Two new U.S. economic reports are giving mixed signals about the American labor market and the country’s weak housing construction industry. The government reported Thursday that initial claims for unemployment assistance increased by 2,000 last week to 366,000. However, the four-week average dipped below 364,000, the lowest figure since March and the second lowest in […]
Ecuador Readies Assange Asylum Decision
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 9:40 am (UTC-5)
Ecuador has granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who took refuge in the country’s embassy in London nearly two months ago. Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino announced the decision, which comes amid diplomatic tensions between Britain and Ecuador. Ecuadorian officials have accused Britain of threatening to storm Ecuador’s embassy to arrest Assange. Britain has […]
WFP Airdrops Food to Refugees in South Sudan
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 9:10 am (UTC-5)
The World Food Program has begun the first in a series of airdrops of food aid to refugees living on the border of Sudan and South Sudan. The airdrops were made Wednesday in Maban County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state. The agency says the delivery consisted of 32 metric tons of wheat, enough to […]
Thousands Flee Southern India Amid Rumors of Ethnic Violence
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 8:30 am (UTC-5)
Thousands of Indians from the country’s northeast have fled the southern city of Bangalore following rumors of impending attacks in retaliation for recent ethnic clashes in their home state. Railway authorities added extra cars to trains heading to Assam state from Bangalore to handle the crush of passengers, many of whom were students and workers. […]
Helicopter Crash Kills 11 in Afghanistan, Including Foreign Troops
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 8:15 am (UTC-5)
NATO says a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan has killed 11 people, including several international and Afghan troops. The coalition said three American troops and four other foreign service members were killed when the aircraft went down Thursday. Three Afghan soldiers and one Afghan civilian interpreter also died. The cause of the crash is under […]
Singapore Rejects US Criticism of Human Rights
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 8:00 am (UTC-5)
Singapore is hitting back at the United States for criticizing it for several alleged human rights abuses. In its annual global report on human rights, the State Department chastised Singapore’s Internal Security Act (ISA) for allowing the arrest and detention of suspected criminals without warrants. Singapore’s foreign ministry shot back Thursday in a statement saying […]
Zuma: Sticking Points Remain on Zimbabwe Draft Constitution
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 8:00 am (UTC-5)
South African President Jacob Zuma says Zimbabwe has made some progress but no breakthrough on a draft constitution. Mr. Zuma is expected to report on Zimbabwe during a meeting with regional leaders in the Mozambique capital, Maputo on Thursday. President Zuma is the Zimbabwe mediator for the 15-nation Southern African Development Community . On Wednesday, […]
Militants Launch Deadly Assault on Pakistani Airbase
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
The facility is home to the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, which builds fighter jets. Also Thursday, authorities say suspected Sunni militants pulled at least 22 Shi’ites off buses in Pakistan’s northwestern Chitral region and shot and killed them. The buses were traveling from the the city of Rawalpindi to the northern city of Gilgit. ##
Thousands Flee Southern India Amid Rumors of Ethnic Violence
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
Thousands of Indians from the country’s northeast have fled the southern city of Bangalore following rumors of impending attacks in retaliation for recent ethnic clashes in their home state. Railway authorities added extra cars to trains heading to Assam state to handle the crush of passengers. Officials say they are investigating the source of the […]
Bahrain Sentences Activist for Unauthorized Protests
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 6:15 am (UTC-5)
A court in Bahrain has sentenced a prominent human rights activist to three years in prison for his role in unauthorized protests. A lawyer for Nabeel Rajab, who heads the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said the sentence was based on convictions in three separate cases. The defense plans to appeal the ruling. Rajab is […]
