All Latest News Wires
- Boko Haram: New video of captive schoolgirls offers prisoner exchangeNigerian Islamist militants released a new video of the 276 school girls it kidnapped last month. The leader wants Nigeria to release Boko Haram prisoners in exchange for the freedom of the hostages.
South African election commission officially declares ANC victorsThe African National Congress is the current ruling party in South Africa; the results were predicted by exit polls and confirmed Saturday.- Nigeria: Boko Haram blows up a bridge, abducts retired police officer's familyViolence is escalating even as the international response builds to rescue hundreds of schoolgirls recently kidnapped by the militants.
- Can a hashtag really help kidnapped Nigerian girls?#BringBackOurGirls hashtag is spreading in social media, and includes first lady Michelle Obama as a promoter. But what can a hashtag do to help?
- Two US embassy officers killed Yemeni attackers last monthThe Americans, who were attached to the embassy in Sanaa, fended off an attempted kidnapping in a firefight late last month according to the State Department.
- Ukraine warns eastern provinces against secession voteThe acting president of Ukraine said that the referendums could lead to dire results for the pro-Russian provinces.
Popular anger towards China a test for VietnamAn escalating naval dispute has given fire to street protests upset at China, but the Vietnamese government fears that genie might not be able to be put back in the bottle.- Syrians stream into Homs after rebel surrenderThousands are starting to return home after two years of fighting.
Nigerian kidnapping draws experts from Britain, USNigerian kidnapping:聽China and France have also promised help, and the deputy prime minister of Spain, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, told reporters in Madrid on Friday that her government had decided to make available a specialist team from the police to assist, if Nigeria approves.
Mexico earthquake shakes pacific coast and the capitalMexico earthquake: A聽6.8-magnitude quake shook聽the southern Pacific coast of聽Mexico聽as well as the capital where office workers streamed into the streets away from high-rise buildings聽Thursday.聽There were no reports of injuries.
Jamaica crash landing caused by pilot error, says reportJamaica crash landing: An American Airlines jet crash landed in Jamaica, breaking into three pieces in 2009. All 154 people aboard survived the crash landing, but 14 had serious injuries, though not life-threatening. An official report says the crew botched the landing in heavy rain.
Syrian rebels withdraw from Homs, marking key victory for AssadThe exit of roughly 1,200 rebel fighters from their last remaining strongholds in Homs marked a de-facto end of the rebellion in the war shattered city. Homs was one of the first places to rise up against the rule of Syrian President Bashar Assad.聽- Nigeria offers $300,000 reward for info on kidnapped school girlsThe Nigerian government announced a $300,000 reward for information leading to the rescue of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram, a group of Islamist militants.
Court forces out Thai leader, but crisis far from overThe Constitutional Court found Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra guilty of abusing her power and ordered her to step down. The ruling leaves Thailand in political limbo and primed for more unrest.
Greek prime minister: No more austerity taxes or bailout moneyGreek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said Tuesday that Greece would not seek additional support beyond the 240 billion euros ($335 billion) already granted in bailout packages.
Ukraine tightens cordon around rebellious cityThirty pro-Russia insurgents and four government troops have been killed during operations to expunge anti-government forces around Slovyansk, a key eastern city, Ukraine's interior minister reported Tuesday.- Vatican defrocks 848 priests: Is sex abuse of children torture?The Vatican released new data on abuse at a UN hearing that's questioning whether abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests constitutes torture. Classifying sexual abuse as torture could expose the Catholic Church to a new wave of lawsuits.
Moldova borders on alert: Troops to 'take all necessary actions' to keep the peaceMoldova聽has a 750-mile border聽with Ukraine.聽Top Moldovan leaders announced the border alert after fighting between government troops and a pro-Russia militia in eastern Ukraine killed combatants on both sides.
Crac des Chevaliers: Priceless castle battered by Syria's civil warCrac des Chevaliers: The name literally translates as 'Castle of the Crusaders,' and as one of the best-preserved Crusader castles in the world, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Crac des Chevaliers withstood Saladin a thousand years ago, but modern warfare is damaging the medieval castle.聽
Thailand earthquake shook north, as well as parts of MyanmarThailand earthquake聽struck a northern聽Thai city and Myanmar聽on Monday,聽smashing windows, cracking walls and roads, and damaging Buddhist temples.
