WASHINGTON - The United States says it is cutting off financial contributions to the United Nations cultural agency following its vote Monday to grant Palestinians full membership.
The State Department said Washington will not make a $60 million November payment to UNESCO because of a longstanding U.S. law that prohibits American support for any U.N.-affiliated body […]
NEW YORK - The United Nations says the world’s population has reached the 7 billion mark.
A number of “seven billionth” babies are being honored around the world. The Philippines was chosen as the first country to celebrate the symbolic birth – feting a baby girl born late Sunday in Manila.
The U. N. looks at the […]
WASHINGTON - The White House says the United States has drones in Ethiopia and that the unmanned aircraft are there to conduct reconnaissance missions, not airstrikes.
Spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Friday that the operation is part of the U.S. government’s partnership with Ethiopia to promote stability in the Horn of Africa and combat terrorism.
U.S. […]
DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned of an “earthquake” across the Middle East if Western powers intervene in his country.
In an interview with British Daily Telegraph newspaper, Mr. Assad said Syria is different in every respect from Egypt, Tunisia or Yemen. He warned of “another Afghanistan” if foreign troops intervene, saying his country […]
JERUSALEM - The death toll from Israeli air raids on Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip rose to nine Saturday, while a retaliatory rocket fire by Palestinian militants killed one Israeli civilian and wounded at least two others.
Islamic Jihad said a commander of the Palestinian militant group was among those killed in the attacks.
The […]
WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will send blankets, sleeping bags, hygiene kits and other supplies to Turkey to help victims of the powerful earthquake that struck Sunday.
The Pentagon said Friday that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is authorizing U.S. European Command to begin airlifting humanitarian assistance after receiving a request from the Turkish government.
The death toll […]
WASHINGTON - The White House has ordered an independent review of U.S. Energy Department loans after the solar panel company, Solyndra, received a half-a-billion-dollar federal loan guarantee then went bankrupt.
White House Chief of Staff William Daley Friday said the review of the Energy Department’s loan program would be conducted by Herb Allison, a former Treasury […]
AMARILLO - Beef prices may be headed upward due to a severe, lingering drought in the southern United States which is putting a major financial squeeze on the region’s cattle producers.
Across Texas cattle country, livestock auctions have been unusually busy. As grazing lands dried up, cattlemen have been selling their livestock earlier in the season […]
NEW YORK - The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to end the authorization of the NATO no-fly zone over Libya, which was established in March to protect civilians from forces loyal to then-dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The vote was held despite a request from Libya’s interim government to delay the action.
The new resolution terminates as […]
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy grew faster in July, August, and September, as consumers stepped up spending.
Thursday’s report from the Commerce Department says the U.S. economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter.
That is the fastest rate in a year, and a big improvement over the previous three-month period.
A separate report […]
HOUSTON - NASA has launched a $1.5 billion weather satellite into orbit that aims to help improve weather forecasts and monitor long-term climate change.
The satellite, known as the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, is being carried by a Delta II rocket 800 kilometers above the surface of the earth.
The U.S. space agency says the […]
HONG KONG - Boeing’s long-awaited 787 Dreamliner landed in Hong Kong Wednesday on its first commercial flight, more than three years after the revolutionary aircraft had been scheduled to go into service.
Passengers paid premium prices to be on board for the flight from Tokyo. The plane’s unique design, which uses lightweight composite materials to make […]
LONDON - A coroner has ruled that British singer Amy Winehouse died as a result of drinking too much alcohol.
Speaking at the inquest in London Wednesday, coroner Suzanne Greenway issued a verdict of “death by misadventure” after Winehouse consumed enough alcohol to put her blood alcohol level at more than five times the legal drunk-driving […]
WASHINGTON - US consumers concerned about poor job market, possible impact of Europe’s debt crisis, and falling home prices U.S. consumer confidence has fallen to the lowest level in more than two years, while home prices have dropped over the past year.
Tuesday’s report from the Conference Board shows that in October, U.S. consumers were worried […]
WASHINGTON - After lawmakers rejected some of his initiatives to boost hiring, President Barack Obama is taking executive action to enact parts of his jobs plan.
The Obama administration has announced several programs to help military veterans find work.
White House officials said Tuesday they want community health centers to hire 8,000 military medics over three years. […]
AMARILLO - It was the end of an era Tuesday when experts at Pantex dismantled the United States’ oldest and biggest nuclear bomb, the B53.
Officials say dismantling the bomb involved separating 136 kilograms of high explosives from a uranium “pit” at the heart of the weapon.
The Cold War relic, which was put into service in […]
GENEVA - U.S. and North Korean diplomats Monday began two days of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, about restarting six-party negotiations on Pyongyang’s nuclear programs.
The U.S. delegation is headed by outgoing special envoy for North Korea Stephen Bosworth and his successor, Glyn Davies. They will present Washington’s position that Pyongyang must stop its uranium enrichment program […]
TRIPOLI - A human rights group reporting from the hometown of ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi says it has found the bodies of 53 people who appear to have been executed by fighters for the National Transitional Council during the bitter fighting for control of the city.
Humans Rights Watch said Monday it discovered the bodies […]
ISTANBUL - Officials in Turkey say the death toll from Sunday’s earthquake in Van province has risen to more than 260, with as least 1,000 injured.
They said the magnitude 7.2 quake near Turkey’s border with Iran did the most damage in the town of Ercis, about 90 kilometers north of the city of Van. The […]
BRUSSELS - The European Union has threatened more sanctions against Syria if the government crackdown on dissent continues.
EU leaders warned Damascus Sunday they “will impose further and more comprehensive measures against the regime” as long as the government continues to repress the civilian population.
The European bloc already has an embargo on crude oil imports from […]
WASHINGTON - The United States has withdrawn its ambassador to Syria over concerns for his personal safety.
U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday the decision to return Ambassador Robert Ford to Washington was based solely on ensuring his safety after receiving “credible threats.” U.S. officials say Ambassador Ford left Syria over the past few […]
TRIPOLI - Libya’s transitional leaders on Sunday declared their eight-month revolution over, after the fall of the last strongholds of the former government and the death of former leader, Moammar Gadhafi.
Jubilant Libyans poured into public squares like this one in Tripoli, chanting and waving the new Libyan flag. They came to join, from a distance, […]
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is defending the announced total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year, amid strong criticism from the president’s domestic political opponents.
More than eight years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the last American forces will soon be departing. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the […]
ISTANBUL - A strong earthquake has hit southeastern Turkey near the border with Iran. There are initial reports of damages and casualties, but no firm figures.
The magnitude 7.2 quake struck Van province on Sunday .
Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay says 25 to 30 buildings and a dormitory collapsed in the town of Ercis, and another […]
