Clashes between police and supporters of the Maldives’ former president, Mohamed Nasheed, have spread beyond the capital of Male to several outlying islands, a day after an alleged coup forced his resignation. Residents of the islands told media outlets that protesters seized several police stations on smaller islands late Wednesday following unconfirmed reports that police […]
Maldives Protests Spread After Leader Ousted
Reports: Another Tibetan Sets Himself on Fire
Tibetans in exile report that another person set himself on fire Wednesday in China’s southwestern Sichuan province. Reports say the self-immolation took place after 6:00 PM local time at an elementary school near the besieged Ngaba town. The person was not identified and it is not clear if it was a man of a woman, […]
Syrian Troops Pound Homs as Turkey Urges Pressure Group
Syrian troops are continuing their assault on the protest hub of Homs, reportedly killing dozens of civilians, and Turkey says it plans to form an international group on Syria “as soon as possible” to coordinate policy among regional players and world powers. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces used tanks, rockets […]
OSCE Chief Calls for Return Presence in Belarus
The new Irish head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is calling for the reinstatement of an OSCE presence in Belarus, where he says the “continuing erosion of human rights” is cause for concern. Ireland’s deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, Eamon Gilmore, spoke Wednesday in Washington before the U.S. Helsinki […]
Al-Shabab Claims Responsibility for Mogadishu Suicide Bombing
Somali militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for a suicide car bomb explosion Wednesday outside a hotel in the capital, Mogadishu. At least 15 people were killed in the attack and dozens more wounded, including Somali parliament members. The Hotel Muna, which is next to the Somali presidential palace, is known as a residence and […]
US, Chinese Vice Presidents Discuss Meeting Agenda
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, widely seen as China’s next president, have discussed their agenda for next week’s meeting in Washington. Both have expressed hope the meeting will strengthen the U.S.-China relationship. The White House says the two leaders are expected to discuss a “broad range of economic and […]
Maldives Protests Spread After Leader Ousted
Clashes between police and supporters of the Maldives’ former president, Mohamed Nasheed, have spread beyond the capital of Male to several outlying islands, a day after an alleged coup forced his resignation. Residents of the islands told media outlets that protesters seized several police stations on smaller islands late Wednesday following unconfirmed reports that police […]
World Bank Says Intra-Africa Trade Significantly Lacking
The World Bank says African nations are annually losing out on billions of dollars of potential trade earnings because of trade barriers among neighboring countries and onerous shortcomings rooted in the continent’s history. In a report released Wednesday in South Africa, the World Bank said it is easier for Africa to trade with the rest […]
Winter Tightens Icy Grip Across Europe
A brutal cold front blamed for hundreds of deaths across Europe is forecast to linger even longer. High winds whipped across Russia’s Krasnodar region Wednesday, churning water in the port city of Novorossiysk, tearing apart buildings and causing some roofs to collapse. Hundreds of villages – and tens of thousands of people – have been […]
South Sudan Completes Oil Shutdown
The government of South Sudan says it has fully shut down oil production, a move sparked by a dispute with neighboring Sudan. South Sudan initiated the shutdown last month, accusing the north of confiscating more than $800 million worth of oil being transported through northern pipelines. Khartoum says it took the oil because the south […]