Syrian rebels smashed statues of regime figures and ripped down pro-government posters in Idlib on Sunday as they celebrated the capture of the northern provincial capital after a three-year battle.
Idlib was the second major city to fall from government control and represents a rare coup for the country’s fragmented opposition. But it also raises the prospect of this strategically vital territory falling into the hands of Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria.
Read More
With an important surveillance-related section of the USA Patriot Act up for reauthorization this year, Google has teamed with other tech firms in sending a letter to lawmakers and others that spells out needed changes to US spy policies.
On Wednesday, Google revealed in a blog post that it has joined the Reform Government Surveillance coalition, civil rights groups and trade associations in sending the letter, which promotes transparency, accountability and an end to the bulk collection of data.
Read More
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for democracy in Africa on Saturday as Nigerians resolutely cast their votes amid shootings by Islamist militants and widespread technical glitches.
The long-awaited election in the continent’s biggest democracy, with 60 million potential voters, did not descend into the chaos or violence that the doomsayers had predicted, but it was hardly plain sailing. From the moment that President Goodluck Jonathan himself was rejected by a malfunctioning voter registration machine there were glitches until, by late afternoon,
Read More
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A U.S. army infantry convoy is driving through eastern Europe seeking to provide reassurance to a region concerned that the conflict between Russian-backed rebels and government forces in Ukraine threatens its security.
The U.S. “Dragoon Ride” convoy is attracting interest and greetings from people along its route. It started last week from Estonia and passed through Latvia and Lithuania before entering Poland on Monday.
Read More
Two more women came forward on Friday to accuse the veteran comedian Bill Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting them decades ago, when they were in their teens.
Sunni Welles and Margie Shapiro joined the more than three dozen women who have accused the 77-year-old comedian of sexual assault, reading statements alongside the celebrity attorney Gloria Allred.
Welles said she was a 17-year-old aspiring singer at the time of her encounter with Cosby, which took place in the mid-1960s in Hollywood after a visit to a jazz club.
Read More