More than 100 people have fled their homes in southern Guinea, following clashes sparked by a government attempt to take their land. Witnesses and humanitarian groups say the violence erupted last week when residents refused to give up their land to regional authorities for rubber and oil production. The Associated Press quotes a witness as […]
Iran Approves Oil Minister Who is Under Sanctions
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 10:30 am (UTC-5)
Iran’s parliament has approved President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s choice of a senior Revolutionary Guards commander who is under international sanctions to head the influential oil ministry. Lawmakers endorsed the president’s choice of General Rostam Qasemi by an overwhelming majority on Wednesday. He is taking control of the oil ministry at a time when Iran holds the […]
Egypt’s Mubarak Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ in Historic Trial
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 10:15 am (UTC-5)
Egypt’s ex-president Hosni Mubarak, wheeled into a Cairo courtroom in a hospital bed, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he ordered the death of hundreds of anti-government protesters. After Wednesday’s dramatic session, the judge in the case adjourned the trial until August 15. News channels around the world broadcast the start of Mr. Mubarak’s […]
Tajikistan Bans Minors From Entering Mosques
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rakhmon has approved a law barring minors from praying in mosques, as his secular government seeks to minimize the rising influence of Islam in the Central Asian nation. Mr. Rakhmon signed the so-called “parental responsibility” law Wednesday despite criticism from rights activists, religious leaders and the opposition party. The law, which holds […]
Italy, Spain Face Soaring Borrowing Rates
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
Borrowing rates in Italy touched a new euro-era high Wednesday, raising concerns the continent’s third-largest economy could be on the verge of a Greek-style financial crisis. In a volatile day of trading, Italy saw its 10-year borrowing rates soar above 6 percent. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is scheduled to address the Italian parliament on the […]
US Stocks Dip in early Trading
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 10:05 am (UTC-5)
The major U.S. stock indexes edged lower in Wednesday’s early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid one-quarter of a percent. The S&P 500 index dropped two-tenths of a percent. And the NASDAQ fell one-tenth of a percent. European stock prices also dropped in afternoon trading. London’s Financial Times index fell 1.2 percent. The CAC-40 […]
Syrian Tanks Roll into Hama
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 9:50 am (UTC-5)
Syrian tanks have stormed into the city of Hama, where residents have reported hearing loud explosions. Activists and witnesses said Wednesday tanks are occupying a central square that has been a rallying point for protesters calling for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad. They say more than 130 people have been killed across Syria since […]
Ten Arrested After Failed Coup Attempt in Niger
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
Niger’s president says security forces arrested 10 people for attempting to overthrow the government last month. President Mahmadou Issoufou said in a television address late Tuesday that the coup attempt occurred the night of July 12 and into the following day. He said 10 people, reported to be soldiers, have been arrested while another suspect […]
Tropical Storm Emily Barrels Toward Haiti And Dominican Republic
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 9:30 am (UTC-5)
Tropical storm warnings and watches are posted for parts of the Caribbean as Tropical Storm Emily is expected to move across the island of Hispaniola late Wednesday. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island. The threat is particularly concerning for Haiti, where thousands of people still live in tent camps after a devastating earthquake […]
Former Cambodian King In China for Medical Checkup
Posted August 3rd, 2011 at 9:20 am (UTC-5)
Cambodia’s ailing former king, Norodom Sihanouk, has left the country for what is being described as routine medical testing in China. The 88-year-old monarch, who remains a revered figure in his homeland, has undergone numerous rounds of testing and treatments in China since first being diagnosed with cancer in the early 1990s. He also suffers […]
