Can you spell “dirigible?” Six year-old Lori Anne Madison can — and her skills won her a spot as the youngest contestant ever to compete in the annual National Spelling Bee. 278 boys and girls from ages six to 15 competed in the first round near Washington Wednesday, sponsored by Scripps newspapers. They were asked […]
6 Year-Old Girl Youngest Contestant Ever in Spelling Bee
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 8:20 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment
New Killings in Syira; US Hints at Bypassing UN
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 7:55 pm (UTC-5)
United Nations observers in Syria have raised new allegations of execution-style killings with the discovery of 13 bound corpses as the United States hinted that continued slaughter in the violence-torn country could prompt outside military intervention. The latest atrocity took place in northeastern Deir el-Zour province, where the bodies were found late Tuesday blindfolded with […]
Sudan Peace Talks ‘Progressing Slowly’
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 7:55 pm (UTC-5)
African Union-led peace talks between top negotiators from Sudan and South Sudan were said to be progressing slowly Wednesday, despite reports of fresh fighting and questions about Sudan’s complete withdrawal from the key oil region of Abyei. Tensions were high as the second day of negotiations began three hours late. South Sudan’s chief negotiator Pagan […]
US Imposes Duties on Chinese Wind Towers
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 7:00 pm (UTC-5)
The United States has imposed duties on imports of Chinese wind towers, accusing Beijing of unfairly subsidizing them. The U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday that the United States will collect cash deposits from importers of Chinese wind towers at ports of entry. The tall towers hold the blades and other parts used to harness the […]
Thai Court Gives Suspended Sentence to Web Editor in Free Speech Case
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 6:20 pm (UTC-5)
A Thai court on Wednesday convicted a website operator on computer crimes charges for not quickly removing a posting by a blogger deemed offensive to the country’s monarchy. The Bangkok Criminal Court gave an eight-month suspended jail sentence to Chiranuch Premchaiporn for not respecting a court order to promptly remove the comments from her popular […]
Former British PM’s Communications Director Charged With Perjury
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 6:20 pm (UTC-5)
Andy Coulson, British Prime Minister David Cameron’s former media chief and a former editor of Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World, has been arrested and charged with perjury by Scottish police. Coulson was picked up Wednesday morning at his home in London and taken to the Scottish city of Glasgow for questioning related to a […]
Dragon Space Cargo Capsule Ready to Come Home
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
The SpaceX Dragon cargo ship, the world’s first privately-owned space supply vehicle, is getting ready to depart from the International Space Station and return to Earth. Dragon is set to undock from the space station Thursday and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Los Angeles, California about six hours later. Dragon made a successful […]
Charles Taylor Sentenced to 50 Years for War Crimes
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 4:35 pm (UTC-5)
A special tribunal in The Hague sentenced former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison Wednesday for war crimes and crimes against humanity in neighboring Sierra Leone. The Special Court for Sierra Leone said Taylor used his position to aid and abet rebels rather than to promote peace and stability. Presiding judge Richard […]
Security Council Briefed on Syrian ‘Low Point’
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 3:30 pm (UTC-5)
The deputy to international envoy Kofi Annan has briefed the U.N.’s 15-nation Security Council on the envoy’s visit to Syria, prompting one diplomat to call the current situation a “low point in the conflict.” After Wednesday’s closed briefing, Germany’s ambassador to the U.N., Peter Wittig, told reporters that he hoped the “flagrant violations” like the […]
Mother of 3 Dies After Self-Immolating in Southwestern China
Posted May 30th, 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC-5)
Exile groups say a mother of three young children in a largely Tibetan area of southwestern China has died after setting herself on fire, in an apparent protest against Chinese rule. The protester, identified as a 33-year-old named Rikyo, died Wednesday in front of the Jonang Dzamthang monastery in a prefecture known by Tibetans as […]
