Olivia Bennett
Middle East & Africa Desk
Olivia Bennett is the Middle East & Africa Desk editor at The Taiwan Times, covering regional conflict, humanitarian crises and energy markets, with long-established reporting and verification channels on the ground.
Faced with war coverage where positions are polarised and facts are contested, she insists on multiple sources and careful wording, working to keep balanced, neutral narratives on the topics most easily swayed by emotion and propaganda.
She tracks how oil and gas move global inflation and Taiwan’s energy security, while never losing sight of the individual lives behind each conflict.
Areas of expertise
- Middle East
- Africa
- Energy markets
Latest by Olivia Bennett
U.S. Southern Command airstrike kills two on drug‑suspect vessel in eastern Pacific
The U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF‑WH) carried out an airstrike on a suspect vessel in the eastern Pacific on Tuesday, ki
Over 30 Killed in Illegal Landfill Collapse in Conakry, Guinea
At dawn on 12 August 2023, nearly 30 residents were killed when an illegal landfill in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, collapsed, leaving at least 30 peopl
Syrian Supreme Islamic Cleric Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for War Crimes
In August 2024, the Supreme Islamic Authority of Syria, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, was convicted of war crimes by a court in Damascus. The indictment covered
Interior Ministry Boosts Disaster Response, Invites US, Ukraine Experts on Drones and Resilience
Faced with the dual severe challenges of geopolitical tensions and extreme climate events in recent years, Taiwan's national security and disaster preventi
Landfill collapse in Conakry kills 30, injures six, traps shanty dwellers
At least 30 people were killed and six more injured on Thursday when a massive section of a landfill in Conakry, Guinea’s capital, gave way, sending tonnes
85 Injured as Violence Halts Kaiserslautern vs. Mannheim Bundesliga Match
A violent disturbance erupted during the 2. Bundesliga match between 1. FC Kaiserslautern and SV Mannheim on Saturday, prompting officials to suspend play
Unmanned Vehicle Tech Bill to Pass Third Reading, Threatening Defense Autonomy and Industrial Transformation.
The Legislative Yuan’s current session has entered its final settlement phase, and a number of key bills that shape the nation’s future development and ind
DPP warns China of election interference, lists seven violations, urges public to defend democracy.
As Taiwan’s year-end major local public-office elections approach, the race is heating up, alongside growing concerns that foreign forces are attempting to
Indian Coast Guard launches rescue after MV Shakti sinks off Odisha coast
A rescue operation was launched by the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday after a Panama‑flagged cargo bulk carrier, the *MV Shakti*, sank off the coast of Od
Fagersta School Sword Attack Claims Student, Injures Three
A high‑school student was killed and three others injured in a sword‑faced mass stabbing in Fagersta, Sweden, on Friday night. Police arrived at the scene
Lai visits Kinmen memorial, calls for bipartisan defense budget to preserve Taiwan Strait peace.
President Lai Ching‑te visited Kinmen today to attend the 823 Battle Victory 66th‑anniversary memorial ceremony. While commemorating the pivotal battle tha
Russian artillery kills four civilians, including three children, in Pervomaisk.
A Russian artillery strike on a residential area in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine on Tuesday killed four civilians, including three children, Ukr
Eight Killed When Security Aviation Cessna 441 Crashes at Alaska Radar Site
A Cessna 441 Conquest II operated by Security Aviation as Flight 45 crashed into the Cape Newenham Long‑Range Radar Site in western Alaska on Tuesday, kill
UK CPI climbs to 2.9% in June, highest in over a year
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday that the United Kingdom’s consumer price index rose to an annual rate of 2.9 percent in June, the
Merck, Moderna vaccine reduces melanoma recurrence by 34% in phase III trial
Merck & Co. and Moderna announced on Monday that a late‑stage, phase‑III trial of their investigational cancer vaccine, designed to prevent recurrence of m
Iran Expels Two French Embassy Staff Over Alleged Diplomatic Violations
In late July, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had barred two employees of the French embassy from returning to Tehran, citing vio
Qatar Prime Minister Meets Hamas Leaders to Discuss Gaza Crisis
On 10 th of this month, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al‑Thani met with Hamas senior leader Khalil al‑Hay
Explosion kills three, forces shutdown of Syria's Baniyas thermal power plant
An explosion ripped through the Baniyas thermal power plant in western Syria on Tuesday, killing three workers and prompting an emergency shutdown of the f
Militia‑Loyalist Clash in Ba idoa Kills Eight Fighters, Two Civilians
A skirmish that erupted on Tuesday night in the South West State of Somalia has already claimed the lives of several fighters from both sides and two civil
Iranian Drones Strike Erbil Prime Minister’s Office, No Casualties Reported
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Iraqi Kurdistan Autonomous Region reported on Tuesday that the Iranian military used unmanned aerial vehicles to stri
Bangladesh measles outbreak exceeds 120,000 cases, 300+ deaths, launches emergency vaccination and tracing.
Bangladesh’s Minister of Health and Family Welfare, M. A. Muhit, held a press conference on the 20th of this month, noting that the measles outbreak that b
Fubon Guardians rally to beat Lions 8-2, back-to-back comebacks
The Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League have been performing strongly in recent weeks. After a loss in yesterday’s game against the
Formosa Petrochemical Holds Fuel Prices Steady for Three Weeks; Market Skeptical
Formosa Petrochemical has not adjusted gasoline and diesel prices for three consecutive weeks, drawing attention and discussion in the market. The volatili
Taiwan's Executive Yuan to approve 2027 budgets, shaping fiscal policy
The Executive Yuan will vote on the 2022 central‑government budget on the 20th, while a supplemental budget for this fiscal year is already poised for cons