U.N. officials say civilian casualties in Afghanistan have declined by 15 percent in the first half of this year, the first time the number has fallen since 2007. The U.N. Mission in Afghanistan says anti-government elements were responsible for 80 percent of the casualties, mainly due to improvised explosive devices. Afghan and NATO forces accounted […]
UN says Afghan Civilian Deaths Fall for First Time in Five Years
New Pakistani PM Facing Contempt Charges in Supreme Court
Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to appear to face possible contempt charges for failing to probe corruption allegations against the president. The court’s summons Wednesday is the latest move in a long-running battle with the government and the court over graft allegations against President Asif Ali Zardari, who has denied […]
US Begins Transfer of HIV/AIDS Program to South Africa
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Washington has begun transferring control of an anti-AIDS program to South Africa, which has the world’s highest rate of HIV infection. Clinton made the announcement Wednesday during a speech at the University of the Western Cape on the outskirts of Cape Town. She said the agreement is a […]
Iran: Retired Revolutionary Guards Among Those Kidnapped in Syria
Iran’s foreign minister says some of the 48 Iranians kidnapped by Syrian rebels are retired members of the Revolutionary Guards and the army and were in Damascus on a religious pilgrimage. Wednesday, Iran’s ISNA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as denying that the Iranians have any current military connection. The rebel Free […]
Typhoon Haikui Slams Eastern China
Typhoon Haikui has hit eastern China, the third such storm to make landfall there in a week. The storm came ashore in Zhejiang province early Wednesday bringing heavy rains and winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour. More than 1.5 million people were evacuated ahead of the storm, which is expected to hover over […]
Jamaica Hoping to Continue 2012 Olympic Dominance in Women’s Track and Field
One of the most anticipated events Wednesday at the 2012 London Olympics will be the finals of the women’s 200-meters, which features a sterling lineup of the world’s best sprinters. Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown is seeking to become the first woman to win gold medals in the same individual track and field event in three consecutive […]
Suicide Bombers Kill 3 NATO Troops in Afghanistan
Three NATO troops have died in eastern Afghanistan in what local officials say was an attack by two suicide bombers. A NATO statement said the troops died Wednesday after an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, but gave no further details. Local officials said the suicide bombers struck a NATO foot patrol in Kunar province. Also […]
Bo Xilai’s Son: ‘Facts Will Speak for Themselves’ in Mother’s Trial
The son of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai says he is confident the “facts will speak for themselves” when his mother stands trial for murder Thursday in the country’s most sensational political scandal in decades. In an email to CNN, Bo Guagua said he has submitted a witness statement to the defense team of his […]
Iran: Retired Revolutionary Guards Among Those Kidnapped in Syria
Iran’s foreign minister says some of the 48 Iranians kidnapped by Syrian rebels are retired members of the Revolutionary Guards and the army and were in Damascus on a religious pilgrimage. Wednesday, Iran’s ISNA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi denying that the Iranians have any current military connection. The rebel Free Syrian […]
North Korea: Don’t Call us ‘Naughty’
North Korea’s state media are blasting an Australian newspaper that referred to the communist country as “Naughty Korea” and its neighbor to the south as “Nice Korea” in a tally of Olympic medals. The North Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday condemned the description by the mX newspaper as “sordid” and “foolish,” calling it a […]