January 29, 2012
Thousands of Tunisians march against religious extremism
Thousands of Tunisians marched in central Tunis on Saturday to protest religious extremism and the violence that comes with it, according to some witnesses. The organizers of the march said about 6,000 to 7,000 people walked down a major avenue…
January 29, 2012
Aung San Suu Kyi draws crowds on Burma election campaign trail
Burma's pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is visiting the coastal town of Dawei on a political tour ahead of by-elections on 1 April. It is the first time she has ventured outside Rangoon for several months. The visit is seen as a test of…
January 29, 2012
UN inspectors visit Iran as nuclear tensions rise
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have begun a three-day visit to Iran, to try to determine the purpose of the country's nuclear programme. The visit comes at a time of escalating tension between Tehran and the West…
January 29, 2012
Embattled Yemeni President Arrives in US
Yemeni officials say outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh has arrived in the United States Saturday to seek medical treatment. Mr. Saleh arrived at an unspecified location in the United States late Saturday after a stop in London. His staff has…
January 29, 2012
AU Unveils New Headquarters in Ethiopia Ahead of Summit
A contest for the job of Africa's top diplomat is expected to be the highlight of a continental summit opening Sunday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. On the eve of the summit, the African Union inaugurated its new headquarters in the…
January 24, 2012
China Criticizes ‘Hyped’ Reports of Tibetan Clashes
China on Tuesday accused foreign human rights organizations of exaggerating recent clashes between Tibetan demonstrators and police in southwestern China. Tibetan advocacy groups and witnesses said Monday that police in Sichuan province opened…
January 24, 2012
Australia Joins EU in Banning Iranian Oil
Australia says it will follow the European Union in banning oil imports from Iran. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said Tuesday Australia will take the same action as the EU, which on Monday agreed to new sanctions against Iran, including freezing the…
January 24, 2012
US: Republican Candidates Debate Again in Florida
The race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination is now focused on Florida and its January 31 primary election. Polls say the top two candidates seeking to defeat President Barack Obama in November are former Massachusetts governor Mitt…
January 24, 2012
Syria Rejects Arab League Call for Power Transfer
Syria has rejected a new Arab League initiative for President Bashar al-Assad to step down and allow the formation of a national unity government. The plan agreed to by Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo Sunday requires Mr. Assad to transfer…
January 22, 2012
US Envoy: Taliban Must Renounce Terrorism to Participate in Talks
A top U.S. diplomat visiting Afghanistan said Sunday the Taliban must renounce international terrorism and endorse peace initiatives if it wants to participate in negotiations to end the 10-year war. Marc Grossman, the special U.S. envoy to…