The Syrian government has rejected an Arab League plan for President Bashar al-Assad to transfer powers to his deputy, accusing the league of trying to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs. Syrian state television quoted government officials Monday as rejecting the proposed initiative, calling it “a flagrant interference.” A day earlier, Arab League foreign ministers called […]
Syria Rejects Arab League Call for Power Transfer
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 5:45 am (UTC-5)
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Memo Scandal Witness Refuses to Travel to Pakistan
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 4:40 am (UTC-5)
The chief witness in a Pakistani secret memo scandal has told his attorney he does not want to go to Pakistan to testify because he fears he will be detained. The lawyer for Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz says his client is willing to record his testimony elsewhere and submit it to Pakistan’s Supreme Court commission […]
Sri Lanka Orders 161Foreigners to Leave
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 4:00 am (UTC-5)
Sri Lanka has ordered 161 foreigners to leave the country for propagating Islam, in violation of their tourist visas. An immigration official said the missionaries are members of Tabligh Jamat, a group founded in India to spread the teachings of Islam. He said the group included citizens of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and some Arab […]
US Drone Strike Kills 4 in Pakistan
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
Pakistani officials say U.S. drones have fired missiles at a vehicle in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region, killing four suspected militants. Authorities say the attack happened Monday in Degan village in North Waziristan on the Afghanistan border. U.S. officials have never publicly acknowledged drone strikes against militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas, but have anonymously confirmed such […]
UN Nuclear Agency Helping Japan Assess Plant Safety
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
A team of experts from the U.N.’s nuclear agency has begun a week-long visit to Japan at the request of the government to help assess the safety of the country’s nuclear power plants. The 10-member team from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived Monday in Tokyo, for meetings with Japanese officials. The experts are also […]
Pakistan Investigates 25 Heart Patient Deaths
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 2:20 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan health authorities have opened an investigation into the deaths of at least 25 heart patients in one city since last month. Officials say they suspect the deaths in Lahore – the capital of Punjab province – are a result of a tainted batch of drugs. Dr. Javed Akram, head of the investigative committee, says […]
Syria Rejects Arab League Call for Power Transfer
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 12:40 am (UTC-5)
The Syrian government has rejected an Arab League plan for President Bashar al-Assad to hand over powers to his deputy, accusing the League of trying to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs. Syrian state television quoted government officials Monday as roundly rejecting the proposed initiative as over-the-top interference. A day earlier, Arab League foreign ministers called […]
Rights Group Says Burma Must Still Address Abuses
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 12:35 am (UTC-5)
An international human rights group says Burma showed signs of reform in 2011, but has not addressed “serious abuses” in the country. In a yearly report released Sunday, New York-based Human Rights Watch credited Burma for releasing hundreds of political prisoners, but called for an independent process for assessing the condition and location of others. […]
