A federal court in New York City Friday sentenced an al-Qaida member to life in prison for a failed plot to carry out suicide bombings in the city’s subway in 2009. Prosecutors say Adis Medunjanin and his accomplices were just days away from carrying out their plans before federal agents foiled the plot. Authorities also […]
Life in Prison for Failed New York Subway Bomber
Germany, Russia Clash on Human Rights
German Chancellor Angela Merkel clashed Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the two-year jail sentences imposed on two members of the female punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin song in a Moscow cathedral. Visiting the Kremlin for a Russian-German business forum, Chancellor Merkel expressed Germany’s concern about the passage of laws in […]
Acquitted Generals Return to Hero’s Welcome in Croatia
Two Croatian generals have arrived in Zagreb to a hero’s welcome after a United Nations court in The Hague cleared them of war crimes against Serbs during a key battle for Croatia’s independence. Tens of thousands of people waving Croatian flags and singing nationalist songs gathered in Croatia’s capital Friday evening where generals Ante Gotovina […]
Hostess, Bakers of Twinkles and Wonder Bread, to Shut Down
Hostess, the company that bakes the iconic Twinkie snack cake and the U.S. kitchen staple Wonder Bread, is going out of business. The bankrupt bakery asked a court Friday for permission to shut down its ovens and liquidate its assets, putting more than 18,000 people out of work. Hostess workers went on strike last week […]
US House Approves Russia Trade and Human Rights Legislation
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill that would upgrade U.S. trade relations with Russia while punishing Russian officials for human rights violations. The House passed the bill Friday by a margin of 365 to 43. It now goes to the Senate for approval. The bill combines two separate measures into one. The […]
Sweden’s Ikea Admits Use of Forced Labor in East Germany
Swedish furniture giant Ikea is acknowledging that some of its suppliers used forced prison labor in the communist former East Germany more than two decades ago. The company released an independent report Friday concluding that some Ikea managers were aware of the possibility that political prisoners would be used to make the company’s products. Ikea […]
Petraeus Testifies on Capitol Hill About Libya Attack
U.S. House and Senate committees have questioned former CIA chief David Petraeus about the Obama administration’s initial descriptions of the September 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. Lawmakers say Petraeus told the House and Senate intelligence committees, in closed hearings on Friday, that he believed from the onset that terrorist elements were involved […]
Obama, Congress Leaders Negotiate on ‘Fiscal Cliff’
U.S. President Barack Obama and four congressional leaders started negotiations Friday to try to resolve crucial government financial issues before the end of the year. The lawmakers described the White House talks as constructive. One of Mr. Obama’s political adversaries, John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, said he believes a compromise […]
Petraeus Testifies on Capitol Hill about Libya Attack
Former CIA Director David Petraeus has told a congressional panel that he believed from the onset that the September 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya was the work of terrorists. Lawmakers say the former CIA chief made the comments during Friday’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, regarding the deadly attack that resulted […]
US House Approves Russia Trade and Human Rights Legislation
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a combined bill that would upgrade U.S. trade relations with Russia, while punishing Russian officials for human rights violations. Friday’s vote of 365 to 43 is the first step in the process. The legislation must still go through a vote in the Senate and be signed by U.S. […]