Afghan President Hamid Karzai is demanding that the U.S. detention center at Bagram Air Base be transferred fully to the Afghan government’s control within a month. Mr. Karzai issued the order Thursday after hearing a briefing on a report detailing what his office called “many cases of violations of [the] Afghan Constitution and other applicable […]
Karzai Demands Transfer of Bagram Prison to Afghan Control
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC-5)
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Amid Worries, Euro Sinks Against the Yen and Dollar
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:15 am (UTC-5)
The value of the euro fell Thursday to an 11-year low against the Japanese yen and a 16-month low against the U.S. dollar as investors showed new concern about the European economy. The euro traded below 99 yen, its lowest point against the Japanese currency since December 2000, and dipped below $1.28, the lowest exchange […]
Pakistani Taliban Kills 15 Abducted Security Officers
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
The Pakistani Taliban says it killed 15 paramilitary soldiers after abducting them late last month along the country’s restive border with Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesman told reporters Thursday that the group shot the troops before dumping them in the border tribal region of North Waziristan. Local officials say they have recovered the bodies and that […]
China Airs Anger Over EU Flight Tax
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
Flying to and from Europe will not be getting more expensive for passengers using Chinese airlines, at least not yet. China says its airlines will not pay a European Union tax on carbon dioxide emmissions that went into effect January 1. And during a news conference Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei urged European […]
US Job Market Improves
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 9:50 am (UTC-5)
New economic data Thursday show the U.S. job market is getting a bit better. The Labor Department says the number of Americans signing up for unemployment compensation dropped by 15,000 last week, to a nationwide total of 372,000. A separate measure that averages jobless claims over a four week period hit its lowest rate in […]
South Sudan Declares Humanitarian Disaster in Tribal Clash Area
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 8:30 am (UTC-5)
South Sudan has declared a humanitarian disaster in the state of Jonglei, the site of repeated tribal clashes that have killed hundreds of people. A government spokesman says South Sudan’s council of ministers declared the disaster at a special meeting Wednesday, and asked international relief agencies to quickly deliver aid to the state. A group […]
South Korea Proposes High-Level Talks With North Korea
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 8:30 am (UTC-5)
South Korea says it wants to resume face-to-face talks with North Korea, despite Pyongyang’s hard-line stance against Seoul since the death of its longtime leader Kim Jong Il. South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said Thursday his government is ready to hold high-level talks with Pyongyang, saying “the ball is in North Korea’s court now.” […]
Burma Approves Suu Kyi’s Opposition Party For Elections
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 8:05 am (UTC-5)
Burmese opposition leaders say the government has approved Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party to run in by-elections due in April. NLD party spokesman Nyan Win says the decision was effective Thursday. He says the party will begin taking applications for people to join the party on Monday. It was not immediately […]
Bombings Kill 57 in Iraq
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
Iraqi officials say bomb attacks in the capital and in the south have killed at least 57 people and wounded more than 130 others. The deadliest attack Thursday hit the southern city of Nasiriyah, where an explosion targeting pilrgims killed 30 people. Earlier in Baghdad, a pair of blasts hit the northern neighborhood of Sadr […]
