Ukraine divided over election results
Protests are continuing in Ukraine over the results of their presidential election. The officially certified results of the election declared Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich the winner, but opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko has charged that massive fraud took place in the election. Thousands of Yushchenko's supporters took to the streets, and more recently, sieged several government buildings. Negotiations between the two parties are back on track, after having fallen apart several times. Several Ukrainian provinces have refused to accept the official result, and many other nations have strongly urged an investigation into the alleged fraud.
Red Cross finds 'cruel treatment' at Guantanamo Bay
An International Red Cross report states that instances of "cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment, sometimes bordering on torture, were used at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Guantanamo Bay prison houses hundreds of "enemy combatants," many of whom were captured during the U.S. offensive against Afghanistan. Reporting on a July investigation of the facility, the Red Cross found that the interrogation techniques used by U.S. soldiers, which included severe temperatures, loud music, sleep deprivation, and forced nudity, were a potentially serious violation of internationals laws against torture.
Chinese mine collapse kills 166
A gas explosion at a mine in central China killed 166 miners, according to the Chinese media. The explosion occurred at one of the largest state-run mines, early on Sunday, November 28, while nearly 300 people were at work in the mine. The death toll in the explosion is believed to be the largest in China in at least the last ten years, although accurate numbers are frequently unavailable. Nearly 5,000 people have lost their lives in mining accidents in China, where coal mining is often undertaken without adequate safety precautions.
U.S. to add troops before Iraqi election
The United States will be extending the stay of nearly 10,000 troops in Iraq and sending an additional 1,500 to bolster the nation's security ahead of their January presidential election. The move comes amidst requests from numerous Iraqi groups, both secular and religious, to postpone the elections, claiming insufficient time to prepare, campaign, and secure for the elections. Gen. George Casey, commander of the multinational force in Iraq, believes that the additional troops are necessary as the coalition rides the momentum from the assault on Fallujah.
