The Syrian government has rejected an Arab League plan for President Bashar al-Assad to hand over powers to his deputy, accusing the League of trying to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs. Syrian state television quoted government officials Monday as roundly rejecting the proposed initiative as over-the-top interference. A day earlier, Arab League foreign ministers called […]
Syria Rejects Arab League Call for Power Transfer
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 12:40 am (UTC-5)
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Rights Group Says Burma Must Still Address Abuses
Posted January 23rd, 2012 at 12:35 am (UTC-5)
An international human rights group says Burma showed signs of reform in 2011, but has not addressed “serious abuses” in the country. In a yearly report released Sunday, New York-based Human Rights Watch credited Burma for releasing hundreds of political prisoners, but called for an independent process for assessing the condition and location of others. […]
Divers Find 13th Victim of Italian Cruise Ship Disaster
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 11:25 pm (UTC-5)
The known number of lives lost in the grounding of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia has risen to 13 after divers removed the body of a woman from the stern of the capsized vessel Sunday. On Saturday, the body of another woman was retrieved. Both women were said to be wearing life vests. They, […]
US Aircraft Carrier Enters Persian Gulf Without Incident
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 9:25 pm (UTC-5)
A U.S. aircraft carrier has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, a month after Iran warned the United States not to send carriers to that strategic waterway. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet says the USS Abraham Lincoln entered the Gulf Sunday without incident for what she calls a […]
Asian Baby Boom Expected in Year of the Dragon
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 9:15 pm (UTC-5)
People are ushering in the lunar new year with fireworks and celebrations in Asia and around the world. Monday marks the start of the Year of the Dragon in the 12-year rotation of the Chinese Zodiac calendar. The mythical and powerful dragon symbolizes royalty and good fortune, and for believers, the year and those born […]
Libya’s NTC Deputy Head Quits After Benghazi Protests
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 7:50 pm (UTC-5)
The deputy head of Libya’s National Transitional Council has stepped down, a day after anti-government protesters stormed the ruling body’s offices in the eastern city of Benghazi. Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, one of the Council’s highest-profile members, announced his resignation Sunday as thousands of university students demonstrated against him in Benghazi, where last week he was […]
Arab League Urges Unity Government in Syria
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 6:05 pm (UTC-5)
Arab League foreign ministers have called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over powers to his vice president after forming a unity government, as a prelude to early parliamentary and presidential elections. Qatar’s Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani in Cairo announced the plan in Cairo Sunday. It calls for the Syrian government to […]
Croatians Vote to Join European Union
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 5:55 pm (UTC-5)
Croatia has made a giant step toward joining the European Union after voters approved membership in a referendum Sunday. With almost all the votes counted, officials say 66 percent supported membership. Voter turnout was less than half of eligible voters. Supporters of EU membership say Croatia’s floundering economy can benefit by entering into a union […]
Wounded US Congresswoman Giffords to Step Down
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 5:40 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has announced she will resign from Congress, a year after she was seriously wounded in a shooting spree in her home state of Arizona. In a video statement posted on the Internet Sunday, Giffords said she is getting better, but that work remains for her recovery. She said she is stepping […]
US Envoy: Taliban Must Renounce Terrorism to Participate in Talks
Posted January 22nd, 2012 at 5:35 pm (UTC-5)
A top U.S. diplomat visiting Afghanistan said Sunday the Taliban must renounce international terrorism and endorse peace initiatives if it wants to participate in negotiations to end the 10-year war. Marc Grossman, the special U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, made the comment after talks with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin. “I am looking […]
