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 […]
India Protests American Talk Show Host’s Sikh Joke
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
Indian officials are protesting an American television host’s joke that referred to the Sikh religion’s holiest shrine. During his late night show last week, Jay Leno showed a photo of the ornate Golden Temple in the Indian state of Punjab, joking it was the summer home of U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The joke was […]
Obama to Unveil Economic Blueprint in State of the Union
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama will unveil a new economic blueprint during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, addressing a key issue as he faces a contentious re-election bid later this year. Mr. Obama will deliver his third annual speech on the nations’ progress before a joint session of the U.S. Congress, and on […]
Pakistan’s President Urges Stronger Trade Ties With Burma
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan’s president has called for stronger trade ties with Burma, while on a visit to the Southeast Asian country. Asif Ali Zardari met with his Burmese counterpart Thein Sein Tuesday in Burma’s capital Naypyidaw. The Pakistani president’s visit comes amid heightened tensions at home between the civilian government and the military over a memo reportedly […]
Iran Summons Danish Envoy to Protest EU Ban on Iranian Oil
Posted January 24th, 2012 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
Iran has summoned the Danish ambassador in Tehran to protest what it calls the European Union’s “illogical” decision to ban Iranian oil imports. Iranian state news agency IRNA says foreign ministry official Ali Asghar Khaji summoned the Danish envoy on Tuesday, a day after the 27-nation EU agreed to stop all Iranian oil imports by […]
