Kenyan government officials and local media say that two unspecified aircraft have made a delivery of weapons to al-Shabab militants, who are locked in a battle against the Kenyan army in southern Somalia. Kenya’s government said in a statement that the planes landed Tuesday in the southern Somali town of Baidoa, which is under control […]
Kenya’s Government Says Shabab Rebels Receiving Arms Deliveries
Bangkok Flooding Continues to Strike Poor Suburbs
Anxious Bangkok residents say floodwaters continued to rise Wednesday in some neighborhoods to the north and west of the city center, outside the network of barriers that has kept the city center largely dry. In one western neighborhood, soldiers were helping residents to carry their belongings through the waist-deep water as they headed for higher […]
Syria Set To Announce Plan to End Unrest
Syria says an agreement on a plan that could end months of deadly unrest is set to be announced Wednesday at an Arab League meeting in Cairo. A state news report says Syrian authorities and an Arab League ministerial committee have come to terms on a “final document.” However, the SANA news agency did not […]
China Urges UN Nuclear Agency to Improve Global Nuclear Safeguards
China is urging the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency to do more to ensure “the safe, secure and sustainable development” of nuclear energy. Wang Min, Beijing’s deputy envoy to the U.N., says the International Atomic Energy Agency should use the lessons gained from the Japanese nuclear plant meltdown to devise standards that would improve the […]
Grassroots Delegates Get Bigger Role in Chinese Party Congress
Chinese state media say workers, farmers and professionals will play a larger role than in the past when the ruling Communist Party selects its next generation of leaders late next year. In a statement published by the official Xinhua news agency, the party’s dominant Central Committee said women and ethnic groups will also be better […]
US Senator Preparing African Trade Strategy to Counter Rising Chinese Influence
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is working on a wide-ranging trade strategy for Africa that aims to counter China’s rising economic influence on the continent. The legislation by Durbin, the Senate’s second ranking Democrat, would work to increase American exports to Africa by at least 200 percent in the next 10 years. Durbin appeared with other […]
Russian Spacecraft to Dock with ISS
Russia says the unmanned Progress cargo spacecraft is scheduled to dock Wednesday with the International Space Station. Progress will deliver necessities such as food, water and clothing for the astronauts on board the station, as well as a satellite for a research on lightning strikes. Russia’s Federal Space Agency says Progress lifted off from Baikonur […]
Japan Reports Possible Fission Inside Crippled Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear officials in Japan are reassuring the public after scientists at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant detected small amounts of xenon — a radioactive gas that could indicate nuclear fission is taking place — inside one of the plant’s reactors. Officials said Wednesday there has been no increase in temperature, pressure or radiation levels at […]
Grieving Philippine Singer Returns Home After Father’s Murder
Philippine pop singer Charice Pempengco is demanding justice for her late father, who was fatally stabbed during a drunken street fight this week. The 19-year-old singing sensation returned home Wednesday to pay her final respects to her father, Ricky Pempengco, who was killed Monday night in a township south of Manila. She canceled a concert […]
Asian Markets Tumble on New Fears of Greek Default
Stock prices tumbled across Asia Wednesday after the Greek government’s call for a referendum on an austerity plan renewed fears of default. Japanese shares were down about 2 percent in afternoon trading while Hong Kong and Seoul both were down about 1 percent. The sell-off followed similar losses in New York and continued after the […]