A Vietnamese appeals court has cut in half the sentence of a Vietnamese-French blogger. Pham Minh Hoang was arrested in August, 2010 and sentenced to three years in prison for subversion. The appeals court cut the sentence to 17 months, meaning he will be released in January. He will still have to serve three years […]
NATO to Retrain All Troops in Afghanistan in Protecting Civilians
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 8:35 am (UTC-5)
NATO’s top commander in Afghanistan has ordered tens of thousands of troops to be retrained in the coming days in how to avoid civilian casualties during counter-insurgency operations. U.S. General John Allen announced the retraining program in a letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has frequently complained about deaths and injuries to Afghan civilians […]
Finland to Begin Afghan Withdrawal Next Year
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 8:20 am (UTC-5)
Finland says it will begin withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan next year. The government said Tuesday that 50 of its 195 troops serving with the NATO-led force will return home in 2012. All foreign combat troops are expected to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. International troops have already begun transferring security control of […]
Pakistan to Boycott Afghanistan Conference in Protest at NATO Airstrikes
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 8:15 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has decided to boycott an international conference on Afghanistan’s future in protest at NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in a Pakistani-Afghan border region last week. Officials say the Cabinet of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed on the boycott during a meeting in Lahore Tuesday. The conference is due to be […]
India Remains Deadlocked on Retail Reform
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 8:10 am (UTC-5)
The Indian government failed Tuesday to win support for a reform allowing foreign retailers into the country. A meeting of lawmakers from all parties broke up without a deal being reached, forcing India’s parliament to adjourn amid protests against the reform. The Indian Cabinet last week had approved a measure allowing global firms to own […]
Turkey Could Bypass Syrian Trade Routes if Unrest Worsens
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 7:40 am (UTC-5)
Turkey says it would shift its Middle East trade routes to go through Iraq, cutting out Syria as a transit country if unrest there worsens and embargoes against Damascus go into effect. Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday his country would open new border crossings with Iraq if necessary in order to facilitate the shift […]
18 Dead in Indonesia Bridge Collapse, Dozens Still Missing
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
Searchers in central Indonesia said Tuesday the number of people confirmed killed in the collapse of a bridge has climbed to 18, while dozens remain missing and feared dead. At least 39 people were injured when the 720-meter-long bridge, built to resemble San Francisco’s Golden Gate, collapsed Saturday on Borneo island, hurtling dozens of vehicles […]
UN Says 2011 10th Hottest on Record, Warns on Greenhouse Gases
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 7:20 am (UTC-5)
The U.N. weather office says 2011 is currently the 10th hottest year on record and warned that greenhouse gas levels are nearing a critical point. The World Meteorological Organization said in a statement Tuesday that this year’s weather continues a string of warm temperatures, with 13 of the 15 hottest years since 1850 occurring since […]
Pakistan to Boycott Afghanistan Conference in Protest at NATO Airstrikes
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 6:55 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has decided to boycott an international conference on Afghanistan’s future in protest at NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in a Pakistani-Afghan border region last week. Officials say the Cabinet of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed on the boycott during a meeting in Lahore Tuesday. The conference is due to be […]
South Korea Holds Live-Fire Drills in Yellow Sea
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
South Korean warships have carried out live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea, less than a week after holding a large-scale exercise to mark the anniversary of a North Korean attack. South Korean naval officials say the live-fire drills involved destroyers, frigates, patrol boats and high-speed boats. Last week’s show of force came on the one-year […]
