A Paris court says the long-delayed trial of former French president Jacques Chirac on corruption charges will resume September 5. Mr. Chirac is accused of misusing public funds while serving as the mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995. He allegedly used the money to pay friends and political allies for non-existent jobs. His nine […]
French Ex-President Chirac Trial to Restart in September
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:55 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment
Joint Force Kills Rogue Afghan Soldier
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:55 am (UTC-5)
A rogue Afghan soldier suspected of killing an Australian soldier last month has been tracked down and killed by coalition and Afghan forces. NATO says the Afghan was killed Sunday in Khost province after pulling a gun on troops attempting to capture him. Officials say a man believed to be the soldier’s brother was detained […]
US Wildfire Threatens Arizona City, Thousands Evacuated
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
U.S. authorities say high winds have pushed a dangerous wildfire toward a city in the southwestern state of Arizona, forcing more people to evacuate their homes. Some 1,000 emergency personnel are battling the fire, which jumped over a highway late Sunday, propelled by winds gusting up to nearly 100 kilometers an hour. The highway had […]
Renewed Hope Deadlock on Sudan’s Abyei May be Resolved
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
A senior official involved in talks between Sudan’s north and south over the oil-rich Abyei region says a deadlock may soon be resolved. The official told VOA on Monday that progress had been made to break a stalemate during talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Negotiators became deadlocked on Sunday over the question of […]
NATO Denies Libyan Claim of New Airstrike Deaths
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
Libya’s government says a NATO airstrike killed 15 people on Monday in a compound of a close associate to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. NATO denies the strike, saying the alliance has not conducted any recent operations in that area. A spokesman for the Libyan government said the compound is in Surman, about 65 kilometers west […]
Australia, Indonesia Hold Talks on Cattle Exports
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
Australian Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has held talks with his Indonesian counterpart in Jakarta, without settling a dispute on animal welfare standards that has brought more than $300 million in Australian cattle exports to a halt. Australia banned live cattle exports to its neighbor earlier this month, after an Australian television documentary sparked outrage among […]
US Envoy Warns Afghan Leaders Against Criticizing West
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:15 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. ambassador to Kabul, Karl Eikenberry, has warned Afghanistan’s leaders against criticizing Western efforts to stabilize their country. Eikenberry said that comments from some Afghan leaders calling the United States occupiers were “hurtful and inappropriate.” In a speech Sunday to students at Afghanistan’s Herat University, the outgoing U.S. ambassador said that such comments make […]
Iran Plans Bigger Satellites With Longer Ranges
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
Iran’s president says the Islamic Republic plans to launch bigger satellites with longer ranges. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that the satellites could reach an altitude of 35,000 kilometers. He spoke in the northwestern city of Zanjan where he was marking the opening of two dams. Iranian state media reported last Wednesday that the […]
Japan Exports Fall, Government Forecasts Economic Gains
Posted June 20th, 2011 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
Japan’s government has lifted its assessment of the country’s economy for the first time since a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck in March, saying the economy is moving upward. However, the Cabinet Office’s assessment Monday made clear that deep economic scars remain from the disaster, which left more than 23,000 people dead or missing, and […]
