30 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
Violence in Pakistan’s economic hub of Karachi continued for the second straight day, with 21 more killed, bringing the two day total to at least 30 killed and around 200 wounded in the city-wide violence. Shops closed and police declared emergencies in the local hospitals amid various incidents, from stone-throwing to aerial firing across the [...]
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30 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
At this week’s meeting, NATO will reportedly offer advice on reforms which Ukraine and Georgia need to pursue to be considered for potential membership, but they are not expected to offer formal roadmaps on the process. The move, proposed by the British government, aims to keep the two nations at least on track for potential [...]
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30 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
India continues to reel from last week’s Mumbai attacks, and with the finger of blame pointed squarely at Pakistan tensions between the two nations are at their worst level since 2002. As the two nations rally support and prepare to position growing amounts of their armed forces to their already tense border, the United States [...]
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30 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
In comments today Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani has said Western allies have been informed the nation will commit the approximately 100,000 troops deployed in the border region near Afghanistan to the Indian border. As tension rise the Prime Minister says “we can’t have a two-front situation.” The tenuous peace between Pakistan and India [...]
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30 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
Iraq’s most influential religious leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has expressed serious concerns about the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States which narrowly passed in Iraq’s Parliament on Thursday. Sistani says he believes the United States has the “upper hand” in the deal, and that it does not do enough to protect Iraq’s [...]
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28 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
More than 300 militants attacked an Afghan military convoy in Badghis Province late Thursday, sparking a battle which killed 13 Afghan security forces and injuring 11 others. The militants eventually withdrew, but took with them 16 captured soldiers and most of the 47 vehicles being transported by the convoy. A number of Taliban were also [...]
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28 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
Thursday’s narrow victory for the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in Iraq’s Parliament has put Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in a position of increased power. The Prime Minister has used the US military presence to enhance his own power, and has used President Bush’s insistence on getting the deal finalized before his term ends to [...]
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28 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
With the expiration of the United Nations mandate at the end of December, 13 of the 19 nations that still have military commitments to Iraq are set to bring them to an end by the end of the year. A farewell ceremony for Bosnia’s 86 soldiers is scheduled for Saturday, and South Korea’s is scheduled [...]
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28 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
Most of the city of Mumbai is now in a state of relative quiet, though reeling from attacks which started Wednesday evening. The Oberoi hotel has been retaken, some hostages were freed but at least 24 died. An attempt to retake a Jewish center earlier today likewise ended in tragedy. But the conflict is not [...]
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28 November 2008 | News | Jason Ditz
Updated 11/28 1:15 PM EST Terrorist attacks across the Indian city of Mumbai continue into their third day, with 160 people now confirmed dead, at least several hundred wounded, and Indian commandos still struggling to free hostages in multiple locations across the city. The Oberoi hotel has reportedly been secured, and a raid of a [...]
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