Pakistani intelligence officials say U.S. missile strikes have killed at least 15 militants in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region. Two of Wednesday’s drone strikes hit a militant compound and a vehicle near Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan tribal area, along the Afghan border. Officials say those killed are believed to have been allied […]
Suspected US Missile Strikes Kill 15 in Pakistan
US Stocks Fall
U.S. stock market indexes declined in Wednesday’s midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ lost 1.5 percent while the S&P 500 fell 1.7 percent. European stock prices were sharply lower at the close of trading. London’s Financial Times index lost one percent to end at 5,743. The CAC-40 in Paris slipped 1.5 […]
Pakistan Denies Arresting Army Major for US Ties
Pakistan’s military says reports one of its own officers has been detained for helping the U.S. track down and kill Osama bin Laden are “false and totally baseless.” Pakistani Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas Wednesday rejected the story that first appeared in the New York Times. But another official admits there have been arrests […]
Suspected US Missile Strikes Kill 14 in Pakistan
Pakistani intelligence officials say U.S. missile strikes have killed at least 14 militants in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region. Two of Wednesday’s drone strikes hit a militant compound and a vehicle near Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan tribal area, along the Afghan border. Officials say those killed are believed to have been allied […]
Former Mandela Charity Chief Cleared in Blood Diamond Case
The former head of Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund in South Africa has been cleared of charges that he illegally possessed rough diamonds. A Johannesburg magistrate dismissed charges against Jeremy Ractliffe on Wednesday after hearing several hours of testimony. Possessing uncut diamonds without a permit is a crime in South Africa because of possible links to […]
US Envoys Try to Renew Israeli-Palestinian Talks
Senior U.S. diplomats are in Jerusalem to try to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that collapsed last year. U.S. and Israeli officials confirmed the visit by Dennis Ross and David Hale Wednesday. It is the first time the pair has visited the region since U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell resigned last month after failing to […]
Congress Committee Studies ‘Muslim Radicalization’ in US
A U.S. congressional committee has met once again to investigate what one lawmaker calls Islamic radicalization in the United States – a topic that has drawn criticism from Muslims and other groups. The congressman who heads the panel, New York Republican Peter King, says he called the hearings because al-Qaida is actively trying to radicalize […]
Czech Republic Rejects US Proposal for Missile Defense Center
The Czech defense minister says Prague has rejected a U.S. proposal to build a missile defense center in the country after complaining that the facility would diminish the Czech role in the project. Alexander Vondra said Wednesday the Czech Republic has decided not to host an early warning center that would gather and analyze information […]
Trial of Journalists Continues in Bahrain
A Bahrain court will allow four journalists accused of publishing false stories about the kingdom’s anti-government crackdown to call witnesses in their trial. The court made its decision at a Wednesday hearing for former editor-in-chief Mansoor al-Jamri and three other journalists who worked for al-Wasat, one of the kingdom’s leading independent newspapers. One journalist is […]
UN Congo Mission to Lose Indian Helicopters
India is getting set to withdraw its Mi-35 attack helicopters from the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The expected departure of the four aircraft early next month has sparked fears the U.N. mission will be less well 1equipped to safeguard civilians, especially in remote and volatile areas of eastern Congo. Indian […]