The United Nations is warning of a possible resurgence of the deadly bird flu virus, including a mutant strain that is spreading in Asia and elsewhere. The world body’s Food and Agriculture Organization said Monday that a variant strain of the H5N1 virus , which appears able to bypass the defenses of existing vaccines, has […]
Gadhafi’s Wife, 3 Children Flee to Algeria
Rebel leaders in Libya have demanded authorities in Algeria extradite Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s wife and three of his children, after the group entered Algeria early Monday. The Algerian Foreign Ministry announced that Mr. Gadhafi’s wife Safiya, daughter Aisha, and two of his sons, Mohammad and Hannibal, had all crossed into the country by car. […]
Top Obama Officials to Survey Hurricane Irene Damage
Residents on the east coast of the United States continue to deal with historic flooding and widespread power outages as a result of the deadly Hurricane Irene. The storm, which made landfall in the southern state of North Carolina on Friday, has killed at least 40 people in the U.S. and Canada. Utility companies say […]
Kenyan Anti-Corruption Chief to Leave Office
Kenya’s anti-corruption chief and four of his deputies are leaving office after President Mwai Kibaki signed a law establishing a new agency to investigate graft. The revamped anti-corruption effort is part of the country’s new constitution, and will feature new directors who will take office within three months. Patrick Lumumba, the director of the Kenya […]
Japan’s Parliament Confirms Noda as Prime Minister
Japan’s parliament voted Tuesday to confirm Yoshihiko Noda as the nation’s sixth prime minister in five years. Mr. Noda, who as finance minister has steered the nation’s economy through one of its most difficult periods, was approved in both the lower house, where his Democratic Party of Japan has a solid majority, and in the […]
Japanese Jobless Rates Edges Up in July
Japan’s unemployment rate rose slightly in July, indicating the nation still faces a long road to recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami. The government announced Tuesday that last month’s jobless rate was 4.7 percent, a rise of 0.1 percentage point from June. Economists had predicted the rate would remain unchanged. The figures excluded data […]
Federal Judge Blocks Alabama Immigration Law
A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked a controversial immigration law that was set to go into effect Thursday in the state of Alabama. U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace said Monday she decided to block the law until September 29 so she could further consider lawsuits filed against it. Last month, a coalition of civil […]