The International Committee of the Red Cross says Syria has given the humanitarian organization access to a detention facility in the country for the first time since opposition activists launched a pro-democracy uprising in March. ICRC chief Jakob Kellenberger said Monday the Syrian government allowed a Red Cross delegation to visit the Damascus central prison. […]
Syria Grants Red Cross Access to Prison
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 1:05 pm (UTC-5)
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Stock, Oil Prices Fall As Investors Worry About Growth
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 12:45 pm (UTC-5)
Stock markets declined sharply in Europe and Asia on Monday following disappointing economic reports in the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies. Several European stock indexes fell more than three percent, and the DAX in Germany plunged 5.3 percent by the close of trading. In Asia the closely-watched market in Hong Kong […]
Cameroon Leader, 51 Others Seek Presidency
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 12:45 pm (UTC-5)
Election officials in Cameroon are reviewing applications from 51 presidential candidates including long-time President Paul Biya, who filed his paperwork just before the midnight Sunday deadline. The 78-year-old president is seeking another seven-year term, despite calls for his retirement after 29 years in office. Among his challengers in the October 9 election is John Fru […]
Cyprus President Addresses Deadly Munitions Blast
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
Cyprus President Demetris Christofias told an investigating committee Monday that a deadly munitions blast at a naval base in July was a “failure of the system.” The blast killed 13 people and triggered an economic crisis and calls for Mr. Christofias to resign. He said officials initially underestimated the risk the munitions posed and that […]
Four Million in Crisis in Somali Famine
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
said Monday the enormous needs of the Somali people are not being met, and the next four months will be critical to stablizing the situation. He added that that UN workers have been able to increase activities in recent weeks because of increased funding from donor countries. The UN has appealed for $1.1 billion to […]
European And Asian Stocks Fall Sharply
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
European stock markets closed sharply lower on Monday. London’s Financial Times 100 index lost 3.6 percent to end at 5,103. The CAC-40 in Paris fell 4.7 percent to finish at 3,000 and the DAX in Frankfurt plunged 5.3 percent to hit 5,246. Earlier in Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei index dropped 1.9 percent to close at 8,784. […]
Iran Puts Conditions on Kurdish Rebels Cease-fire Talks
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
A senior Iranian military official says Kurdish rebels must leave the border region before Iran will consider talking about a cease-fire. Colonel Hamid Ahmadi said Monday that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards killed more than 30 fighters from the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan and wounded 40 others in recent clashes. Iran launched an offensive last […]
Portugal Arrests 2 for Trafficking Rhino Horns
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
Portuguese police have arrested two Australian nationals trying to smuggle rhino horns worth half a million dollars out of the country. Authorities said Monday the two men were detained at Portugal’s Lisbon airport after horns were found in their luggage. The father and son had been booked on a flight to Ireland. It was unclear […]
Iran Offers UN Supervision of Nuclear Sites if Sanctions Lifted
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
Iran’s nuclear chief says Tehran is willing to grant United Nations inspectors “full supervision” of Iranian nuclear activities for five years if sanctions against the country are lifted. Iranian Atomic Energy Organization director Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani made the offer in an interview with Iran’s ISNA news agency published Monday. He did not explain what he means […]
Hatian President Calls for Investigation of U.N. Troop Allegations
Posted September 5th, 2011 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
Haiti’s President Michel Martelly has “vigorously condemned” an apparent sexual assault of a young man by United Nations troops. The Uruguay government has dismissed a naval officer and recalled five of its soldiers after a video taken on a cell phone showed several Uruguayans taking part in what appeared to be an attack on an […]
