Afghan officials say there has been an explosion near the offices of an non-government organization in the southern city of Kandahar. Details about casualties in Monday’s blast are developing. The French news agency calls the explosion a suicide car bombing, and says two people were killed. The report has not been confirmed.
UNESCO Vote on Palestinian Membership Could Boost U.N. Bid
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 9:40 pm (UTC-5)
Palestinians expect to win full membership at the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO as early as Monday, in a vote that would boost their bid for international recognition as an independent state. Paris-based UNESCO is the first U.N. agency the Palestinians have sought to join since President Mahmoud Abbas applied last month for full recognition […]
Latest Cyprus Talks Positive and Vigorous
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 9:05 pm (UTC-5)
The United Nations says the latest round of talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders aimed at finding a settlement for the divided island have been “positive, productive, and vigorous.” Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met Sunday at the Greentree Estate outside New York City — a site frequently used […]
Rare October Snowstorm in Eastern US Causes Deaths, Power Outages
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 8:40 pm (UTC-5)
A rare October snowstorm has caused three deaths and cut power to more than 3 million homes and businesses in several northeastern U.S. states. As much as 30 centimeters of snow fell in parts of Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Jersey, setting records and forcing officials to declare states of emergency. The storm also severely affected […]
Commonwealth Summit Ends with Modest Human Rights Gains
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 8:40 pm (UTC-5)
Dozens of nations once linked to the former British empire have failed to find consensus on several human rights concerns. The three-day Commonwealth Summit wrapped up Sunday in Perth, Australia. Leaders said they had made modest progress on implementing reforms, but the steps fell short of what some member countries had said they were hoping […]
Arab League Awaits Syria’s Reply on Ending Crackdown
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 8:00 pm (UTC-5)
Arab League states say they have presented Syrian officials with a concrete plan that would end the country’s deadly crackdown on an opposition uprising, and that they expect Damascus to respond on Monday. Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani led Sunday’s talks in the Qatari capital, Doha. He said a “positive” and “serious” proposal […]
Liberia Election Chief Resigns Amid Opposition Accusations
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 7:05 pm (UTC-5)
The head of Liberia’s election commission has resigned just a week before a planned presidential runoff vote, amid accusations he was biased in favor of current President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. James Fromayan said Sunday he was stepping down because he did not want to stand in the way of a successful election. He has previously […]
Kyrgyz PM Holds Big Lead in Presidential Poll
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 6:55 pm (UTC-5)
Kyrgyzstan’s prime minister Almazbek Atambayev has taken a commanding lead in the country’s first presidential election since last year’s bloody uprising ousted the government. With most of the votes counted, official results give Mr. Atambayev about 65 percent of the vote — far ahead of 15 other candidates. They include former boxer Kachimbek Tashiyev, whose […]
Blast at Yemen Air Base Temporarily Shuts Sana’a Airport
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 6:15 pm (UTC-5)
Several large explosions shook an air base outside the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, prompting authorities to temporarily close the city’s nearby international airport Sunday. Yemeni authorities said mortar shells landed at the al-Daylami air force base, a few kilometers from the airport, causing a massive blast and sending up huge plumes of smoke. Flights were temporarily […]
Danish Gay Rights Pioneer Axel Axgil Dies
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 6:00 pm (UTC-5)
Danish gay rights pioneer Axel Axgil, who helped make Denmark the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, has died at 96. Axgil helped found one of Europe’s oldest gay rights groups in 1948. Through the group’s non-stop efforts, Denmark became the first country in the world to legalize civil unions between homosexuals in 1989 — […]
