Syria has strongly criticized the Arab League’s latest initiative for ending the country’s 10-month opposition uprising, but has agreed to extend the organization’s observer mission for one month, until February 23. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said his counterparts at the 22-member Arab League approved a plan they knew Syria […]
Syria Slams Arab League Plan, But Extends Observer Mission
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 3:05 pm (UTC-5)
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Kyrgyz Prisoners Sew Mouths Shut in Protest
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 2:45 pm (UTC-5)
Officials in Kyrgyzstan say more than 400 inmates have sewn their lips shut to protest living conditions in prison. Authorities said Tuesday prisoners in at least two jails in the Central Asian country are taking part in the protest and are refusing to take food. Inmates in Kyrgyz prisons have staged uprisings and hunger strikes […]
Presidential Recordings Shed Light on Final Kennedy Days
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 2:05 pm (UTC-5)
Newly released recordings reveal many of President John F. Kennedy’s private conversations and meetings during the final months of his administration. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on Tuesday declassified the final 45 hours of White House audio recordings the president secretly taped. The tapes include meetings with then Russian Foreign […]
France Rules Out Hasty Afghan Withdrawal
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 1:35 pm (UTC-5)
France is ruling out a hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan after an Afghan soldier shot and killed four French troops last week. French President Nicolas Sarkozy suspended military operations in Afghanistan and said he was considering an early pullout from the country if security conditions are not clearly established following Friday’s attack in eastern Afghanistan. On […]
Rushdie Speech Cancelled Amid Threats
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
The Indian organizers of the largest literary festival in Asia cancelled a televised speech by author Salman Rushdie just minutes before it was scheduled, due to the threat of violent protests. Rushdie was set to address the Jaipur Literature Festival in the western Indian state of Rajasthan on Tuesday, but some Muslim groups opposed the […]
IMF Slashes Its Global Economic Growth Forecast
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
The International Monetary Fund has slashed its 2012 global economic forecast, saying Europe’s debt crisis threatens to plunge the world economy into a recession. Just three months ago, the IMF projected a 4 percent advance in global growth for the year, but on Tuesday cut that to 3.3 percent. It forecast growth strengthening to 3.9 […]
More Deaths Reported in Fresh Tibetan Violence
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
A Norwegian-funded Tibetan exile group says five people have been killed in a second straight day of confrontations between Tibetans and security forces in China’s southwestern Sichuan province. Voice of Tibet radio says Tuesday’s deaths occurred at a marketplace in Seda (Tibetan: Serta) county, about 40 kilometers from the scene of a similar deadly confrontation […]
Sri Lankan Guards Open Fire on Rioting Prisoners
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 11:35 am (UTC-5)
Sri Lankan officials say guards have opened fire on prisoners during a riot that left least 28 people wounded. Tuesday’s clashes took place at the Magazine prison in the capital, Colombo. Four guards were among those hurt in the unrest. Authorities say rioting inmates set fire to a building to protest poor conditions at the […]
Egypt’s Tantawi to Partially Lift State of Emergency Wednesday
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
Egyptian military ruler Mohamed Hussein Tantawi says he will partially lift the country’s 30-year-long state of emergency, beginning on Wednesday. Egypt has been under pressure to lift the measure from human rights groups as well as many countries — including the United States. In a nationally televised address Tuesday, Field Marshal Tantawi said he decided […]
Turkey Slams France Over ‘Genocide’ Bill, Armenia Hails Vote
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Turkey has criticized as “discriminatory and racist” a bill passed by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the mass killings of Armenians by Turks nearly 100 years ago were genocide — while Armenia welcomed the vote. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday dismissed the bill as “null and void” and vowed […]
