Showing Archived Posts

North Korea Agrees to Nuclear Moratorium, IAEA Inspections

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 9:50 pm (UTC-5)
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North Korea has agreed to suspend nuclear weapons tests, long-range ballistic missile launches and other nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment. U.S. and North Korean officials simultaneously announced the breakthrough Wednesday. It came after talks last week in Beijing between U.S. and North Korean officials, just two months after the death of North Korea’s supreme leader, […]

Tags: , , , , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

Pakistan Studying Iranian Oil Supply Offer

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 8:50 pm (UTC-5)
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Pakistan says it is studying an Iranian offer to supply the energy-starved Pakistani economy with 80,000 barrels of crude oil per day. A Pakistani official Wednesday said Iran also offered to let Islamabad make deferred payments for the Iranian oil. The official said Pakistan will send a delegation to Iran in the middle of March […]

Tags: , , Posted in Economy, South Asia

North Korea Agrees to Nuclear Moratorium, IAEA Inspections

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
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North Korea on Wednesday agreed to temporarily suspend nuclear tests, long-range ballistic missile launches and other nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment. The breakthrough, announced simultaneously by the United States and North Korean officials, followed talks in Beijing and came two months after the death of North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Il. In Washington, the […]

Tags: , , , , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

Elite Syrian Army Units Besiege Rebel Districts in Homs

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
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Syrian security forces have launched a ground assault on the besieged city of Homs, in an attempt to overrun rebel-held districts that have endured nearly a month of fierce bombardment. Activists said Wednesday that elite 4th Armored Division units under the command of President Bashar al-Assad’s brother, Maher, were engaged in pitched battles with Free […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Middle East

Captain in New Zealand Sea Disaster Pleads Guilty

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
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The captain and second officer of a cargo ship that ran aground on a New Zealand reef last year have pleaded guilty to mishandling the ship and trying to cover up their responsibility for the environmental disaster. The unidentified suspects, both Philippine nationals, were in charge of the Liberian-flagged Rena when it tore into a […]

Egypt to Hold 1st Post-Mubarak Presidential Election May 23-24

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 7:10 pm (UTC-5)
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Egypt says its first presidential election since a popular uprising ousted autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak a year ago will be held on May 23rd and May 24th. Egyptian election commission chief Farouk Sultan said Wednesday that if no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off election will take place on June […]

Tags: , , Posted in Middle East

EU Diplomat: Release of 2 Swedish Journalists Jailed in Ethiopia Close

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 6:10 pm (UTC-5)
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A senior European diplomat says two Swedish journalists jailed in Ethiopia could be released within days. Member of the European Parliament and former Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel said Wednesday he had productive discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and that he is optimistic the journalists, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, will be freed soon. […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

North Korea Agrees to Nuclear Moratorium, IAEA Inspections

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 5:12 pm (UTC-5)
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North Korea on Wednesday agreed to temporarily suspend nuclear tests, long-range ballistic missile launches and other nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment. The breakthrough, announced simultaneously by the United States and North Korean officials, followed talks in Beijing and came two months after the death of North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Il. In Washington, the […]

Tags: , , , , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

US Judge Rules Gruesome Anti-Smoking Labels Unconstitutional

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 4:50 pm (UTC-5)
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A U.S. judge has ruled unconstitutional a regulation requiring large, graphic warning labels on cigarette packaging. District Judge Richard Leon said Wednesday the regulation violated the First Amendment right to free speech. The warnings, which were required to take up about half the package label, included color images of cancer-diseased lungs and a body lying […]

Tags: , , Posted in US

Elite Syrian Army Units Besiege Rebel Districts

Posted February 29th, 2012 at 4:50 pm (UTC-5)
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Syrian security forces have launched a ground assault on the besieged city of Homs, in an attempt to overrun rebel-held districts that have endured nearly a month of fierce bombardment. Activists said Wednesday that elite Fourth Armored Division units under the command of President Bashar al-Assad’s brother, Maher, were engaged in pitched battles with the […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Middle East