Thursday, February 09, 2012, Rabi-ul-Awal 16, 1433
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Foreign
Mideast
67 more killed in Syrian forces upped Homs attacksAmman—Syrian forces thrusting into the rebellious city of Homs on Wednesday killed at least 67 civilians, including three families slain in their homes by militiaman loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, activists said. The onslaught on Homs, one of the bloodiest of the 11-month-old revolt against Assad, has not relented despite a promise to end the bloodshed that the Syrian leader gave to Russia, which saved Damascus from U.N. Security Council action on Sunday.A Turkish newspaper close to the government said Turkey, which has taken a strong stand against former ally Assad, planned to organize a conference with Arab and Western governments in Istanbul.New Myanmar law to abolish 50 years censorshipYagon—Myanmar is poised to adopt a new media law that could sweep away half a century of heavy-handed censorship, as an increasingly impatient press cautiously test the boundaries of newly-won freedoms. In perhaps the most eye-catching reform among a raft of changes in the country formerly known as Burma, reports on democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi are no longer taboo as the new government moves towards allowing a free press.Iraq to limit private security operationsBaghdad—Iraq deeply mistrusts private security companies and wants to limit their operations here, officials say, while the contractors themselves have faced bureaucratic delays and detentions. This mistrust stems from perceived arrogant behaviour by employees of these firms in the past and various incidents of violence involving them.The most infamous incident was the 2007 killing of at least 14 civilians in Baghdad’s Nisur Square by gunmen from the Blackwater firm guarding a US embassy convoy.While Blackwater, now called ACADEMI, was later banned from the country, security contractors still guard US diplomats in Iraq and provide security for various foreign companies.”
Maldives
New President calls for unity GovtMale—The new Maldivian President called Wednesday for a unity government to lead his Indian Ocean nation even as his predecessor called his ousting a coup and began fighting to return to power. President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, the former vice president, took office Tuesday when Mohamed Nasheed resigned after police joined widening street protests against his government.China leader carries heavy political baggage to USBeijing—A Communist “princeling” fond of small town America and Hollywood war dramas, and brusque critic of Western pressure with a daughter at Harvard, Chinese leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping embodies his nation’s contradictory ties with the United States. |
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