Daily News Channel
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez is considering naming an ambassador to the United States, signaling a shift in the historically tense relations between the two nations — one that the Obama administration welcomed. “It is possible we will begin evaluating the designation of an ambassador in the United States,” Chavez said in a statement Saturday after the meeting of leaders and representatives from 34 countries at the the fifth Summit of the Americas.
The United States is boycotting a U.N. conference on racism next week over a document that "singles out" Israel in its criticism and conflicts with the nation’s "commitment to unfettered free speech," the U.S.
Dutch naval forces captured seven pirates and freed 20 captive fishermen after tracking the pirates to their "mother ship" in the western Gulf of Aden on Saturday, a NATO maritime spokesman said. It happened after pirates launched an unsuccessful attack on a petroleum tanker called the MT Handytankers Magic, Cmdr
North Korea said Saturday any sanctions or pressure applied against it following its rocket launch earlier this month will be considered a "declaration of war." In an announcement on state-run television, the country said it was ready to step up efforts to develop nuclear weapons and poised for a military response to any moves against it. “The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK are always keeping themselves fully ready to go into action any moment to mercilessly punish anyone who encroaches upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK even a bit,” it said. On Monday the United Nations condemned North Korea — which refers to itself as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK — for launching a rocket.
In Paris, a woman pushed through the crowd to kiss America’s first black President. In London, the public celebrated how Barack Obama charmed a rare smile out of Queen Elizabeth II. In Istanbul, a fan claimed that the American head of state was a symbolic leader of Turkey.
The State Department Thursday called for a cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to allow civilians to escape the fighting, after a two day humanitarian pause ended with renewed violence. “We call upon the government and military of Sri Lanka, and the Tamil Tigers to immediately stop hostilities until the more than 140,000 civilians in the conflict area are safely out,” Acting Spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement. “Both sides must immediately return to a humanitarian pause and both must respect the right of free movement of those civilian men, women and children trapped by the fighting.” Wood urged the government to halt shelling of the safe zone and allow international monitors into ensure the safe exit of the civilians
The State Department voiced concern Thursday about the secret trial in Iran of an American journalist on espionage charges, calling it "baseless" and saying her release could aid U.S.-Iranian relations. Acting department spokesman Robert Wood confirmed Iranian reports that Roxana Saberi went on trial in Iran earlier this week on charges of spying. According to the reports, Iranian authorities said she has confessed
President Obama visits Mexico with many issues on the table, but reinstating the ban on assault weapons in the U.S.
The Obama administration will release four Bush-era memos on terror interrogations Thursday, according to a senior administration official. The administration also informed CIA officials they will not be prosecuted for past waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics, the official also confirms. The memos, written by a top Justice Department lawyer, provided legal guidance to the entire executive branch, including the intelligence agencies, on permissible “enhanced interrogation techniques” that could be used against suspected terrorists taken into custody.
A U.S. immigration appeals board on Thursday denied a request to reopen the deportation case of Nazi war crimes suspect John Demjanjuk. However, a federal appeals court’s stay on Demjanjuk’s deportation remains in effect.