Facts, News, Trends, Analysis
In 2010 the Japanese-owned, Los Angeles-based Crystal Cruises will begin making stops in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This is a large step for Saudi Arabia, but there is much question as to whether tourists will want to take day trips into the country when the US “urges U.S. citizens to consider carefully the risks of traveling [...]
Tragedy has struck Turkey recently. There has been a “string of baby deaths” that has sent “shock waves across Turkey.” The incidents first started in July, when 27 newborns were found dead in a Turkish hospital within two weeks. Now, three months later, Turkey is suffering from a similar tragedy–thirteen premature babies have been found [...]
During his traditional Eid holiday message to the people, Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced that he had been traveling to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan seeking help from their leaders in peace talks with the Taliban. The US, UK and the Afghan government all agree that they must reach out to moderate Taliban leaders but there [...]
On September 30, 2008 it was announced that Yemen’s ambassador to Moscow Muhammad Saleh al-Hilali had met with the Head of the International Department at the Russian Consulate. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss new plans for “bilateral cooperation” between Yemen and Russia. The meeting aimed at bettering ties comes right before Yemen’s [...]
Cases of PTSD as a result of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are astonishingly high- nearly 20% of troops who have been deployed are experiencing symptoms. Causes of the high rate vary, from multiple deployments to heavy use of the national guard. Perhaps another explanation is the new type of warfare taking place in Iraq, [...]
The whole world has been following the recent kidnapping of European tourists in the Sahara desert of Egypt. They were released on Monday by their kidnappers, who had taken hostage five Italians, five Germans, one Romanian, and eight Egyptian tour guides. According to Reuters, the released Italian hostages stated that they were freed by their kidnappers, [...]
In Najaf, Iraq the gathering presence of Iranian tourists, welfare, and goods is a disturbing sight to some but a welcome helping hand to others. The city is the sight of a shrine to Imam Ali, and thus exceedingly important to both Iraqi and Iranian Shia. However, under Saddam Hussein’s regime Iranian access [...]
In the Lebanese News today, France warned Syria against further military action in the northern region of Lebanon. There have been bomb attacks recently in Damascus and Tripoli that are bringing to light the possibility of military intervention by Syria. The French are calling into question Syria’s commitment to Lebanese stability. Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad [...]
The New York Times reports Ehud Olmert’s announcement that in order to foster peace with the Palestinian people, Israel has to withdraw from land in the West Bank. If Israel chooses otherwise, then it is only fair that Palestine will have to get the same size land granted.
Olmert also announced that in no way [...]
A remotely detonated car bombing in Tripoli, Lebanon on Monday resulted in the death of five soldiers and the wounding of twenty civilians. This incident is only the latest in a string of bombings that have devastated the city and its surrounding areas. The wreckage was described as, ” blackened and twisted” and eyewitnesses told [...]
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