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EU Eases Burma Sanctions

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 10:40 am (UTC-5)
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The European Union on Friday eased some sanctions against Burma in response to political reforms initiated by the Southeast Asian country’s nominally-civilian government, which took power last year. The Council of the European Union says it has suspended visa restrictions on 87 top Burmese officials, including the president, vice presidents, members of parliament and their […]

Tags: , , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

EU Eases Sanctions on Zimbabwe

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
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The European Union has dropped sanctions against dozens of Zimbabweans but is keeping restrictions on President Robert Mugabe and hardliners within his ZANU-PF party. In a statement Friday, foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced the EU has lifted visa bans and asset freezes on 51 people and 20 entities linked to the president and ZANU-PF. […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Suicide Attack Kills 25 in Pakistan

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
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Officials in Pakistan’s northwest Kurram tribal region say a suicide bomber on a motorcycle has blown himself up at a busy market, killing at least 25 people. Authorities say the blast in the town of Parachinar, near the Afghan border, happened near a mosque in a busy market, around the time of Friday prayers. The […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

Greece Nears Approval of Second Bailout

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 10:05 am (UTC-5)
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After months of negotiations, European leaders are voicing new optimism that a $170 billion bailout for Greece will be approved Monday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti — after conferring Friday with Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos on a conference call — said they are confident that a Greek rescue deal […]

Tags: , Posted in Economy, Europe

Pakistan-Afghanistan Talks End With Little Progress

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
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Pakistan is warning Afghanistan against having unrealistic expectations in bringing the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table, as talks on finding a political solution to the Afghan war ended with little progress. Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told reporters in Islamabad Friday that it would be “preposterous” for Afghanistan to expect Pakistan to deliver […]

Tags: , , , , , Posted in South Asia

HRW: China Detains Hundreds of Tibetans

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 9:00 am (UTC-5)
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A U.S.-based rights group says Chinese authorities have detained hundreds of Tibetans who recently returned from India, where they received religious instruction from their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. The New York-based Human Rights Watch said Friday it believes the detentions are the first since the 1970s in which ordinary Tibetans with valid visas […]

Tags: , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

Libyans Mark First Anniversary of Revolution

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 8:25 am (UTC-5)
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Libyans are celebrating the first anniversary of the revolution that led to the overthrow of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s 42-year rule. Hundreds of flag-waving people gathered Friday at the main square in the eastern city of Benghazi, the birthplace of the opposition movement. Security officials are on high alert in Benghazi, and roadblocks have been […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Middle East

19 Killed, 45 Wounded in Pakistan Blast

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 8:00 am (UTC-5)
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Officials in Pakistan’s northwest Kurram tribal region say a suicide bomber has attacked a market, killing at least 19 people and wounding at least 45. Authorities say the blast in the town of Parachinar, near the Afghan border, happened in a busy market, around the time of Friday prayers. Officials say the explosion destroyed several […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

Award-Winning New York Times Reporter Dies in Syria

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 7:40 am (UTC-5)
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Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid has died while on assignment in Syria for The New York Times. The newspaper says the 43-year-old Shadid suffered a severe asthma attack Thursday while preparing to leave Syria, where he spent the past week covering opposition forces battling the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. A Times photographer traveling […]

Tags: , , , Posted in US

Robbers Steal Olympic Artifacts from Greek Museum

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 7:15 am (UTC-5)
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Greek police say armed robbers stole at least 60 ancient artifacts from a museum in Olympia early Friday. Police say the thieves overpowered a museum guard Friday and seized valuable bronze and pottery artifacts from the museum. Authorities are have not attached a dollar value to the theft. A search continues for the robbers. Ancient […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Europe