U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism officials are testifying before Congress about the deadly September attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The House and Senate Intelligence Committees began closed-door hearings Thursday on the attack in which U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed. Many lawmakers are concerned over whether there was adequate […]
US Stops Short of Recognizing Syrian Opposition Coalition
The United States has declined to fully recognize a newly formed Syrian opposition coalition, saying the group must first prove its worth after its predecessor was dogged by feuding and accusations of Islamist domination. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday the formation of the coalition, which supersedes the widely discredited Syrian National Council, […]
China to Reveal New Senior Leaders to Assist Next President
China is preparing to reveal the identities of new senior leaders who will help the country’s next president and premier to deal with major challenges such as slowing economic growth and widening public anger at government corruption. The new leaders will walk onto a platform at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Thursday as […]
Rights Group Urges Obama to Address Human Rights Abuses in Cambodia
Human Rights Watch is urging U.S. President Barack Obama to use his upcoming visit to Cambodia to call for an end to longstanding human rights abuses, including alleged extrajudicial killings, torture, and abductions. The New York-based rights group said in a report Tuesday more than 300 people have been killed in politically motivated attacks in […]
France Recognizes New Syrian Opposition Coalition
France has become the first European country to recognize the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition and says it could consider arming the rebels. French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday that the newly united rebel coalition is the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people and a future government of a democratic Syria. Mr. Hollande said […]
Syria on Arab League Agenda After Opposition Deal
Arab League officials are set to discuss the situation in Syria, following the formation of a new coalition uniting the factions fighting to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Arab League head Nabil El-Araby held talks with international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi ahead of Monday’s meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo. On Sunday, Syrian opposition groups elected […]
Moderate Syrian Cleric to Lead Opposition
Syrian opposition groups have elected a moderate cleric, Maath al-Khatib, as the first leader of a new coalition that unites the disparate factions fighting to end the rule of President Bashar al-Assad. Businessman Riad Seif, who proposed the U.S.-backed initiative to establish an umbrella organization of Syrian- and external-based opposition, was elected vice president on […]
Obama Pledges to Improve US Veterans’ Access to Education, Benefits
U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to serve American military veterans by improving their access to education and medical benefits. In a speech Sunday marking the annual Veterans Day holiday, Mr. Obama said his administration is helping veterans to obtain a college education and “pursue their dreams.” Speaking at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, he […]
At Least 12 Dead In Burma Quake
Local officials say at least 12 people are feared dead after a strong earthquake hit northern Burma Sunday, causing terrified residents to flee swaying buildings. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.8-magnitude quake hit before 8 a.m. local time, 117 kilometers north of the city of Mandalay, at a depth of just 10 kilometers. The […]
Twin Bombings Kill Syrian Forces, Opposition Seeks Unity
Two suicide bombers have detonated explosives near a Syrian military camp, as the country’s fractured opposition grapples with plans to reorganize and unite. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 20 security force members were killed on Saturday when two bombs exploded minutes apart at a military facility in the southern city […]