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West Asia
Egypt’s ousted president Morsi to stand trial for ‘inciting murder’ charges
Egyptian prosecutors referred Sunday ousted president Mohamed Morsi and 14 other people to a criminal court over the killing of a journalist and the violence that erupted over his controversial presidential declaration last year, official news agency MENA reported. The prosecutor general, Hesham Barakat, accused Morsi of inciting violence and…
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West Asia
US readies limited, unilateral military action on Syria as Britain opts out
President Barack Obama on Thursday prepared for the possibility of launching unilateral American military action against Syria within days as Britain opted out in a stunning vote by Parliament. Facing skepticism at home, too, the administration shared intelligence with lawmakers aimed at convincing them the Syrian government used chemical weapons…
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West Asia
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood leader denies ‘terrorism’ accusations
A fugitive leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has denied accusations his group is committing acts of “terrorism” following the coup that toppled the country’s president. Mohammed el-Beltagy’s address, which aired Tuesday, comes as the Brotherhood plans new demonstrations to defy a crippling security crackdown that has put most of its…
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East Asia
US, allies ready to launch strikes on Syrian military assets within days
The Obama administration tried to bolster its case Tuesday for possible military action against Syria within days, with intelligence agencies preparing to release intercepted communications aimed at proving Bashar Assad perpetrated a large-scale chemical weapons attack on civilians. “There’s no doubt who is responsible for this heinous use of chemical…
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West Asia
UN investigates chemical attacks in Syria as US’s military action imminent
U.N. experts collected samples and testimony from Syrian doctors and victims of an alleged chemical weapons attack Monday following a treacherous journey through government and rebel-held territory, where their convoy was hit by snipers. As U.S. officials said there was very little doubt that Syria used chemical weapons and Western…
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West Asia
5 suspects arrested for gang rape of 22-year-old Indian woman photojournalist
Police on Sunday arrested the last of five men wanted in the gang rape of a photojournalist in Mumbai, and said charges would be filed soon in a case that has incensed the public and fueled debate over whether women can be safe in India. The victim, a 22-year-old Indian…
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West Asia
Syrian gov’t agrees to UN investigation on last week’s chemical weapons attack
Syria agreed Sunday to a U.N. investigation into last week’s alleged chemical weapons attack outside Damascus – a deal a senior White House official dismissed as “too late to be credible,” saying the United States has “very little doubt” President Bashar Assad’s forces used such weapons. The hardening of the…
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West Asia
UN Chief calls for swift investigation on chemical weapon attacks in Syria
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called on the Syrian government to allow a U.N. team now in Damascus to swiftly investigate an alleged chemical weapon attack outside the capital that killed at least 100 people. U.N. deputy spokesman Eduardo del Buey said Ban remains “deeply troubled” by the alleged attack…
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West Asia
Asia stocks fallen after US Federal Reserve hints at stimulus phaseout
Asian stock markets fell Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve made it known that its top officials were leaning toward phasing out its massive stimulus program. The Fed released minutes of its July policy meeting Wednesday that showed most members want to slow down the pace of a massive bond-buying…
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West Asia
Egypt’s deposed autocrat Mubarak released and placed under house arrest
Egypt’s Prime Minister ordered Wednesday that deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak be placed under house arrest after he’s released from prison following more than two years in detention. The announcement came hours after a court ordered Mubarak be released for the first time since he was first detained in April 2011,…
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