The director of an independent Somali radio station is dead – ambushed and killed by masked gunmen. Witnesses, and a producer at Shabelle Radio in the capital of Mogadishu, say 29-year-old Hassan Osman Abdi was on his way home from the station late Saturday when he was shot and killed by two pistol-wielding assailants. A […]
Senegal on Edge, Bracing for More Violence
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
Tension is running high through the streets of Dakar, where police are bracing for another night of violent protests. Opposition demonstrators set tires on fire and hurled rocks at police late Friday despite being met with roadblocks and volleys of tear gas. Others burned down the headquarters of President Abdoulaye Wade’s Senegalese Democratic Party. The […]
Arab League Suspends Observer Mission in Syria
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 12:15 pm (UTC-5)
The Arab League says it is suspending its observer mission in Syria due to an upsurge of violence in the country. Arab League secretary-general Nabil Elaraby said Saturday the organization decided to halt the observers’ work after talks with Arab foreign ministers. He blamed Syria’s government for the escalation of violence and said the victims […]
No Early Pull-Out for British Troops in Afghanistan
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
Britain says it will stand by Afghanistan, keeping troops there until 2014. British Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters Saturday he has no plans to pull his country’s combat troops from Afghanistan before the current deadline expires. He also said Britain will continue to have a strong relationship with Kabul going forward because “it is […]
Toxic Chemical Contaminates Chinese River
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC-5)
A toxic chemical spill in southern China is spurring sales of bottled water. Millions of people in southern China were warned not to drink tap water Friday, following a chemical spill at a mining facility dumped dangerous levels of cadmium into the Liujiang River. In some areas, the level of cadmium measured as high as […]
Arab League Suspends Observer Mission in Syria
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
The Arab League says it is suspending its observer mission in Syria due to an upsurge of violence in the country. But Arab League officials said Saturday observers will stay in Syria until further notice. The mission has been in Syria for the past month to monitor the Syrian regime’s deadly crackdown on dissent. The […]
Burmese Minister Promises More Reforms
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 9:35 am (UTC-5)
A top Burmese official is promising the international community that his country’s military-backed government is not done implementing democratic reforms. Trade Minister U Soe Thane told Reuters Saturday the process of reform “is not finished yet.” He said Burma’s government is still looking at additional political changes as well as reforms in the economic sector. […]
Rough Seas Delay Fuel Pumping From Wrecked Cruise Ship
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 9:00 am (UTC-5)
Salvage crews preparing to pump thousands of tons of fuel from a wrecked cruise ship off Italy’s coast have delayed operations due to rough seas. Officials say a barge carrying pumping equipment was withdrawn Saturday because of unsafe conditions. Crews are hoping to empty the vessel’s fuel tanks to avert an environmental catastrophe. Meanwhile, the […]
Report: US to Send “Mothership” to Middle East
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
A media report says the U.S. military plans to send a floating base for commando teams to the Middle East, where relations with Iran are tense and other nations are in the midst of political upheaval. The Washington Post newspaper on Saturday cited unspecified U.S. Navy documents saying the service plans to convert an aging […]
British Police Arrest Four Men in Phone Hacking Scandal
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 6:30 am (UTC-5)
British police have arrested four men, including one of their own, in the News of the World tabloid’s phone hacking scandal. London police say three suspects were taken into custody early Saturday at their homes in or near London. The police officer was arrested when he arrived at work Saturday. The suspects, who range in […]
