UN: More than 16,000 people sickened with Ebola
29 Nov 2014
World Health Organisation says death toll due to the epidemic crossed 7,000 with over 1,000 deaths in Liberia in two days. More than 16,000 people have been infected with Ebola and nearly 7,000 have died, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation. The new death toll, released late…
Egypt court tosses charges against Mubarak
Full ArticleThe Los Angeles Times
29 Nov 2014
An Egyptian court on Saturday dismissed charges against Egypt’s former president, Hosni Mubarak, who had been accused in connection with the killings of hundreds of demonstrators against his rule.lRelated Middle EastIslamist protests in Egypt fizzle amid clampdown; at least 3 deadSee all related 8 The 86-year-old ex-dictator was forced…
Pope wades into Mideast turmoil with Turkish visit
28 Nov 2014
Pope Francis is visiting Turkey at a sensitive moment for the Muslim nation, as it cares for 1.6 million refugees and weighs how to deal with the Islamic State group as its fighters grab chunks of Syria and Iraq across Turkey’s southern border. Francis is expected to use his opening speeches Friday to denounce the violence being committed in God’s…
Gaza City emergency declared by United Nations after flooding
Storm aftermath: Residents make their way through a flooded street in Gaza City. Photo: AFP Jerusalem: A United Nations agency has declared a state of emergency in Gaza City after two days of heavy rains and flooding in the war-ravaged Palestinian…
Russia Vows Support for Syria’s Assad to Combat ‘Terrorism’
Reuters SOCHI, RUSSIA— Russia said on Wednesday it would support President Bashar al-Assad to combat “terrorism” in the Middle East, indicating there was no new room for compromise on one of they key contentious issues in the Syrian…
Fifa ‘corruption’ report: Serious Fraud Office in information appeal
The Serious Fraud Office wants anyone with information regarding alleged corruption in the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to come forward. The SFO insists it currently lacks the relevant jurisdiction to investigate. But in a letter to…
Hong Kong protest leaders arrested
Police arrested key student leaders of Hong Kong‘s pro-democracy protests as they cleared barricades in one volatile district, throwing into doubt the future of a two-month movement seeking free elections. [TICON-A VIDEO] On the second day of the…
photo: AP / Wong Maye-E
November 26: Egypt reopened the Rafah border crossing withGaza today for the first time since its closure in late October after a bombing in theSinai Peninsula, officials said. The crossing, which is the only access point to thePalestinian…
In U.N. Speech, Noam Chomsky Blasts United States for Supporting Israel, Blocking Palestinian State
27 Nov 2014
In this holiday special, we broadcast the words of world-renowned political dissident Noam Chomsky, who recently spoke in the hall of the U.N. General Assembly at an event sponsored by the United Nations Committee on the Exerciseof the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. “The pattern that was set inJanuary 1976 continues to the…
Number of Ebola cases nears 16,000 as Sierra Leone loses ground: WHO
27 Nov 2014
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) – The death toll in the world’s worst Ebolaepidemic has risen to 5,689 out of 15,935 cases reported in eight countries by Nov. 23, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. Almost all cases and all but 15 deaths have been in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia – the three hardest-hit countries, which…
Russia Vows Support for Syria’s Assad to Combat ‘Terrorism’
Reuters SOCHI, RUSSIA— Russia said on Wednesday it would support President Bashar al-Assad to combat “terrorism” in the Middle East, indicating there was no new room for compromise on one of they key contentious issues in the Syrian…
Egypt reopens Gaza crossing: officials
November 26: Egypt reopened the Rafah border crossing withGaza today for the first time since its closure in late October after a bombing in theSinai Peninsula, officials said. The crossing, which is the only access point to thePalestinian…
Stealthy spy software snooping for years: Symantec
SAN FRANCISCO: Computer security firm Symantec on Monday said it uncovered stealthy software wielded as part of a years-long spying campaign, most likely by a nation state. The malicious software, dubbed Regin, has a rare level of sophistication and…
THE WORLD IS WATCHING
Geo-engineering: Climate fixes ‘could harm billions’
26 Nov 2014
Schemes to tackle climate change could prove disastrous for billions of people, but might be required for the good of the planet, scientists say. That is the conclusion of a new set of studies into what’s become known as geo-engineering. This is the so far unproven science of intervening in the climate to bring down temperatures. These…
MI5 and MI6 made mistakes, but only internet company could have prevented Rigby’s murder, claims report
26 Nov 2014
The parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee‘s report into Lee Rigby’s murder was conveniently sandwiched between the home secretary’s keynote speech on Monday, when she described an unprecedented terror threat facing the UK, and the publication of the government’s latest counter terrorism bill planned for Wednesday. …
News Analysis: Obama likely to seek team player for new U.S. defense secretary
by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) — As U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down, President Barack Obama is likely to choose a new defense chief who can play ball with the rest of the team, experts said. Hagel has butted…
Mali confirms two new Ebola cases
United Nations, November 25: Mali has confirmed two new cases of Ebola, bringing to total number of cases in the West African nation to eight, days ahead of the opening of a new UN Ebola response office. The UN office was oening to support the..
Merkel Hits Diplomatic Dead-end with Putin
Reuters BERLIN— After nine months of non-stop Germandiplomacy to defuse the crisis in Ukraine, Chancellor Angela Merkel decided in mid-November that a change of tack was needed. Ahead of a summit of G20leaders in Australia, Merkel resolved to…
Wall Street notches up new records
US stocks have ended higher, as investors continued to welcome loosening monetary policies around the world while looking ahead to a busy week of economic data. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Averageadded 8 points, or less than 0.1…
Why Hagel Was Hired Is The Same Reason Why He Was Fired
Associated Press See Also Outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s time at the Pentagon is, counterintuitively, a poor guide to why he’s been thrown under the bus by a flailing, blinkered president growing even more suspicious of outsiders as his…
Protests turn violent in Ferguson after no indictment announced
Full ArticleThe Dallas Morning News
25 Nov 2014
FERGUSON, Mo. — Violence erupted near the Ferguson Police Department on Monday night after the announcement that the officer who killed Michael Brownlast summer would not face charges. Protesters smashed windows out of police cars and businesses, at least six of which were later set ablaze, and officers lobbed tear gas from inside armored vehicles…
What Iran talks mean for ISIS fight
25 Nov 2014
November 24, 2014 — Updated 1923 GMT (0323 HKT) Editor’s note: Democrat Jim McDermott is a 12th-term congressman from Washington state‘s 7th District. KateGould is the legislative associate for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. The views expressed are their own. (CNN) — Washingtonand Tehran didn’t reach the…
Why Hagel Was Hired Is The Same Reason Why He Was Fired
Associated Press See Also Outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s time at the Pentagon is, counterintuitively, a poor guide to why he’s been thrown under the bus by a flailing, blinkered president growing even more suspicious of outsiders as his…
Top UN health officials take joint mission to Mali in support of Ebola response
24 November 2014 – The Executive Director of Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibé and the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, have visited Mali in a joint mission to support the…
WASHINGTON: He was packed off with the usual Washingtonfinesse, including warm words of appreciation for services rendered, but US President Barack Obama ostensibly ousted his defence secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday after a series of military and…
Ron Corben BANGKOK— Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is trying to ease concerns over the social and economic costs of the country’s plan with Australia to receive refugees. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has called for the deal to be halted until…
Symantec discovers ‘most sophisticated’ spying bug used by nations for cyber espionage
London,, November 24: A leading computer security company has said that it has discovered one of the most sophisticated pieces of malicious software ever seen that has been used against a range of targets around the world for six years. Symantec said…
photo: WN
A Syrian Activist Plans To Behead An ISIS Fighter
“We’re at a stage in Syria where our principles aren’t going to help us.”
The truth about beheadings
24 Nov 2014
In the aftermath of the tragic beheading of US aid worker Peter Kassig, various media picked up on an aspect of his death that made his execution different from that of journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Kassig, who adopted the nameAbdul Rahman, had converted to Islam before his capture and execution by ISIL. Al Jazeera…
Iran nuclear deal: Deadline day brings talk of extension
24 Nov 2014
Negotiators in Vienna, Austria, are set to make a final push to try to reach a deal onIran‘s nuclear programme ahead of a 23:00 GMT deadline. They said earlier “serious gaps” remained, suggesting that an extension could be agreed instead.World powers – the US, UK, Russia, China, France plus Germany – want Iran to curb its nuclear…
Cambodian PM Defends Australia Refugee Deal
Ron Corben BANGKOK— Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is trying to ease concerns over the social and economic costs of the country’s plan with Australia to receive refugees. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has called for the deal to be halted until…
Symantec discovers ‘most sophisticated’ spying bug used by nations for cyber espionage
London,, November 24: A leading computer security company has said that it has discovered one of the most sophisticated pieces of malicious software ever seen that has been used against a range of targets around the world for six years. Symantec said…
Dutch investigators finish recovery of MH17 wreck from crash site in Eastern Ukraine
Johannesburg, November 24: Dutch experts have completed the recovery of the wreckage of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 from the crash site in Eastern Ukraine and have sent it to a government-controlled city for being transported further to…
Kenya Security Kills Over 100 Attackers Behind Bus Ambush
Reuters NAIROBI— Kenyan security forces have pursued and killed more than 100 militants and destroyed their camp in Somalia after the ambush of a Nairobi-bound bus that killed 28 people, Deputy President William Ruto said on Sunday. Somalia’s…
Motorsport: Hamilton claims second F1 crown
Lewis Hamilton celebrates with his team after winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. REUTERS/Caren Firouz A tearful Lewis Hamilton joined the elite ranks of double Formula One world champions after a nerve-racking…
Ukraine Marks Anniversary of Deadly 1930s Famine
Daniel Schearf KYIV, UKRAINE— During a weekend commemoration for millions who died of starvation in Ukraine in the early 1930s,President Petro Poroshenko lashed out at Soviet-era totalitarianism for causing the deaths and accused today’s…
Tunisia’s milestone presidential vote likely to yield runoff
Full ArticleThe Los Angeles Times
23 Nov 2014
Marking a new milestone in what has been a challenging but largely successful democratic transition, Tunisians on Sunday voted for a head of state for the first time since a popular uprising nearly four years ago.lRelated AfricaGOP panel on Benghazi finds no Obama administration wrongdoingSee all related 8 With more than two dozen candidates…
US said to broaden combat role in Afghanistan
22 Nov 2014
US President Barrack Obama has quietly expanded the Pentagon‘s role in Afghanistan from previously-set guidelines that were to limit US troop involvement in the war-wrecked country starting this year, the New York Times reported. According to the newspaper, Obama signed classified orders for US forces to continue targeting Taliban in Afghanistan…
US ‘to expand’ 2015 Afghanistan combat role
US troops in Afghanistan will be allowed to target Taliban fighters in Afghanistan from 2015, US officials say, expanding their role after the end of major combat operations. Guidelines approved by President Barack Obamawill also provide air support…
Portuguese ex-PM Socrates arrested in corruption probe
By Andrei Khalip LISBON (Reuters) – Portuguese police have arrested former Socialist prime minister Jose Socrates and three other people in an investigation of suspected tax fraud, corruption and money-laundering, theProsecutor General‘s office…
The Associated PressTUNIS (AP) — Tunisia’s first free presidential election is boiling down to two candidates with divergent views of the revolution that transformed this former dictatorship. The clear front-runner in Sunday’s ballot is veteran…
Kenya police: Al-Shabab militants kill 28 in bus
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Suspected Islamic extremists fromSomalia hijacked a bus in Kenya’s north and killed 28 non-Muslims on board after they had been singled out from the rest of the passengers, police officials said Saturday. The bus traveling to…
Madagascar
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The World Health Organization says 40 people have died from the plague in Madagascar. WHO said 119 people have been diagnosed with the bacterial disease since August, with two cases…
From ice to fire: after hopping on a comet, ESA now looks at Mercury
20 Nov 2014
updated 9:13 AM EST, Thu November 20, 2014 | Filed under: Innovations (CNN) — After landing a probe on an icy comet and possibly shedding new light on the origins of life on Earth, the European Space Agency (ESA) is now looking at scorching-hot Mercury for its next mission. The innermost planet of our solar system orbits so close to the Sun that,…
UN: Rights Abuses on Rise in War-torn E. Ukraine
Lisa Schlein GENEVA— A new United Nations report found the presence of large numbers of sophisticated weapons as well as foreign fighters, including Russian soldiers, have led to a worsening of the human rights situation in eastern Ukraine. The…
4 Killed in Florida University shooting
Three students were shot and wounded when a gunman opened fire inside the main Florida State University library, and campus police shot the suspect dead, officials said. Officers confronted the attacker soon after 12.30am on Thursday (local time),…
VOA Exclusive: Interview with Myanmar President Thein Sein
VOA News In an exclusive interview with VOA’s Burmese Service,Myanmar President Thein Sein called allegations that minority Muslim Rohingya are fleeing alleged torture in Rakhine state a media fabrication. “International…
Pope Blasts Food Commodity Speculation
Reuters ROME— Pope Francis condemned speculation in food commodities and greed for profits on Thursday, saying they were undermining the global fight against poverty and hunger. Addressing a United Nations conference on nutrition, he called on rich…
Obama to Announce Immigration Reforms
VOA News President Barack Obama will discuss his plans to protect undocumented immigrants in the United States from deportation during a nationally televised address Thursday night. The president will address the nation from the White House on…
Closing of Egypt’s Rafah Crossing Leaves Thousands of Gazans Stranded
Reuters RAFAH, GAZA STRIP— Egypt‘s decision to shut its border with the Gaza Strip has stranded thousands of Palestinians on the Egyptianside of the border while around a thousand people in Gaza are desperate to get out for medical treatment in…
It’s All About the Oil, Stupid!
20 Nov 2014
Claude Salhani For the terrorist group known as the Islamic State, Syria and Iraq were a good place to start their campaign, but in order to survive and prosper it knew from the outset that it had no choice but to set its sights on the ultimate prize: the oil fields of Saudi Arabia. It is in that direction that the battle for control of the world’s…
Rajapaksa calls snap polls to seek record third term
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa called early elections on Thursday, seeking an unprecedented third six-year term in office amid signs of a drop in popularity and demands of his powers to be curbed.Rajapaksa — who was elected in 2005…
Ferry Operator Gets 10 Years in Jail for ‘Sewol’ Disaster
VOA News A South Korean court has given a ten-year jail sentence to the head of the company that operated the ferry that capsized in April, killing over 300 people. Chonghaejin Marine CEO Kim…
Obesity Costs UK More Than War And Terrorism
20 November 2014, 3:04 Obesity Costs UK More Than War AndTerrorism Tweet The UK has been urged to take urgent action after a new study revealed that obesity is a greater burden to the country than armed violence, war and terrorism. The study,…
Prosecutors in Spain to charge Catalonia leader
Spanish prosecutors are to file criminal charges against CatalanPresident Artur Mas in response to a 9 November unofficial independence vote. The non-binding vote went ahead despite fierce opposition by the Spanish government and a ruling by…
Military leader becomes Burkina Faso prime minster
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — The military colonel who briefly seized control of Burkina Faso after the longtime president stepped down was chosen Wednesday to serve as prime minister, casting doubt that the army will stay out of politics as…
New York snowstorm: Four dead as towering ‘wall of snow’ buries Buffalo
![this tree on St. James Place off Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, New York literally split into two due to ice and snow during the "Friday the 13 snow storm" and fell in the shape of a "T". Like most of the trees damaged by the storm, many will have to be removed completely. [October 14, 2006]. wnhires (js1)](http://cdn6.wn.com/vp/i/96/c21debed3d8c6e.jpg "this tree on St. James Place off Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, New York literally split into two due to ice and snow during the \"Friday the 13 snow storm\" and fell in the shape of a \"T\". Like most of the trees damaged by the storm, many will have to be removed completely. [October 14, 2006]. wnhires (js1)")
Four people have been killed and a state of emergency declared in parts of New York state as a towering “wall of snow” dumped up to six feet of snow on Buffalo yesterday. The arctic storm, which is expected to get worse tomorrow, has plunged nearly…
RAF Jets Help Destroy Secret IS Bunker Complex
Analysis & Comment
Saudi Arabia leans on Gulf states to close ranks as region boils
19 Nov 2014
DUBAI/DOHA (Reuters) – Gulf Arab states have shelved a bitter row among themselves, hoping to repair an alliance that has been sorely tested by chaos in the Middle East and the prospect of an Iranian nuclear deal that could tilt the regional balance of power toward their old foe Tehran. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain…
New York snowstorm: Four dead as towering ‘wall of snow’ buries Buffalo
Four people have been killed and a state of emergency declared in parts of New York state as a towering “wall of snow” dumped up to six feet of snow on Buffalo yesterday. The arctic storm, which is expected to get worse tomorrow, has plunged nearly…
Burma rules out changing law that bars Aung San Suu Kyi from being president
Veteran democracy campaigner cannot run for top post because of ban on candidates with a foreign spouse or children …
U.S. surveillance bill faces tough fight in Senate
WASHINGTON Nov 18 (Reuters) – A bill to end the bulk collection of telephone records by the National Security Agency appeared to be in jeopardy on Tuesday after senior Republican senators said the measure would benefitIslamic State militants and…
Ivory Coast soldiers ordered to end pay protests
Ivory Coast‘s defence minister, Paul Koffi Koffi, has ordered soldiers to return to barracks after they staged protests in at least two cities.Soldiers blocked roads in the main city Abidjan and the second city Bouake to demand unpaid…
Iranian minister thinks nuclear deal possible before deadline
November 18: Iran‘s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarifconfirmed here Tuesday that he believed it is still possible to reach an agreement on his country’s nuclear programme before the Nov 24 deadline. On his arrival in the Auatrian capital, where…
Incredible Comet Mission Finds Compounds That Could Be The Basis Of Life On Earth
ESA See Also BERLIN (Reuters) – European comet lander Philae‘sniffed’ organic molecules containing the carbon element that is the basis of life on Earth before its primary battery ran out and it shut down, German scientists said. They said it was…
photo: ESA
Shanghai stock link: Beijing offers HK protesters carrots, shows stick
First days of trading show how regional finance could devolve from Hong Kong Special Region if demonstrations persist
Iraqi army claims control of Beiji refinery
State TV shows footage of troops entering gate of facility after months of battling ISIL fighters who had it surrounded
Obama orders review of US hostage policy
President wants to examine how federal agencies interact on hostage matters, though change in ransom policy unlikely
US asylum laws endanger Mexican victims of drug gangs
US refusal to recognize collusion of Mexican public officials with drug cartels imperils asylees, say legal experts
Jerusalem attacks unlikely to portend a third Palestinian intifada
Analysis: Violence is increasing but is not being directed as part of a strategy by Palestinian organizations
Military court jails Thai Web radio host for insulting king
Radio host sentenced to 5 years for defaming Thai king; first such case in military court after May 22 coup
Rights group condemns ‘virginity test’ for female Indonesian police
Human Rights Watch says female police required to strip and undergo “humiliating” test prior to recruitment
Photos: Attack on Jerusalem synagogue
Four worshippers die in assault by two Palestinians armed with axes and guns
Japan PM to seek fresh mandate for ‘Abenomics’ with fresh elections
The world’??s third-largest economy shrank unexpectedly in the third quarter
Lawless states: The violence in Mexico continues
Drug gangs and cartels intimidate residents and officials, and citizens plead for help from their government
world affairs continues ….
Relocating Civilians To Fight Insurgency, Does It Even Work?
CAIRO — On Oct. 29, the Egyptian army began bulldozing and dynamiting houses along Egypt’s border with Gaza to create a buffer zone 14 kilo…
Jerusalem Synagogue Attacked, Iran Nuclear Talks, Planet Of The Vapes
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 FINAL IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS BEGIN The last round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program began this morning in Vienna with I…
Horror And Despair In Raqqa, Syrians Living Under ISIS Rule
RAQQA — Ever since ISIS captured the Syrian city of Raqqa in early 2014, residents have been consumed by fear and caution. The terrorist gr…
Global terror attack deaths rose sharply in 2013, says report
18 Nov 2014
The number of deaths from terrorism increased by 61% between 2012 and 2013, a study into international terrorism says. There were nearly 10,000 terrorist attacks in 2013, a 44% increase from the previous year, the Global Terrorism Index 2014 report added. The report said militant groups Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Boko Haramand the Taliban were…
Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe calls election
Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap general election following the release of surprise data showing the world’s third-largest economy is in recession. The downturn in July-September has thrown Mr Abe’s ambitious plans to revive the…
Mombasa youths kill four in rampage after mosque raids
Four people have been stabbed to death by rampaging youths in the Kenyan city of Mombasa, police say. The attacks came hours after police raided two mosques they accuse of having links with militant Islamists in neighbouring Somalia. One person was…
Kerry condemns Jerusalem synagogue attack
LONDON (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry angrily condemned Tuesday’s deadly attack on a Jerusalem synagogue and demanded that the Palestinian leadership take immediate steps to end incitement to violence as Israeli-Palestinian tensions…
Congolese Police Executed People in Gang Crackdown, Group Says
Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 51 young men and teenage boys in a crackdown on gangs that showed “little regard for the rule of law,” Human Rights Watch said. Thirty three others were “forcibly disappeared” during…
South Korea launches agency to replace coast guard after ferry disaster
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea launches a massive new government agency this week to handle emergency rescue and safety management seven months after a ferry disaster killed 304 people and was blamed by President Park Geun-hye on a failed response by…
Mediterranean diet is best way to tackle obesity, say doctors
A Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting, leading doctors have said. Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the doctors said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and…
Israel to step up demolition of Palestinian homes
17 Nov 2014
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel said Monday it has sent notices to the families of severalPalestinians in the West Bank implicated in attacks against Israelis to vacate their homes ahead of their impending demolitions. The development indicated that Israel is intensifying its much maligned policy of punitive destructions of homes of…
Mediterranean diet is best way to tackle obesity, say doctors
A Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting, leading doctors have said. Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the doctors said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and…
Russia denies reports Vladimir Putin is leaving G20 summit early
Spokesman insists the president is taking part in all scheduled events on Sunday, contradicting media reports …
Western leaders confront Putin at G20
Western leaders warned Vladimir Putin at a G20 summit on Saturday that he risked more economic sanctions if he failed to end Russianbacking for separatist rebels in Ukraine. Russia denied any involvement in an escalation of the separatist war in…
Japan PM Abe plans snap election on December 14
Tokyo, November 15: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to hold snap elections on December 14, two years ahead of schedule, as he seeks to bolster his public support by delaying another scheduled tax hike, reports said today. Abe is expected to…
Philip Hammond: ‘UK could leave EU’ over renegotiations
The UK must be ready to “stand up… and walk away” if it is unhappy with talks over its relationship with the European Union, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said. He told the Daily Telegraph agreement was possible on such issues as…
IS militants withdraw from Iraq oil refinery
Baghdad, November 15: The Islamic State (IS) militants withdrew from the perimeter of Iraq‘s largest oil refinery in Salahudin province Saturday, a provincial security source said. “The security forces and allied tribal fighters seized the western…
Echoes of ’68 As Mexico Again Bears Witness To A Student Massacre
-OpEd- BOGOTA — Mexico bleeds as criminal gangs kill the innocent and not-so-innocent, before the gaze of an impotent — or is it ind…
Why Netanyahu’s A Failure, Musings Of A Top Israeli Management Guru
TEL AVIV — There may be no academic with closer ties to the Israeli army establishment than Professor Asher Tishler, outgoing dean of …
In The Golan Heights, Where Sunni, Shia And IDF Meet
MOUNT AVITAL MILITARY BASE — Mount Avital is the last piece of the Golan Heights controlled by Israel before you hit al-Nusra territor…
Pro-ISIS Salafists Are Robbing German Churches
MUNICH — It began nearly a year ago, on the weekend after Christmas. On Saturday night, unidentified individuals broke into a church in the Co…
Verbatim: Gorbachev, Murakami, Sagnol … More
Words that made news……
Latin American Violence: After Mexico, Brazil Could Be Next
SAO PAULO — During my time in the early 1980s as a correspondent for Folha de S. Paulo in Buenos Aires, I covered more demonstrat…
Ebola shuts down signs of normal life in Sierra Leone
So, the number of people who have known to have died ofEbola in the current outbreak in west Africa has passed 5,000. But what does that mean for the affected communities? I briefly visited Sierra Leone, one of the three most affected countries…
Sources: Algerian president hospitalized in France
PARIS (AP) — Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been admitted to a hospital in France, two French officials said Friday. The ailing 77-year-old leader was admitted to the Clinique d’Alembert in Grenoble…
Equatorial Guinea to host cup
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the small west African country will host the tournament from January 17 to February 8, 2015. Morocco had asked for…
photo: WN / John Sahid
OBAMA HITS THE GAS
Islamic State leader Baghdadi urges attacks in Saudi Arabia
14 Nov 2014
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called for attacks against the rulers ofSaudi Arabia in a speech purported to be in his name yesterday, saying his self-declared caliphate was expanding there and in four other Arab countries. MrBaghdadi also said a US-led military campaign against his group in Syria and Iraqwas failing and he called for…
British jihadists who travel abroad will have passports seized under new law
British jihadists who travel abroad to fight in countries such asIraq or Syria could be banned from returning to the UK, according to new anti-terror laws outlined by David Cameron. Addressing Australia’s parliament Friday,Cameron said police in…
Russia’s Putin denies a rift with German’s Merkel
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied a rift with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has adopted a tough stance onRussia‘s actions in Ukraine. As the cease-fire in…
Boehner: I’ll fight Obama ‘tooth and nail’ on amnesty
(National Review) House majority leader John Boehner struck his most aggressive tone yet against President Obama’s promised executive amnesty for illegal immigrants, vowing to fight the White House “tooth and nail” and…
Kerry: ‘Firm Commitments’ to Restoring Status Quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Scott Stearns STATE DEPARTMENT— U.S. Secretary of StateJohn Kerry said Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian leaders have all agreed on steps to reduce tensions surrounding worshippers at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque. Those steps include Israel…
Obama plans to shield up to 5 million immigrants from deportation
WASHINGTON: President Obama will ignore angry protests fromRepublicans and announce as soon as next week a broad overhaul of the nation’s immigration enforcement system that will protect up to five million undocumented immigrants from the threat of…
photo: AP / Richard Drew
Reuters VIENNA— The U.N. atomic agency has corrected data to lower its estimate of the size of Iran‘s uranium stockpile, a figure watched ahead of this month’s deadline for Tehran and six world powers to settle a dispute over Iran’s…
photo: UN / Eskinder Debebe
Riot Prep Could Fuel Ferguson Violence
With the impending grand jury decision on whether to indict the police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, Ferguson is bracing for protests—and residents arming up could make matters worse. This week, the parents of slain teenager Michael…
Russia ‘fuelling’ war in Ukraine
13 Nov 2014
The US ambassador to the United Nations has accused Russia of “fuelling war” inUkraine. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York, Samantha Powersaid that NATO had confirmed sightings of Russian military equipment and troops entering Ukraine in the last 48 hours. “If our message sounds familiar it is for a good reason,” Power said at…
Riot Prep Could Fuel Ferguson Violence
With the impending grand jury decision on whether to indict the police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, Ferguson is bracing for protests—and residents arming up could make matters worse. This week, the parents of slain teenager Michael…
Obama Urges Russia to Respect Ukraine Cease-Fire
VOA News President Barack Obama has called on Russia to honor a September cease-fire between Kyiv and Moscow-backed rebels in easternUkraine. White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said President Obama delivered the message to…
U.S. Drones Patrol Half Mexico Border
Jeff Topping/Reuters The U.S. now uses only drones to patrol almost half the Mexican border, in a shift to control desolate stretches where there are no agents, camera towers, fences or ground…
Doctor Who Conducted Botched Sterilization Procedures That Killed 13 In India Arrested
NEW DELHI (AP) — The doctor who conducted sterilization procedures after which 13 women died in central India has been arrested, a top medical official said Thursday. Dr. R.K. Gupta, who had been hiding since Saturday’s operations, was arrested at a…
photo: WN / Bhaskar Mallick
India sterilisations: Doctor arrested over operation deaths
A doctor has been arrested in connection with the deaths of 13 women at a state-run sterilisation camp in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Dr RK Gupta and his assistant carried out the tubectomies on 83 women in Pendari village in Bilaspur district.…
Rescue at One World Trade Center
On Wednesday the FDNY was not rushing to save thousands but two window washers stuck on a dangling scaffold outside the 68th floor. But the rescue was charged with emotion nonetheless. Lt. Billy Ryan of the FDNY’s Rescue 1 would have been wearing the…
photo: WN / Periasamy
Russia to build more Iran reactors
12 Nov 2014
Russia has signed a contract to build two more nuclear reactors in Iran to be possibly followed by another six, a move intended to cement closer ties between the two nations. The deal comes less than two weeks before the November 24deadline for Tehran to sign an agreement on its nuclear programme with six world powers. The contract has no…
UN calls to West as 13.6 million are displaced in Iraq and Syria
Full ArticleSydney Morning Herald
12 Nov 2014
Beirut: Warning that the world was growing numb to the worsening crisis in Syriaand Iraq, in which at least 13.6 million people had been displaced from their homes, the United Nations appealed to Western countries to open their borders and make good on donation pledges. As winter approaches and millions of Syriansand Iraqis take shelter in…
Rosetta mission reaches critical point after more than 10 years in space
Tomorrow, more than 20 years after it was first approved, aEuropean space mission reaches a climax when a fridge-sized space-probe gently touches down on a comet travelling at 34,000mph. If all goes to plan, the Philae lander of the Rosetta mission…
Palestinian rift reopens as Abbas blames Hamas for bombings
RAMALLAH (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday accused his Islamist Hamas rivals of carrying out a series of bombings against officials loyal to him in Gaza last week, in a move sure to harm already floundering unity efforts. A…
Israeli troops kill Palestinian man in West Bank clashes
November 11, 2014 — Updated 1228 GMT (2028 HKT) Ramallah,West Bank (CNN) — Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man during clashes Tuesday in a West Bank refugee camp, the latest example of violence and tensions between the two sides. According to…
Eight Indian women die, dozens critical after mass sterilisation
Many of the more than 80 women who underwent sterilisation at the free government-run camp in the central state of Chhattisgarh. Raipur – Eight women have died in India and dozens more are in hospital, many in a critical condition after a state-run…
photo: WN / Bhaskar Mallick
South Korea ferry captain jailed for 36 years as search for bodies ends
Gwangju: A South Korean court on Tuesday found Lee Joon-seok, the captain of a ferry that capsized in April killing…
INTERNATIONAL
Fifth doctor in Sierra Leone dies of Ebola as cases increase
Ebola is spreading eight times faster in rural Sierra Leone than it was two months ago, according to a new report
Iran, US, EU Wrap Up High-Level Nuclear Talks
11 Nov 2014
Pamela Dockins MUSCAT, OMAN— Senior U.S. State Department officials said talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear program have been “tough, direct and serious.” But they declined to say if progress was made during trilateral negotiations that also included the European Union. The officials commented to reporters after…
UN Syria envoy calls for truce in Aleppo
11 Nov 2014
DAMASCUS, Syria The United Nations envoy to Syria called Tuesday for a truce in the northern city of Aleppo as a possible step to a wider resolution of the country’s civil war, though activists cast doubt on the plan. U.N. envoy Staffan de Misturaspoke at a news conference in the capital, Damascus, as part of his…
Eight Indian women die, dozens critical after mass sterilisation
Many of the more than 80 women who underwent sterilisation at the free government-run camp in the central state of Chhattisgarh. Raipur – Eight women have died in India and dozens more are in hospital, many in a critical condition after a state-run…
South Korea ferry captain jailed for 36 years as search for bodies ends
Gwangju: A South Korean court on Tuesday found Lee Joon-seok, the captain of a ferry that capsized in April killing…
NASA’s 1st Orion Spaceship Set for Launch Pad Trek
NASA‘s next spaceship is about to take a big step toward its historic December spaceflight debut. The Orion capsule will roll out to the launch pad Tuesday night (Nov. 11), moving from the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space…
photo: Creative Commons / NASA
Tensions worsen in Israel after police shooting and stabbing attacks
At least four people were injured in Israel on Monday in two separate stabbing attacks, on the heels of demonstrations over the killing by police of an Arab Israeli man, which was caught on video. In the first attack, which occurred Monday afternoon…
photo: AP / Israel Ben Ami
Jesus ‘married Mary Magdalene and had children’, according to ancient manuscript
Jesus married the prostitute Mary Magdalene and had children, according to a manuscript almost 1,500 years old unearthed at the British Library. The so-called “Lost Gospel“, which has been translated…
photo: public domain /
Catalonia independence: 80% vote to split from Spain
10 Nov 2014
Millions of people voted on the issue of Catalonian independence on Sunday, with more than 80 per cent of people electing for a split from Spain in a bid to carve out a new Mediterranean nation. But the vote itself was a watered down version of a referendum due to the legal restrictions put in place by the Spanish government, resulting in it being…
Pastor Myles Munroe dies in plane crash
A private jet struck a construction crane on approach to Grand Bahama International Airport on Sunday and crashed, killing all nine people aboard, including the leader of the Bahamas Faith Ministries, police and civil aviation officials said.…
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Beijing yesterday on a trip aimed at thawing ties with China. On the first leg of a three-nation tour, Abe arrived with his wife, Akie Abe, to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation…
UN Peace Envoy for Syria Calls on Damascus to Suspend Fighting: Reports
MOSCOW, November 9 (RIA Novosti) – The United Nations peace envoy for Syria met officials in Damascus Sunday on plans to suspend fighting between the government and Islamic State (IS) militants, as well as other rebel groups,…
UN chief hails US nationals’ release in North Korea
United Nations, November 08: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon has welcomed the release of two US nationals by North Korea, voicing his hope that “the positive momentum for improving relations among the concerned parties” will be built on. Ban…
Obama says attorney general Lynch will carry on equal justice
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama introduced his choice for attorney general on Saturday as an accomplished prosecutor from New York City who will carry on a “fierce commitment to equal justice.” Loretta Lynch, 55, would be the first…
Obama: ‘Wonderful day’ for 2 freed Americans
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he is “very grateful” that North Korea has released the last two Americans in its custody.Obama says “it’s a wonderful day for” Americans Kenneth Bae (bay) and Matthew Miller and their families. U.S.…
photo: Creative Commons / White House / Pete Souza
US air strike on Islamic State convoy killed leader’s key aide
09 Nov 2014
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. US officials were unable to confirm if he was a casualty of the air strike that destroyed 10 vehicles carrying its top militants.Photograph: ISLAMIC STATE VIDEO / HANDOUT/EPA A key aide to the leader of Islamic State (Isis) was killed in a US strike on a convoy near the Iraqi city of Mosulon Friday that…
DEATH PANEL
Germany marks 25 years since Berlin Wall’s fall
BERLIN (AP) — Germany on Sunday celebrates the 25thanniversary of the night the Berlin Wall fell, a pivotal moment in the collapse of communism and the start of the country’s emergence as the major power at the heart of Europe. A 15-kilometer…
Steady hiring, lower jobless rate suggest improving economy
WASHINGTON — Steady October employment gains and a drop in the jobless rate to levels last seen in July 2008 suggest the U.S. economy is getting back to normal. Employers added 214,000 jobs last month, the LaborDepartment said, helping to push…
Polar vortex returns, Prairies expected to be hardest hit
The buzzword of last winter is back. A polar vortex – a large pocket of freezing cold air – is making an early appearance and is expected to send a blast of arctic air over Canada, hitting the Prairies hardest. “Without question, the coldest…
photo: WN / Janice Sabnal
Japan governor approves Sendai reactor restart
07 Nov 2014
US Military Chief Defends Israel’s Actions in Gaza
VOA News The top U.S. military chief says Israel went to “extraordinary lengths” to avoid civilian casualties in its bloody two-month conflict with Gaza this summer. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint…
Politically Weak Obama Prepares to Face China
Luis Ramirez WASHINGTON— U.S. President Barack Obamatravels to economic summits in China, Myanmar and Australia beginning Sunday for a weeklong visit aimed at improving relations with Beijing, boosting Americanexports, and reassuring Asian partners…
German Rail Strike to Affect Berlin Anniversary Celebrations
Zlatica Hoke Germany‘s capital is gearing up for the 25thanniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall this weekend, but some people may not be able to make it to the celebrations because of a four-day strike by train drivers. The work stoppage…
New virus putting tiger population at threat of extinction
Washington, November 07: A new research has observed that a new virus called canine distemper virus (CDV) is proving to be a threat to the tiger populations in the wild. According to a new study from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and its…
South Sudan: UN Mulling Sanctions, Arms Embargo
Karin Zeitvogel The United Nations Security Council will “look very closely” at imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan and sanctioning anyone who continues to block peace in the country, the head of the Security Council said…
NEW SKIRMISHES IN HONG KONG
ICC rules out investigation into Israeli raid on Gaza-bound flotilla
06 Nov 2014
War crimes court says killing of Turkish activists by Israeli commandos in 2010 not of sufficient gravity to warrant inquiry …
Five Space Travel Accidents That Shaped the Modern Era
National Transportation Safety Board inspectors with a tail section of SpaceShipTwo. Credit: National Transportation Safety Board/Wikimedia Commons View full size image This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication…
China says it plans to send around 1,000 medical workers and experts to West Africa to help in the fight against the deadly Ebola outbreak that has claimed nearly 5,000 lives. China’s National Health and Family PlanningCommission said…
European immigrants contribute £5bn to UK economy but non-EU migrants ‘cost £118bn’
Immigrants from Poland and the other nine countries that joined the EU in 2004 have contributed almost £5 billion more to the UK’seconomy than they used in benefits and public services. Analysis by the University College London Centre for Research…
Pakistan arrests 43 over ‘blasphemy’ killings
Pakistani police have arrested at least 43 suspects in connection with Tuesday’s killing of a Christian couple accused of desecrating the Koran. The couple were beaten to…
Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division concludes operations in Afghanistan, 13 years after it arrived
By Tim Craig, Washington Post BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — The U.S. Army‘s 10th Mountain Division formally concluded its operations in Afghanistan on Tuesday, another sign that the war is drawing to a close even asAmerican commanders are…
Army Slow to Investigate War Gear Missing in Afghanistan
The U.S. Army has been slow to investigate hundreds of millions of dollars in missing weapons systems, vehicles, electronics and communications gear in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon’s inspector general. The Army field support brigade in…
Mob Lynches Christian Couple In Pakistan, Dozens Arrested
Posted:
Discontented voters hand Senate to Republicans
Full ArticleThe Associated Press
05 Nov 2014
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rising discontent with President Barack Obama produced a Republican-controlled Senate on Tuesday that will join the House in confronting the White House on energy, the environment, health care and other issues for the next two years. The new GOP-led Congress is poised to force Obama repeatedly to choose when to veto, compromise…
European immigrants contribute £5bn to UK economy but non-EU migrants ‘cost £118bn’
Immigrants from Poland and the other nine countries that joined the EU in 2004 have contributed almost £5 billion more to the UK’seconomy than they used in benefits and public services. Analysis by the University College London Centre for Research…
Pakistan arrests 43 over ‘blasphemy’ killings
Pakistani police have arrested at least 43 suspects in connection with Tuesday’s killing of a Christian couple accused of desecrating the Koran. The couple were beaten to…
Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division concludes operations in Afghanistan, 13 years after it arrived
By Tim Craig, Washington Post BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — The U.S. Army‘s 10th Mountain Division formally concluded its operations in Afghanistan on Tuesday, another sign that the war is drawing to a close even asAmerican commanders are…
Army Slow to Investigate War Gear Missing in Afghanistan
The U.S. Army has been slow to investigate hundreds of millions of dollars in missing weapons systems, vehicles, electronics and communications gear in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon’s inspector general. The Army field support brigade in…
New Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone Aggravates Fears of Epidemic
MOSCOW, November 4 (RIA Novosti), Ekaterina Blinova – A newEbola outbreak in Sierra Leone, West Africa, may intensify the spread of the disease, aggravating fears of the epidemic’s rise. “A fresh outbreak of Ebola in a part of Sierra Leone…
India advocates paradigm shift in solving global warming issue
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday advocated a “paradigm shift” in finding a solution to global warming, days after UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that current trends in carbon emissions will lead to “disaster”. Environment…
A referendum on Obama’s leadership
04 Nov 2014
WASHINGTON (AP): Increasingly confident Republicans claimed new momentum last Sunday, just two days before Americans vote in a national election, assailingPresident Barack Obama in a final weekend push to motivate voters to give them aSenate majority. Democrats deployed their biggest stars to boost turnout in an effort to minimise expected…
Obama faces lashing in midterm polls
WASHINGTON: When PM Narendra Modi meets President Barack Obama at the G-20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, a fortnight from now, he will likely see a man much diminished from the one he engaged just a few weeks back.Obama will still be the tallest…
Lava’s slow approach is reshaping Hawaii village life
Lava from Kilauea’s bubbling new vent has yet to swallow a single home or close a key thoroughfare, but the volcano has changed everything in this little town on the Big Island. National Guard members are a 24/7 presence. Roadblocks keep disaster…
Argentina’s President Fernandez Hospitalized With Fever
Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is in a hospital after being diagnosed with an infectious fever, her fourth medical complaint in the past year. Fernandez, 61, checked…
Brittany Maynard dead: Terminally ill cancer patient ends life by assisted suicide
A young woman who re-opened the debate over assisted suicide after publically announcing she would take her own life, has died. BrittanyMaynard, 29, who campaigned for “Death with dignity”, was suffering from an aggressive malignant brain tumour and…
UN: Climate Change Fight Affordable
Reuters COPENHAGEN— Governments can keep climate change in check at manageable costs but will have to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2100 to limit risks of irreversible damage, a U.N. report said on Sunday. The 40-page synthesis, summing up…
AU Ready to Help Restore Democracy in Burkina Faso
Peter Clottey The African Union (AU) says it is ready to work with leaders and stakeholders in Burkina Faso in order to expedite the transition process to quickly return to a constitutional rule. Burkina Faso has closed its borders with neighboring…
Nov032014
AN EXCLUSIVE GROUND-LEVEL LOOK AT THE ILLICIT OIL TRADE THAT HAS MADE ISIS THE WORLD’S RICHEST EXTREMIST GROUP. BUZZFEED NEWS’ MIKE GIGLIO REPORTS FROM THE TURKEY–SYRIA BORDER.POSTED ON NOV. 3, 2014, AT 7:39 A.M.
NEW BREAKAWAY REPUBLIC LEADER
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ‘ready to cast UK adrift’ over migrant quotas
03 Nov 2014
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has warned David Cameron she would be prepared to see the UK leave the EU rather than give in to his demands for new quotas on migrant workers coming to the UK. Ms Merkel is understood to have told the Prime Minister he is approaching a “point of no return” where his demands for changes in Britain’s…
Brittany Maynard dead: Terminally ill cancer patient ends life by assisted suicide
A young woman who re-opened the debate over assisted suicide after publically announcing she would take her own life, has died. BrittanyMaynard, 29, who campaigned for “Death with dignity”, was suffering from an aggressive malignant brain tumour and…
UN: Climate Change Fight Affordable
Reuters COPENHAGEN— Governments can keep climate change in check at manageable costs but will have to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2100 to limit risks of irreversible damage, a U.N. report said on Sunday. The 40-page synthesis, summing up…
AU Ready to Help Restore Democracy in Burkina Faso
Peter Clottey The African Union (AU) says it is ready to work with leaders and stakeholders in Burkina Faso in order to expedite the transition process to quickly return to a constitutional rule. Burkina Faso has closed its borders with neighboring…
Iraq: 322 Tribe Members Killed, Many Bodies Dumped in Well
Reuters BAGHDAD— Islamic State militants have killed 322 members of an Iraqi tribe in western Anbar province, including dozens of women and children whose bodies were dumped in a well, the government said in the first official confirmation of the…
Israel Closes 2 Gaza Border Crossings
VOA News Israel has closed two border crossings with Gaza. The military said it decided to close the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings Sunday after a rocket was fired into Israel from the Palestinian side without causing any damage…
Pope Warns Against ‘Industry of Destruction’ at All Saints Day Mass
Reuters Pope Francis on spoke against “an industry of destruction” practiced by mankind as he marked All Saints Day with a mass atRome‘s main cemetery, the Verano. Large crowds had gathered for the solemn outdoor event…
Pro-Russia separatists hold leadership elections in two Ukraine enclaves
02 Nov 2014
A man walks past an advertising hoarding in Donetsk, Ukraine, with a portrait ofAlexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic.Photograph: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters Pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukrainehold controversial leadership elections on Sunday which Kiev and the west have refused to recognise and which…
Virgin Galactic crash: Branson vows to continue space project
01 Nov 2014
Sir Richard Branson has vowed to continue his space tourism venture despite the fatal crash of one of his craft in the California desert. One pilot died and the other was badly injured when Virgin Galactic‘s SpaceShipTwo craft exploded on Friday. The founder of the Virgin Group said he was “shocked and saddened” but insisted he would…
Dont Allow Blaise Compaore Into Ghana ! Warned !
An international Relations expert, Dr Yaw Gebeh has warned theGovernment of Ghana not to entertain any attempt by the deposed Burkinabe leader, Blaise Compaore to flee…
Spacecraft for tourists breaks up on test flight
MOJAVE, Calif. A winged spaceship designed to take tourists on excursions beyond Earth’s atmosphere broke up during a test flight Friday over the Mojave Desert, killing a pilot in the second fiery setback for commercial space travel in less than a…
Myanmar’s parliament is to consider amending the country’s constitution — which currently bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president — ahead of crucial elections next year, an official said yesterday. Aung San Suu Kyi is trying…
Burkina President Resigns
Burkina Faso‘s President Blaise Compaore has announced his resignation, following violent protests at his attempt to extend his 27-year rule. Mr Compaore issued a statement saying the presidency was now vacant and urging elections within 90 days.…
UN: Growing number of foreigners in terror groups
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A new United Nations report says the world is facing a challenge of foreign fighters in terror groups on an “unprecedented scale,” with about 15,000 in Syria and Iraq alone. The report by a…
Leading the fight against female mutilation
31 Oct 2014
EFUA DORKENOO 1949-2014 Efua Dorkenoo helped to lead a successful 30-year campaign against the tradition of genital cutting of girls and women, mainly inAfrica and the Middle East, by casting the practice as a human rights violation. Dorkenoo started organisations to battle genital cutting and coordinated the effort more broadly as acting director…
UN envoy proposes Syria ‘fighting freeze’
UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura has presented an “action plan” for Syria, proposing to “freeze” fighting in local areas to allow for aid deliveries and to lay the groundwork for talks. De Mistura told reporters after meeting with the UN Security…
Power struggle after Sata’s death
Divisions could emerge in Zambia’s ruling Patriotic Front (PF) over who will succeed president Michael Sata (77), who died on Tuesday. Sata leftDefence Minister Edgar Lungu as acting president on October 20 while he sought treatment in London.…
Sweden recognizes Palestinian state; Israel upset
STOCKHOLM — Sweden‘s new left-leaning government on Thursday recognized a Palestinian state — a move that comes during increased tensions between Arabs and Jews over Israel‘s plans to build about 1,000 housing units in east Jerusalem. The European…
Menino, Thomas, Longest Serving Boston Mayor, Dead at 71
Thomas M. Menino, Boston’s longest-serving mayor, who said he attended so many community meetings over his two decades in office that he personally met half of the city’s residents, has died. He was 71. He died today after battling cancer, according…
Slim chances of survivors as 200 buried in Lanka landslide
Colombo, October 30: Nearly 200 people are feared to have been buried alive in Sri Lanka after a deadly landslide destroyed the homes of mostly Indian-origin tea plantation workers with slim chances of any survivors being found even as India offered…
Nobel winner Malala Yousafzai gives $50,000 to Gaza schools
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani education campaigner shot by the Taliban, has donated $50,000 towards the reconstruction of schools in Gaza . The Nobel peace prize winner, speaking after receiving the World Children’s Prize for the rights of the…
Ebola outbreak: Fewer burials, fewer new cases in Liberia, the WHO says
30 Oct 2014
October 30, 2014 — Updated 0713 GMT (1513 HKT) (CNN) — The fight against Ebolain Liberia got some welcome news — with a little caution. The number of new cases in the nation appears to be declining, with fewer burials and lab confirmations, and less-cramped hospitals, the World Health Organization said. If the trend continues, the hardest hit…
African Union Says a Sixth of Pledged Ebola Workers Ready to Go
African nations have more than 300 health workers ready to deploy in Ebola-affected nations, about a sixth of the number they pledged to help contain an outbreak of the disease, an African Union official said. Nigeria has about 250 workers “trained…
WHO says Ebola epidemic in Liberia may be slowing down
The rate of new Ebola infections in Liberia appears to be declining and could represent a genuine trend, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, but the epidemic is far from over. The disease is still raging in parts ofSierra Leone and there…
Poverty forces Afghan Children to work for food
By: Mirwais Jalalzai Instead of going to school and enjoying simple childhood times, many Afghan children have to work hard every day to earn a living for their families. Several years of civil war and extreme poverty inAfghanistan forced many…
Editorial: A better plan for Afghanistan
The mission is far from accomplished in southern Afghanistan’sHelmand province, but U.S. and British commanders felt enough confidence inAfghan government forces’ combat abilities to withdraw all troops there this week and shut down the Camp…
Barroso: Without EU enlargement, Russia would have gobbled up Bulgaria, the Baltics
Without the EU enlargement, Russia‘s appetite, today, would not focus on Ukraine, but on Bulgaria and the Baltic states, outgoing Commission President José Manuel Barroso told reporters at his last press conference, held Wednesday (29…
UN condemns Israeli settlement expansion
A UN official has warned that Israel‘s plans for further settlements in East Jerusalem could ignite more violence and threaten the viability of the future Palestinian state. UN political chief Jeffrey Feltman called on Israel on Wednesday “to…
At least 3 million in Somalia in need of aid: U.N. Secretary General
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – At least three million people in Somalianeed humanitarian aid and the country is threatened with famine, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday. The United Nations said in September more than a million people…
Afghanistan pullout: Just more territory for the Islamic State to swallow up
Full ArticleThe Malta Independent
29 Oct 2014
As concern increases about the presence of an Islamic State offshoot in Darnah, Libya, the last troops are pulling out of Afghanistan as the US Marines and UK military pull out of Helmand province. The US and UK led war in Afghanistan lasted 13 years and has left thousands of casualties in its wake… some of them young western soldiers, some of…
Zambian president dies in London hospital
Zambian leader Michael Sata, a longtime opposition leader who was finally elected president in 2011, died after an illness, the Zambian government said Wednesday. The Cabinet held a meeting to discuss a political transition, which would include…
Future will show us war in Afghanistan was worth sacrifice
Well, it’s all over, bar the analysing and recriminations.Operation Herrick, Britain’s contribution to the campaign in Afghanistanconducted by the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), has finished. What has been achieved? And…
Two militants killed in Kashmir encounter
Srinagar, October 29: Two more militants were on Wednesday killed by security forces on the second day of an encounter in Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of theArmy had lost his life while an…
Violence Against Children: UN Gets it Wrong
The United Nations has just issued a report, ‘Why Children‘sProtection from Violence should be at the Heart of the Post-2015 DevelopmentAgenda‘ This is a worthy ideal. Unfortunately, the UN Report does not identify the fundamental cause of…
Giant tortoises rally from near extinction on Galapagos island
Saved: A giant tortoise on the Galapagos island of Espanola.Photo: Reuters/James P. Gibbs Conservationists say they have brought giant tortoises found on the Galapagos island of Espanola back from the brink of extinction, gaining a foothold strong…
Ebola aid appeal launched by Disasters Emergency Committee
An appeal for the Ebola crisis in West Africa is to be launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee. It is the first time the DEC – a group of 13 UK aid charities – has sought funds over a disease outbreak, which it says is “a sign of how…
War in Afghanistan – thirteen years of conflict
Full ArticleThe Daily Telegraph
28 Oct 2014
Ukip ‘enjoy huge poll surge after EU demand for £1.7bn surcharge’
Ukip‘s support has reached an all-time high after a shock £1.7billion cash demand from Brussels, according to a new poll. As Labourslumped by five points to drop to 30 per cent – the party’s lowest rating under Ed Miliband – Nigel Farage‘s Ukip was…
Marines leave Afghanistan after tough war years
The Marines are putting America‘s longest war behind them. They are pulling up stakes in the patch of Afghan desert known as Helmand province, where 378 Marines were killed and nearly 5,000 wounded in fighting that peaked four years ago. On Sunday…
Niger cholera outbreak kills 51 people: UN
Niamey (Niger) , October 27: Niger has seen more than 1,300cases of cholera since the beginning of the year, with 51 people dying of the disease, the United Nations has said. In September alone there were 38 reported deaths from cholera, said the…
UN chief voices concern over Ebola-related restrictions
United Nations, October 27: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonhas expressed concern about restrictions imposed by several countries and localities on travelers from major Ebola-affected countries, a spokesperson said here Monday. Ban believes that…
Car bombings in Iraq kill at least 38 people
BAGHDAD (AP) — Two car bombings in Iraq, including one where a suicide attacker drove a Humvee into a checkpoint manned by Iraqi troops and pro-government Shiite militiamen, killed at least 38 people Monday, authorities said. The deadliest attack…
Prosecutors say will appeal Pistorius verdict
JOHANNESBURG – Prosecutors in the Oscar Pistorius case said Monday they will file appeal papers in the next few days against the verdict and sentence after the Olympic runner was convicted of culpable homicide and given a five-year prison term for…
Boko Haram kidnaps 30 in northeast Nigeria
27 Oct 2014
October 27, 2014 — Updated 0500 GMT (1300 HKT) Kano, Nigeria (CNN) — Boko Haram gunmen kidnapped at least 30 boys and girls from a village in northeastNigeria during the weekend. The abductions are the latest in a string of recent kidnappings by Boko Haram that dims hope for the anticipated release of 219 schoolgirls ?held by the group since…
Ebola: US nurse ‘to take legal action’ over confinement
A US nurse held in quarantine in New Jersey after treating Ebolapatients in West Africa says she will challenge her confinement in a federal court.Kaci Hickox said she was made to feel like a criminal after returning from Sierra Leone last Friday.…
US and UK troops pull out of Afghanistan’s Helmand province
Combat operations in the province of Helmand officially ended yesterday for US marines and British troops stationed there, bringing an end to a decade-long struggle to keep a major Taliban stronghold and the region’s vast opium production in check.…
EU row heaps pressure on Cameron
David Cameron faces a grilling on his increasingly fraught relations with Europe after a Cabinet minister warned that some towns were being “swamped” by immigrants from the continent. The Prime Minister is due to brief MPs on last week’s shock demand…
Ukraine’s pro-West and nationalist parties win snap election
Election day: Members of a district electoral commission work in a polling station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk. Photo: AFP Kiev: Pro-Western and nationalist parties have scored a crushing victory in Ukraine‘s snap parliamentary polls,…
Brazil votes in tight presidential runoff
Brazilians voted in a bitterly contested election that pits a leftist president with strong support among the poor against a centrist senator promising pro-business policies to jumpstart a stagnant economy. Polls on the eve of the vote gave a slight…
photo: AP / Silvia Izquierdo
‘Conditions’ dictate delay in S. Korea OPCON transfer
WASHINGTON — Political and strategic developments have compelled the United States and South Korea to shelve major plans for reorganization of allied forces on the Korean Peninsula, according to officials and outside experts. During a joint press…
‘No safety guarantee’ over Helmand
The Defence Secretary admitted there is no guarantee thatAfghanistan will remain “stable and safe” as British combat troops brought their costly campaign in Helmand province to an end. UK forces handed Camp Bastionover to Afghan officials,…
Nurse criticizes Ebola quarantine, raising concern
26 Oct 2014
NEW YORK (AP) — The nurse who was quarantined at a New Jersey hospital because she had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa criticized the way her case has been handled, raising concerns from humanitarian and human rights groups over unclear policies for the newly launched quarantine program. KaciHickox, the first traveler quarantined under…
WHO: Number of Ebola-Linked Cases Passes 10,000, Nearly 5,000 Dead
DAKAR, Senegal — More than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola, according to figures released Saturday by the World Health Organization, as the outbreak continues to spread. Of those cases, 4,922 people have died. See also: Eyewitness to…
Iran hangs woman convicted of killing alleged rapist
A 26-year-old Iranian woman convicted of murdering a man she accused of trying to rape her as a teenager was hanged on Saturday, the official news agency IRNA said, despite international pleas for her life to be spared. Reyhaneh Jabbari walked to the…
Israeli Military Kills Palestinian-American Youth
VOA News Israeli Defense Forces have killed a Palestinian-American teenager. The U.S. State Department has called for a quick and transparent investigation…
Egypt declares state of emergency in Sinai after checkpoint bombing
Egypt has declared a three-month state of emergency in the north and centre of the Sinai peninsula after a suicide car bombing killed 30 soldiers. The bombing yesterday was carried out by a suspected jihadist who rammed a checkpoint with his…
Mali’s first Ebola case, a 2-yr-old girl, dies -officials
By Adama Diarra and Tiemoko Diallo BAMAKO (Reuters) – A two-year-old girl who was Mali‘s first case of Ebola died on Friday, shortly after theWorld Health Organization warned that many people had potentially been exposed to the virus because she…
photo: AP / Harouna Traore
Two die in shooting at US school
Oct 2014
A student has opened fire in a US high school cafeteria, killing at least one person and wounding four other students, officials said. The gunman also died in the attack. Marysville Police Commander Robb Lamoureux said the shooter was a student at Marysville Pilchuck High School, near Seattle, but he could not provide more information including…
N.Y. doctor positive for Ebola had no symptoms until Thursday, officials say
Oct 2014
October 24, 2014 — Updated 0402 GMT (1202 HKT) New York (CNN) — A Doctors Without Borders physician who recently returned to New York from West Africa has tested positive for the Ebola virus, becoming the first diagnosed case in the city, authorities said late Thursday. The doctor, identified as Craig Spencer, 33, came back from treating Ebola…
Egypt imposes state of emergency in Sinai after attacks
25 Oct 2014
Egypt has declared a three-month state of emergency in parts of the Sinai Peninsula after at least 31 soldiers were killed in two attacks there. PresidentAbdul Fattah al-Sisi has declared three days of mourning in the wake of the suspected jihadist attacks. Egypt’s Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip was also closed, state TV said. It was the…
Richard Rende: A generation without chores
I recently moderated a talk for a colleague of mine, who was addressing a large group of parents. She asked me to hand out a time wheel, which listed a variety of activities that could comprise a typical day in the life of a kid today. She instructed…
Attack on Egypt army post kills 30
EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — A coordinated assault on an army checkpoint in the Sinai Peninsula killed 30 Egyptian troops on Friday, making it the deadliest single attack in decades on the military, which has been struggling to stem a wave of violence by…
Palestinian boy killed at West Bank protest
A Palestinian boy was shot dead during clashes between Israeli soldiers and stone-throwing protesters in the occupied West Bank, medics and residents said. Orwah Hammad, 14, was shot in the head in the village of Silwad, north of the Palestinian seat…
PM Modi conveys greetings on United Nations Day
New Delhi , October 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed his greetings on the occasion of United Nations Day. “I convey my greetings on @UN Day. It is a day to celebrate the achievements of the UN and look at a roadmap for the future,” Prime…
US radar deployment in Japan draws Chinese rebuke
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — China has criticized the U.S.deployment of an anti-missile radar at a base in Japan, saying the move undermines “mutual trust.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying avoided naming the United States, but her…
Mali reports first Ebola case, a toddler from Guinea
Mali reported its first case of Ebola late Thursday, marking a major setback for West African efforts to contain the deadly virus that now has affected six countries in the region and left nearly 5,000 dead. Health MinisterOusmane Kone made the…
£425k for mum of demo cop’s child
The Metropolitan Police is reportedly to pay more than £400,000in compensation to a woman who had a child by an undercover officer. The woman, known only as Jacqui, has a son with Bob Lambert, who was revealed in2012 as a member of the now-defunct…
PM Modi conveys greetings on United Nations Day
New Delhi , October 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed his greetings on the occasion of United Nations Day. “I convey my greetings on @UN Day. It is a day to celebrate the achievements of the UN and look at a roadmap for the future,” Prime…
US radar deployment in Japan draws Chinese rebuke
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — China has criticized the U.S.deployment of an anti-missile radar at a base in Japan, saying the move undermines “mutual trust.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying avoided naming the United States, but her…
Mali reports first Ebola case, a toddler from Guinea
Mali reported its first case of Ebola late Thursday, marking a major setback for West African efforts to contain the deadly virus that now has affected six countries in the region and left nearly 5,000 dead. Health MinisterOusmane Kone made the…
NYC Doctor Tested for Ebola
A health care worker who recently returned from Guinea was rushed to New York City‘s Bellevue Hospital on Thursday with Ebola-like symptoms. The man, who was working with Doctors Without Borders, has not tested positive for the virus. The New York…
Gigantic Volcanic Eruption Could Destroy Japan Within Hundred Years: Study
TOKYO, October 23 (RIA Novosti) – A massive volcanic eruption could disrupt all life in Japan over the next hundred years, a study by researchers from Kobe University says.…
Royal Protection officer arrested in ammo probe
Travel deals LONDON – (AP) — British police say an officer assigned to the royal protection unit has been arrested after ammunition was found in personal lockers on the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Police said Thursday the ammunition is thought to…
Dozens of Nigerian women abducted by suspected militants, residents say
Published October 23, 2014FoxNews.com Facebook0 Twitter0 livefyre Email Print Dozens of women and girls from two villages in Nigeria’s remote northeastern Adamawa state were abducted by suspected Islamic militants, residents said Thursday. People in…
Number of Ebola cases nears 10,000
Full ArticleThe Times of India
23 Oct 2014
GENEVA: The number of people with Ebola is set to hit 10,000 in West Africa, theWorld Health Organization said, as the scramble to find a cure gathered pace. The UN‘s public health body said 9,936 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — the three countries at the epicentre of the world’s worst-ever Ebola epidemic — have contracted the…
Ebola survivors in Liberia are symbols of hope and help
Published October 23, 2014Reuters Facebook0 Twitter0 EmailPrint Four survivors of the Ebola outbreak, who were treated by Gorbee Logan, a Liberian doctor who says he has successfully treated Ebola patients with anti-retroviral drugs, walk at a…
Ebola Fighters Enlist Texts in Bid to Curb Outbreak
Aid workers in Liberia tried out a new tool this week to contain the world’s worst Ebola outbreak: the text message. Using technology that can target mobile phones in a specific area, workers with the United Nations Children’s Fund sent texts to a…
Somali Pirates Still Holding 37 Sailors: UN Official
NEW YORK, October 23 (RIA Novosti) – Somali pirates are still holding 37 sailors, raising serious international concern, UN official Jeffrey Feltman stated. “Somali pirates are still holding 37 seafarers, which is a matter of serious international…
US and UK asked Australia to send personnel to West Africa to combat Ebola crisis
A Liberian health worker helps at the Medecins Sans Frontieres(Doctors Without Borders) Ebola treatment centre in Monrovia, Liberia. Photo: AFPThe Pulse Live: Stephanie Peatling blogs live from Parliament Both the United States and the United…
Obama on Canada shooting: ‘We’re all shaken by it’
Travel deals WASHINGTON – (AP) — President Barack Obamacondemned fatal shootings in Canada on Wednesday as “outrageous attacks.” ”We’re all shaken by it,” he said. Obama said the motive for the shootings remained unknown. But he said as more…
Gaza inquiry
A probe into what happened in Gaza is late, but it’s never too late. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon surprised the diplomatic circles when he said that he will personally conduct an inquiry into the episode of death and destruction in…
Climate change: What does real action mean for Europe?
22 Oct 2014
Well over half a million people in 2,000 communities around the globe marched last month to demand real action on climate change. That was an unprecedented scene. On the next day, several financial businesses announced they would no longer invest in the carbon intensive economy, but rather shift to invest in the new climate economy. Two days later…
UN announces Gaza war inquiry
The UN says it will begin investigating attacks on its facilities during Israel‘s recent war against Hamas in Gaza, that killed more than 2,100Palestinians. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that the world body was investigating a…
American Jeffrey Fowle freed from North Korea, two remain
WASHINGTON (AP) — American detainee Jeffrey Fowle has been released from North Korea, nearly six months after he was taken into custody on charges of leaving a Bible in a nightclub, the State Department said Tuesday. Two other Americans who have…
Cuban doctors proud to risk lives in mission to halt Ebola
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuban doctors and nurses departing forWest Africa to combat Ebola consider themselves lucky. Among the 15,000 who volunteered, they are among only 256 who have been chosen for the job. “There have been fights breaking out, heated…
Ukraine to Try Fugitive Yanukovych in Absentia
Reuters KYIV— Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, in a move to head off discontent before an election, signed a law on Tuesday that will allow ousted leader Viktor Yanukovych to be tried by court in his absence for crimes carried out while he was…
Oscar Pistorius cannot run in Paralympics
“He will not be able to compete for five years”: International Paralympic Committee spokesman Craig Spence. Photo: Getty Images Oscar Pistorius will not be allowed to run in the Paralympics…
WHO outlines next steps in Ebola crisis
October 21, 2014 — Updated 1220 GMT (2020 HKT) (CNN) —Ebola vaccine testing could start in the next few weeks, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, as health officials scramble to quell the virus that has killed more than 4,500 people. The…
Rousseff Gains Edge as Brazil Polls Point to Photo Finish Runoff
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff gained support over opposition candidate Aecio Neves even as the race remains in a dead heat less than a week before the runoff, according to a Datafolha poll published yesterday. Rousseff has 46 percent support and…
Oscar Pistorius sentenced to five years in prison
21 Oct 2014
Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years in prison for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Judge Masipa found Pistorius guilty last month of culpable homicide for negligently killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Ms Masipa said before giving the sentence: “a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message to the…
‘Spare human parts’ as intestine is grown in mouse
20 Oct 2014
A segment of human intestine has been grown in laboratory mice for the first time as part of research that could one day produce transplant “spare parts” for repairing diseased tissues and organs using a patient’s own skin cells. The miniature intestine grew from a single stem cell to the size of a fingertip and was able to carry out many of the…
Ukraine’s politicians face mob attacks
Over the past few weeks, Ukrainian political activists have carried out a series of sensational actions, seizing politicians and local officials and throwing them into big bins. The activists, many from far-right groups, accuse the politicians of…
Comet Siding Spring buzzes Mars
October 19, 2014 — Updated 2345 GMT (0745 HKT) | Filed under:Innovations An artist drawing of Comet Siding Spring approaching Mars. (CNN) — The comet Siding Spring whizzed within 87,000 miles of Mars on Sunday — close enough to the Red Planet…
Russia denies submarine incident as Sweden searches for mystery vessel
THE Swedish military has presented photographic evidence of a mysterious “foreign vessel” off the coast of Stockholm but rejected reports of being on the “hunt” for a damaged submarine. Ever since the armed forces received a…
Plan to charge jihadists with treason ‘will not work,’ claims terror expert
Britain’s “lock-them- up” approach to dealing with returningBritish jihadist fighters is doomed to failure and risks making it harder to find potential terrorists, warned one of the world’s leading terror experts yesterday. “Britain needs a…
Ukraine Details Interim Gas Deal with Russia
VOA News Ukraine‘s President Petro Poroshenko says a preliminary energy deal reached with Russia will require Kyiv to pay $385 per cubic meter of natural gas through the winter months. Poroshenko disclosed…
John Kerry hosts Yang Jiechi for ‘frank’ talks at his Boston home
US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted China’s top diplomat at his Boston home for two days of talks aimed at easing tensions between the two nations. The meetings on Friday and yesterday between Kerry and State Councillor Yang Jiechi come about a…
Catholic Bishops Fail to Approve More Welcoming Approach to Gays
VOA News Just as it seemed the Roman Catholic Church might ease its stance on homosexuality, bishops from around the world removed language doing just that from a new Vatican…
Ebola
19 Oct 2014
By Humeyra Pamuk URFA Turkey (Reuters) – The fiercest fighting in days shook theSyrian border town of Kobani overnight, sources inside the town and a monitoring group said on Sunday, as Islamic State attacked Kurdish militants with mortars and car bombs. Islamic State, which controls much of Syria and Iraq, fired 44 mortars at Kurdish parts of the…
Ukraine Details Interim Gas Deal with Russia
VOA News Ukraine‘s President Petro Poroshenko says a preliminary energy deal reached with Russia will require Kyiv to pay $385 per cubic meter of natural gas through the winter months. Poroshenko disclosed…
John Kerry hosts Yang Jiechi for ‘frank’ talks at his Boston home
US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted China’s top diplomat at his Boston home for two days of talks aimed at easing tensions between the two nations. The meetings on Friday and yesterday between Kerry and State Councillor Yang Jiechi come about a…
Catholic Bishops Fail to Approve More Welcoming Approach to Gays
VOA News Just as it seemed the Roman Catholic Church might ease its stance on homosexuality, bishops from around the world removed language doing just that from a new Vatican…
US Cancels Visas for Hungarian Officials Over Corruption Allegations
MOSCOW, October 18 (RIA Novosti) – The United States imposed sanctions against some Hungarian officials and businessmen over their alleged involvement in corruption,…
Latinas Converting to Islam for Identity, Structure
Carolyn Presutti MIAMI— Latinos are one of the fastest growing groups in the Muslim religion. According to the organization whyIslam.org, about 6 percent of American Muslims are Latino. And according to Latino American Dawah Organization…
Abu Sayyaf frees older German pair
Two Germans freed after six months of captivity in the southernPhilippines by a militant group that threatened to behead one of them if ransom was not paid were flown to Manila yesterday under the care of their embassy, aPhilippine military…
Castro: Cuba would cooperate with US against Ebola
Travel deals HAVANA – (AP) — Fidel Castro says Cuba is ready to cooperate with the United States in the battle against Ebola. The 88-year-old ex-leader writes in state news media on Saturday that cooperation would be in the interest of “the peace of…
World warned that Ebola ‘could be scourge like HIV’
18 Oct 2014
Britain and the US say inadequate international response to outbreak has allowed it to continue and worsen …
DEAD WRONG
These 5 Scary Obamacare Predictions Didn’t Quite Pan Out
Ebola crisis: UN launches urgent appeal for donations
17 Oct 2014
Ban Ki-moon has launched another urgent appeal for funds to help fight Ebolaafter a United Nations drive for donations fell short of its target. The UN chief said a $1bn trust fund he launched in September has received just $100,000 (£62,000) so far. He joins a growing chorus of world leaders criticising the global effort to tackle the Ebola…
Exonerated Man On How The World’s Changed Since He Went To Prison In 1985
www.huffingtonpost.com ; David McCallum served 29 years in prison after being coerced into offering a false confession for the kidnapping and murder of a 20-year-old boy in 1985. After spending nearly three decades behind bars, he gave HuffPost Live…
Morocco denies withdrawing as African Cup host
Travel deals RABAT, Morocco – (AP) — Morocco has denied reports it has withdrawn as host of next year’s African Cup of Nations football tournament although it wants the competition postponed. Information Ministerand government spokesman Mustapha…
Apple Unveils the iPad Air 2, for Real This Time
Apple has revealed the latest version of the iPad, called the iPad Air 2. And this time it’s even thinner. The new iPad is just 6.1 millimeters thick, or 0.24 of an inch. That’s 18% thinner than the first iPad Air, which was 7.5mm. See also: The 25…
Spain tests 3 with fever for Ebola, isolates jet
Three people with fever considered at risk for having Ebola were being tested Thursday in Spain for the virus, including one who arrived on an Air France jet that was isolated at Madrid‘s airport as a precaution, officials said. Other passengers were…
Afghanistan Arrests 2 Haqqani Commanders
VOA News Afghan security forces have captured two senior leaders of the al-Qaida linked Haqqani network, a group blamed for some of the most sophisticated attacks against Afghan and NATO troops in the…
Amnesty: State Repression on the Rise in Uganda
Selah Hennessy LONDON— State repression is on the rise inUganda, according to the rights group Amnesty International, as it documents legislation that has been enacted during the past year and half. Analysts say fundamental human rights are…
36 Killed in IS Attacks on Baghdad’s Shi’ite Areas
Reuters BAGHDAD— Four car bomb attacks and a mortar strike on Shi’ite Muslim parts of Baghdad killed 36 people and wounded 98 within a span of two hours on Thursday afternoon, police and medical officials said. An Iraqi Shi’ite political…
photo: AP / Hadi Mizban
At least 25 dead after blizzards, avalanches in Nepal
16 Oct 2014
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Search and rescue teams flying on army helicopters spotted the bodies of eight more trekkers killed in a series of blizzards and avalanches that have hit central Nepal in recent days, raising the death toll in the region to 25, officials said Thursday. About 70 people were still missing along or near the popular…
Putin to meet with Western leaders on Ukraine
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is mounting a diplomatic blitz on the sidelines of a summit of European and Asian leaders in…
Ebola ‘most serious’ health emergency in years: leaders
The United Nations also warned Ebola was outpacing efforts to combat the disease and said the world should dramatically expand the fight against the tropical fever. The Ebola epidemic is “the most serious international public health emergency…
Android 5.0 Lollipop ushers in the new era of Android with a design overhaul
facebook twitter pinterest googleplus more more + email tumblr stumble delicious reddit linkedin digg October 15, 2014 9:06 AM PDT Google After giving us all a taste of in June 2014, at the I/O developer conference, Google is finally releasing the to…
World Soccer Officials: Albania-Serbia Violence ‘Inexcusable’
VOA News The head of European soccer’s governing body has strongly condemned the violence that erupted during Tuesday night’s Albania-Serbia qualifying match for the 2016 European Championship. UEFA presidentMichel Platini said,…
North and South Korea military talks end in stalemate
The first military talks between North and South Korea in more than three years have ended in stalemate, with the rivals failing to narrow their differences on how to ease animosity after two shooting incidents last week.Generals from both sides met…
‘Why always me?’
The midfielder was “disappointed and desperate” after hearing the news he will be out of action for some time with another ligament injury and requires an operation Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara says he is “disappointed and…
Mozambicans vote for new leader
15 Oct 2014
MAPUTO — Mozambicans voted on Wednesday in elections expected to return the ruling Frelimo party to power in one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, and international observers reported voting was generally smooth and peaceful. Linesformed at polling stations in the port capital Maputo, as voters waited patiently to make their choice in the…
UN medical worker infected with Ebola dies at Germany hospital
14 Oct 2014
Published October 14, 2014Associated Press Facebook0 Twitter0 Email PrintBERLIN – A United Nations medical worker who was infected with Ebola in Liberiahas died despite “intensive medical procedures,” a German hospital said Tuesday. The St. Georg hospital in Leipzig said the 56-year-old man, whose name has not been released, died…
US, Russia vow intel-sharing on Islamic State
US Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Paris, France. Photo: AP Paris: The United States andRussia vowed Tuesday to renew cooperation on a broad array of global security matters – including intelligence…
NYT editorial reflects ‘difficult situation’ for US: Castro
HAVANA – A recent New York Times editorial urging the United States to end its embargo of more than 50 years against Cuba is a reflection of the “difficult situation” the North American country now faces, said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. In an…
Ebola cases in West Africa could reach 10,000 per week: WHO
Geneva, October 14: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa could reach 5,000 to 10,000 cases per week by the first week of December. “Quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, this health crisis we face is…
Facebook founder reshapes giving with $25 million to fight Ebola
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated $25 million Tuesday to an organization on the front lines of the fight against the Ebola virus, marking another major tech donation that seeks to make philanthropy faster and more…
The Bowe Bergdahl Probe Is Complete — But The Results Are Still Not Public
Thomson ReutersU.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Berghdal is pictured in handout photo provided by U.S. Army See Also WASHINGTON (Reuters) – An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the capture of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl by Taliban militants in…
Ex-colleague shoots dead American in Saudi capital
RIYADH: A former employee of a US defence contractor shot dead one American colleague and wounded another in the Saudi capital on Tuesday, officials said, in a rare attack on Westerners in the kingdom. The alleged shooter, Abdulaziz Fahad Abdulaziz…
US, Iran keep pushing for elusive nuclear deal
VIENNA: Iran‘s foreign minister warned on Tuesday of “numerous” gaps in troubled nuclear talks with world powers but both he and US counterpart John Kerry, due in Vienna on Wednesday, insisted a deal remains possible by a November 24 deadline.…
UN medical worker infected with Ebola dies at Germany hospital
14 Oct 2014
Published October 14, 2014Associated Press Facebook0 Twitter0 Email PrintBERLIN – A United Nations medical worker who was infected with Ebola in Liberiahas died despite “intensive medical procedures,” a German hospital said Tuesday. The St. Georg hospital in Leipzig said the 56-year-old man, whose name has not been released, died…
British police seize over $400,000 suspected funds for ISIS
London, October 13: British police have confiscated 250,000pounds (about 401,713 dollars) of suspected funds for the Islamic State (IS), the anti-terror authorities said Monday. Most of the money was seized from travellers departing from Manchester…
Climate change: Models ‘underplay plant CO2 absorption’
Global climate models have underestimated the amount of CO2being absorbed by plants, according to new research. Scientists say that between1901 and 2010, living things absorbed 16% more of the gas than previously thought. The authors say it…
Chris Brown stuns with ‘Ebola is a form of population control’ statement
Rapper Chris Brown has shared his thoughts on the Ebola crisis.Photo: Getty Images Chris Brown has caused a stir on the internet after sharing his thoughts on the Ebola crisis in West Africa, saying he thinks the virus is “a form of population…
Turkey denies it agreed to let US use air bases for Islamic State fight
ANKARA, Turkey — NATO allies Turkey and the United Statesdiffered Monday on where they stand on the use of a key air base, with Turkishofficials denying reports from the United States that there was a new agreement on its use for operations against…
Stocks Tumble In Worst Three Day Slide Since 2011
The major U.S. stock market indexes took a dive Monday, marking a three day downward trend for stocks driven by unease over Federal Reserve monetary tightening and a tumultuous global economy. The S&P 500closed at 1,875, down 1.7% for the day…
MPs Vote To Recognise Palestinian State
13 October 2014, 22:45 MPs Vote To Recognise Palestinian StateTweet MPs have voted overwhelmingly to recognise a Palestinian state. The vote – which ended 274 to 12 in favour – is not binding on the government but has been described as “symbolically…
Iraqis Swear: Baghdad Airport is Safe From ISIS
Never mind what America’s top general said. ISIS was never close to overrunning this strategically crucial location, Iraqi officials claim. ERBIL,Iraq — Iraqi security officials are shooting down claims from America’s top military officer that ISIS…
‘THE MOST SEVERE HEALTH EMERGENCY SEEN IN MODERN TIMES’
ISIS militants march on toward Baghdad despite airstrikes, international outrage
13 Oct 2014
October 13, 2014 — Updated 0728 GMT (1528 HKT) (CNN) — Despite airstrikes and international outrage against ISIS militants, the terror group is overrunning Iraqi forces and slowly marching toward Baghdad. And as alarming developments piled up over the weekend, it appears the U.S. plan to “destroy” the group is slowly falling apart. Here are where…
Oscar Pistorius faces sentencing over girlfriend’s death
13 Oct 2014
Disgraced South African track star Oscar Pistorius arrived at the Pretoria High Court on Monday for a sentencing hearing that will determine whether he serves jail time for the negligent killing of his girlfriend, or walks out a free man. A stony-faced Pistorius stared straight ahead as police officers escorted him into the court building. He…
US General: IS Militants Adapting to Air Campaign
Michael Bowman WASHINGTON— America’s top military commander says Islamic State (IS) militants are adapting to a U.S.-led air campaign, making targets in Iraq and Syria harder for coalition forces to identify and eliminate. The chairman of the…
$5.4 Billion Pledged Toward Gaza Rebuilding
VOA News — Countries from around the world have pledged $5.4 billion to help rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip, the Palestinian enclave along the Mediterranean. Norwegian Foreign Minister Boerge Brende announced the total Sunday at the close of a…
Pakistan to UN: Indian Cross-Border Fire Kills 12 in Punjab
Ayaz Gul ISLAMABAD— Pakistan, in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said Indian fire across a disputed border has killed 12 civilians and wounded 61 people, including some soldiers, this month in Punjab province. The letter said the…
US Pledges $212 Million for Rebuilding Gaza Strip
VOA News The United States has pledged $212 million in new aid for the Palestinians at a conference to raise money for rebuilding the war-hitGaza Strip. U.S. Secretary of State…
Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect’s Brother Involved in Triple Murder: Reports
WASHINGTON, October 12 (RIA Novosti) – Boston Marathonbombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev knew that his older brother Tamerlan was involved in a triple murder in 2011, Fox News…
Ukraine, Russian Presidents to Meet in Bid to End Crisis
VOA News Ukraine‘s President Petro Poroshenko says he will meet with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin next week in Italy for talks on a peace plan for eastern Ukraine and an ongoing natural gas dispute. Poroshenko, speaking Saturday, said the…
Exclusive: Malala’s Father on Peace Prize
VOA News The father of Malala Yousafzai, one of this year’s twoNobel Peace Prize Laureates, tells VOA he is proud his teenaged daughter has emerged as a voice for peace from a region affected by terrorism and extremism.Ziauddin Yousafzai told…
TRIPLE BOMBING
Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesThree Suicide Bombs Kill Scores In Iraq.. Major Blow To Security Forces..Defense Of Kobani Pushes Back ISIS.. Battles Near Baghdad
Havana Sees No Sign Obama Will Change US Policy on Cuba
Reuters HAVANA— Cuba has received no indication the Obama administration might change U.S. policy toward Cuba despite increasing support within the United States for closer ties, a top Cuban official said on Wednesday. “We don’t have those…
Kerry: Afghan Unity Government Could be Turning Point
William Gallo WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of State John Kerrysays the completion of a power-sharing deal and successful political transition inAfghanistan could be a turning point for the war-torn South Asian country. The top U.S. diplomat played a…
Kashmir Violence Tests Modi’s Promise of ‘Muscular’ Foreign Policy
Ayesha Tanzeem Recent fighting across the Line of Controldividing disputed Kashmir is once more escalating tensions between India andPakistan, with each side accusing the other of starting the violence. The artillery exchanges – the most serious…
Manmohan, Speaker congratulate Satyarthi, Malala
New Delhi, October 10: Former prime minister Manmohan SinghFriday expressed hope that this year’s Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Kailash Satyarthi, India‘s best known face against child labour, and Pakistani teenager Malala Yousufzai will…
Where In the World Is Ebola? First Suspected Case of Ebola In South America
The man suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus inBrazil hails from Guinea, one of the three countries in West Africa that has been hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak. The Independent reports that though the only symptom he is exhibiting is a…
She deserves the Nobel peace prize, Malala’s doctor says
LONDON: Pakistani‘s teenager Malala Yousafzai’s doctor has congratulated her for winning the Nobel Peace prize and said she thoroughly deserves it. The British children’s doctor helped save Malala’s life after she was brought to UK from Pakistan…