Posts by Amelia Frost
New Clashes Rock Syria’s Druze Heartland As Tribal Fighters Reinforce Bedouin
Armed tribes supported by Syria’s Islamist-led government clashed with Druze fighters in the community’s Sweida heartland on Friday, a day after the army withdrew under Israeli bombardment and diplomatic pressure. The United Nations called for an end to the “bloodshed” and demanded an “independent” investigation of the violence, which has claimed nearly 600 lives since…
Read MoreEU Targets Russian Oil In Tough New Ukraine War Sanctions
The EU on Friday adopted a sweeping new package of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, looking to pile more pressure on the Kremlin by lowering a price cap for Moscow’s oil exports. The 18th round of economic measures from Europe against Russia since its 2022 invasion comes as allies hope US President Donald…
Read MoreLetters to the Editor, July 18: ‘Elbows up didn’t do us much good’
Breadcrumb Trail Links News Alberta Canada Opinion Letters Published Jul 18, 2025 • Last updated 31 minutes ago • 2 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. A participant displays a sign at the Elbows Up United Rally held at Dieppe Park in downtown…
Read MoreTop Holy Land Clerics Visit Gaza After Deadly Church Strike
Two of the most senior Christian leaders in the Holy Land travelled to Gaza on Friday after Israeli fire killed three at the Palestinian territory’s only Catholic church, provoking international condemnation. The rare visit came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “deeply regrets” the strike on the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and…
Read MoreSharaa’s Pullout From Syria Druze Heartland Exposes Shaky Leadership
Under Israeli bombardment and diplomatic pressure, Ahmed al-Sharaa pulled troops from Syria’s Druze heartland — a move that exposes the interim leader’s weakness just as he sought to assert control. Since seizing office in December after ousting longtime autocrat Bashar al-Assad, Sharaa has worked to recast himself from jihadist to statesman, even earning praise from…
Read MoreUS Congress Approves $9 Bn In Trump Cuts To Foreign Aid, Public Media
US Republicans early Friday approved President Donald Trump’s plan to cancel $9 billion in funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, vowing it was just the start of broader efforts by Congress to slash the federal budget. The cuts achieve only a tiny fraction of the $1 trillion in annual savings that tech billionaire and…
Read MoreChina Mulls Economy-boosting Measures To Counter ‘Severe Situation’
China is prepared to take measures and has a “plentiful” toolbox to avoid an economic slump in the second half of the year, its commerce minister said Friday as he admitted it faced a “very severe and complex situation”. Growth hit 5.2 percent in the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday, but analysts have warned…
Read MoreUK ‘Princes In The Tower’ Murder Probe Clears Richard III
It is one of history’s most intriguing “murders” — the mysterious disappearance over five centuries ago of two young princes from the Tower of London. Nearly 200 years after they disappeared, two small skeletons were found in a wooden box at the historic tower and reburied at Westminster Abbey. The remains were believed, but never…
Read MoreCalifornia To Sue Trump Govt Over Axed High-speed Rail Funds
California will sue President Donald Trump’s administration over its decision to cancel billions of dollars in federal funding for the construction of a long-delayed high-speed rail line, the state’s governor said Thursday. “Trump’s termination of federal grants for California high-speed rail reeks of politics. It’s yet another political stunt to punish California,” Governor Gavin Newsom…
Read MoreIn Rural Canadian Town, New Risk Of Measles Deepens Vaccine Tensions
In the Canadian town of Aylmer, where Mennonites in traditional dress walk down the main street alongside secular locals, bitter divisions over vaccine skepticism that arose during Covid have intensified with the reemergence of measles. Canada, which officially eradicated measles in 1998, has registered over 3,500 cases this year and the United States is confronting…
Read MoreJapan Rice Prices Double, Raising Pressure On PM
Rice prices in Japan soared 99.2 percent in June year-on-year, official data showed Friday, piling further pressure on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of elections this weekend. The price of the grain already rocketed 101 percent year-on-year in May, having jumped 98.4 percent in April and more than 92.5 percent in March. Overall, Japan’s core…
Read MoreEl Salvador Rights Group Says Forced Out By Bukele ‘Repression’
A leading rights group investigating corruption in El Salvador said Thursday it had been forced into exile due to “escalating repression” by President Nayib Bukele’s administration. The Cristosal group is a vocal critic of Bukele’s controversial anti-crime policies and also provides assistance to families of migrants deported by the United States and imprisoned in El…
Read More