12 seconds ago 2009-12-09T13:50:02-08:00
U.S. to Iran: Release Americans
The White House called on Iran to release 3 Americans being held on accusations of espionage, saying they were hiking near the Iraq border and are innocent. Earlier Mon., a top Iranian prosecutor accused them of espionage, the first signal that Tehran intends to put them on trial. Iran may be using them as bargaining chips over stalled talks over its nuclear program.
China executes 9 men over riots
China executed the men, including 8 from the Muslim Uighur minority, for murder and other crimes during July riots that killed 200 people in the far western Xinjiang region. The men are the first to be put to death for China's worst ethnic violence in decades. The unrest began July 5 when Uighurs in the regional capital attacked Han people, who make up China's dominant ethnicity, only to face retaliatory attacks 2 days later.
ISRAEL: PM Benjamin Netanyahu called for peace talks to restart immediately, ahead of a meeting with Pres. Obama. The top Palestinian negotiator said if Israel doesn't take peacemaking seriously, it will find itself dealing with the militant Hamas instead of moderates like him.
