Jan 2, 2018

01/02/2018: Iran’s economic woes fuel biggest protests in years

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (C-R) delivers a speech next to Judiciary Chief Sadeq Larijani (C-L) during his swearing-in ceremony before parliament in Tehran, on August 5, 2017 ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service ... Iranians have taken to the streets in some of the biggest anti-government protests the country has seen in years. One thing underlying their discontent? A sluggish economy that hasn't seen the expected benefits from the lifting of U.S. sanctions. Afterwards, Egypt's leading cleric has issued a fatwa against the cryptocurrency bitcoin, saying it violates Islamic law. Then, as of Monday, China has banned the import of foreign plastics. The country has long been the final destination for Western trash — so where will discarded plastics now go?

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Iranians have taken to the streets in some of the biggest anti-government protests the country has seen in years. One thing underlying their discontent? A sluggish economy that hasn’t seen the expected benefits from the lifting of U.S. sanctions. Afterwards, Egypt’s leading cleric has issued a fatwa against the cryptocurrency bitcoin, saying it violates Islamic law. Then, as of Monday, China has banned the import of foreign plastics. The country has long been the final destination for Western trash — so where will discarded plastics now go?