South Sudan's Rebels Agree to Peace Talks as Intervention is Threatened
Top News: South Sudanese rebels led by former Vice President Riek Machar attacked the town of Bor on Tuesday, 120 miles north of the capital, and have agreed to enter into peace talks, waiving earlier preconditions. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has promised to intervene unless the rebels laid down arms by the end of Tuesday.
President Salva Kiir, however, has rejected the prospect of a power sharing agreement with his former deputy. "These men have rebelled," he said. "If you want power, you don't rebel so that you are rewarded with the power. You go through the process."
Since fighting broke out after a coup attempt on Dec. 15, at least 1,000 people have been killed and some 180,000 displaced.
Syria: For the second year in a row Syria was identified as the most dangerous country for journalists, according to a report released Monday by the Committee to Protect Journalists. In 2013, 29 reporters were killed in the country, down from 31 who died during the course of reporting in 2012. Both government forces and rebels have actively targeted members of the press.
| Africa - Fighting in the Central African Republic, where more than 1,000 people were killed in the capital this month, has produced "unprecedented levels of violence against children," according to UNICEF.
- Sixty elephants were killed in Tanzania during November and December after the suspension of a shoot-to-kill anti-poaching campaign.
- A French Catholic priest kidnapped in Cameroon during November has been released.
Europe - Despite a pair of bombings in Russia that killed 32 people, Russian security services and the U.S. Olympic Committee are not planning to increase security at the upcoming Winter Games in Sochi.
- Negotiations in Northern Ireland between the five main political parties failed to reach a deal on the use of flags and parades, sources of continuing tension between Protestants and Catholics.
- Greece is leaving the bailout program that has enforced harsh austerity policies, announced Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, and will not require a third aid package in 2014.
Middle East - Twenty-six Palestinian prisoners were freed by Israel as part of peace efforts brokered by John Kerry. The 26 were the third of four groups of prisoners, totaling 104 prisoners, to be released as part of peace process.
- Syria will miss a key deadline in removing its chemical weapons stocks, as Norwegian and Danish ships responsible for carrying the chemicals from the port city of Latakia have returned to Cyprus. Poor weather and shifting battle lines have been blamed for the delay.
- Iran has made "good progress" on how to implement the conditions of last month's nuclear deal in Geneva, according to a senior Iranian official.
Asia - Pictures of Chinese President Xi Jinping's modest lunch of steamed buns and pig innards have become a viral sensation on Chinese social media.
- Five political prisoners were released with full pardons in Myanmar, as part of President Thein Sein's promise to free all political prisoners by the end of the year.
- China may be planning to sharply increase imports of Iranian oil next year.
Americas - Argentinians took to the streets to protest power shortages in Buenos Aires during the worst heat wave to hit the city in 40 years.
- Twenty years after NAFTA was signed, the agreement has failed to close Mexico's wage gap with the U.S.
- Rising violence in Central America has led to the highest influx of refugees into Mexico since the 1980s.
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-By Thomas Stackpole
SAMIR BOL/AFP/Getty Images
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