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 […]
Turkey Could Bypass Syrian Trade Routes if Unrest Worsens
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 7:40 am (UTC-5)
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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 […]
South Korean President Signs Laws Clearing US Trade Deal
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 5:45 am (UTC-5)
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has signed a package of laws needed to implement a free trade agreement with the United States. At a ceremony Tuesday in the capital, Seoul, Mr. Lee signed the 14 bills revising various regulations to conform with the trade deal. Among them are revisions to copyright, patent, customs and other […]
Egypt’s Landmark Vote Continues for 2nd Day
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 5:35 am (UTC-5)
Voting in Egypt’s first parliamentary elections since the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak continued after monitors reported high turnout and a peaceful atmosphere the previous day. Tuesday marks the second day in a drawn-out voting process staggered over the next six weeks across 27 provinces. The influential Muslim Brotherhood, a moderate Islamist movement banned […]
Chinese Aircraft Carrier on 2nd Sea Trials
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 5:20 am (UTC-5)
China’s first aircraft carrier has returned to the sea for its second set of trials, amid heightened concerns about the country’s maritime claims. The defense ministry said the carrier left port Tuesday to conduct research experiments. China bought the former Soviet vessel from Ukraine in 1998, and the refitted ship completed a first set of […]
Malaysian Marchers Protest Bill Banning Street Rallies
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 4:55 am (UTC-5)
Hundreds of Malaysians took to the streets Tuesday to protest a proposed ban on street rallies. The demonstrators marched to the parliament building in Kuala Lumpur ahead of a vote on a bill called the Peaceful Assembly Act, saying the measure is an assault on free speech. The bill would allow public gatherings in places […]
US Military Chief: Pakistan Has ‘Reason to be Furious’ About NATO Airstrikes
Posted November 29th, 2011 at 4:20 am (UTC-5)
The top U.S. military officer says Pakistan is justified in being angry about NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in a Pakistani-Afghan border region, but he declined to apologize, citing the need for an investigation. In an interview with British television network ITV broadcast late Monday, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Martin […]
