Russian officials say Iran’s Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant will likely be providing electricity by August. Russian news agencies quoting Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Monday say tests are nearly complete on the Islamic Republic’s first nuclear power-generating facility. Iran started loading fuel rods into the 1,000-megawatt reactor last August, but the process encountered […]
Iran’s Nuclear Power Plant Start Set for August
Japan Names Cabinet Ministers for Disaster Management
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has appointed two new cabinet ministers to spearhead crisis management at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant and reconstruction of the country’s earthquake and tsunami-devastated northeast coast. The appointments, announced Monday, come as engineers at the plant activated a water decontamination system described as a key step toward shutting down […]
China, Britain Sign $2.2 Billion Trade Deals
Mr. Wen’s trip to Britain came as two prominent Chinese dissidents, Hu Jia and artist Ai Weiwei, were released from prison. Both have been warned by the authorities that they face further punishment unless they stay silent. Following his meeting with Mr. Cameron on Monday, the Chinese leader will travel to Germany, where German officials […]
Iranian Lawmakers Summon Ahmadinejad for Questioning Over ‘Irregularities’
An Iranian news agency says lawmakers have summoned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning about what they call government “irregularities,” in the latest sign of tensions among members of Iran’s ruling conservative elite. The Mehr news agency says 100 members of the conservative-dominated parliament filed a motion Sunday, demanding that Mr. Ahmadinejad explain delays in nominating […]
Gunmen Kill Pakistani Taliban Commander
Pakistani security officials say gunmen have killed a Pakistani Taliban commander in the country’s northwest tribal region. Shakirullah Shakir was reportedly riding a motorcycle near Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan, when he was gunned down by assailants. Pakistani officials say they do not know why Shakir was killed. He was affiliated with […]
Syrian Activists Meet in Damascus, Seek to End Violence
More than 150 Syrian intellectuals and activists, including some of the country’s most prominent opposition figures, are meeting to discuss how to end months of violent upheaval and initiate a peaceful transition to democratic rule. The gathering Monday in the capital, Damascus, began with a singing of the country’s national anthem and a minute of […]
Indian Police Arrest 7 for Journalist’s Murder
Police in India say they have arrested seven people in connection with the murder of a journalist in the city of Mumbai. The city’s joint police commissioner, Himanshu Roy, told reporters Monday that a Mumbai crime boss ordered the killing of Jyotirmoy Dey but that police do not have a motive for the murder. Dey, […]
Boat Capsizes on Lake Albert, 19 Believed Dead
Officials say 19 people are believed dead after a boat capsized on Lake Albert in central Africa. Authorities say six people were rescued after the boat turned over late Friday. The remaining 19 passengers were still missing as of Monday. Many of the victims were members of the same family. Lake Albert straddles the border […]
Obama Urges Americans to Get Tested for HIV
President Barack Obama is urging Americans to get tested for HIV. In a statement Monday on National HIV Testing Day, the president said “one in five Americans living with HIV is not aware of their infection.” He highlighted the importance of making sure people know their status, as well as getting treatment for those who […]
Sudanese President’s Visit to China Delayed
A controversial meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir was postponed Monday, after Mr. Bashir was delayed traveling to Beijing. Sudan’s foreign ministry says Mr. Bashir was flying from Iran to China late Sunday when his plane was given a new flight path over Turkmenistan. It says the change was not […]