Showing Archived Posts

Britain Expels Iran’s Diplomats, Shuts Its Embassy in Tehran

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 10:55 pm (UTC-5)
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Britain on Wednesday expelled all Iranian diplomats from the country and shut its embassy in Tehran after it was attacked by an angry mob a day earlier. Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague announced the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London and gave Iran’s diplomatic staff 48 hours to leave the United Kingdom. Hague […]

Tags: , , , , Posted in Middle East

European Council Urges Belarus to Abolish Death Penalty

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 9:45 pm (UTC-5)
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The Council of Europe has urged Belarus not to execute two men found guilty of carrying out a subway terrorist attack in Minsk. Secretary General Thornbjorn Jagland called on Minsk on Wednesday to discard the death penalty for Dmitry Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalyov and put a general moratorium on executions. He noted that Belarus is […]

Egyptians Await Poll Results; Islamists Claim Lead

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 9:40 pm (UTC-5)
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Egyptian voters are awaiting results of the first stage of landmark parliamentary elections to be released Thursday, a day later than originally planned. The Freedom and Justice Party, a front for Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood, said the bloc was in the lead following largely peaceful voting on Monday and Tuesday. But the party faces new […]

Tags: , , Posted in Middle East

Sudan Threatens to Take One-Fourth of South Sudan’s Oil

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 9:25 pm (UTC-5)
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Sudan says it will take about a quarter of South Sudan’s oil from a pipeline under Sudan after talks on sharing oil revenue failed. Sudanese officials say they have no plans to block South Sudan’s oil exports. Officials say they only want their fair share to help boost the country’s faltering economy. Sudan lost much […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa, Economy

Syria Frees Hundreds of Prisoners, Continues Deadly Crackdown

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 9:10 pm (UTC-5)
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Syria on Wednesday released 912 prisoners, while the country’s embattled leadership continued with a deadly crackdown on dissent, despite a flood of fresh sanctions. The government said the released people were involved in the “latest events” but were not linked to what it alleged were “murders” stemming from the opposition uprising and state crackdown. Activists […]

Tags: , , Posted in Middle East

Syria Frees Hundreds of Prisoners, Continues Deadly Crackdown

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 8:35 pm (UTC-5)
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Syria on Wednesday released 912 prisoners, while the country’s embattled leadership continued with a deadly crackdown on dissent, despite a flood of fresh sanctions. The government said the released people were involved in the “latest events” but were not linked to what it alleged were “murders” stemming from the opposition uprising and state crackdown. Activists […]

Tags: , , Posted in Middle East

ICC Charges Former Ivory Coast Leader Gbagbo

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 7:50 pm (UTC-5)
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Supporters of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo say they are boycotting upcoming elections to protest his transfer to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. Leaders of Mr. Gbagbo’s FPI party call his extradition to the Hague a “political-legal holdup.” The FPI and two other pro-Gbagbo parties say they will no longer […]

Tags: , , , , Posted in Africa

BBC World News TV Channel Blocked in Pakistan Over Documentary Controversy

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 7:25 pm (UTC-5)
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Pakistani cable operators have begun blocking the BBC’s international news TV channel, BBC World News, amid controversy over a documentary described as “anti-Pakistan” propaganda. Since Tuesday night, subscribers to the TV channel have had nothing to look at but a still shot of a satellite with a big red “X” drawn over it. The cable […]

Tags: , , Posted in South Asia

French Court Sentences 5 Somali Pirates for 2008 Hijacking

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 6:45 pm (UTC-5)
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A French court Wednesday sentenced five Somali pirates to between four and eight years in prison for hijacking a yacht in 2008 and holding a French couple hostage. The defendants pleaded with the court for leniency, saying they were desperately poor and noted that their hostages were not harmed. They also apologized to the French […]

Tags: , , Posted in Africa

BBC World Service Canceled in Pakistan Over Documentary Controversy

Posted November 30th, 2011 at 6:35 pm (UTC-5)
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Pakistani cable operators have canceled BBC World Service programming amid controversy over a documentary described as “anti-Pakistan” propaganda. Since Tuesday night, subscribers to the TV channel have had nothing to look at but a still shot of a satellite with a big red “X” drawn over it. The cable operators said the move is in […]

Tags: , Posted in South Asia