Amnesty International says Ethiopian authorities have been using anti-terror laws as a pretext to arrest and silence politicians and journalists who criticize government policies. In a report released Friday, the human rights group said at least 114 opposition politicians and six journalists have been arrested since March. Amnesty said, in many cases, calls for peaceful […]
Amnesty: Ethiopia Using Terror Laws to Arrest Government Critics
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 7:50 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment
Fresh Clashes in Syria
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 7:40 am (UTC-5)
Syrian activists say 200,000 protesters have gathered in Homs on Friday, the largest demonstration yet in the restive city that has been the epicenter of a nine-month uprising. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA that security forces fired on protesters in Homs as they gathered after Friday prayers. Activists say one person […]
China Imprisons Human Rights Lawyer
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 7:30 am (UTC-5)
China’s official news agency says human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been sent back to prison for three years after a Beijing court ruled he had violated the terms of his probation. A brief report from the Xinhua news agency Friday was the first word of Gao’s whereabouts or status since he emerged briefly from […]
Japan Declares Stricken Nuclear Plant Stable
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda says the nuclear plant crippled by the March 11 tsunami has reached a state of “cold shutdown”, in a major step in efforts to bring Japan’s worst nuclear disaster under control. Mr. Noda made the announcement about the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant on Friday. A cold shutdown means the three […]
Protesters Clash with Soldiers in Cairo
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 7:00 am (UTC-5)
Witnesses say Egyptian protesters clashed with security forces in Cairo Friday after military police allegedly arrested and beat an activist. Hundreds of protesters hurled rocks and firebombs at military police, who responded by throwing rocks, using water cannons and firing shots into the air. Local media reported a government building on fire as the clashes […]
Wikileaks Suspect to Appear in US Court
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 6:45 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. Army soldier accused of leaking thousands of classified and sensitive documents to the anti-secrecy website Wikileaks will make his first public appearance in court Friday. Prosecutors will make the case for a court martial against 23-year-old Private First Class Bradley Manning during the opening of his pre-trial hearing at Fort Meade in Maryland. […]
Sri Lanka Panel Clears Military of Civilian Deaths
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 5:55 am (UTC-5)
A Sri Lankan war commission has cleared the military of deliberately targeting civilians in the final stages of the country’s civil war. The government-appointed Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission said it was “satisfied” security forces had taken precautions to keep civilian casualties to a minimum. The 440-page report was presented to parliament Friday. The commission […]
Italian Parliament Set to Vote on Austerity Plan
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 5:30 am (UTC-5)
The Italian government faces a crucial parliamentary vote of confidence Friday over an austerity package intended to help Europe’s third largest economy get its finances in order. The lower house of parliament is expected to vote on a $39 billion austerity package Friday, with the upper house voting next week. Prime Minister Mario Monti’s technocratic […]
Provocative British-Born Author Christopher Hitchens Dead at 62
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
Provocative British-born American writer and intellectual Christopher Hitchens has died at the age of 62 following a long battle with cancer. Vanity Fair magazine, where Hitchens worked as a columnist, said the sharp-witted commentator died late Thursday of pneumonia, a complication of the esophageal cancer he was diagnosed with in 2010. Though Hitchens developed a […]
Japan Declares Stricken Nuclear Plant Stable
Posted December 16th, 2011 at 4:00 am (UTC-5)
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda says the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has reached a state of “cold shutdown”, bringing Japan’s worst nuclear disaster under control for the first time since the plant was hit by a huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11. Mr. Noda made the announcement during a nuclear task force meeting Friday […]
