Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Turkey to Present Its Case on PKK to White House

Turkey's prime minister will take to the White House next week a report showing alleged links between the U.S.-allied autonomous Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq and PKK terrorists holed up there who launch cross-border attacks on Turkish soil. Read

UK Gov't Urged to Raise Mosque Incitement With Saudi King

Britain's leaders planning to meet with visiting Saudi King Abdullah on Wednesday have been challenged to raise the issue of Saudi-funded hate literature found in British mosques. Read

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Top Cuban Dissident to Get Medal of Freedom

A prominent Cuban democracy activist serving a lengthy prison sentence has been named as one of the recipients of this year's Presidential Medal of Freedom. Read

Cuba Expects Big Show of Support at UN

Tuesday will be a big day for Cuba when the overwhelming bulk of the world's nations side with it against the United States in the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Read

Japan's Opposition Kills Anti-Terror Mission

Japan's center-left opposition succeeded Tuesday in its bid to end the country's refueling of U.S. and other coalition warships in the Indian Ocean, refusing to extend enabling legislation. Read

Monday, October 29, 2007

Kyoto Takes Central Stage in Australian Election Campaign

Australia should use its close ties with the United States to influence Washington to support the Kyoto Protocol, the politician leading the race to become the country's next prime minister said Monday. The U.S. and Australia are the only industrialized nations that have refused to back the global pact, but Kevin Rudd has pledged to ratify it if his opposition Labor Party wins elections on Nov. 24. Read

US Looks to Allies to Add Pressure on Iran

The U.S. and five other nations working on the Iranian nuclear standoff will meet later this week to discuss fresh efforts to resolve the issue, amid signs that some European partners may be getting cold feet about increasing pressure on Tehran. Read

Friday, October 26, 2007

Japan Worries About Anti-Nuke Deal With North Korea

The Bush administration's efforts to resolve the standoff over North Korea's nuclear programs face an uphill battle, as a key foreign ally and skeptical lawmakers voice concerns about elements of a recently announced agreement with the reclusive Asian state. Read

Europeans Criticized for Attaching Strings to Use of Forces in Afghanistan

Australia on Friday joined the U.S. in criticizing some European countries for attaching restrictions to how their troops taking part in NATO-led operations in Afghanistan can operate. Read

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Europe Split Over Cuba

President Bush's speech on Cuba Wednesday will have particular resonance in Europe, where a battle between competing views on how to deal with the Castro regime has intensified in recent years. Read

India, Russia, China Want a 'Multi-Polar' World

India joined China and Russia Wednesday in calling for a "more just and rational" world order but, in a now familiar refrain, also insisted that their trilateral cooperation was not intended to target "any other country." Read

Monday, October 22, 2007

Japan's Opposition Blocks Support for US Anti-Terror Operations

Legislation permitting Japan's navy to support U.S.-led anti-terrorism operations in the Indian Ocean expires in ten days, and the country's new leadership has hit a brick wall as an invigorated opposition refuses to endorse the renewal of that legislation. Read

Poland's Conservative Gov't Ousted in Poll

A Polish opposition party that says it may withdraw troops from Iraq and wants to improve the country's often-fractious relationship with the European Union has won parliamentary elections. Read

Friday, October 19, 2007

Scientist Suspended for Race Remarks Also Discussed 'Defective' Children

One of the world's most highly regarded scientists was suspended late Thursday by his New York research institution amid a row in Britain over reported comments that blacks are less intelligent than whites. Read

Polish Election Could Bring Shift in Foreign Relations

The outcome of Sunday's closely fought parliamentary election in Poland could affect how the country relates to both the United States and European Union. Read

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Tibetans' Movements Restricted as Dalai Lama Honored in US

Communist authorities in Chinese-occupied Tibet took steps to prevent gatherings, disturbances or celebrations coinciding with the Dalai Lama's high-profile visit to Washington, where he received the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress on Wednesday. Read

Turkey Mulls Retaliation But Support for Genocide Motion Drops Away

As support among U.S. lawmakers for a controversial "Armenian genocide" resolution erodes, the government of Turkey is still considering possible retaliatory steps to take if the measure, which it strongly opposes, is adopted by the House of Representatives. Read

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Putin Maneuvers for Influence in Central Asia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has used a summit meeting of five countries adjacent to the resource-rich Caspian Sea to challenge U.S. influence in the region. It's latest move in what some political analysts are calling a new "great game," a reference to the British-Russian rivalry in the region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Read

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Iraqi Kurds Warn Turkey Against Military Raids

As Turkey's parliament prepares to approve military operations against Kurdish terrorists in northern Iraq, Kurdish authorities have warned that a cross-border assault could jeopardize the U.S. mission in Iraq. Read

Bush Ally Howard Faces Uphill Re-Election Battle

Lagging in opinion polls behind a resurgent center-left opposition, conservative Australian Prime Minister John Howard has opened a six-week election campaign by announcing tax cuts and stressing to voters that he is a known quantity. Read

Monday, October 15, 2007

China Offers Taiwan Peace -- On its Terms

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday offered to enter negotiations with Taiwan's leaders aimed at reaching a peace agreement between the bitter foes, but he made it clear that a prerequisite would be recognition that Taiwan is part of China. Read

Chinese Communists Pursue 'Openness' and 'Harmony'

Chinese President Hu Jintao opened a key communist party gathering Monday with references to reform, openness and social harmony, but reports of rights violations persist and a spokesman reiterated that the rulers of the world's most populous country have no intention of following Western models of democracy. Read

Friday, October 12, 2007

Christian Leaders Ponder Muslim Scholars' Appeal for World Peace

Muslims and Christians believe in the same God -- despite differences over the nature of Jesus Christ -- and they should focus on "the common essentials of our two religions" for the sake of world peace, 138 Islamic representatives said in an open letter addressed to Christian leaders. Read

UK Gov't Helps Teachers Deal With Gore's Climate Errors

Teachers in Britain who show their students Al Gore's Oscar-winning climate change documentary must draw attention to inaccuracies in the movie -- or run afoul of a law that bans the promotion of partisan politics at school. Read

Thursday, October 11, 2007

UK Christians Troubled by 'Homophobic Hatred' Law Proposal

Christian organizations in Britain are uneasy about government plans to outlaw "incitement to homophobic hatred," an offense that could carry a prison term of seven years. Read

'Armenian Genocide' Bill Moves Ahead, Americans in Turkey Warned

Turkey's government on Thursday reacted strongly to a congressional panel's approval of a bill calling the mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey "genocide." American citizens in Turkey have been urged to take precautions in case of anti-U.S. protests over the emotion-laden issue. Read

Turkey Mulls Military Incursion Inside Iraq

The government of Turkey as soon as Thursday could submit to parliament a motion seeking approval for a military operation against Kurdish terrorists inside northern Iraq, an action the U.S. government has long discouraged. Read

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

South Korea, US Differ Over Timing of Peace Treaty Move

The South Korean government is pushing ahead with an initiative to have the Korean War formally declared over before President Roh Moo-hyun leaves office, but for the United States the priority is first to resolve the nuclear dispute with North Korea. Read

US Experts Head for North Korea as Nuclear Test Anniversary Marked

As North Korea marked the first anniversary of a nuclear weapons test Tuesday, a team of American experts left for the Stalinist state to lay the groundwork for a process to disable its nuclear facilities. Read

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Liberal Religious Groups Endorse Anti-War Fast

As Muslims around the world marked the high point of Ramadan on Monday -- the "birthday" of the Koran -- across the U.S., thousands of non-Muslims reportedly joined in a day of fasting against the Iraq war. Read

Turkey Mulls Gas Deals With Iran Despite US Objections

Turkey, an important U.S. ally, reportedly is pushing ahead with a plan to invest heavily in the Iranian energy sector, despite Washington's calls for countries to isolate Tehran over its nuclear program. The move comes at a time Turkey's relations with the U.S. are being tested by controversial legislation before the U.S. Congress and by Kurdish terrorism along the Turkish-Iraqi border. Read

Monday, October 08, 2007

Deadly Clashes in Border Areas as Musharraf Re-Elected

Pakistani lawmakers elected Gen. Pervez Musharraf to another presidential term at the weekend, but even though his re-election was expected, the country is in political limbo pending a Supreme Court decision on his eligibility to run. Read

Administration, Congress at Odds Over Armenian Genocide Bill

Despite efforts by the Bush administration to kill it, a bill before a congressional committee this week is threatening to unsettle U.S. ties with an important ally. The ripple effect may impact Iraq and Israel. Read

Friday, October 05, 2007

Burma's Oppressed Christians Backed Protests

As the military crackdown in Burma continues to generate debate and concern around the world, away from the headlines ethnic minority Christians also have demonstrated their opposition to the regime in small but significant ways. Read

US Urged to Enlist Asian Democracies' Help on Burma

The United Stated government should build a coalition with democracies in Asia to apply pressure on the military regime in Burma, according to an independent federal body that advises the administration and Congress on religious persecution. Read

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Korean Leaders Want Formal Peace Agreement

The leaders of South and North Korea agreed Thursday to arrange a meeting of relevant countries to draw up a peace agreement that will formally end the Korean War. Read

North Korea Nuclear Agreement Awaits 'Moment of Truth'

In return for one million tons of heavy fuel oil and steps by the United States and Japan to normalize relations with North Korea, the Stalinist regime has promised to declare all of its nuclear programs and "disable" three facilities by year's end. That's the core of a landmark agreement released by the Chinese government Wednesday, a 700-word document that is striking not only for its contents, but for what is left out. Read

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Musharraf Paves Way for Re-Election

Bolstering his bid to be re-elected on Saturday as Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf has named the man who will succeed him as army chief if he wins. He also reportedly struck a deal that will guarantee support from an influential former prime minister. Read

Korean Conservatives Wary of Summit, on Track to Win Election

As the leaders of the two Koreas meet in Pyongyang, South Korea's conservative opposition party, which views the summit skeptically, is looking increasingly well placed to win upcoming presidential elections. Read

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Critics Call for Olympic Boycott Over Burma

Burma's clampdown on pro-democracy protesters has given new impetus to calls for Western countries to boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games over China's poor human rights record. So far, no government has pledged to do so. Read

Burma Regime Says Things Are Back to 'Normal'

A day before the U.N.'s top human rights body holds a special session on Burma's bloody clampdown on opposition protests, the military regime's foreign minister declared that "normalcy" had returned to the country. Read

Monday, October 01, 2007

Europe Pushes Ahead Plans for Anti-Death Penalty Day

Europe will mark an anti-death penalty day next week, but it won't be an official European Union initiative. Efforts to involve the E.U. failed when member state Poland refused to go along on the grounds that the death penalty debate ignored broader right-to-life questions. Read

Korean Leader to Walk Across Border Ahead of Summit

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun plans to walk across the world's most heavily fortified border Tuesday ahead of a summit with his reclusive counterpart in the Stalinist North, Kim Jong-il. Read

Iran Backs Lawmakers' Call to Label US Army, CIA 'Terrorists'

Iran's government on Sunday voiced support for a tit-for-tat resolution by the country's conservative-dominated parliament describing the U.S. Army and the Central Intelligence Agency as terrorist entities. Read