The normally peaceful Nordic nation of Norway was rocked Friday by twin attacks that left a number of people dead. A mid-afternoon bombing that targeted the country’s government headquarters in Oslo, Norway’s capital, killed seven people. Hours later, a gunman dressed as a police officer opened fire at a youth camp on an island off […]
Somali Militants to Block Aid to Famine-Stricken Areas
Posted July 22nd, 2011 at 8:15 pm (UTC-5)
Al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia have vowed to keep most international aid workers out of the country despite a worsening famine. This week, the United Nations declared a famine in southern Somalia’s Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions and said nearly half of Somalia’s population needs urgent aid. On Friday, the World Health Organization said five more […]
Obama: Ban on Gays in US Military to End in September
Posted July 22nd, 2011 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama says the ban on openly gay men and women serving in the military will end in 60 days — on September 20, 2011. In a statement Friday, Mr. Obama said he had notified Congress that the requirements have been met to end what he called a “discriminatory” law that “undermines our […]
Iran’s Guard Denies Spy Plane Downing Report
Posted July 22nd, 2011 at 3:50 pm (UTC-5)
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has refuted a report from state media earlier this week that it shot down an unmanned U.S. spy plane . Instead, the Guard said in a statement Friday that its air defenses hit a test target flying over a uranium enrichment site. The Guard statement contradicts a claim by an Iranian lawmaker […]
Six Killed in Syrian Unrest
Posted July 22nd, 2011 at 2:40 pm (UTC-5)
At least six people were killed in Syria on Friday where security officers have responded to mass protests with force. The deaths occurred after tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators rallied for President Bashar al-Assad’s resignation, in what has become the most serious challenge yet to his 11-year rule. Witnesses and activists say the deaths […]
White House Reports ‘No Progress’ on Debt Deal
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 3:10 pm (UTC-5)
A White House spokesman says he has no progress to report on a deal to slash spending and avoid a possible default on the country’s massive debt. But he also guaranteed the country will pay its bills on time. Obama administration spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Thursday the White House “is absolutely confident” Congress will […]
Earthquake Kills 13, Injures 80 in Uzbekistan
Posted July 20th, 2011 at 9:40 pm (UTC-5)
At least 13 people have been killed and more than 80 injured in Uzbekistan by a powerful earthquake centered in neighboring Kyrgyzstan. The magnitude 6.2 temblor struck early Wednesday in Central Asia’s Ferghana Valley region, close to the border between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and 42 kilometers southwest of the Uzbek city of Ferghana. Uzbek authorities […]
UN Declares Famine in Parts of Somalia
Posted July 20th, 2011 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
The United Nations has declared a famine in two parts of southern Somalia, as the Horn of Africa suffers its worst drought in decades. The world body on Wednesday said a famine exists in the Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions, and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon warned it could spread if immediate action is not taken […]
Pacific Hurricane Dora Strengthens Off Mexican Coast
Posted July 20th, 2011 at 6:30 am (UTC-5)
U.S. weather forecasters say Tropical Storm Dora has become the fourth hurricane of the eastern Pacific season as it swirls in the open ocean off the coast of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Dora is about 360 kilometers south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with winds of 130 kilometers per hour. It is expected […]
Taiwan Hails “Historic” Upgrade of Hong Kong Diplomatic Status
Posted July 20th, 2011 at 3:50 am (UTC-5)
Taiwan has upgraded the status of its diplomatic representation in Hong Kong and Macau, marking a major easing of tensions with China. The chairwoman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council was in Hong Kong Wednesday for a ceremony renaming the island’s diplomatic office in the Chinese territory. Formerly known as the Chung Hwa Travel Service, it […]
