International

Zurich mosque attack probe reveals killing by occultist suspect

Vienna (dpa) – The man who opened fire in a Zurich mosque and then took his life had earlier killed an acquaintance with a knife before beginning the shooting spree, investigators said Tuesday. “There are no indications that terrorism was involved,” prosecutor Francoise Stadelmann said about the 24-year-old Swiss suspect who was apparently interested in […]

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International

UN General Assembly adopts N. Korea human rights resolution

The U.N. General Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution calling for referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court for human rights violations. This was the 12th straight year that the world body has issued a resolution on the North’s human rights and the third straight year that it has called for Pyongyang’s referral to

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International

New leaked documents reveal Rex Tillerson’s relationship with Russia may go deeper than anybody realized

Rex Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chief picked by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next secretary of state, was already going to have to answer tough questions in confirmation hearings about his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Now come leaked documents that suggest Tillerson’s relationship with Putin and the Kremlin is even cozier than initially

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International, USA

Opposing crowds rally as Jakarta governor’s blasphemy trial resumes

Jakarta (dpa) – Supporters and opponents rallied outside a court building in the Indonesian capital Tuesday as the blasphemy trial of the city’s governor resumed. The crowd opposed to Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, mainly conservative Muslims, demanded the court hand him a maximum five-year sentence for blasphemy. Purnama’s supporters, many wearing red and white

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International

Russia, Turkey signal solidarity as probe into ambassador’s killing continues

ISTANBUL — Turkey and Russia staged a determined show of solidarity Tuesday, a day after an off-duty Turkish police officer gunned down Russia’s ambassador in a shocking public assassination that added another layer of complexity to the Syrian conflict. While foreign ministers from the two countries, plus Iran, pressed ahead with an already-planned meeting in

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International

Russia, Iran and Turkey push for Syria peace plan without US or UN

Russia, Iran and Turkey have said they are ready to help broker a peace deal for Syria. After talks in Moscow, the three countries’ foreign ministers expressed confidence they could revive the stalled peace process. They also plan to try to expand a ceasefire. The United States was notably absent from the meeting. Russia’s Foreign

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International, Middle East

Mall of America pulls PETA anti-wool ads posted inside

MINNEAPOLIS — Animal welfare activists say their advertisements in the Mall of America opposing the wool industry’s treatment of lambs were taken down by mall officials. In response to the mall’s actions, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, commonly known as PETA, staged a protest in downtown Minneapolis early Tuesday afternoon, with three nearly

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The World We Share, USA

Cross border cooperation for music, dance and the arts

By Mimi Pollack Makeda[/caption]SAN DIEGO –Makeda “Dread” Cheatom believes the world would be a better place if people took the time to learn about and respect other cultures. She believes there would be less prejudice and a greater understanding among people. Learning about different cultures and promoting unity in diversity have been lifelong passions for

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International, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Sylvester Stallone Says He Will Decline Trump’s Art Commission Offer

Responding to media reports that suggested that the President-elect Donald Trump advisory team has nominated Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone for the position of chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the 70-year-old actor said Sunday that while he is flattered, he will not be taking up the job. The Hollywood star best remembered

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USA

President Obama Signs Law to Aid Recovery of Nazi-Looted Art

Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder Praises Obama and Congress for Delivering Overdue Justice to Holocaust Victims and Their Families WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On Friday evening, President Barack Obama signed the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act into law. The new law ends an era where victims of the Nazis and their descendants were

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International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA