The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is set to announce whether it will go forward with a controversial $3-million prize funded by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. The prize, for life science research, has been on hold for more than three years. Rights groups and Western nations say Mr. Obiang’s dismal human-rights record […]
South Korea Sees Possible Talks With North at NY Conference
Posted March 8th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
South Korean nuclear negotiators are leaving the door open for direct talks with their North Korean counterparts in New York, where both parties are attending a three-day academic conference. Lim Sung-nam, South Korea’s top envoy to the stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, told reporters Wednesday that he has no plans for a […]
Evidence Mounts on Iran Nuclear Cleanup
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 10:50 pm (UTC-5)
Western diplomats say satellite images reviewed by the International Atomic Energy Agency show trucks and earth-moving vehicles at an Iranian military site, providing further clues that Iran may be trying to clean up its Parchin facility, southeast of Tehran, before allowing inspections by U.N. nuclear teams. The diplomats, who all requested anonymity, said they suspect […]
Evidence Mounts on Iran Nuclear Cleanup
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 8:45 pm (UTC-5)
Western diplomats say satellite images reviewed by the International Atomic Energy Agency show trucks and earth-moving vehicles at an Iranian military site, providing further clues that Iran may be trying to clean up its Parchin facility, southeast of Tehran, before allowing inspections by U.N. nuclear watchdog teams. The diplomats, who all requested anonymity, said they […]
UN Aid Chief: Syria’s Baba Amr ‘Completely Devastated’
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 8:15 pm (UTC-5)
The U.N. humanitarian chief toured the former Syrian rebel stronghold of Baba Amr Wednesday, but found most residents had fled a bloody military siege. A spokeswoman for Valerie Amos said she found parts of the district “completely devastated,” and that very few people were around – most having fled to nearby areas where aid workers […]
6 British Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 8:00 pm (UTC-5)
Six British soldiers were killed after their armored vehicle hit a roadside mine in southern Afghanistan. A NATO statement says the soldiers were on patrol near the capital of Helmand province late Tuesday when the blast occurred. It was the single deadliest incident for British troops in Afghanistan since 2006, when a helicopter crash killed […]
UN Aid Chief: Syria’s Baba Amr ‘Completely Devastated’
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 6:50 pm (UTC-5)
The U.N. humanitarian chief toured the former Syrian rebel stronghold of Baba Amr Wednesday but found most residents had fled following a bloody military siege, while activists accused the government of trying to cover up evidence of atrocities there. A spokeswoman for Amos said she found parts of the district “completely devastated” and that very […]
UN Urges Afghanistan to Implement Law Eliminating Violence Against Women
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 5:25 pm (UTC-5)
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and U.N. Women on Wednesday urged the Afghan government to fully and promptly implement the law on Elimination of Violence Against Women . Georgette Gagnon, Director of Human Rights for UNAMA, said that “as long as women and girls in Afghanistan are subject to violence with impunity, little […]
6 British Soldiers Reported Killed in Afghanistan
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 5:10 pm (UTC-5)
Six British soldiers are reported to have been killed after their armored vehicle hit a roadside mine in southern Afghanistan. A NATO statement said the soldiers were on patrol near the capital of Helmand province late Tuesday when the blast occurred. If confirmed, this would be the single deadliest incident for British troops in Afghanistan […]
Death Toll in Afghan Avalanche Reaches 47
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 4:10 pm (UTC-5)
Afghan authorities say the death toll from Monday’s avalanche in the northeast province of Badakhshan has risen to 47. Rescuers were digging through mounds of snow Wednesday looking for anyone who might have survived the massive snow slide that buried an entire village of about 200 people. Badakhshan governor, Shan Waliullah Adib, said all villagers […]
