A U.S. special advisor for Sudan’s troubled Darfur region says that a peace deal for Darfur, signed a year-and-a-half ago, has been hindered by a lack of funding, failure to disarm militias, and attacks on peacekeepers. Dane Smith spoke Wednesday in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum during his final visit to the region. He told […]
U.S. Official Criticizes Implementation of Darfur Deal
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 2:10 pm (UTC-5)
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Lincoln,’ ‘Les Miserables’ Among Leaders in SAG Nominations
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 1:15 pm (UTC-5)
The American civil war drama “Lincoln,” the musical “Les Miserables,” and the comedic “Silver Linings Playbook” are in the forefront of the nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The nominations for best film and primetime television performances were announced Wednesday in Los Angeles. All three films were nominated for outstanding performance by a cast […]
Study Finds Most Pakistani Lawmakers Fail to Pay Taxes
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 12:50 pm (UTC-5)
A Pakistani investigative journalism group says less than a third of the country’s lawmakers filed income taxes in 2011, bringing into focus longstanding complaints about high-level tax evasion ahead of elections set for next year. The Center for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan said most of the country’s 446 lawmakers and about two-thirds of the government’s […]
ICC Rejects Gbagbo Appeal
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
The International Criminal Court in the Hague has ruled that it has the jurisdiction to try former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo on charges of crimes against humanity. The court Wednesday dismissed an appeal by the former president, who was arrested in 2011 and is in custody at the Hague. Mr. Gbagbo faces four counts […]
New Ukraine Parliament Opens Amid Protests
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
Ukraine’s new parliament convened Wednesday in a session marred by protests and fist fights. The session was the first since President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of Regions secured a slim majority in October elections that observers say were marred by fraud. During the session, a fight broke out when several opposition lawmakers attacked two legislators suspected […]
US Central Bank Weighing New Stimulus
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
Federal Reserve policy makers are meeting in Washington, with economists predicting the central bank will expand its stimulus efforts to boost the sluggish U.S. economy. The central bank has pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into the U.S. economy over the last two years through purchase of government bonds and real estate-related securities, but the […]
Pope Benedict Sends First Tweet
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 9:05 am (UTC-5)
Pope Benedict has blessed his more than 1 million Twitter followers in his first tweet from his new account on the social network. The pontiff touched a computerized screen to send the message during his weekly general audience at the Vatican. It said “Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through […]
US Defense Secretary in Afghanistan to Discuss Troop Drawdown
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit that will include talks with President Hamid Karzai. Panetta, who arrived in Kabul on Wednesday, will consult with Mr. Karzai and top military commanders about U.S. troop levels in the country after the general combat mission ends in 2014. Earlier Wednesday, while […]
US Condemns ‘Highly Provocative’ N.Korean Rocket Launch
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 6:05 am (UTC-5)
The United States is joining the international community in condemning what it calls a “highly provocative” long-range rocket launch by North Korea. National Security Council spokesperson Tommy Vietor said in a statement that the launch threatens regional security and is in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions barring Pyongyang from ballistic missile technology. […]
North Korea Launches Long-Range Rocket, Claims Satellite in Orbit
Posted December 12th, 2012 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
North Korea says it has succeeded in launching a long-range rocket and placing a satellite into orbit, provoking stern condemnations from governments across the globe. The official Korean Central News Agency reported the news early Wednesday and it was later announced triumphantly by an anchor on North Korean state television. “The second version of satellite […]
