Egypt Moving Towards Banning Alcohol

Egypt has announced that it will no longer be issuing licenses for the sale of alcohol.

Current licenses won't be canceled, but they will not be allowed to be renewed.

It is a clear move to ban alcohol in the country, in conjunction with shariah law.

Opponents are calling it an attack on personal freedoms as well as religious ones.

They see it as but one more blatant imposition of Muslim beliefs, on the whole country.

Hezbollah Advances in Syria

Hezbollah soldiers on parade

Hezbollah soldiers, out of Lebanon, attacked Syrian rebel positions, on Sunday.

Syrian helicopters and militia supported the Hezbollah advance against three villages held by the Free Syrian Army.

Rebel forces have held onto the towns, for now.

The fighting shows the international level of the Syrian civil war, where both sides are backed by international groups.

Just last week a commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard was killed in Syria, where he had been aiding the national forces.

Over seventy thousand people have been killed in the twenty-three month long conflict.

Correa Wins Reelection in Ecuador

Rafael Correa is winning his reelection bid in Ecuador.

Polls are about to close and he is currently up by thirty-five percentage points.

Correa became the first President in decades to finish a whole term, and is credited with bringing political stability to the country.

The people see him as a great leader who's socialist policies have brought about improvements in roads, education, healthcare.

However, he is seen as weak on crime and some are unhappy with the major increase in taxes that he has brought.

Internationally, he is seen as the future head of the leftist bloc in Latin America, once Hugo Chavez no longer holds power.

7 Foreign Workers Kidnapped in Nigeria

Gunmen attacked the Nigerian town of Jama'are, early Sunday morning.

They attacked the police station, jail, and an international construction firm.

At the construction firm they killed a guard and kidnapped seven foreign workers.

The workers were from Greece, Italy, Lebanon, and the UK.

No one has claimed the attack, but Ansaru, the local Al Qaeda group, is being blamed for it.

In past Ansaru kidnappings none of the victims have survived.

4 Arrested in Libya for Sharing Christianity

Four foreigners have been arrested in Libya on the charge of distributing Bibles and proChristianity pamphlets.

The four people are from Egypt, South Africa, South Korea, and the US.

They supposedly contacted a printer to make pamphlets explaining Christianity.

Spreading Christianity is illegal in Libya, which has a special division of the defense ministry that looks for people trying to spread religions that aren't Islam.

Preventative Security has the legal ability to kill anyone they catch spreading another religion.

Security officers held off of executing the four based on their being foreigners.

A trial is expected to begin next week, with death being a possible sentence.

Bangladesh Takes First Step on Banning Jamaat

Thousands celebrated in the streets of Dhaka after Parliament passed a law allowing for prosecution of Jamaat-e-Islami, on Sunday.

The leaders of Jamaat, the country's leading Islamic political party, are accused of committing war crimes in the war of independence in 1971.

Members of the group are accused of various murders and acts of terrorism, since then.

Parliament's new law allows for the leaders to be tried for the crimes they are accused of.

It also is the first step necessary in banning the party and making it illegal.

Over the last week, clashes between supporters, opponents of the party, and police have left thirteen dead.

Anastasiades Takes Big Lead in First Cyprus Election

Nico Anastasiades is all but set to be the next President of Cyprus.

In Sunday's election, he took 45.4% of the vote, with the next highest at 26.9%.

That no one won a majority requires a a runoff vote between the top contenders.

Anastasiades is expected to easily win the runoff, which will take place next week.

He is a pro bailout candidate and would keep the country in the EU, unlike his opponent.

Baghdad Struck by Series of Bombings

A series of car bombings struck Baghdad, on Sunday.

At least seven, as many as twelve, bombs went off, in various Shia parts of the city.

Six more bombs were defused by security forces.

Twenty-one people were confirmed killed, with over one hundred more injured.

Officials are blaming Al Qaeda for the attacks

BMW Recalling 600,000 Vehicles

BMW has announced a recall of six hundred thousand vehicles in the US and Canada.

Five hundred seventy thousand are being recalled because a battery connector can fail which would cause the engine to stall.

The recall includes 2007-2011 3 Series convertibles, coupes, sedans, and wagons; 2008-2012 1 Series convertibles and coupes; and 2009-2011 Z4s.

One accident occurred because of the problem, but no injuries.

Another thirty thousand are being recalled due to an oil leak that can affect the power braking.

2007-2010 X5s are included in the recall.

No accidents or injuries were reported due to the problem, mechanics noticed the issue.

Consumers with questions can call BMW at 800-525-7417.

Australian Senator Detained by Malaysia

An Australian Senator has been detained by Malaysian authorities, on Saturday.

Nick Xenophon entered Malaysia as part of a group of Australian officials there to discuss ensuring June's elections will be free and fair.

None of the other Australians were held.

Xenophon apparently has a history in Malaysia, where he is now considered a security risk.

He was caught participating in anti government protests, last April, and was even tear gassed at the time.

Malaysian authorities say they will be deporting Xenophon back to Australia and state that he is not welcome in their country, due to his past.