Syrian opposition activists say government forces have agreed to a cease-fire with rebels holding a mountainous town near Damascus and the Lebanese border. Activists in Zabadani say rebels of the Free Syrian Army and representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed to the truce late Tuesday after five days of fighting. The deal calls for […]
Activists: Syrian Government Agrees to Truce with Rebel-Held Town
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
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Desperate Cruise Ship Search Suspended, Hope Fading Fast
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 9:35 am (UTC-5)
The wait for news is growing more desperate for relatives of passengers still missing from the cruise ship that ran aground off the northwest Italian coast. Rescue workers suspended their search of the Costa Concordia Wednesday after the cruise ship shifted slightly. Divers who have been trying to search submerged parts of the ship describe […]
India, China Agree to Prevent Flareups along Border
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 9:10 am (UTC-5)
India and China have agreed to work to prevent any flareups and to ensure peace along their disputed Himalayan border. India’s ambassador to China, S. Jaishankar, and China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin signed an agreement in New Delhi to establish a committee on border management. The agreement calls for both countries to strive to […]
China to Require all Microblog Users to Register Using Real Names
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
China’s top Internet regulator says Beijing will soon require all users of microblogs to register under their real names to post comments online. Wang Chen, who heads China’s State Council Information Office, said Wednesday increased Internet monitoring is necessary in order to prevent the spread of harmful information. “We must impose control and management measures […]
Russia Says Foreign Troops Will Not Deploy in Syria
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 4:15 am (UTC-5)
Syrian ally Russia says it will not allow the deployment of foreign troops in Syria, as the U.N. Security Council debates how to stop the bloodshed of the 10-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that if someone wants to use force, such a move will not be done […]
Activists Injured in Skirmish with Japanese Whalers
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
An anti-whaling activist group says three of its members were injured Wednesday during clashes with Japanese whalers off the coast of Antarctica. The Sea Shepherd group said two activists suffered deep bruising after being struck in the shoulder with iron grappling hooks. Another received lacerations after being stabbed in the face with a bamboo pole. […]
Coast Guard: Captain Refused Orders to Return to Italian Cruise Ship
Posted January 17th, 2012 at 11:20 pm (UTC-5)
An audio recording of an angry exchange between the Italian Coast Guard and the captain of a capsized cruise ship reveals that the captain refused orders to get back on his stricken boat. Coast Guard Captain Gregory De Falco demanded that Captain Francesco Schettino use a ladder to climb back onto the damaged Costa Concordia […]
Coast Guard: Captain Refused Orders to Return to Italian Cruise Ship
Posted January 17th, 2012 at 6:45 pm (UTC-5)
An audio recording of an angry exchange between the Italian Coast Guard and the captain of a capsized cruise ship reveals that the captain refused orders to get back on his stricken boat. Coast Guard Captain Gregory De Falco demanded that Captain Francesco Schettino use a ladder to climb back onto the damaged Costa Condordia […]
Syrian Violence Spikes; West, Russia Spar Over Intervention
Posted January 17th, 2012 at 6:05 pm (UTC-5)
Violence has surged in Syria as Western members of the United Nations Security Council spar with Russia over how to stop the bloodshed from the 10-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian-based Local Coordination Committees said Mr. Assad’s security forces on Tuesday killed at least 30 people, 19 of them in the troubled central […]
Turkish Leaders, Turkish Cypriots Mourn Former Leader Denktash
Posted January 17th, 2012 at 5:25 pm (UTC-5)
Turkish leaders have joined thousands of residents of northern Cyprus to bid farewell to former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who died Friday after a long illness at 87. Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan were among mourners filing past Denktash’s coffin Tuesday at the presidential palace on the Turkish Cypriot […]
