New United Nations-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when he makes first official visit to Syria this week. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon gave no details of Brahimi’s visit or whether he expected progress in ending the bloody 18-month rebel uprising against the Assad government. Brahimi said earlier this week […]
US Pays $104 Million to Tax Cheat Whistleblower
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 3:55 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. tax authorities have awarded $104 million to a former banker at UBS after he told them how the Swiss-based bank help thousands of Americans evade taxes through their overseas accounts. Lawyers for the whistleblower, Bradley Birkenfeld, announced the award Tuesday. They said it was the largest ever handed out by the U.S. tax agency, […]
Americans Observe September 11 Anniversary
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 3:55 pm (UTC-5)
Americans around the world are marking the 11th anniversary of terrorist attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania to honor more than 3,000 people who lost their lives in the attacks. U.S. President Barack Obama said Tuesday that the September 11 victims would be remembered “no matter how many years pass.” Mr. Obama addressed an […]
DRC Rebel Group Rejects War Crimes Charges
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 3:05 pm (UTC-5)
A rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is denying allegations it has committed widespread war crimes. Human Rights Watch accuses the March 23 Movement of rapes, killings, torture, abductions and recruiting children to work as soldiers. The report issued Monday says M23 is leaving behind a “horrific trail of atrocities” in eastern […]
Angry Egypt Protesters Tear Down US Embassy Flag
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 2:20 pm (UTC-5)
Angry Egyptian demonstrators climbed the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and tore down the American flag in protest of a film they say is offensive to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Some 2,000 demonstrators, largely ultra conservative Islamists, gathered at the embassy Tuesday. Witnesses say the demonstrators tried to raise a black flag with the […]
France Announces Plan to Allow Gay Marriage
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
The French government has outlined its plans for gay marriage and adoption. Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told La Croix newspaper Tuesday that the government wants to extend the current arrangements of marriage to same-sex couples. Such a law would also allow gays to adopt children either as individuals or as a couple. A bill on […]
NATO Troops in Afghanistan Mark 9/11 Anniversary
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 1:20 pm (UTC-5)
NATO troops in Afghanistan held ceremonies Tuesday to mark the 11th anniversary of the al-Qaida terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. In Kabul, multinational soldiers observed a minute of silence and stood together while America’s national anthem was sung. A U.S. military officer in attendance, Brigadier General Ricky Gibbs, said […]
US Could Face Another Rating Downgrade
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 12:55 pm (UTC-5)
Moody’s Investor Services says it may downgrade the U.S. credit rating unless Congress reaches a deal to cut U.S. debt next year. Rival Standard & Poor’s cut Washington’s credit rating a year ago following hyper-partisan wrangling that pushed the United States to the brink of default on its loans. Moody’s and other agencies are watching […]
Swedish FM: Ethiopia Promised Journalists’ Pardon in May
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 12:30 pm (UTC-5)
Sweden’s foreign minister says he knew back in May that Ethiopia planned to release two Swedish journalists, but that he had to keep quiet about the deal. Foreign Minister Carl Bildt disclosed details about the talks to free Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson on his blog Tuesday, one day after the journalists were pardoned and […]
China Urges US City to Remove Mural on Taiwan, Tibet
Posted September 11th, 2012 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
China’s government has asked a city in the western U.S. state of Oregon to order a Taiwanese-American businessman to remove a mural promoting independence for Taiwan and Tibet. The mural, in the city of Corvallis, portrays Taiwan as a beacon of freedom and depicts Chinese police beating Tibetan demonstrators and Tibetan monks setting themselves on […]
