World News

Pakistani Muslim cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri (center), speaks to a crowd from a bulletproof box in Islamabad in January. The cleric recently returned to Pakistan after years in Canada, and his calls for an end to corruption have brought supporters to the street

World News

Controversial Cleric Stirs Protests Upon Return To Pakistan

8:34pm February 20, 2013

by Jackie Northam

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri returned to his home country late last year, after spending eight years in Canada. The cleric has ignited a disgruntled electorate by taking on Pakistan's government, saying it has failed to curb militancy or fix the economy. His critics call him a demagogue who's more interested in the limelight.

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Students in Kabul protest violence against women in Kabul last fall. Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a decree in 2009 protecting women's rights, but parliament has not passed a law making the decree permanent.

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The Afghan Battle Over A Law To Protect Women

6:11pm February 20, 2013

by Sean Carberry

For nearly three years, the Afghan parliament has tried to pass a law banning violence against women. Supporters say they've made concessions to address conservatives' concerns. But critics say the proposal still violates Islamic law.

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Jake Tapper's new book, The Outpost, tells the story of one of America's deadliest battles during the war in Afghanistan.

Jake Tapper: 'The Outpost' That Never Should Have Been

3:10pm February 20, 2013

In a new book, the CNN anchor tells the story of Combat Outpost Keating. The ill-fated American military base was in a remote Afghan valley, and on Oct. 3, 2009, it became the site of one of the deadliest attacks against U.S. troops in the history of the war in Afghanistan.

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Flames Of Protest: The History Of Self-Immolation

2:19pm February 20, 2013

More than 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest Chinese rule, according to Tibetan advocacy groups. Self-immolations in Tunisia and Vietnam also gained international attention, but the motives and effectiveness of the practice are widely debated.

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In Bail Hearing, Pistorius Says Girlfriend's Death Was Accidental

9:41am February 20, 2013

Renee Montagne gets an update from New York Times correspondent Lydia Polgreen on the bail hearing for South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius. He is charged with murdering his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

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The Hazara Heritage Park will be built on the edge of Abbottabad, Pakistan, set in the foothills of the Himalayas.

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Amusement Park Planned In The Town Where Bin Laden Hid Out

6:42pm February 19, 2013

by Jackie Northam

Pakistani developers are planning a $30 million amusement park in Abbottabad, the place Osama bin Laden secretly lived for several years before his death. The park's project manager says he wants to look past the event that put the town on the map.

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Older Tech Workers Oppose Overhauling H-1B Visas

3:45pm February 19, 2013

by Martin Kaste

Overhauling immigration is complicated and controversial. There's been a proposed increase in H-1B visas. Those are the visas that allow companies to bring in skilled foreign workers for jobs that can't be filled by Americans.

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Islamists Failed To Quiet Mali's Music

12:33pm February 19, 2013

The African nation of Mali has long claimed it gave birth to the blues. Renee Montagne reports that the country's musical tradition was threatened this past year when Islamist militants took over the deserts of northern Mali and banned music.

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Newly Displaced Syrians Head For Turkish Border

9:01pm February 18, 2013

Refugee numbers are swelling again in southern Turkey due to a heavy Syrian army offensive in central Syria. Humanitarian aid groups are becoming overwhelmed.

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People read newspaper headlines in Athens. In 2009, there were 39 national dailies, 23 national Sunday papers, 14 national weekly papers and dozens of TV and radio stations for a population of 11 million.

Greece's Economic Crisis Reveals Fault Lines In The Media

7:05pm February 18, 2013

by Sylvia Poggioli

A system of favors among Greek media outlets, politicians and banks helped produce one of the most inflated media sectors in Europe. But the media have been hit hard by the country's massive austerity drive, and have taken a huge loss in terms of credibility.

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