Sales of previously-owned houses declined in May in the United States, hitting their lowest point of the year. Tuesday’s report from a business group says sales were down 3.8 percent from the prior month. If sales continued at that rate for a full year, just 4.8 million homes would change hands, more than a million […]
Indian State Leader Vows to Probe Attacks on Women
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 12:30 pm (UTC-5)
The leader of a state in northern India is vowing to take tough action after a number of brutal rapes. There have been a series of reported attacks in Uttar Pradesh state in recent days, one involving a woman who was gang-raped and burned alive. In another incident, a girl was blinded while resisting her […]
Indian Parliament Session Postponed Due to Corruption Bill
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 12:10 pm (UTC-5)
India’s government has postponed the next session of parliament to give it more time to reach an agreement with civil society activists on a draft for a tough new anti-corruption bill. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal told reporters Tuesday that the new session would begin on August 1, instead of mid-July, and run through September […]
Gates: Americans ‘Tired’ of Decade of War in Afghanistan
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has acknowledged concerns in the United States about the war in Afghanistan, saying the American people are “tired of a decade of war.” Gates spoke in Washington Tuesday, one day before President Barack Obama is expected to announce his plans for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The defense chief said […]
US Senators Kerry, McCain Introduce Libya Resolution
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
Two leading U.S. senators have introduced a resolution that would limit the role of the U.S. military in Libya. Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry of Massachusetts, a Democrat, and John McCain of Arizona, the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee, spoke about the measure on the Senate floor Tuesday. McCain said the resolution […]
Japan, US to Delay Base Realignment Plan
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 11:45 am (UTC-5)
The United States and Japan have dropped a deadline for moving a U.S. Marine Corps air station, but reaffirmed their commitment to the overall plan to realign the U.S. military presence in the country and reduce the American footprint on the island of Okinawa. The announcement came Tuesday after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and […]
Italy’s Berlusconi Wins Parliament Vote
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
Italy’s Prime Minster Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday won a vote of confidence in Parliament on measures aimed at boosting the country’s wavering economy. The prime minister’s success in the lower house came after his center-right coalition party suffered two important local election losses and was defeated on referendums on nuclear power, water privatization and trial […]
Iran Nuclear Chief and IAEA Head Hold Talks
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Iran’s nuclear energy chief and the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog have held talks on Iran’s controversial nuclear program on the sidelines of a week-long conference on nuclear safety. Iran’s Fereidoun Abbasi said he had a “good” discussion in Vienna Tuesday with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano, who has been critical […]
Waterlogged Southeastern China Braces for More Rains
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
Flood-ravaged southern and eastern China braced Tuesday for more torrential rains and wind, as a tropical storm menaced the country’s southern coast and approached making a landfall. The state weather bureau said the storm, with wind gusts of 30 knots, was approaching the coast of Guangdong and Fujian provinces near Hong Kong and would inundate […]
At Least 4 Dead in Continuing Syrian Protests
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
At least four people are reported dead in Syria as regime opponents and pro-government crowds clashed in several cities. Witnesses and human rights activists reported that Syrian security forces fired on crowds Tuesday, causing casualties. Demonstrations were seen in the central city of Homs, the nearby town Mayadeen and in the capital, Damascus. Earlier, tens […]
