Pakistani media say the governor of the country’s central bank, Shahid Kardar, has resigned. It was unclear exactly when or why Kardar, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, stepped down, but media reports said Wednesday he had developed “differences with the government on key policy issues.” Kardar took office in September 2010, after […]
UNICEF Resumes Airlifts into South-Central Somalia
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 7:25 pm (UTC-5)
For the first time in two years, the United Nations has airlifted aid to a part of Somalia controlled by the militant group al-Shabab. A spokeswoman for the U.N. Children’s Fund has told VOA that the agency flew 5 tons of aid into the town of Baidoa on Wednesday. She says the shipment included medicines […]
US Justice Department Busts Ethnic Albanian Drug Syndicate
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 6:25 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. Justice Department says it has “effectively ended” the operations of a drug gang responsible for trafficking massive quantities of marijuana, cocaine and other drugs. An indictment unsealed in federal court in New York City Wednesday charges 37 alleged members and associates of an international syndicate. U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said the syndicate, led […]
Egypt Purges Hundreds of Police Officers as Protests Grow
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 6:15 pm (UTC-5)
Egypt has announced the dismissals of more than 600 senior police officers in a bid to meet the demands of thousands of protesters urging swifter justice for those involved in crimes under former president Hosni Mubarak. Interior Ministry officials said Wednesday that nearly 500 police generals and about 150 other senior officers would end their […]
Irish Report Condemns Catholic Church for Concealing Abuse
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 6:10 pm (UTC-5)
A government-sponsored report condemns the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland for what it describes as the church’s “inadequate” response to allegations of sexual abuse of children, and says high-ranking clergy helped conceal the abuse. The report by an independent commission Wednesday says the rural diocese of Cloyne in southern Ireland and its bishop, John Magee, […]
Indian Officials: Mumbai Blasts ‘Coordinated Terror Attack’
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 5:30 pm (UTC-5)
Three consecutive bomb blasts tore through India’s financial capital, Mumbai, Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 100 others. The explosions occurred within 20 minutes of each other in crowded areas of the city during the evening rush-hour — two in the south and one in central Mumbai. No one has claimed […]
Pakistan’s PM Concerned Over US Aid Cut
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed concern about the U.S. decision to suspend $800 million in military aid to his country. Gilani said Wednesday that while the fight against militants on Pakistani territory is Pakistan’s war, the country’s efforts are benefiting the whole world. His comments came as Pakistan’s intelligence chief, Ahmad Shuja […]
US, Russia Agree on Adoption Safeguards
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 5:00 pm (UTC-5)
The United States and Russia are implementing stronger safeguards for child adoptions after a U.S. mother discarded her seven-year-old adopted Russian son, sending him back to Moscow alone on a plane. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed the new bilateral agreement Wednesday in Washington, DC. Lavrov also met […]
Crude Oil Prices Rise
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 4:55 pm (UTC-5)
Here are the prices of some key commodities traded in New York on Wednesday: Crude oil prices rose less than $1 to to close at $98.05 a barrel. Coffee prices rose 6 cents to end at $2.63 per pound. Copper prices advanced 1 cent to close at $4.39 per pound. Cocoa futures rose $104 to […]
Indian Officials: Mumbai Blasts ‘Coordinated Terror Attack’
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 4:40 pm (UTC-5)
Three consecutive bomb blasts tore through India’s financial capital, Mumbai, Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 100 others. The explosions occurred within 20 minutes of each other in crowded areas of the city during the evening rush-hour — two in the south and one in central Mumbai. No one has claimed […]
