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Indian Authorities Relocate Village to Protect Tigers

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 10:50 pm (UTC-5)
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Authorities in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan have relocated a village in the heart of a tiger sanctuary to protect the habitat of the big cat. The move is aimed at reviving the tiger population in the Sariska reserve where conservationists, to their dismay, did not find a single tiger in 2005. The last […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

Kenya Warned Against Getting Bogged Down in Somalia

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 9:15 pm (UTC-5)
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A new report by the International Crisis Group is warning Kenya against getting bogged down in Somalia, where it is helping to fight al-Shabab Islamic militants. The group says Kenya made a hasty decision to intervene militarily in Somalia without a clear plan or exit strategy. It warns Kenya that a prolonged operation in Somalia […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Chinese VP Concludes US Visit Friday in Los Angeles

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 8:15 pm (UTC-5)
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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is in Los Angeles for the final leg of his U.S. trip, with events aimed at underscoring the two nations’ economic and cultural ties. Xi arrived Thursday and headed straight to the Port of Los Angeles, a key transport hub for China-U.S. trade. Accompanied by California Governor Jerry Brown and […]

Tags: , , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

Clinton: No Justification for Female Genital Mutilation

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 7:50 pm (UTC-5)
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says culture, religion, and tradition are not excuses for female genital mutilation. Clinton Thursday hosted the first-ever State Department event marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. She said many cultural traditions no longer exist because they are no longer acceptable. She says female circumcision […]

Tags: , , Posted in Africa

UNGA ‘Condemns’ Syria’s Assad for ‘Widespread’ Rights Violations

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 7:15 pm (UTC-5)
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The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning Syria for “widespread and systematic” violations of human rights in its deadly crackdown on an 11-month-old opposition uprising. The resolution approved by 137 of the assembly’s 193 member states Thursday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s autocratic government to “immediately put an end to […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Middle East

Islamic Radicals Storm Nigeria Prison, 119 Inmates Escape

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 6:30 pm (UTC-5)
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Islamic radicals have stormed a prison near Nigeria’s capital, killing one guard and letting 119 inmates flee into the night. Witnesses say about 20 gunmen on motorcycles rode up to the prison in the town of Koton-Karifi, shot at the guards, and bombed the main gate. The ultra-conservative Islamic group Boko Haram claimed responsibility Thursday […]

Tags: , , , , , Posted in Africa

Islamic Radicals Storm Nigeria Prison, 119 Inmates Escape

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 6:15 pm (UTC-5)
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Islamic radicals have stormed a prison near Nigeria’s capital, killing one guard and letting 119 inmates flee into the night. Witnesses say about 20 gunmen on motorcycles rode up to the prison in the town of Koton-Karifi, shot at the guards, and bombed the main gate. The ultra-conservative Islamic group Boko Haram claimed responsibility Thursday […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa

UN Chief: Drugs Pose Severe Threat to Afghanistan’s Stability

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 5:55 pm (UTC-5)
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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Afghanistan to make fighting drug trafficking a priority and said the international community must help in the effort. In his opening address Thursday to a one-day meeting of top global representatives in Vienna, Mr. Ban said narcotic production and drug trafficking undermine efforts to help Afghanistan emerge as […]

UN Calls on Syrian President to Step Down

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 4:50 pm (UTC-5)
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The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a resolution demanding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down and strongly condemns human rights violations by his regime. One-hundred 37 nations voted yes with 12 saying no. Seventeen abstained. Russia and China, who vetoed a similar resolution in the Security Council, were among the no votes. Thursday’s […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Middle East

Nigerian ‘Underwear Bomber’ Sentenced to Life

Posted February 16th, 2012 at 4:45 pm (UTC-5)
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The Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a U.S. passenger plane on Christmas Day 2009 has been sentenced to life in prison. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was sentenced Thursday in the U.S. city of Detroit. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called Abdulmutallab a “remorseless terrorist” who deserved to spend “every day of the rest […]

Tags: , , , , , Posted in US