Officials in southern Afghanistan say a roadside bomb blast has killed two local council members and an Afghan police officer. Authorities say two council members were also wounded in the explosion late Saturday in Uruzgan province. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban and other militants frequently use explosive devices to target Afghan […]
Syria Opposition Backers Meet in Istanbul
Posted April 1st, 2012 at 4:50 am (UTC-5)
More than 70 foreign ministers from Western and Arab nations backing the Syrian uprising are meeting in Istanbul for talks aimed at pressuring Damascus to implement an immediate cease-fire and urging the opposition to unify its scattered ranks. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the international community to support the Syrian people’s “right […]
Burma Holds Parliamentary Election
Posted April 1st, 2012 at 4:45 am (UTC-5)
Voters in Burma cast ballots Sunday in parliamentary elections seen as a crucial test of the country’s democratic reform progress. Candidates vied for 45 seats in the 664-seat parliament in the first by-elections since the new, nominally civilian government took office in March of last year. Main opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads […]
Malian Army Ends Fighting Against Rebels in Gao
Posted April 1st, 2012 at 1:40 am (UTC-5)
The Malian army ended a day-long gun battle with rebels in the northern city of Gao late Saturday out of concern for civilian safety. Mali’s military leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, released a statement on state TV saying that given the situation of the populations near the battle zone the forces decided not to fight. The […]
US Committed to Gulf Security
Posted April 1st, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Washington is committed to strengthening the defense capabilities of its Arab allies in the Persian Gulf in the face of Iran’s growing threat. Speaking Saturday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, at the launch of a “strategic forum” between Washington and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council Clinton said America’s […]
Syria Opposition Backers to Meet in Istanbul
Posted April 1st, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
More than 70 foreign ministers from Western and Arab nations backing the Syrian uprising are gathering in Istanbul Sunday for talks aimed at pressuring Damascus to implement an immediate cease-fire and urging the opposition to unify its scattered ranks. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other officials attending the “Friends of Syria” meeting are […]
