It was an odd choice for a gift. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the White House carrying a book for President Barack Obama, an edition of the American humorist Mark Twain’s travels to the Holy Land. Twain didn’t like the place much; he wrote rudely about the Arabs and thought the Jews should not have their own nation
Tag Archives: peace
A Video from the Grave Sends Guatemala into Crisis
When Rodrigo Rosenberg turned up dead on Mother’s Day in an upscale neighborhood in Guatemala City, his murder was seen as little more than another execution-style shooting in one of Latin America’s most dangerous countries.
Suu Kyi to face charges, supporters say
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is to be taken to a prison courtroom in Myanmar Thursday, after an American was arrested for allegedly sneaking into the home where she is under house arrest, a spokesman for her political party said.
Obama condemns Sri Lanka fighting, urges aid
President Obama on Wednesday urged Sri Lanka to halt "indiscriminate" shelling of civilians trapped with the remnants of the country’s Tamil Tiger rebels and to let humanitarian aid in.
Biden prods Israel on settlements
Vice President Joe Biden prodded Israel on Tuesday to halt the expansion of its settlements on the West Bank, a move he called a necessary step toward ending the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Biden told the annual conference of the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee that Israel’s new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has “important ideas” about the peace process.
Spanish court to probe Gaza bombing
A Spanish court decided Monday to investigate Israel for an alleged "crime against humanity" for its 2002 bombing in Gaza that killed 15 people and wounded 150 others, according to a copy of the court order viewed by CNN.
Auto companies strive to end car ‘totaling’
Have you ever heard of someone having their car "totaled"? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident, replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life, the reality is sometimes far removed. In fact, there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle’s frame is bent, even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable
Chinua Achebe: Africa’s man of letters
African Voices catch up with Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, Africa’s man of letters. A contender for the title of Africa’s most widely read novelist, his first work "Things Fall Apart" has been translated into 40 languages
Palestinian graffiti spreads message of peace
Emblazoned on a long, tall, concrete barrier in the midst of a rocky Middle Eastern landscape is this spray-painted message: "Mirror, mirror on the wall. When will this senseless object fall?" It’s one of more than 900 graffiti messages that have been spray-painted by Palestinians on the controversial wall that separates Israel and the West Bank.
Pakistan deal enshrines sharia law
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law Monday a peace deal for the nation’s violence-plagued Swat Valley, according to a presidential spokesman. The deal implements Islamic law, or sharia, in the Swat Valley region of North West Frontier Province. Last week, pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Mohammad announced he was pulling out of a peace deal for Swat Valley, saying the government was not serious about implementing Islamic law, or sharia, in the region.