France 'underestimated' Central African Republic hatred
BBC News
BBC News
France underestimated the level of hatred between Christian and Muslim communities in the conflict-riven Central African Republic, its ambassador to the UN has said. Gerard Araud told a UN meeting on Wednesday that African Union and French forces were confronting a "nearly impossible"...
Vote counting in Egypt's constitution referendum begins
Newstrack India
Newstrack India
Tweet Cairo, Jan 16 (IANS) Vote counting of Egypt's constitution referendum has been underway after polling stations across the country closed Wednesday evening, according to a statement of the High Electoral Committee. The constitution will be approved by winning over 50 percent of the vote, and...
Iraqi PM seeks world's help amid violence
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Iraq's prime minister has called for international help in his fight against armed Sunni Muslim groups amid continued violence across the country. Nouri al Maliki, who leads a government dominated by Shia Muslims, gave warning of a long fight ahead as 75 people died in a series of attacks in Baghdad...
To achieve peace in Syria, better start in Aleppo not Geneva
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
"What can we do? Obama is addicted to Geneva!", one DC insider said. He seemed truly exhausted by the presidential elusiveness on Syria. During my recent trip to Washington, he was not even the most dispirited person I met. Everybody, with a vague understanding of Middle Eastern affairs, looked...
Donors pledge nearly $1.3 billion at Syria meeting
Khaleej Times
Khaleej Times
Delegates from nearly 70 nations and 24 international organisations gather for the one-day event chaired by UN chief Ban Ki-moon. Donors meeting in Kuwait on Wednesday pledged nearly $1.3 billion in humanitarian aid for victims of the Syrian war, which the UN chief said had left half the population...
UN stresses Central African Republic disaster warning
BBC News
BBC News
A senior UN envoy has called for a huge international effort for the Central African Republic. Speaking to the BBC in the capital, Bangui, John Ging of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the country was in a "mega-crisis". Mr Ging said that many in the...
Australia hit by hundreds of new wildfires
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Lightning strikes ignited more than 250 fires in southeast Australia as firefighters battled to put out the flames and the country sweltered in a heatwave. Efforts in the state of Victoria on Wednesday focused on containing about 20 blazes. A further 18 fires had already been brought under control...
Israeli defence minister apologises to Kerry over diatribe
New Straits/Business Times
New Straits/Business Times
Israel's Minister of Defence Moshe Yaalon apologised to US Secretary of State John Kerry after he accused the American of having an "obsession" with Middle East peace, sparking a furious diplomatic row between the two allies. The White House had described Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon's initial...
Syria says West talks to Damascus about Islamist rebels
BBC News
BBC News
Western intelligence agencies have visited Damascus for talks on combating radical Islamist groups, Syria's deputy foreign minister has told the BBC. Faisal Mekdad said there was a schism between Western security officials and politicians who are pressing President Bashar al-Assad to step down....
At least 200 drown in South Sudan ferry accident while fleeing fighting
The Guardian
The Guardian
Between 200 and 300 people fleeing fighting in the city of Malakal feared dead in ferry accident on the White Nile river The ferry passengers were fleeing fighting in the city of Malakal. Photograph: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images At least 200 South Sudanese civilians drowned on Tuesday in a ferry...
Egypt holds key vote on country's new next charter
Star Telegram
Star Telegram
Associated Press CAIRO — Egyptians start voting Tuesday on a draft for their country's next constitution, a vision for the nation's future and a milestone in a military-backed roadmap put in place after Mohammed Morsi was overthrown in a coup last July. The two-day balloting is also widely...
Thailand crisis: Protesters march as 'shutdown' continues
BBC News
BBC News
Thai protesters have marched on several government buildings on the second day of what they are calling a shutdown of the capital, Bangkok. Demonstrators surrounded the Customs Department and key road junctions remained blocked. The protesters want the government of Prime Minister Yingluck...
Govt forces to take over security in Mexico state
The Guardian
The Guardian
MARK STEVENSON Associated Press= APATZINGAN, Mexico (AP) â Federal forces will take over security in a large swath of a western Mexico state where firefights between vigilante groups and drug traffickers erupted over the weekend, a top Mexican official announced Monday. Interior Secretary Miguel...
U.S. and Russia say Syria aid access and local ceasefire possible
Yahoo Daily News
Yahoo Daily News
By Warren Strobel PARIS (Reuters) - Syria's government and some rebels may be willing to permit humanitarian aid to flow, enforce local ceasefires and take other confidence-building measures in the nearly three-year-old civil war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday. Kerry said...
