Dilemma X

Japan’s population contracts at fastest rate since at least 1947 By Julian Ryall in Tokyo Daily Telegraph The population shrank by 204,000 in 2011 to a total of 126.24 million, according to the health ministry, the sharpest decline since comparable figures were first compiled in 1947. Of the total, nearly 20,000 were victims of the […]

Nigeria gas price protest turns violent in Lagos By SUNDAY ALAMBA and YINKA IBUKUN Associated Press LAGOS, Nigeria— Protesters furious over spiraling gas prices set fires on an expressway Tuesday and at least one person was killed in the violent unrest after Nigeria’s government did away with a subsidy program that had kept fuel costs […]

U.S. agrees to $3.5 billion arms sale to United Arab Emirates By Jim Wolf Reuters  WASHINGTON- The United States has signed a $3.5 billion sale of an advanced antimissile interception system to the United Arab Emirates, part of an accelerating military buildup of its friends and allies near Iran. The deal, signed on December 25 […]

Beijing launches three new subway sections By Xu Wei China Daily BEIJING – Three new subway lines, including one new subway line and two line extensions, began trial operation on Saturday afternoon. The three subway lines are subway Line 9 and extensions to the existing Line 8 and Line 15. The opening of the three […]

Nigeria’s president declares state of emergency in parts of country after recent sect attacks By Felix Onuah and Tim Cocks Reuters ABUJA- Coming nearly a week after radical sect Boko Haram set off a series of bombs across Nigeria on Christmas Day, including one at a church that killed at least 37 people and wounded […]

Preliminary magnitude 7.0 quake hits Japan, no tsunami warning Associated Press TOKYO — A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 earthquake hit off the shores of Japan’s southern Pacific island. The Meteorological Agency says the offshore quake Sunday struck about 370 kilometers (230 miles) below the sea surface. The agency said there was […]

Sydney, Australia welcomes 2012 with a spectacular fireworks display

Construction of World’s Largest Telescope Begins in 2012   By SPACE.com   The European Southern Observatory’s plan to begin construction of the world’s largest telescope — the European Extremely Large Telescope — will take a big step forward in 2012 now that early funding for the project has been secured.   The European Southern Observatory […]

Raila, Uhuru invited to ANC celebrations By Peter Orengo The Standard South African President Jacob Zuma has invited Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his deputy Uhuru Kenyatta for centenary celebrations of the African National Congress (ANC) party in South Africa. Raila’s director of communications Denis Onyango Thursday confirmed that the PM, who is ODM party […]

US finalizes deal to sell F-15s to Saudi Arabia; part of effort to contain threats from Iran By Associated Press HONOLULU — The sale of $30 billion worth of F-15SA fighter jets to Saudi Arabia has been finalized, boosting the military strength of a key U.S. ally in the Middle East to help counter Iran, […]