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US scolds Russia for sending arms to Syria
The US has scolded Russia for sending missiles to the Syrian government, with plans for an international peace conference promoted by the two major powers appearing to founder on diplomatic rifts over its scope and purpose. General Martin Dempsey, the most senior US military officer, has described Russia's recent delivery of anti-ship missiles to President Bashar al-Assad as "ill-timed and very unfortunate". "It's at the very least an unfortunate decision that will embolden the regime and prolong the suffering," he said in Washington DC on Friday. He said the transfer of Russian arms risked extending the war which has already killed more than 80,000 Syrian...
Afghanistan MPs to debate law on women's rights
Afghan MPs are to debate a law to prevent violence against women, amid a fierce argument between leading Afghan women over tactics. A law banning violence against women, child marriages and forced marriages was passed by presidential decree in 2009, but did not gain MPs' approval. Some want the law set in concrete through a...
Litvinenko's widow seeks public inquiry into death
The widow of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko has called for the upcoming inquest into his death to be abandoned and replaced with a public inquiry. Marina Litvinenko said it was the only way to find the truth about the death of her husband, who was poisoned with radioactive polonium in London in 2006. The coroner ruled , citing national security. Mrs Litvinenko accused him of deciding to "abandon his search for the truth". She said...
Bill Gates Becomes Richest Man as Microsoft Hits 5-Year High
(Adds Elon Musk details in the 13th paragraph.) May 17 (Bloomberg) -- Bill Gates is once again the world’s richest person. The 57-year-old co-founder of Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp. recaptured the title from Mexican investor Carlos Slim yesterday, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, as the software maker hit a five-year high. It is the first time Gates has held the mantle since 2007. His fortune is valued at $72.7 billion, up 16 percent year-to-date. Slim’s America Movil SAB, the largest mobile-phone operator in the Americas, has dropped 14 percent this year after Mexico’s Congress passed a bill that could quash the billionaire’s market dominance. That’s...
France gay marriage: Hollande set to sign bill
France's president is to sign into law a controversial bill that will make the country the eighth in Europe, and 14th globally, to legalise gay marriage. On Friday, the Constitutional Council rejected a challenge by the right-wing opposition, clearing the way for Francois Hollande to sign the bill. He said: "I have taken [the decision]; now it is time to respect the law...
Curse of Second Term Presidential Collapses
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling There appears to be a curse stalking second term presidents, specifically starting with Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon and continuing through to President Barack Obama. President Obama's malevolent shadow, namely Benghazigate, IRSgate and the more recent APgate, have almost utterly enveloped him and his administration. And like previous second term presidents, it has made it nearly impossible for him to move forward with important political decisions and governmental actions. Health problems and a full tank of active conservatism that slowly evaporated allowed Congress to reverse President Eisenhower's foreign policies. He was...
Myanmar Pardons At Least 20 Political Prisoners Ahead Of U.S. State Visit
YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar's president pardoned at least 20 political prisoners on Friday, just ahead of an historic state visit to the United States that will highlight the two sides' improved relations brought about by the former pariah nation's democratic reforms. Ye Aung, a member of the government's political prisoner scrutiny committee, said 20 prisoners had been freed so far Friday, with more releases expected. The exact number to be released was unclear, though a former prisoner who tracks releases, Ba Myo Thein, said he had heard that at least 32 would be freed. President Thein Sein will visit the White House on Monday, the first state visit by a Myanmar leader in almost 47 years....
Argentine Ex-Dictator Jorge Videla Dies in Prison
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Former Argentine dictator Jorge Rafael Videla has died of natural causes while serving life sentences in prison for crimes against humanity. Videla took power in a 1976 coup and led a military junta that killed thousands of his fellow citizens in a dirty war to eliminate "subversives." Federal Prison...
UN pushes for swift action in Syrian conflict
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for peace talks on Syria to take place as soon as possible. A new US-Russia proposal aims to defuse Syria's civil war by overseeing direct negotiations between its leaders. Speaking at a joint press conference with Russia's foreign minister in Sochi on Friday, the UN secretary general called on international leaders to coordinate a Syrian peace conference in Geneva soon. DW.DE Iraq, Afghanistan can serve as lessons for Syria Worse than not learning from history, is drawing the wrong lessons. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars carry lessons for the US and its allies in Syria. We just need to get it right, writes Bruce W. Jentleson. (16.05.2013) Erdogan...
Syrian regime's position strengthens as world pushes for diplomatic solution
If there’s one thing you can say about Bashar al-Assad, it’s that he has staying power. For more than two years, the Syrian president has defied predictions that his downfall is imminent. His regime has certainly suffered many setbacks during the brutal civil war that shows no signs of ending, but it's clear right now that Assad and his followers have been gaining momentum. The most recent example came just a few days ago, when Syrian forces took control of a town near the highway that links Damascus to neighboring Jordan. After battles with the opposition, government troops reopened the roadway near Khirbet Ghazaleh. Re-establishing control means Syrian...
Boko Haram holds Nigeria to ransom
The aftermath of fighting between Boko Haram and the Nigerian military in the remote fishing village of Baga. (AFP) Our Coverage More Coverage The road to Baga in Nigeria is littered with burnt-out cars, and it winds through terrain that has proved fertile ground for radical ideologies to take root. On the cusp of the Sahara, it traces a route through the former ancient Islamic kingdom of Bornu, a thriving sultanate that grew rich on trans-desert trade. Now known as Borno state, today it is home to some of Africa's most impoverished communities. Boko Haram, Islamist insurgents whose bombs are responsible for the carcasses of cars by the roadside, has thrived by tapping...
Jordan to host 'world's largest refugee camp'
Al-Zaatari refugee camp near Jordan's northern border with Syria is the second largest refugee camp in the world. On days when violence in Syria worsens, between 2,000-4,000 Syrians flood into Zaatari, and the stories they tell are horrific. "Things are happening in Syria that our minds couldn't even imagine," 65-year-old Nada Salim Abdullah, who has been in the camp four months, told Al Jazeera. "People were being captured and they were slaughtering them like chickens." Abdullah, who fled his home in Deraa with his family, spoke of atrocities committed by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Other refugees told Al Jazeera of atrocities carried out by opposition forces. Nearly half a...
Texas Tornado Leaves 6 Dead, Dozens Hurt, Hundreds Homeless
"A massive emergency response" is underway in North Texas, where tornadoes blew through Wednesday night, The Dallas Morning News says. A twister that hit Granbury, about 35 miles southwest of Fort Worth, left at least...
Taliban suicide bomber strikes Nato convoy in Afghanistan
At least six Afghans killed, including three children, in rush hour attack that may also have killed a number of Nato personnel A US soldier inspects the scene of a suicide car bomb attack targeting a convoy of Nato forces in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photograph: S. SABAWOON/EPA A suicide bomber drove his explosives-packed Toyota Corolla into a Nato convoy in Kabul, tearing an armoured vehicle to shreds...
UN General Assembly approves Syria resolution
The U.N. General Assembly approved an Arab-backed resolution Wednesday calling for a political transition in Syria, but more than 70 countries refused to vote "yes" because of its support for the main opposition group and fears the resolution could torpedo a new U.S.-Russia effort to end the escalating conflict. The United States co-sponsored the resolution, saying it would promote a political solution. But key Syrian ally Russia urged a "no" vote, saying it was "counterproductive and irresponsible" to promote a one-sided resolution when Moscow and Washington are trying to get the Syrian government and opposition to agree to negotiations. The resolution, which is not legally binding though...
Cyclone Mahasen crosses Bangladesh coast, two dead
CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Cyclone Mahasen started crossing Bangladesh's low-lying coast on Thursday, bearing down on the ports of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, as tens of thousands of people huddled in shelters from a storm which the United Nations says threatens 4.1 million people. Winds up to 100 kph (60 mph) lashed the coast and whipped up waves, with an expected 2.1 metres (seven feet) storm surge and heavy rain expected to cause widespread flooding. People carry their belongings while moving to a shelter as Cyclone Mahasen approaches, in Cox's Bazar May 15, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer "It started to cross and is approaching towards Chittagong and Cox's...
Syria conflict: BBC shown 'signs of chemical attack'
The BBC has been shown evidence claiming to corroborate reports of a chemical attack in Syria last month. A BBC correspondent who visited the northern town of Saraqeb was told by eyewitnesses that government helicopters had...
Bangladesh orders one million evacuated as Cyclone Mahasen nears
CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Bangladesh is evacuating one million people with Cyclone Mahasen expected to hit its low-lying delta coast on Thursday evening, said the United Nations, which estimated 4.1 million people were at risk due to gale-force winds, heavy rain and flooding. Bangladesh has raised its storm warning to seven, on a scale with a maximum of 10, as Mahasen approaches one of the poorest countries in Asia with winds of around 100 kmh (60 mph). People carry their belongings while moving to a shelter as Cyclone Mahasen approaches, in Cox's Bazar May 15, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer The storm has already killed at least seven...
Mandela Fades Amid Battles Over Who Will Claim Legacy
JOHANNESBURG — “Smile!” the visitor implored, an edge of forced bonhomie in his voice, as he held up a cellphone camera to take a snapshot. Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors But the face of Nelson Mandela, the 94-year-old leader of the struggle against apartheid who became South Africa’s beloved first black president, remained impassive as stone. He looked confused and irritated, as if his rheumy eyes failed to register the faces of the top leaders of the African National Congress who came to see him last month, even though he had known them for decades. These images, captured by a government...
Israel Hints at New Strikes, Warning Syria Not to Hit Back
Correction Appended WASHINGTON – A senior Israeli official signaled on Wednesday that Israel was considering further military strikes on Syria to stop the transfer of advanced weapons to Islamic militants, and he warned the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, that his government would face crippling consequences if it retaliated against Israel. The Israeli official said: "Israel is determined to continue to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah. The transfer of such weapons to Hezbollah will destabilize and endanger the entire region." "If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through his terrorist proxies," the official said, "he...
US navy launches carrier-borne drone
A drone the size of a fighter jet has taken off from the deck of an US aircraft carrier for the first time in a test flight that could eventually open the way for the US to launch unmanned aircraft from almost anywhere in the world. The X-47B is the first drone designed to take off and land on a carrier, meaning the US military would not need permission from other countries to use their bases. Developed by Northrop Grumman under a 2007 contract at a cost of $1.4bn, the X-47B is capable of carrying weapons and providing around-the-clock intelligence, surveillance and targeting, according to the navy, which has been giving updates on the project over the past few years. The move...
France tips into double dip recession
France, the second largest economy in the eurozone, entered recession in the first quarter this year - its second in four years. Photo: AFP By Denise Roland 8:35AM BST 15 May 2013 Comments Gross domestic product contracted 0.2pc, after shrinking the same amount in the last quarter of 2012, the official INSEE statistics office said on Wednesday. A technical recession is defined as two quarters of negative growth. The data is further bad news for Socialist president Francois Hollande - who today marks his first full year in power - after the number of jobless people hit an all-time high in March. Interactive chart: French GDP since financial crisis (% quarter-on-quarter) INSEE also revised...
Nigeria declares state of emergency
Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has acknowledged that parts of Borno state have been 'taken over' by insurgents. (AFP) More Coverage The insurgents, who say they are fighting to create an Islamic state in the north, have carried out scores of attacks since 2009 but Jonathan said the violence can no longer be treated as "militancy or criminality". In a televised speech on Tuesday, he described the attacks as amounting to "a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat...
Taiwan rejects Manila apology for fisherman death
TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan slammed Manila’s apology for the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman as informal and insincere, and said Wednesday it is recalling its representative and will discourage travel to the Philippines. AP Photo Eds: Adds background. With AP Photos. The shooting has focused renewed attention on fishing disputes in and around the South China Sea, which have turned the area into one of the region’s most tense. It has also brought to the fore China’s efforts to make common cause with Taiwan, which split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949. The...
Palestinians mark 65th anniverary of Nakba
Palestinians are marking the 65th anniversary of the Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Arabs were forced out of their homes and into exile. Sirens will be sounded for 65 seconds and demonstrations will take place in Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarem, Qalqilya, Bethlehem and Jericho to mark the day. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced from their villages during the war that established Israel in 1948, an event they commemorate every year as their Nakba Day, Arabic for "catastrophe". On Tuesday, the eve of the anniversary, Palestinians carried 65 torches through the streets of Ramallah to mark the event, while hundreds of others gathered around a stage to hear the...
Human Rights Watch alleges atrocities by rebels in Syria
BEIRUT -- Gruesome video footage purportedly showing a Syrian rebel commander mutilating the corpse of a dead soldier while shouting sectarian insults has drawn condemnation from Human Rights Watch and focused renewed attention on battlefield atrocities in Syria. A statement by the New York-based rights group cites a video circulating widely on the Internet that appears to show the insurgent leader using a knife to cut out the heart and liver from the corpse and then putting the heart in his mouth. "I swear to God, soldiers of Bashar, you dogs -- we will eat your heart and livers!" the...
Brazilian Court Council Removes a Barrier to Same-Sex Marriage
RIO DE JANEIRO — The council overseeing Brazil’s judiciary ruled on Tuesday that notary publics cannot refuse to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies, a decision that opens the way for gay couples across Latin America’s largest country to marry. Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors The move by the National Council of Justice, a 15-member panel led by Joaquim Barbosa, the chief justice of the nation’s high court, effectively legalizes gay marriage throughout Brazil, legal scholars here said. The decision follows legislation in two neighboring countries, Argentina and Uruguay, where lawmakers have...
Nigeria: State of Emergency Declared
Admitting that Islamist extremists now control some of his nation’s villages and towns, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency on Tuesday across Nigeria’s troubled northeast, promising to send more troops to fight what he said is now an open rebellion. Mr. Jonathan warned that any building suspected of housing Islamist extremists would be taken over in what he...
EU strikes deal on extra 2013 budget funds
An extra 7.3bn euros (£6.2bn; $9.5bn) is due to be added to the EU's budget for 2013 under a compromise reached between member states in Brussels. The European Council agreed the figure after the UK objected to the European Commission's original request for 11.2bn euros to settle unpaid bills. The Council said it understood the pressures on...
Japan mayor says wartime sex slaves necessary
The Japanese military's forced prostitution of Asian women before and during World War II was necessary to "maintain discipline" in the ranks and provide rest for soldiers, an outspoken nationalist mayor has said. The comments made on Monday are already raising anger in neighbouring countries that bore the brunt of Japan's wartime aggression, and that have long complained that Japan has failed to make amends for wartime atrocities. Toru Hashimoto, the young, brash mayor of Osaka who is also co-leader of an emerging conservative political party, also told reporters that there was not clear evidence that the Japanese military coerced women to become what are euphemistically called "comfort...
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