After weeks of unseasonably mild and dry weather, Denver was slammed with a blast of winter weather, meteorologists said.
Blizzard conditions Friday night closed roads and highways, including a section of I-70 from Denver to Kansas City. Accuweather.com reports blinding snow and slippery conditions have also affected other major highways. Up to 5 feet of snow has been reported in parts of Colorado.
More than 600 flights were canceled at Denver International Airport.
Residents heeded a travel advisory that said it would be "extremely dangerous, if not impossible," to venture outside their homes. The light traffic allowed snowplows to keep ahead of the accumulating heaps on the highway.
Soctt Entrekin, spokesman for the National Weather Service, told The Denver Post: "Usually the first part of February is quite dry. Four or five days ago, this storm didn't even seem a possibility."
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said he was pleased with the execution of the plan to clear the streets and artery roads whenever the city gets more than 12 inches of snow.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Russia, China block U.N. Syria resolution
Feb 04, 01:40 PM
Russia and China blocked a U.N. resolution Saturday condemning the Syrian crackdown amid reports more than 200 dissidents had been killed in Homs.
The two veto powers said the Security Council measure, which supports an Arab League peace plan, violates Syria's sovereignty, The New York Times reported. The other 13 members of the council voted for the resolution.
Syrian dissidents said Saturday more than 260 people had been killed in the bombardment of Homs that began Friday night. While the stories filtering out of the city could not be confirmed, the attack would be the deadliest of the 11-month struggle between opposition protesters and the government of President Bashar Assad if they are true.
U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement pointing out the attack on Homs occurred on the 30th anniversary of the massacre in Hama, carried out by Assad's father.
"The Syrian regime's policy of maintaining power by terrorizing its people only indicates its inherent weakness and inevitable collapse," Obama said. "Assad has no right to lead Syria, and has lost all legitimacy with his people and the international community."
The Syrian National Council said hundreds were wounded in the assault, which lasted from about 9 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday, the Times reported. Activists said the military blocked roads, preventing the injured from getting to hospitals.
The council accused government forces of "randomly bombing residential areas," with women and children among those killed. Activists said most of the deaths occurred in the residential area of Khalidiya, where reports said a hospital was also destroyed, the BBC said.
"The Syrian National Council calls on everyone around the world to speak up and do something to stop the bloodshed of innocent Syrians," the council said in a statement.
Omar Shakir, a dissident in Homs, told The Washington Post many of those who died were in buildings that collapsed under missile attack from government forces surrounding Homs.
The Times said the assault apparently began after defectors attacked two military checkpoints and kidnapped soldiers.
Assad's government denied the toll, accusing activists of mounting a propaganda campaign before the Security Council vote.
Meanwhile, activists attacked Syrian embassies in Berlin, London and Cairo.
Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said the government may have been heartened by Russian "stalling" on a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Syrian government violence against dissenters.
Syrians in the United States and Britain said they had been in touch with friends and family in Homs who confirmed Shakir's account.
Dima Moussa, who was born in Homs and now lives in the United States, is a member of the Syrian National Council.
"At least four buildings have collapsed," she told the Post. "There are still people under the rubble. It's the middle of the night -- they can't get to them."
At least 7,100 people, including 461 children, have died since the uprising began in March, the Local Coordination Committees, a network of opposition activists, said. The United Nations said in January 5,400 had been killed but stopped counting, saying it was too difficult to confirm the toll.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Competing Russian rallies draw thousands
Feb 04, 11:04 AM
Tens of thousands of people turned out Saturday for Moscow rallies supporting and opposing Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Putin opponents called on Russians not to vote for him in the March 4 presidential election and demanded fair elections after previous rallies that alleged voter fraud in favor of Putin's United Russia Party in December's parliamentary elections, RIA Novosti reported.
"We are prepared for a long, tough struggle," protest organizer and opposition figure Boris Nemtsov before the rally. "One peaceful march will not change the country."
Police said 35,000 people attended the opposition rally, while organizers put the number at 100,000.
About 160,000 attended the pro-government rally, police said.
Speakers at that rally accused the opposition of seeking a revolution in support of the interests of Western powers.
"We say no to the destruction of Russia. We say no to Orange arrogance. We say no to the American government. ... Let's take out the Orange trash," political analyst Sergei Kurginyan said at the rally, which he co-organized.
Like others, he said opponents plan to overthrow Putin through public protests, like those during Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Police raid Occupy D.C. encampment
Feb 04, 11:04 AM
U.S. Park Police raided an Occupy D.C. encampment in Washington and arrested four people Saturday, authorities said.
Officers on horseback and on foot with riot gear cleared some tents and debris after entering McPherson Square about 6 a.m., The Washington Post reported.
Those arrested had refused to leave an area in the center of the park where workers were trying to clear tents, bedding and debris.
David Schlosser, a spokesman for the U.S. Park Police, said in a statement parts of the park were being closed for "nuisance abatement."
"This is not an eviction," Schlosser said.
But protesters said it was an eviction.
"We're being evicted without tear gas," said Melissa Byrne, a protester from the district.
Police said a week ago they would begin enforcing rules that allow protesters to have a 24-hour vigil in the federal park but not camp overnight.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Soccer riot aftermath: Egyptians blame government
Feb 04, 10:58 AM
By MAGGIE MICHAEL
An Egyptian man waves a flare as others chant slogans during a protest Thursday in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Thousands of demonstrators outside the Interior Ministry protested security forces' failure to prevent a soccer riot that killed 74 and injured nearly 400, claiming that police intentionally let rivals attack soccer fans known as Ultras after Wednesday's Egyptian league match in the seaside city of Port Said because the Ultras had been at the forefront of protests over the past year. The violence threatened to plunge the country into a new crisis nearly a year after a popular uprising forced former leader Hosni Mubarak to step down.
Originally published by MAGGIE MICHAEL Associated Press.
(c) 2012 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Panetta and Clinton speak in Europe
Feb 04, 10:55 AM
U.S. officials in Europe said despite the withdrawal of up to 7,000 troops from the continent, the United States is not abandoning its European partners.
In Munich, Germany, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said two American combat brigades would be withdrawn -- some 6,000 to 7,000 troops -- but U.S. forces will still be available to respond to needs in Europe, The New York Times reported.
Panetta also said American troops would more frequently travel to Europe for more joint military exercises.
"Although it will evolve in light of the strategic guidance and resulting budget decisions, our military footprint in Europe will remain larger than in any other region of the world," Panetta said.
European officials expressed only mild concern over the American troop withdrawals.
"If some American troops leave Europe, it won't create any political problem between us," a French official said. "We don't need a massive presence of American troops."
Also Saturday in Munich, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton denounced President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and said she hoped the U.N. Security Council would pass a resolution on violence in the country.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Record number of Afghan civilians killed
Feb 04, 10:31 AM
The number of civilians killed in the war in Afghanistan rose for a fifth straight year in 2011 to a record 3,021, a U.N. report said.
Of those, the report said, 77 percent were caused by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, an increase over 2010 despite the Taliban's pledges to strive to stop killing civilians, The New York Times reported.
The number of civilians killed by pro-government forces, including NATO troops, dropped to 410, or 14 percent of those killed, while in 9 percent of the deaths, the party responsible wasn't clear.
The annual U.N. report, in its fifth year, tracks deaths of all non-combatants based on U.N reporting and investigations.
The number of civilians killed rose 8 percent over 2010, but the increase in each of the past five years shows that even amid talk of peace efforts and a dramatic increase in the number of insurgents killed and captured by NATO, Afghan civilians faced growing danger.
"To the Afghan people, the credibility and value of a peace-negotiation process and progress toward peace will be measured by reduced civilian casualties and improvements in security," said Georgette Gagnon, director of human rights for the U.N. office in Kabul who led the team that produced the report.
"Only through increased actions to protect civilians will the relentless toll of death and injury to Afghan children, women and men be ended during and following a peace process."
The report also found 185,000 Afghans had been displaced in 2011, many of them fleeing conflict, up 45 percent from 2010 to the highest level in five years.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Nevadans gather for GOP caucuses
Feb 04, 10:19 AM
The second round of caucuses in the 2012 primary season gets under way Saturday in Nevada, where Republicans will choose their favorite presidential candidate.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney led going into the caucuses in a state he won in his unsuccessful 2008 bid to secure the party's presidential nomination.
Challenging Romney are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
Nevada's caucusing, like Florida's primary earlier this week, is only open to registered Republicans. Romney, Gingrich, Santorum and Paul are the only candidates on the ballot, and there are no options for uncommitted or write-ins.
Paul has been focusing on trying to repeat his 2008 success in Nevada, when he finished second, ABC News said. He opted not to campaign in Florida and has spent time in Nevada, where 28 delegates are at stake on a proportional basis.
ABC News said the key is Clark County, home to Las Vegas and 71 percent of the state's population. Romney picked up 58 percent of the vote in 2008.
The other important county is Washoe County, the second most populous county in the state, ABC News said. In 2008, Romney won Washoe County with 44 percent of the vote.
"Nevada is a tough state for Gingrich and Santorum. They have three strikes against them before they even go to the plate," GOP strategist Alex Castellanos said on CNN, where he is contributor.
"One, 11,000 of the 44,000 GOP caucus-goers four years ago were [members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as is Romney] and will go again for Romney. Two, Nevada also has a strong 'leave me alone' libertarian contingent that will vote for Paul, and three, Clark County, around Las Vegas, is dominated by establishment Republicans, not ideological conservatives," Castellanos said.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Tunisia preparing to expel Syrian ambassador, withdraw recognition
Feb 04, 09:58 AM
Text of report by Tunisian radio on 4 February
The official spokesman of the Presidency of the Republic has announced that Tunisia would embark on practical and preparatory measures to expel the Syrian ambassador from Tunisia and to withdraw any recognition in the ruling regime in Damascus against the background of shelling Homs City on the evening of the noble anniversary of the prophet's birthday.
The Presidency of the Republic expressed its belief that this tragedy would not be solved without Bashar al-Asad's regime relinquishing power and making way for a democratic transition of power.
Originally published by Republic of Tunisia Radio, Tunis, in Arabic 1300 4 Feb 12.
(c) 2012 BBC Monitoring Newsfile. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Syria launches deadly assault on Homs
Feb 04, 09:58 AM
More than 260 people were killed by Syrian forces in the restive city of Homs in the deadliest attack in nearly 11 months of protests, an activist group said.
The Syrian National Council also said hundreds were wounded in the assault, which lasted from about 9 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday, The New York Times reported.
The council accused government forces of "randomly bombing residential areas," with women and children among those killed. Activists said most of the deaths occurred in the residential area of Khalidiya, where reports said a hospital was also destroyed, the BBC said.
"The Syrian National Council calls on everyone around the world to speak up and do something to stop the bloodshed of innocent Syrians," the council said in a statement.
Omar Shakir, a dissident in Homs, told The Washington Post many of those who died were in buildings that collapsed under missile attack from government forces ringing Homs.
The Times said the assault apparently began after defectors attacked two military checkpoints and kidnapped soldiers.
The government of President Bashar Assad denied the toll, accusing activists of mounting a propaganda campaign as the U.N. Security Council prepared Saturday to take up a draft resolution against violence in Syria.
Meanwhile, activists attacked Syrian embassies in Berlin, London and Cairo.
Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said the government may have been heartened by Russian "stalling" on a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Syrian government violence against dissenters.
Syrians in the United States and Britain said they had been in touch with friends and family in Homs who confirmed Shakir's account.
Dima Moussa, who was born in Homs and now lives in the United States, is a member of the Syrian National Council. "At least four buildings have collapsed," she told the Post. "There are still people under the rubble. It's the middle of the night -- they can't get to them."
At least 7,100 people, including 461 children, have died since the uprising began in March, the Local Coordination Committees, a network of opposition activists, said. The U.N. said in January 5,400 had been killed but stopped counting, saying it was too difficult to confirm the toll.
