The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered all U.S.-registered Boeing 787 passenger jets to stop flying until the risk of possible fires caused by lithium batteries aboard the craft can be evaluated. The FAA said it will work with Boeing and United Airlines – the only American carrier that currently operates 787s – to get the […]
4 Killed on Gun Attack on Restaurant in Eastern Kenya
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 6:05 pm (UTC-5)
At least four people were killed and four others wounded when gunmen opened fire inside a restaurant in Garissa in eastern Kenya Wednesday. No one has claimed responsibility for the shootings. But al-Shabab Islamic militants have threatened to carry out attacks in Kenya in response to Kenyan military involvement in neighboring Somalia. Garissa has been […]
Syrian Refugees Killed in Heater Accident in Jordan
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 5:50 pm (UTC-5)
At least seven Syrian refugees were killed Wednesday in Jordan when a kerosene heater caused a fire in a refugee camp. Civil defense officials say four other refugees were injured in the accident in a caravan in the King Hussein area in the northern city of Ramtha. Jordan houses more than 200,000 refugees who fled […]
Clinton Urges Laos to Investigate Activist’s Disappearance
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 5:35 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling on Laos to investigate the disappearance of a prominent social activist and reunite him with his family. Human rights groups say Sombath Somphone, a campaigner for a sustainable development in Laos, was detained in the capital Vientiane a month ago and that he is in government custody. […]
US to Recognize Somalia’s New Government
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 5:20 pm (UTC-5)
A senior U.S. diplomat says the United States is officially recognizing the government in Somalia, opening formal diplomatic relations for the first time since militants shot down two U.S. military helicopters in Mogadishu in 1993. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson says visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will […]
Japan, Vietnam Aim to Deepen Security Cooperation
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
Japan and Vietnam have agreed to deepen security cooperation in hopes of strengthening an alliance that shares concerns about China’s territorial assertiveness in regional waters. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for greater economic collaboration with Vietnam, following talks Wednesday with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi. Mr. Abe said the two countries […]
Egypt: Morsi Remarks on Jews Taken Out of Context
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
A spokesman for Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi says comments the Islamist leader made on Jews nearly three years ago and repudiated by the White House as “deeply offensive” were taken out of context. Yasser Ali said Mr. Morsi told a visiting U.S. Senate delegation led by Republican John McCain Wednesday that the broadcast comments were […]
Militants Seize Foreign Hostages In Algeria
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
Islamist militants in Algeria say they have taken up to 41 foreigners hostage, including seven Americans, in an attack on a natural gas field. The militants tell regional media the raid early Wednesday was in retaliation for France’s military intervention in Mali. The attackers reportedly have killed two people, including a British national, and wounded […]
Russian Court Rejects Pussy Riot Member Appeal
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
A Russian court has rejected a request to release an imprisoned member of the Pussy Riot band. Maria Alyokhina asked the court on Wednesday to defer her two-year sentence until her young son turns 14. Judges rejected the petition, saying the child’s age was already taken into account during the sentencing. Alyokhina was convicted last […]
2 Killed in Flooding in Indonesia
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 11:35 am (UTC-5)
Indonesian officials say at least two people have been killed in floods that have driven thousands of people from their homes in the capital, Jakarta. A disaster management official told the French news agency that days of torrential rain have caused rivers to overflow and have triggered floods up to three meters. Seasonal downpours cause […]
