TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday began a two-day fact-finding mission in Honduras on efforts to reduce violence in the world’s deadliest country. Honduran Communications Minister Hilda Hernandez said Ban will learn details of the Alliance for Prosperity Plan, which was launched in November by Honduras, Guatemala …
Read More »
VIENNA – Austrian police say they have arrested a suspected gang leader who Russian authorities suspect was involved in the killing of at least six people. Police said Monday the 44-year old was arrested in Vienna on the weekend and is awaiting extradition to Russia. Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency …
Read More »
CANBERRA, Australia – Although there have been no signs yet of the Malaysian airliner that remains missing far off the Australian coast, authorities are inviting expressions of interest from salvage operators in case it is found. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is coordinating the 10-month-old search, said Thursday that …
Read More »
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has urged fellow Southeast Asian nations to jointly demand that China stop its land reclamation in contested South China Sea reefs. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the credibility of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations could be undermined if it does not respond to …
Read More »
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Bahrain’s national airline says it plans to resume flights to Baghdad nearly two weeks after it and other carriers suspended operations after a passenger plane came under fire on landing in the Iraqi capital. Gulf Air said on Thursday it would resume flights to Baghdad …
Read More »
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Six inmates led by a mob boss committed suicide at a prison in Taiwan early Thursday after a failed breakout attempt in which they seized weapons and held a warden and guards hostage, officials said. All the hostages were released. The inmates started their attempt Wednesday afternoon …
Read More »
SANAA, Yemen – Yemeni security and military officials say fighting between Shiite rebels and Sunni tribesmen in the country’s south has left 26 dead. The rebels, known as Houthis, were supported by army troops when they fought the tribesmen in Bayda province in clashes that began the night earlier. The …
Read More »
BERLIN – The German government has condemned pro-Russian rebels’ advance on the Ukrainian town of Debaltseve and denounced it as “a massive violation” of a cease-fire that came into effect at the weekend. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Wednesday that the onslaught on Debaltseve places “serious strain on …
Read More »
DIFFA, Niger – A Niger military official says seven soldiers were killed in an overnight attack by Boko Haram on the island of Karamga in Lake Chad, the body of water touching the four countries that have been targeted by the Nigeria-based insurgency. Col. Salaou Barmou said 14 Boko Haram …
Read More »
MOSCOW – The chairman of the Russian Security Council says Western sanctions are threatening the country’s oil and gas industry. The United States, the European Union and other countries last year imposed sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukrainian conflict. Some of them made it virtually impossible for …
Read More »