Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa has appeared in public for the first time in weeks, ending speculation that he had defected from President Bashar al-Assad’s embattled government. The 73-year-old Sunni Muslim met Sunday with a visiting senior Iranian official in Damascus. Sharaa was last seen in public at a state funeral for security officials who […]
Hundreds of Bodies Found Outside Damascus
Posted August 26th, 2012 at 6:55 am (UTC-5)
A Syrian watchdog group says hundreds of people were killed across the country Saturday. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the final death toll for the day was 370. Activists say nearly 200 bodies were found in Daraya, a town close to Damascus, the capital. The number of corpses in Daraya and when […]
Non-Aligned Nations Meet in Iran
Posted August 26th, 2012 at 6:55 am (UTC-5)
Representatives of nearly 120 nations, including dozens of heads-of-state, have convened in Tehran for a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. At the opening ceremony Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi called for NAM leaders to stand against Western sanctions imposed to punish Tehran for its nuclear activities. Salehi also urged NAM to take a […]
Tropical Storm Isaac Gathering Strength on Way to Florida
Posted August 26th, 2012 at 3:15 am (UTC-5)
Florida is bracing for Tropical Storm Isaac, due to make landfall Sunday in the Florida Keys just off the U.S. mainland at or near hurricane strength. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns isolated tornadoes are also possible Sunday over portions of the Keys and central and southern Florida. Isaac has maximum sustained winds near 95 […]
First Man to Set Foot on Moon Dies
Posted August 26th, 2012 at 3:05 am (UTC-5)
Former U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died. A family statement said the 82-year-old icon died Saturday in his home state of Ohio, following a cardiovascular procedure earlier this month. Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. After stepping on […]
36 Killed in China Road Accident
Posted August 26th, 2012 at 1:50 am (UTC-5)
Chinese officials say a methanol tanker has collided with a bus, killing at least 36 people. Chinese state media reported the two vehicles burst into flames in the early morning darkness Sunday after the accident near the northern city of Yan’an in Shaanxi province. Only three people of the 39 passengers on the bus survived […]
Activists: Syrian Troops Kill Hundreds in Daraya
Posted August 26th, 2012 at 1:30 am (UTC-5)
Activists say Syrian troops have massacred hundreds of people in a town close to the capital. They say 200 were killed in Daraya, just southwest of Damascus. The state-run SANA news agency says Daraya had been “purified of terrorist remnants.” The attack on Daraya was part of an army campaign to regain control of the […]
Taiwan Soaked, Bigger Typhoon Heads for Okinawa
Posted August 25th, 2012 at 11:15 pm (UTC-5)
A very powerful typhoon with winds gusting more than 200 kilometers per hour is moving toward Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, while Taiwan may get a second dose of a typhoon that hit there Friday. The Japan Meteorological Agency said Saturday that Typhoon Bolaven will sweep directly over Okinawa Sunday, bringing as much as 50 […]
28 Killed in China Road Accident
Posted August 25th, 2012 at 11:00 pm (UTC-5)
Chinese officials say a methanol tankers has collided with a bus, killing at least 28 people. Chinese state media reported the two vehicles burst into flames early Sunday after the accident near the northern city of Yan’an in Shaanxi province early Sunday. The report says the death toll could rise because it is not clear […]
Activists: Syrian Troops Kill Dozens in Daraya
Posted August 25th, 2012 at 8:15 pm (UTC-5)
Activists say Syrian troops have killed dozens of people in Daraya, just southwest of Damascus. The town had already sustained heavy shelling. Activists say more than 100 people have died there this week alone. The attack on Daraya was part of an army campaign to regain control of the outskirts of the capital. Activists say […]
