Ashish Kumar Sen

Smuggled Libyan arms disrupting North Africa The Obama administration and other Western governments ignored early warnings about small arms and explosives being smuggled out of Libya — weapons that now have fallen into the hands of al Qaeda -linked militants waging war across North Africa.

State Department designates Pakistani terrorist group The State Department on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a Pakistan -based terrorist group that supports al Qaeda and the Taliban .

Disputes in Asia pose challenge to Obama Japan ’s territorial disputes with South Korea , a belligerent North Korea and an increasingly assertive China are posing challenges to the Obama administration as it seeks to deepen its engagement with Asia, analysts say. But a new crop of leaders in Japan and South Korea , and in China next month, presents an opportunity for the Asian neighbors to dial down the rhetoric, they add.

North Korea threat triggers global backlash North Korea on Tuesday threatened to destroy South Korea and hinted at “stronger steps” after its third nuclear test last week, prompting a stern response from the Obama administration and European nations.

Dissidents blame camp attack on Iraq An Iranian dissident group says Iraq ’s government had a hand in a rocket and mortar attack on its refugee camp north of Baghdad where seven people were killed and dozens injured earlier this month.

Sudanese rebels offer cease-fire A leader of a Sudanese rebel movement says his group is ready to pause a bloody war with Sudan ’s armed forces so that people affected by nearly two years of fighting can receive desperately needed humanitarian aid.

Human rights advocates warn of backsliding in Myanmar Human rights advocates warned the Obama administration Wednesday against lifting sanctions on Myanmar ’s military-backed government because its democratic reforms could be reversed .

Eyes turn to China after North Korea nuclear test North Korea ’s third nuclear test has put the burden on China to punish its communist ally, but Beijing is unlikely to do anything to hurt Pyongyang, Asia analysts said Tuesday.

Official: Syrian refugees straining Jordan’s resources Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled the 22-month-old civil war in their country are straining Jordan ’s resources and will exact a “humongous” cost on the kingdom, a top Jordanian official said Tuesday.

Obama calls North Korean nuclear test ‘highly provocative’  North Korea confirmed on Tuesday that it had conducted its third nuclear test, setting off a wave of global condemnation, including from President Obama, who called the test a “highly provocative act” that “undermines regional stability."

U.S. diplomat calls for international action in Congo The international community has “a moral imperative” to end the violence that has killed more than 5 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1998, the State Department ’s top diplomat for Africa said Monday.

Afghan President Karzai wants Taliban out of prison, in talks Afghan President Hamid Karzai is pushing Pakistan to release more Taliban prisoners, including the group’s deputy leader, in a move aimed at reviving peace talks with the militants, despite concern within his own administration that the battle-hardened Islamists could rejoin a decadelong insurgency that seeks to topple the government in Kabul.

Attack on Iranians’ camp kills 6, injure dozens in Iraq Six people were killed and dozens injured in a rocket attack on a camp for Iranian dissidents in Iraq on Saturday. The Obama administration condemned the assault, which it described as a “vicious and senseless terrorist attack.”

Ex-State Dept. official: U.S. will get ‘sucked in’ to Syria war The U.S. will eventually get “sucked into” Syria ’s civil war, the State Department ’s former lead diplomat on Syria predicted Friday.

France to host meeting on Libya security worries France will host a meeting next week to address growing concerns over the dire security situation in Libya , a French official said on Tuesday.

Pakistani ambassador: Drone strikes are ‘counterproductive’ Pakistan ’s ambassador to the United States lashed out at the Obama administration ’s use of drones to kill terrorists inside Pakistan , calling unmanned aerial attacks “counterproductive.”

Benghazi, Libya, deteriorating into security nightmare Security in Benghazi, the eastern Libyan city where four Americans were killed Sept. 11 in a terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate, has decayed to the point where Westerners are fleeing, assassinations and kidnappings are rife and residents worry that U.S. drone strikes on jihadist targets are imminent.