U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney are taking their campaigns to the key political battleground state of Ohio Tuesday, as they seek to win over voters four weeks before the election. Mr. Obama will appeal to supporters at Ohio State University in Columbus while Mr. Romney will hold a rally in Cuyahoga […]
Obama, Romney Campaign in Ohio, Polls Show Tight Race
More South African Miners Fired After Strikes
A South African mining firm has fired more than 1,400 workers in the latest response to strikes that have cut gold and platinum production. Gold One International said Tuesday that it was dismissing about 75 percent of the workforce at its Ezulwini operation, southwest of Johannesburg. The firm linked the firings to a strike by […]
Taliban Gunmen Shoot Pakistani Teen Activist
Taliban gunmen in Pakistan have shot and wounded a 14-year-old child activist who became famous for speaking out against the militant group. Malala Yousufzai was shot twice while getting onto her school bus in Swat Valley Tuesday. Witnesses told police gunmen arrived at the school and asked for Yousufzai by name before opening fire. She […]
Burmese Monks March on Bangladeshi Consulate
Anger over violence targeting the Buddhist community in Bangladesh is becoming an issue again in neighboring Burma. About 400 maroon-robed monks marched through the streets of Sittwe to protest in front of the Bangladeshi consulate in Burma’s Rakhine state. Police officials say another 1,000 people watched. The protesters presented a letter to the consulate, demanding […]
False Threats Grounding Chinese Flights
More Chinese flights have been temporarily grounded, after airline officials reported receiving threats. Air China said it delayed two of its Beijing-bound flights, from Lhasa and Nanchang, due to threats made in phone calls. Security officials checked both planes and the flight from Lhasa was allowed to depart. Monday, a China Southern Airlines flight was […]
Burma, S. Korea Pledge to Deepen Economic Ties
Burma’s president is drumming up support for more investment in his country as it emerges from decades of military rule. Burmese President Thein Sein was met by an honor guard and flag-waving children at the Blue House in Seoul Tuesday before meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak. The two leaders agreed to strengthen economic […]
Senior US Official Welcomes India’s Economic Reforms
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has welcomed India’s decision to pursue reforms aimed at stimulating the country’s lagging economy. He says the reforms are “very promising” and will help provide a platform for stronger economic growth. Geithner made his remarks following talks Tuesday in New Delhi with his Indian counterpart, P. Chidambaram. The reforms announced […]
Azerbaijan Jails 22 in Alleged Iran-Backed Terror Plot
A court in Azerbaijan has sentenced 22 people to lengthy prison terms for assisting Iran in allegedly plotting terrorist attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets in the country. The defendants received sentences Tuesday ranging from 10 to 15 years after authorities accused them of planning attacks in cooperation with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Targets for the […]
Nigeria Will Not Appeal Bakassi Ruling
Nigeria says it will not appeal an international court ruling that gave a disputed peninsula, potentially rich in oil, to Cameroon. Nigerian Attorney General Mohammed Bello Adoke said Tuesday that his country will not challenge the 2002 ruling by the International Court of Justice regarding the Bakassi peninsula. Adoke said Nigeria might instead try to […]
Iraq, Russia Sign Multi-Billion Dollar Arms Contracts
Iraq has signed contracts pledging to buy more than $4.2 billion worth of weapons from Russia. The Russian government made the announcement in a statement issued Tuesday following a meeting between Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his visiting Iraqi counterpart Nouri al-Maliki. The deals reportedly include the purchase of 30 Mi-28 attack helicopters and […]