mayor Sadiq Khan denies he’ll meet Egypt Grand Mufti
The Mayor of London has denied that he will meet Egypt’s Grand Mufti, notorious for approving hundreds of executions, during the Egyptian’s visit to the UK capital. Mufti Shawki Allam, who was invited to the UK by parliament, arrived in Britain on Sund…
Iran returns two activists to jail
Two Iranian activists have been returned to jail on suspicion of “plotting against national security” while on provisional release, media in the Islamic republic said on Thursday. One of them, Kevyan Samimi, who is close to the nationalist and religiou…
Israeli military ID’s gun that may have killed journalist
The Israeli military has identified a soldier’s rifle that may have killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but said it cannot be certain unless the Palestinians turn over the bullet for analysis, a military official said Thursday. Israel shot …
Taliban order female TV presenters to cover face on air
Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have asked television broadcasters to ensure that female presenters on local stations cover their faces when on air, an official said on Thursday. The move comes days after authorities ordered women to cover their fac…
Hamas-affiliated bloc wins Palestinian student elections
A pro-Hamas student bloc celebrated their victory in student elections for one of Palestine’s most prominent universities. The Hamas-linked Wafa group won 28 out of 51 seats on Birzeit University’s student council. The Fatah-linked Yasser Arafat studen…
Jordan’s king says Iran causing problems on Syria border
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said that the kingdom could be facing an “escalation of problems” on its borders with Syria due to increased activity by Iran and its proxies. The king, in an interview with the Hoover Institution in Washington D.C., said that…