Egypt sentences more Muslim Brotherhood members to death

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• A court in Egypt has handed more death penalties to supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. The military court in Alexandria gave the death penalty to eight people. The defendants were charged with organizing a terrorist group tasked with targeting the military. Egypt has cracked down on dissent since former president Morsi was ousted.
• Israel’s energy minister says Egypt has flooded Palestinian tunnels upon requests from Tel Aviv. His spokesperson later said the comment was misinterpreted. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip use these tunnels to bring basic commodities from across the border. The territory has been under an Israeli-imposed blockade since 2007.
• Detained Palestinian journalist Mohammad al-Qiq has refused to end his hunger strike in exchange for his release on May first. Israel has put the offer forward as Qiq’s health condition continues to deteriorate. He’s been refusing food since late November in protest at his detention without charge or trial.
• Algerian lawmakers have passed a reform package that increases parliament’s power, and enacts a two-term limit on the presidency. The president will also be required to nominate a prime minister from the largest party in parliament. The package also prevents dual citizens from running for high posts.
• Some two-thousand Bosnians, mostly women, have rallied in Sarajevo to protest a recent ban on wearing headscarves in judicial institutions. They call the ruling by the high judicial council prejudiced, saying it would marginalize women. The protesters also say the ban is a serious attack against Muslims’ identity.
• The UN Security Council has slammed North Korea’s launch of a long range rocket that has put a satellite into orbit. Pyongyang maintains that the launch was part of a purely scientific mission. However, a number of regional countries and the U-S say it has violated a ban on ballistic missile tests.
• In the UK, dozens of Tory members have criticized Prime Minister David Cameron for disregarding their views on Europe. In a letter, the signatories said they want genuine debate on Britain’s future EU status. Cameron has promised a referendum on EU membership by the end of 2017.
• The Greek premier is in the Iranian capital Tehran. Alexis Tsipras is heading a large delegation including ministers and business leaders. Tsipras, who is on a state visit, is set to hold meetings with top Iranian officials to bolster ties and discuss regional and international issues.

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