U.N. official: Sri Lanka ceasefire ‘inadequate’

The United Nations humanitarian chief Wednesday criticized a two-day pause in the fighting between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels as "inadequate." John Holmes, the under secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, told reporters that the 48-hour break in hostilities was not sufficient, even as fighting resumed in the northeast of the country. The brief cessation of hostilities was announced by the Sri Lankan government on April 12 and allowed the U.N.

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Thai protesters suspend rallies

Thousands of protesters who had amassed for days outside the government headquarters in Bangkok dispersed Tuesday after a top leader called on them to suspend their rallies until after the Thai New Year celebrations. Soon after the leader, Veera Muksikapong, made his announcement, protesters left by foot or on motorcycles from the area around the Government House

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Man charged with murder, drunk driving in pitcher’s death

The man police say was driving drunk when he ran a red light and struck a car, killing a Major League Baseball pitcher and two others has been charged with murder. Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, was charged with three counts of murder, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crime, the Orange County district attorney’s office announced Friday.

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Report: Dane in running for NATO top job

The Danish prime minister has told his party he is a candidate for NATO’s top job, a spokeswoman for the party told Danish TV on Friday. Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced his aspirations to the Liberal Party Friday morning, party spokeswoman Inger Stojberg said in an interview posted on Denmark’s TV2 News Web site.

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Argentine farmers protest export taxes

Farmers in Argentina blocked highways and rural routes throughout the country to protest anew the lack in progress in negotiations with the government over export taxes on farm goods. Argentine television news channel Todo Noticias showed images of trucks and cars stopped along rural routes in the provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Rios on Thursday

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U.S. calls for conference on Afghanistan

The United States is calling for a conference on Afghanistan and the broader regional challenge to take place March 31, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Thursday. Clinton made the announcement in her first address as secretary of state to the North Atlantic Council at NATO.

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Sudan’s President Could Be Indicted Over Darfur

If the prognosticators are correct, the International Criminal Court will issue its first arrest warrant for a sitting head of state on Wednesday afternoon. That’s when the court will announce whether Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir ought to stand trial on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes for his alleged role in orchestrating the Darfur conflict. Regardless of what one makes of the idea of international justice, an arrest warrant would be a historic move that many human-rights experts believe will further erode that sense of impunity shared by dictators the world over.

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