U.S. Now Opposes Power Sharing In Zimbabwe
22/12/2008 external link
The U.S. can no longer support a proposed Zimbabwean power-sharing deal that would leave Robert Mugabe, "a man who's lost it," as president, the top U.S. envoy for Africa told reporters.
Humanitarian Crises Rampant In Africa
22/12/2008 external link
Spiraling violence in Somalia, forced civilian displacements in eastern Congo, and neglected medical emergencies in Myanmar and Zimbabwe were among the Top 10 humanitarian crises of 2008, according to a list released by Doctors Without Borders.
Gen.: U.S. Troops To Replace Brits In Iraq
21/12/2008 external link
American troops will move into southern Iraq early next year to replace departing British forces. The news came as Iraq's parliament rejected a draft law requiring all foreign troops other than Americans to depart by July.
Truce Ends, Rocket Barrage Strikes Israel
22/12/2008 external link
Israel's top security official warned that Gaza militants can hit more Israeli cities with longer-range rockets, on a day when rockets exploded in border towns and a coastal city after an Israel-Hamas truce expired.
Ceremonies Mark 20th Anniv. Of Pan Am 103
22/12/2008 external link
Ceremonies were held in the Scottish town of Lockerbie to mark the 20th anniversary of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, in which 270 people were killed. Services are also being held at Heathrow Airport in London and in the United States.
Security Tight As Mumbai Hotels Reopen
21/12/2008 external link
Security was tight at two luxury hotels in Mumbai as they prepared to reopen, just three weeks after they were in a three-day terrorist attack. Guards scanned bags and sniffer dogs patrolled the grounds outside.
Pakistani Militants Attack Convoy, Kill 3
21/12/2008 external link
Militants in Pakistan launched rockets at two trucks returning from delivering fuel to Western forces in Afghanistan, killing three people, an official said - the latest in a string of attacks on a critical supply route.
Up To 30K New U.S. Troops To Afghanistan
21/12/2008 external link
The top U.S. military officer says that up to 30,000 new American troops could be sent there next year.
Zimbabwe's Mugabe Hints At Early Elections
20/12/2008 external link
President Robert Mugabe hinted at early elections Saturday, saying his party should be preparing to avoid a repeat of his loss in March.
Russian Destroyers Pull In To Havana
20/12/2008 external link
A Russian anti-submarine destroyer and two logistical warships docked in Cuba on Friday, a thumb-your-nose port call aimed at Washington in waters just 90 miles from Florida.
Sri Lanka Launches Assault On Rebels
20/12/2008 external link
Sri Lankan fighter jets and attack helicopters bombed rebel bunkers and a flotilla of boats in the northern war zone Friday as government troops breached another section of the Tamil Tigers defense fortifications.
The Legacy Of Condoleezza Rice
19/12/2008 external link
As she leaves office, Condoleezza Rice can take credit for several policy successes and she dwells on the positive. But her rhetorical tactics obscure the fact that the Bush White House has left behind a glass half empty, Charles Wolfson writes.
Judge: Iraqi Shoe-Tosser Appears Beaten
19/12/2008 external link
The investigating judge in the case of the Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at President Bush says the man shows signs of being beaten.
Iraqis Free Saddam's Baath Party Members
19/12/2008 external link
All those arrested on accusations of conspiring to restore the outlawed Baath party, which ruled Iraq for 35 years until Saddam Hussein was ousted, have been released, the interior minister said Friday.
Bolivia Announces Car Import Ban
19/12/2008 external link
Japan's cheap hand-me-down cars have flooded Bolivia's narrow streets, where empty cabs honk pleadingly for fares and lines at gas stations often stretch down the block.
France's First Lady Unplugged
19/12/2008 external link
In her most informal interview since becoming France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has revealed that her wedding to President Nicolas Sarkozy was decided just two days in advance.
Castro Offers To Swap Dissidents For Spies
18/12/2008 external link
Cuban President Raul Castro has offered to exchange political dissidents in his country for five Cubans jailed in the U.S. on espionage convictions.
25 Iraqis Arrested In Baath Party Raids
18/12/2008 external link
An Iraqi security official says that 25 people working in the Interior Ministry have been arrested in an alleged plot to restore Saddam Hussein's banned party.
Christmas Shoppers Flee Athens Riots
19/12/2008 external link
Riot police clashed with rock-throwing demonstrators in central Athens on, sending Christmas shoppers and people in cafes running for cover. Frightened parents scooped up their children from a Christmas carousel in the city's main square and fled.
Pirates Make New Enemy: China
18/12/2008 external link
China said it is preparing to dispatch naval warships to join international forces battling Somali pirates, the first such far-ranging mission for the Chinese navy.
Oil Prices Fall Despite Record OPEC Cut
18/12/2008 external link
Oil prices have fallen to 4 1/2-year lows in Asia as investor pessimism over global crude demand outweighs OPEC's largest-ever production cut.
Court Convicts Rwanda Genocide Organizer
18/12/2008 external link
A U.N. court has convicted and sentenced to life in prison the organizer of the 1994 Rwandan genocide that claimed more than 500,000 lives.
Cat-Eating Custom Sparks Protests In China
18/12/2008 external link
A southern Chinese province must stop the "shameful" and "cruel slaughter" of cats for food, a group of more than 40 animal lovers said Thursday as they unfurled banners in a tearful protest.
Proposed Russian Law Targets Dissidents
18/12/2008 external link
Prominent right activists in Russia say that a proposed law broadening the definition of treason in the country would in fact give authorities the power to prosecute anyone deemed to have "harmed the security of the Russian Federation."
Iraq Gov't Divided Over Jailed Shoe Tosser
18/12/2008 external link
Chaos erupted in Iraq's parliament over the jailing of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush.
Russian Warships In Backyard: "It's Fine"
17/12/2008 external link
Russian warships have been plying the waters off Venezuela and Panama in recent weeks and are now heading for Cuba, but U.S. officials are not so much wringing their hands as yawning.
U.N. Approves Land, Air Attacks On Pirates
17/12/2008 external link
On the same day Somali gunmen seized two more ships, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize nations to conduct land and air attacks on pirate bases on the coast of the Horn of Africa country.
Mystery Grows Around Still-Missing Plane
17/12/2008 external link
Authorities are searching near the Turks and Caicos Islands for a plane that disappeared under mysterious circumstances, allegedly flown by an unlicensed pilot with 12 people aboard, and with conflicting information on its flight path.
U.S. Hits Alleged Iranian Terror Front
17/12/2008 external link
The Bush administration moved Wednesday to clamp down financially on a New York City business suspected of acting as a front company for Iran's Bank Melli, which has been accused of providing support to Iran's nuclear program.
British PM Firm On Pullout From Iraq
17/12/2008 external link
Britain is the second-largest contributor to the international military coalition in Iraq after the United States. About 4,000 British troops are now in Iraq, mostly in the country's south.
Gondola Tower Collapses At Ski Resort
17/12/2008 external link
More than 50 people were evacuated from about 30 gondola cars after a tower supporting the cables partially collapsed Tuesday at Canada's Whistler ski resort.
Brutal Drug War Fueled By U.S. Appetite
17/12/2008 external link
In the past few years, Mexico has become one of the most dangerous places on earth. Drug gangs have killed more than 5,000 people this year - and it's all fueled by the United States' appetite for drugs, Bill Whitaker reports.
Suspected U.S. Strike Kills 2 In Pakistan
17/12/2008 external link
Officials and a witness say a suspected U.S. missile strike has killed two people in a militant stronghold in Pakistan.
Dynamite Found In Paris Department Store
16/12/2008 external link
A group demanding that France withdraw its troops from Afghanistan claimed it planted dynamite found at a major Paris department store, officials say.
Italians Arrest Almost 100 Mafia Suspects
16/12/2008 external link
Italian police backed by helicopters have arrested almost 100 suspected mobsters, thwarting a plan by the hobbled Sicilian Mafia to reconstitute itself and form a new ruling commission to set strategy, authorities say.
Plane To N.Y. From Caribbean Missing
16/12/2008 external link
Authorities were searching near the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday for a plane that disappeared after taking off from the Dominican Republic, possibly with 11 people on board.
Greek Anarchists' University Stronghold
16/12/2008 external link
Inside the gates of Athens' main university, bonfires rage and masked gangs stockpile petrol bombs, broken paving stones and marble hacked from the neoclassical buildings. It's their arsenal for more possible clashes with weary police.
China Bans Lye, Boric Acid From Food
15/12/2008 external link
Substances commonly used as industrial dyes, insecticides and drain cleaners were included on a list of illegal food additives China released as part of a months-long government crackdown.
U.S. Anti-Kidnap Expert Abducted In Mexico
16/12/2008 external link
A well-known U.S. anti-kidnapping expert has himself fallen victim to Mexico's wave of abductions as unidentified assailants snatched him from a street in the northern city of Saltillo, one of his employers said.
NASA: 2T Tons Of Land Ice Melted Since '03
16/12/2008 external link
More than 2 trillion tons of land ice in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska have melted since 2003, according to new NASA satellite data that show the latest signs of what scientists say is global warming.
Ecuador Financial Crisis Deepens
15/12/2008 external link
Ecuador says it is defaulting on a second bond payment, interest on $650 million in Global 15 bonds due through 2015.
Karzai Aside, Many Afghans Won't Miss Bush
15/12/2008 external link
President Bush has told Afghanistan's leader he can count on a continuation of American support after the change of power at the White House. But some Afghan lawmakers hope the new president steers clear of Mr. Bush's footsteps.
After Riots, Greek Protesters Carry On
15/12/2008 external link
Athens was calm after eight days of the worst riots Greece has seen in decades, sparked by the police killing of a teenager.
U.N. Set To Pass Mideast Peace Resolution
15/12/2008 external link
For the first time in five years, the Security Council is poised to adopt a resolution calling for collective peace in the Middle East. The vote calls on Israelis and Palestinians to fulfill their obligations under the two-state plan.
U.K.'s Brown Seeks "Pact Against Terror"
14/12/2008 external link
The British Prime Minister proposed a new British-Pakistani "pact against terror," as he promised to work with the country to fight terrorism which he said poses a threat to distant countries, including the U.K.
Shoes Stay On For Bush In Afghanistan
15/12/2008 external link
President Bush has addressed troops and had a first-hand look at the deteriorating situation in the seven-year-old Afghanistan war, but at least no shoes were hurled at his head.
Prosecutors Visit Blackwater Shooting Site
13/12/2008 external link
U.S. prosecutors visited the site of last year's shooting that left 17 Iraqis dead in a Baghdad square and briefed victims' families about the case against Blackwater Worldwide guards indicted in the deadly incident.
Surviving Mumbai Gunman Gives Confession
14/12/2008 external link
The gunman captured in last month's Mumbai attacks had originally intended to seize hostages and outline demands in a series of dramatic calls to the media, according to his confession to Indian police.
Adventurer Rescued 75 Miles Short Of Goal
14/12/2008 external link
An Italian adventurer who spent 10 months rowing more than 9,500 nautical miles across the Pacific has been rescued a mere 65 nautical miles short of his goal - Australia - after rough weather sapped him of his final shreds of energy.
Gates Disputes Commander On Troop Pullout
13/12/2008 external link
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told troops in Iraq that the United States is now in the "end game" in Iraq; however, the top U.S. Commander in Iraq said that some U.S. forces would remain in Iraqi cities, despite the summer deadline to pull out.
Indian Navy Arrests 23 Pirates
13/12/2008 external link
The Indian navy arrested 23 pirates who threatened a merchant vessel in the lawless waters of the Gulf of Aden, where dozens of ships have come under attack by gunmen in recent months.
Mugabe Declares, "There Is No Cholera"
12/12/2008 external link
President Robert Mugabe has boldly declared that Zimbabwe's cholera crisis is over, even as the United Nations raises the official death toll from the epidemic to 783.
Former Taiwan President Indicted
12/12/2008 external link
Taiwanese prosecutors have indicted former President Chen Shui-bian on graft charges, a stunning blow for a man who rode to power 8 1/2 years ago on promises to reform the island's corrupt political culture.
Black U.S. Student Stabbed In Russia
12/12/2008 external link
Police say an 18-year-old African-American exchange student has been stabbed in the Russian city of Volgograd in what could be a racially motivated attack.
CIA Helped Shoot Down 15 Civilian Planes
12/12/2008 external link
With the help of CIA spotters, the Peruvian air force shot down 15 small civilian aircraft suspected of carrying drugs, in many cases without warning and within two to three minutes of being sighted, a U.S. lawmaker said Thursday.
Pakistan Bans Alleged Militant Charity
11/12/2008 external link
Pakistan moved Thursday to dismantle an Islamic charity linked to militants suspected in the Mumbai attacks, arresting its leaders, closing its offices and freezing its assets.
Failed Bailout Batters Asian Stock Markets
12/12/2008 external link
Asian markets have plunged after the U.S. government rescue of Detroit's ailing automakers collapsed in the Senate, intensifying fears about a protracted global slump.
Gates: 3 Brigades To Afghanistan By Summer
11/12/2008 external link
The Pentagon is moving to get three of the four combat brigades requested by commanders into Afghanistan by summer, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday as he traveled here to meet with military leaders.
Suspected U.S. Strike Kills 6 In Pakistan
11/12/2008 external link
A suspected U.S. strike killed six people Thursday on the Pakistan side of the Afghan border, a lawless region believed to be a stronghold of al Qaeda, two intelligence officials said.
Dozens Killed In Iraq Suicide Blast
11/12/2008 external link
A suicide bomber struck a crowded restaurant in northern Iraq where Kurdish officials were meeting with Arab tribal leaders to discuss long-standing ethnic tensions, killing at least 55 people, police said.
Greece-Related Riots Spread In Europe
11/12/2008 external link
Unrest that has gripped Greece for the past six days showed troubling signs of spreading across Europe, as violence erupted in several cities.
UN: Pakistani Charity Was Terrorist Front
11/12/2008 external link
A U.N. Security Council panel has declared a Pakistan-based charity a front group for the terrorist organization blamed in the attacks on Mumbai that killed 171 people.
Nobel Prizes Awarded In Stockholm
11/12/2008 external link
Researchers who discovered the AIDS virus and glowing proteins, an outspoken U.S. economist and a globe-trotting French writer received their Nobel Prizes Dec. 10.
India: War Is "Not The Solution"
11/12/2008 external link
India has called for Pakistan to hand over 40 suspects after the terror attacks that left 171 dead, a move that has raised tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals, but the foreign minister says war is "not the solution."
2 Greek Cops Held Over Teen's Death
11/12/2008 external link
A court has ordered two policemen to be held in jail pending trial for a teenager's fatal shooting, which has sparked five days of rioting in Greek cities.
U.S. Troops Kill 6 Afghan Cops In Mix-Up
10/12/2008 external link
Authorities say U.S. forces have mistakenly killed six Afghan police and a civilian after the police fired on the Americans during an operation.
37 Feared Dead In Cameroon Boat Accident
10/12/2008 external link
Government officials and witnesses say at least three dozen people are missing and feared dead after a weekend ferryboat accident off the coast of Cameroon.
U.K. TV To Air Assisted Suicide Film
10/12/2008 external link
A British television channel plans to show a film about an American man who commits assisted suicide at a Swiss clinic, reigniting debate over an issue that strongly divides opinion in Britain. Opponents called the broadcast a ratings-grabbing stunt.
Brits Confirm Mass Iraq Withdrawal By June
10/12/2008 external link
British troops will begin withdrawing from Iraq in March and will be largely gone by June, the Ministry of Defense says. U.K. media report only several hundred of the current 4,000 will remain in Iraq by the middle of 2009.
Accidents Kill 800,000 Kids Every Year
10/12/2008 external link
Simple things like seat belts, childproof medicine caps and fences around pools could help prevent half of the 2,000 child deaths worldwide that occur every day because of accidents, UN officials said Wednesday.
Pakistan Confirms Mumbai Suspects Held
10/12/2008 external link
Pakistan has detained two alleged masterminds of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the prime minister says, apparently making good on pledges to pursue the perpetrators.
World Bank Sees Global Recession In 2009
10/12/2008 external link
Economic growth prospects for both high income and developing countries have deteriorated substantially and the possibility of a very deep global recession cannot be ruled out, the World Bank said Tuesday.
