Meteorologists say between six and 12 tornadoes ripped through the southwestern United States, tossing cars and tearing down buildings Tuesday. Officials say at least 13 people were injured by the stormfront as it tore through Dallas, Texas and its suburbs – one of the most populous parts of the country. At least two people suffered […]
Violent Storm Hits Japan
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 3:35 am (UTC-5)
Four people are dead after a powerful storm that struck Japan Tuesday, forcing businesses to close and disrupting air and rail services. The typhoon-like storm hit the main island of Honshu with winds up to 144 kilometers an hour. The country’s leading air carriers, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, canceled hundreds of domestic and […]
Bombing Kills 6 in NW Pakistan
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 3:30 am (UTC-5)
Pakistani officials say a bomb has ripped through a passenger van in the country’s northwest tribal belt, killing at least six people. The blast Wednesday in the town of Jamrud in Khyber district left a mangled, charred shell of the van and a crater in the ground. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing. […]
ASEAN Ends Summit Urging End to Burma Sanctions
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 3:20 am (UTC-5)
Southeast Asian leaders are formally calling for Western nations to promptly lift economic sanctions on Burma. The appeal was included in their closing statement Wednesday after a two-day summit in Cambodia. The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations also pledged to intensify efforts to resolve maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea and […]
Mali Coup Leader Wants National Dialogue
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
The leader of Mali’s military coup has called for a “national convention” Thursday, while a prominent politician called for a six-month transitional government to unite the country before organizing elections. Junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo said the meeting of political and society representatives should bring a consensus on how to deal with Mali’s challenges. “The […]
Reports: China Lets North Korean Defectors Travel to South
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
South Korean media report that five North Korean defectors have arrived in Seoul after spending almost three years in a South Korean consulate in Beijing. It would be the first time in more than five years that China has allowed North Korean defectors hiding in a diplomatic mission to travel to the South, rather than […]
Romney Edging Closer to Showdown with President Obama
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 1:45 am (UTC-5)
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is moving closer to winning his party’s nomination, setting his sights on a political battle with U.S. President Barack Obama. The former Massachusetts governor swept Tuesday’s primaries in Washington, the eastern state of Maryland, and the midwestern state of Wisconsin, telling supporters in Wisconsin, “We won ’em all!” Romney called […]
First Group of U.S. Marines Deploys in Australia
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 12:15 am (UTC-5)
The first wave of U.S. Marines has arrived in northern Australia, marking the start of a larger U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Australian Defense Secretary Stephen Smith greeted the 200 Marines as they stepped off a charter flight in Darwin Wednesday. The Marines are the first contingent of an eventual 2,500-member Air Ground […]
US Concerned About Mali Crisis; Urges Rebels to Halt Offensive
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
The United States has expressed “deep concern” about the political crisis in Mali, while urging rebels in the north to “cease military operations” that it says are compromising the country’s territorial integrity. In a statement Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Mali’s political institutions will be further weakened if soldiers who launched a successful […]
