David Blair's Blog, page 114

'Dramatic progress' as global infant mortality falls nearly 40%

Infant mortality has fallen by almost 40 per cent across the world since 1990 largely because of better health care and vaccinations, according to Save the Children.

Iran to stop oil exports to six EU countries causing prices to rise

Iran will stop exporting oil to six European Union countries including Greece, the state media has claimed.

Iran claims significant advance in nuclear programme

Iran has claimed a significant advance in its nuclear programme, installing new fuel rods in a research reactor and claiming to have developed a more advanced model of centrifuge.

A new terror threatens Syria

Al-Qaeda is attempting to muscle in on the revolt against Assad's regime. But will it work?

Protests planned for anniversary of Mubarak's downfall

Opponents of Egypt's military rulers plan to mark the first anniversary of Hosni Mubarak's downfall today (SAT) with a campaign of civil disobedience directed against the dictator's successors.

Rebel FSA spokesman claims Aleppo bombings

SYRIA's conflict escalated to reach the country's second city of Aleppo when explosions tore through a police station and an intelligence headquarters, claiming 28 lives.

Syria: Russia accuses West of being "accomplices" in violence

Russia escalated a diplomatic row with Western governments on Friday, accusing them of being "accomplices" in a "process of inflaming" Syria's crisis.

Syria: three families 'murdered in their homes by Assad's forces' as tanks move towards Homs

Three Syrian families were murdered in their homes by President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Homs on Wednesday as columns of tanks moved towards the embattled city.

Assad's gunmen 'murder three entire families in Homs'

Gunmen loyal to President Bashar al Assad murdered three entire families in Homs on Tuesday night, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

If we bomb Iran, Tehran will go nuclear. Is that really what Niall Ferguson wants?

What should Israel and the West do about Iran? Niall Ferguson thinks that war would be justified and in this week's Newsweek he sets out to demolish the case against a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. He lists the "five reasons" why people oppose military action and knocks them...