World News

The regulatory environment for women’s economic participation has improved over the past two years, with 40 economies enacting 62 reforms that will help women – half the world’s population – realize their potential and contribute to economic growth and development, says a new World Bank study. Still, the results are uneven — women in many countries have only a fraction ...

Oil prices have risen after two bases hosting US troops in Iraq were hit by ballistic missiles. Brent crude was up by 1.4% at $69.21 per barrel in the middle of the Asian trade, easing back from earlier gains. So-called safe haven assets, like gold and the Japanese yen, also rose on the news. At the same time, global stock ...

American intelligence agencies face a significant reduction in their counterterrorism collection efforts in Africa if a proposed withdrawal of United States military forces is carried out by the Pentagon, intelligence officials said. The new planning to pull back intelligence officers deployed in Western Africa and other parts of the continent has been partly driven by the troop deployment review, which ...

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has decided to seek parliamentary immunity from prosecution over corruption charges. The move would likely delay a trial until after fresh elections next March. In November, the prime minister was charged by the attorney general with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. Mr Netanyahu, who denies wrongdoing, would need the ...

The Islamic State group has released a video claiming to show the killing of 11 Christians in Nigeria. IS said it was part of its recently declared campaign to “avenge” the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during a US raid in Syria in October. No details were given about the victims, who were all male, but IS says ...

For years, cabin greetings such as “Good morning ladies and gentlemen” have been as much part of the flying experience as safety demonstrations and seat belt buckling instructions. But now, one European airline has advised its crew to make announcements more inclusive after a passenger complained. EasyJet, a low-cost carrier and one of Europe’s largest airlines, has issued its staff ...

Amid protests in India, Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad questions ‘necessity’ of new citizenship law seen as anti-Muslim. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has criticised India’s new citizenship law, which is seen as discriminatory against Muslims and has sparked deadly protests across the South Asian country. Speaking on the sidelines of the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 on Friday, Mahathir questioned the “necessity” of the Citizenship Amendment ...

More than 250 people were killed in violence linked to demonstrations that forced Omar al-Bashir to resign. Sudan‘s new transitional government must deliver on people’s demands for sweeping change as the country marked the first anniversary of mass protests that led to the removal of former president Omar al-Bashir, a rights group said. Protests swept across the African nation in December ...

The South African authorities have suspended several initiation schools where boys have died in recent weeks taking part in circumcision ceremonies. The country’s religious and cultural commission said the schools in different areas of the Eastern Cape would be suspended for a year. It called for the arrest of those responsible for at least 20 deaths. The initiation into manhood ...

The top Democrat in the US Congress, Nancy Pelosi, has written to President Donald Trump inviting him to give his State of the Union speech on 4 February amid the partisan impeachment battle. The annual speech would come during or soon after his trial in the Senate, where he is likely to be acquitted. He was formally impeached by the ...