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Obama Confirms Drone Strikes in Pakistan

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 9:45 pm (UTC-5)
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U.S. President Barack Obama has defended the use of drone strikes in Pakistan, which U.S. officials have never before publicly acknowledged. Speaking during an online town hall discussion Monday, Mr. Obama said the drone attacks have been used to target al-Qaida and its affiliates, and that many of the strikes have been in Pakistan’s Federally […]

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Senegalese President’s Decision to Seek Re-Election Provokes Protests

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
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Opposition groups in the west African nation of Senegal are calling for a nationwide protest Tuesday against President Abdoulaye Wade’s controversial bid to seek a third term in next month’s election. The 85-year-old president has governed Senegal since 2000. But a year after he took office, the country’s constitution was changed, limiting presidents to just […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa

US: Security Council ‘Must’ Intervene as Syrian Violence Escalates

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 8:00 pm (UTC-5)
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The Obama administration says the U.N. Security Council “must” intervene in Syria’s escalating violence by sending a message that President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on a 10-month opposition uprising is a threat to global peace and security. In a statement Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington strongly condemns what it calls “violent and […]

Tags: , , Posted in Middle East

Media Group Targeted in India

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 7:50 pm (UTC-5)
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The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned an attack on an Indian media group’s offices by right wing Hindu nationalists protesting a local newspaper’s coverage of their internal politics. The New York-based group Monday cited news reports saying supporters of the Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist party, attacked the Times of India building in Mumbai […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

Cold Weather Kills 36 Across Europe

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 7:00 pm (UTC-5)
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Weather forecasters say there is no immediate relief in sight to the eastern European cold snap that has killed at least 36 people since Saturday. Forecasters expect temperatures, which have been as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius in some places, to drop even more this week. Police in Ukraine say 18 people, most of […]

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AU Leaders Fail to Choose Top Official

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 6:45 pm (UTC-5)
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An African Union summit on Monday failed in its efforts to elect the head of the organization’s important commission, the union’s executive arm and public face. The contest was between the incumbent, Jean Ping of Gabon, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa’s former foreign minister and the ex-wife of South African President Jacob Zuma. Both candidates […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa

EU Leaders Adopt Bigger Bailout Fund

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 5:55 pm (UTC-5)
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European Union leaders have approved a new, permanent $661 billion bailout fund and agreed to strict spending limits to avoid future debt crises. EU heads of state held their first summit of the year Monday in Brussels, where they immediately saw a reminder of the continent’s financial woes — Belgian workers on strike for the […]

Tags: , , , , Posted in Economy, Europe

US Citizens Seek Refuge in Cairo Embassy as Tensions Rise

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 5:20 pm (UTC-5)
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The White House says it is disappointed by Egypt’s move to bar several American citizens from leaving the country. Some of them have sought refuge at the U.S. embassy in Cairo as tensions escalate over a government probe into foreign-funded pro-democracy groups. U.S. officials said Monday Washington has discussed the situation with Egyptian military authorities […]

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India Holds Mid-Term Elections in 2 Northern States

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
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Millions of Indians went to the polls Monday in northern Punjab and Uttarakhand states, where the country’s ruling Congress party hopes to wrest back power following a series of corruption scandals and sluggish economy. The elections in two northern states are part of five mid-term state vote tests for the ruling party led by Italian-born […]

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Senegalese President’s Decision to Run for Re-election Provokes Protests

Posted January 30th, 2012 at 4:30 pm (UTC-5)
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Opposition groups in the west African nation of Senegal are calling for a nationwide protest Tuesday against President Abdoulaye Wade’s controversial bid to seek a third term in next month’s election. The 85-year-old president has governed Senegal since 2000. But a year after he took office, the country’s constitution was changed, limiting presidents to just […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa