More than 20 people have been killed in western Burma’s Rakhine State, as international pressure mounts for an end to sectarian fighting between ethnic-Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. President Thein Sein has declared a state of emergency and sent army troops in Rakhine, which has been hit with a wave of rioting and arson in […]
More Than 20 Killed in Sectarian Strife in Burma
Afghan President: Airstrikes in Civilian Areas ‘Absolutely Banned’
Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the use of NATO airstrikes in civilian areas is “absolutely banned,” even when coalition forces are under attack. Mr. Karzai told reporters Tuesday that bombing of civilian homes is not allowed for any reason, and that Afghanistan considers the airstrikes a “disproportionate” and “illegitimate” use of force. His comments come […]
More Than 20 Killed in Sectarian Strife in Burma
More than 20 people have been killed in western Burma’s Rakhine State, as international pressure mounts for an end to sectarian fighting between ethnic-Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. President Thein Sein has declared a state of emergency and sent army troops in Rakhine, which has been hit with a wave of rioting and arson in […]
Arizonans Vote to Replace Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Voters in several U.S. states go to the polls for congressional primary elections Tuesday, and voters in Arizona will elect a replacement for Representative Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat. Giffords resigned in January, a year after being shot in the head during a public appearance in Tucson, Arizona. Six people died in the shooting and 13 […]
Turkey to Introduce Elective Kurdish Language Classes in Schools
The Turkish government has announced plans to introduce Kurdish language classes at public schools as an elective course. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the move in parliament Tuesday as an “historic step,” as the teaching of Kurdish had been previously banned in schools. Mr. Erdogan’s government has been under pressure from the European […]
More than 70 Feared Dead in Afghan Earthquake
Authorities in northern Afghanistan fear at least 70 people are dead after earthquakes triggered a landslide. The two quakes shook Afghanistan’s northeastern Hindu Kush early Monday, trapping dozens of people beneath the rubble of collapsed homes in a remote area of Baghlan province. A 5.4-magnitude earthquake was followed about 25 minutes later by a stronger, […]
Investors Jolt Spanish, Italian Debt Costs
Europe’s governmental debt crisis is deepening, with Spain’s borrowing costs reaching their highest point since the launch of the euro currency 13 years ago. European governments agreed to a $125 billion bailout for Spanish banks over the weekend, but investors have shown little regard for the rescue package. The Fitch financial services firm downgraded the […]
Kenya Seeks US Aid to Seize Somali Port From Al-Shabab
Kenya has asked the United States to help fund a military operation to seize a key Somali port from al-Shabab militants. Prime Minister Raila Odinga told reporters in Nairobi on Tuesday that Kenya’s military hopes to capture the town of Kismayo by August. “Our aim is to get to Kismayo by August because Kismayo is […]
Pakistan, India’s Stand-Off Continues on Glacier Dispute
Pakistan and India’s latest talks about whether to end decades of a military stand-off on the Siachen glacier ended with both sides failing to reach an agreement. The two-day meeting ended Tuesday in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi with nothing more than a joint commitment to “serious, sustained and result-oriented efforts” for an amicable settlement […]
Opposition Rally Draws Tens of Thousands in Moscow
Tens of thousands of Russians have marched in an opposition rally in the capital Moscow to protest the return of Vladimir Putin to the Russian presidency, despite Russian authorities forcing several protest leaders to appear for questioning as the demonstration began. Tuesday’s rally was the first to be called by the opposition since Mr. Putin […]