Secret NATO Taliban report revives Pakistan fears
The Taliban in Afghanistan depend on Pakistan for support, even though they do not necessarily welcome it, a secret NATO report says, according to a journalist who has read it. “It is a marriage of convenience,” Times of London reporter Jerome Starkey said Wednesday, citing the report. The Taliban see…
U.N. Security Council at standstill on Syria, reports of deaths rise
At least 48 people were killed across Syria Wednesday, opposition activists said, as diplomats at the United Nations prepare to debate once again how to respond to the mounting crisis in the country. The number killed in Wadi Barada, in the Damascus suburbs, rose to 21 according to the Local…
U.S. Peace Corps pulls out of Honduras
Tegucigalpa, Honduras (CNN) — The U.S. Peace Corps has pulled more than 150 volunteers out of Honduras while the organization reviews security in the Central American country, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. The 158 volunteers attended a conference over the weekend and have safely left Honduras, spokeswoman Kristina Edmunson said in…
China’s urban explosion: A 21st century challenge
Beijing (CNN) — Until about four years ago, farmer Zhou Jie and his family had been living in rural Anhui province, growing grain and other staples on a small plot of land. Now they live in the outskirts of Beijing, renting a tiny house owned by a local farmer. In…
Dynamic 2011 events to shape world for years to come
(CNN) — From the Arab Spring to a global economic crisis to the killing of Osama bin Laden, 2011 has been defined by historic and dynamic events that will shape the world in the years ahead. A revolt across the Middle East and North Africa began with the self-immolation of…
Lady Gaga’s album has steep drop in sales
After last week’s strong sales debut, Lady Gaga’s album “Born This Way” has seen a sharp decrease in sales. The superstar’s record sold more than a million copies in its first week, but for week two only 174,000 were sold, according to Billboard. Of course, Lady Gaga’s album was on…
