Tibetan exile sources tell VOA (Tibetan service) that two more Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule in their homeland. They say the self-immolations took place Monday evening local time in the Ngaba region of Sichuan province, neighboring Tibet. No other information was immediately available. The latest immolations bring to about 50 […]
Two More Tibetans Reportedly Self-Immolate
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
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Pope’s Butler to Stand Trial for Theft
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
A Vatican judge has ordered Pope Benedict’s former butler to stand trial on charges of aggravated theft for allegedly leaking secret documents to Italian journalists. The prosecutor said Monday Paolo Gabriele, acted out of a desire to combat “evil and corruption everywhere in the Church” and wanted to help root it out “because the pope […]
Iran Raises Quakes’ Death Toll
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 11:45 am (UTC-5)
Iran has raised the death toll from Saturday’s two earthquakes to more than 300, a day after rescuers called off the search for survivors. Health Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi told a session of parliament Monday that the latest death toll stood at 306, with more than 3,000 injured. The Iranian Red Crescent estimates that 180 […]
Syrian Rebels Claim They Shot Down Plane
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 10:55 am (UTC-5)
Syrian state media say a pilot ejected Monday after suffering technical problems, while rebels claimed they shot down the government’s warplane. The official news agency SANA said a military plane encountered technical problems during what it called a “routine training mission” in eastern Syria. The pilot ejected and authorities are now searching for him. Opposition […]
Indian Yoga Guru Arrested After Anti-Corruption Protest
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
Police in India have arrested a popular yoga guru after he tried to lead an anti-corruption protest to parliament. Baba Ramdev was peacefully led away by police on Monday, as he shouted slogans calling for the removal of the Congress-Party led government. The yoga guru began his protest on Thursday, calling for the government to […]
Greek Economy Sinks Further
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
The Greek economy, mired in a fifth year of recession, is continuing to shrink sharply. Athens said Monday that its economy contracted for a ninth straight quarter in the April-to-June period, falling 6.2 percent after a slightly bigger drop earlier in the year. Last week, the debt-ridden Greek government reported that the unemployment rate in […]
Egyptian Media Calls Military Shakeup ‘Revolutionary’
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
Egyptian media outlets are hailing as “revolutionary” a decision by President Mohamed Morsi to dismiss the once-powerful defense minister and curtail the military’s authority. On Sunday, Mr. Morsi ordered Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi — a holdover from ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s rule — to retire along with armed forces chief of staff Sami Enan. The […]
Afghan Policeman Fires on NATO Troops in Latest “Green on Blue” Attack
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 9:10 am (UTC-5)
Officials say an Afghan police officer has opened fire on U.S.-led NATO troops, in the fifth such attack in a week. A NATO spokesman told reporters that a man wearing civilian clothes fired on international forces in the eastern province of Nangarhar on Monday, but that no coalition service members were killed. The spokesman said […]
Athletes, Fans Depart at Olympics End
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 8:10 am (UTC-5)
London’s Heathrow Airport is grappling with its busiest days ever as thousands of athletes and fans return home at the end of the Olympic Games. Airport officials said 116,000 people are expected to leave from Heathrow on Monday, compared with 95,000 for an average day at the airport. British pop stars rocked out the closing […]
Australia Considers Plan to Deport Asylum Seekers
Posted August 13th, 2012 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
Australia is considering a plan to reopen detention centers in the Pacific island nations of Papua New Guinea and Nauru, in order to deter asylum seekers from attempting a dangerous sea journey to reach the country. A panel of experts told lawmakers Monday that Australia should also increase its annual refugee quota to 20,000 to […]
