Mali's president rules out talks with Islamist rebels. The New York Times accuses Chinese hackers of attacking its website. I'm David Deforest reporting from Washington.
Mali's interim president Dioncounda Traore is ruling out dialogue with Islamist militants who took control of the country's north, saying he is only open to talks with Tuareg rebels. The Tuaregs first launched a rebellion in the north last January seeking (autonomy), but later joined the Islamists to seize control of the region. The Islamists later pushed the Tuaregs aside and moved to impose strict Islamic law.
The Russian Foreign Ministry is expressing concern about an alleged air strike by Israeli war-planes inside Syria. The ministry says such actions, if confirmed, amount to (unprovoked) attacks against the sovereign nation, in violation of the United Nations charter. Differing accounts of the Wednesday air strike have emerged.
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United Nations human rights investigators are calling on Israel to stop all settlement activity and immediately begin a process of withdrawing settlers from occupied Palestinian (territories). The report today was commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council.
Representatives of the human rights group Human Rights Watch say in their annual report, they are concerned about Syria, Mali and other areas in the so-called Arab Spring unrest. The New York-based group released their report today as we hear from Anita Powell.
Human Rights Watch says the euphoria and hope that spurred the Arab Spring 2 years ago have not brought about more rights for the people. This 665-page report released Thursday profiles human rights in more than 80 nations, including United States. Syria's violence and repression (dominated) this year's report. Human Rights Watch's executive director Kenneth Roth, speaking on a live telecast from London, called on Russia and China to impose stricter sanctions on Syria in an attempt to further pressure the government of President Bashar al-Assad. But the watchdog group says both sides, the government and the opposition, could have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes, such torture and (executions). Anita Powell, Johannesburg.
The 5 men charged with the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States do not appear for their pre-trial hearing today at the Guantanamo bay naval base in Cuba. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and 4 other alleged co-conspirators chose not to attend a hearing Tuesday following outburst on Monday when 1 of the suspects said he did not trust his (attorneys) and saw no point in coming to court. There's still no trial date set.
Former US Senator Chuck Hagel is facing tough questioning today as a Senate Panel considers his nomination to be the next US Secretary of Defense. The lawmakers on the Armed Services Committee say they will question Hagel on his views on national security, Israel and Iran.
Iran is planning to install new equipment at its main nuclear enrichment facility. The equipment would enable Iranians to refine uranium much faster than currently possible. Diplomats speaking to western news media on the condition of anonymity said today Iran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency it wants to install the modern (centrifuges) at the Natanz site in central Iran.
Taiwan's president is urging China and Japan to end their dispute over several islands and share the resources in the sea between them. Ralph Jennings reports.
President Ma Yingjiu told a news conference on Thursday that Taiwan, China and Japan should set aside differences without giving up (sovereignty) claims. Repeating a call for peace that he first made in August, the president said that natural resources were at the center of the dispute, but that they could be shared.
He says no one is going to back down in terms of sovereignty if claims are not settled. But the resources can still be shared in certain situations. The (uninhabited) islets some 220 kilometers from Taipei are rich in fisheries and may sit near undersea natural gas reserves. Ralph Jennings for VOA NEWS, Taipei.
The New York Times says Chinese hackers have repeatedly launched cyber attacks against its websites and journalists. They the attacks begun after the paper angered Chinese authorities by posting an article exposing the wealth of a senior politician. In a report, the newspaper says hackers used tactics known to be employed by the Chinese military to break into its network and steal email (passwords).
I'm David Deforest, more news on the Internet at VOA news.com.