Britain honors Indian princess who doubled as spy

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Noor Inayat Khan, the daughter of Indian royalty and descendent of 18th century ruler Tipu Sultan, was educated like a princess: She wrote children's stories, played both the sitar and the harp and was fluent in multiple languages.

But unlike most princesses, Khan became one of Britain's top spies during World War II. Yesterday, Britain unveiled a bronze bust of Khan, celebrating the nation's only female Muslim war hero. The Daily Mail reports that it's the first solo memorial to an Asian woman in the U.K.

Cameron: Grant Assad safe passage to end conflict

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:14:00 +0000

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested Tuesday that Syria's president Bashar Assad could be allowed safe passage out of the country if that option would guarantee an end to the nation's civil war.

In an interview with Al Arabiya television, Cameron said the international community should consider anything "to get that man out of the country and to have a safe transition in Syria."

"I am certainly not offering him an exit plan to Britain, but if he wants to leave, he could leave, that could be arranged," Cameron said, speaking in Abu Dhabi on the second day of a three-day tour of the Gulf and Middle East.

Activists say that since Syria's unrest began in March 2011, more than 36,000 people have been killed. The conflict is now stuck in a military stalemate, which rebel fighters blame on a lack of strategic weapons, such as anti-aircraft missiles.

"Of course, I would favor him facing the full force of international law and justice for what he's done," Cameron said, before he arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for talks with King Abdullah.

In London, diplomats said Cameron was not suggesting Assad could escape potential international prosecution if he were to be granted passage out of Syria.

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Britain honors Indian princess who doubled as spy

Cameron: Grant Assad safe passage to end conflict