Four ships ‘sabotaged’ in the Gulf of Oman amid tensions
It is not known who was behind the damage, which was carried out during tension in the Strait of Hormuz. BBC News – Middle East
Craig Taylor
Houthi withdrawal from Hudaydah – First Steps In Ceasefire
Hopes For Peace In Yemen Take A Step Forward Finally, there is some progress being made in the tragic civil war in Yemen which has claimed so many civilian lives as well as causing mass suffering. The Houthi rebels as required in the UN-brokered agreement, have started to pull out of Hudaydah. However as…
Arriva Joins Stagecoach In Suing Government Over East Midlands Franchise
More Chaos On The Rails German State-owned Train Operator Arriva has joined FTSE250 constituent Stagecoach in taking legal action over the government’s decision to award the East Midlands franchise to the Dutch government-owned firm Abellio. The actions are relating to the opaqueness of the bidding process and in Stagecoaches case the decision to ban them…
Iranian President Rouhani Speaks Out About Sanctions
Are US Sanctions Having The Desired Effect Or Destabilising the Middle East? President Hassan Rouhani has spoken out about the impact of economic sanctions and has indicated that it may be playing into the hands of political hardliners. He has likened the impact to the effect that the 1980-88 war with Iraq had on the…
Julian Assange: Sweden to announce decision on rape case
Prosecutors may reopen an investigation into a rape allegation against the Wikileaks co-founder. BBC News – Europe
Cuba LGBT Protesters Arrested At March in Havana
Cuba has not had the most auspicious of starts to the week leading up to the International Day Against Homophobia on 17 May as Police crackdown on an unauthorised Pride march in Havana. The march on Saturday followed the unexpected cancellation by the authorities of the country’s 12th annual march against homophobia, which seems strange…