Somalia’s new minister for women has been kidnapped by the militant group al-Shabab, less than a day after her appointment. A sister of the kidnapped minister told VOA Thursday Asha Osman Aqil was seized by al-Shabab fighters in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, which is in the heart of the rebel group’s territory. The sister says […]
Oil Prices Gain
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 4:15 pm (UTC-5)
Here are the prices of some key commodities traded in New York on Thursday: Crude oil prices rose 73 cents to settle at $99.13 a barrel. Coffee prices fell 3 cents to end at $2.41 per pound. Copper prices dipped 5 cents to close at $4.38 per pound. Cocoa futures fell $11 to end the […]
European Leaders Poised to Adopt Second Greek Bailout
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 4:00 pm (UTC-5)
European leaders have adopted another package of measures aimed at preventing Greece from defaulting on its huge public debt and stabilizing the common European currency. The European Union and the International Monetary Fund said Thursday they will give Greece a second bailout worth about $155 billion. Officials from the continent’s 17 nations that use the […]
Afghan Forces Take Control of Security in Herat
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 4:00 pm (UTC-5)
NATO has handed over control for security in Afghanistan’s western Herat province to Afghan security forces. Herat is the fourth of seven areas to accept responsibility for its own affairs in the initial phase of the transfer. A ceremony was held Thursday in the provincial capital, Herat, to mark the handover. Earlier this week, coalition […]
US Government Closer to Exiting Auto Industry
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 3:45 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. government is another step closer to getting out of the automobile industry, selling its remaining stake in Chrysler to the Italian automaker Fiat. The Treasury Department says Fiat paid $560 million Thursday for the government’s remaining 6 percent stake in Chrysler. The U.S. lent Chrysler $12.5 billion as part of its $80 billion […]
Pakistan Protests US Arrest of Alleged Agent
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 3:15 pm (UTC-5)
The Pakistani government is protesting the arrest in the United States of a man accused of acting as a Pakistani agent tasked to influence U.S. policy on Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan. In a statement issued Thursday, Pakistan said a demarche was made to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to […]
White House Reports ‘No Progress’ on Debt Deal
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 3:10 pm (UTC-5)
A White House spokesman says he has no progress to report on a deal to slash spending and avoid a possible default on the country’s massive debt. But he also guaranteed the country will pay its bills on time. Obama administration spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Thursday the White House “is absolutely confident” Congress will […]
Atlantis Completes Final Landing of Shuttle Era
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 2:55 pm (UTC-5)
The space shuttle Atlantis returned home Thursday, bringing NASA’s final shuttle mission to an end after three decades. Hundreds of well-wishers and onlookers welcomed the four astronauts aboard Atlantis as it touched down just before 10:00 UTC at the Kennedy Space Center in the southeastern state of Florida. Commander Christopher Ferguson said that after serving […]
New York Prosecutors Want Alleged French Rape Victim to Testify in Strauss-Kahn Case
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 2:50 pm (UTC-5)
New York prosecutors investigating a Manhattan hotel maid’s rape allegations against former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn want a French writer who made similar claims to come to the United States to testify. Writer Tristane Banon’s attorney, David Koubbi, filed the complaint against Strauss-Kahn with the Paris prosecutor’s office earlier this month. It accuses […]
Mexican Officials Seize 840 Tons of Drug-Making Chemicals
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 2:45 pm (UTC-5)
The Mexican army has seized about 840 metric tons of chemicals used for making methamphetamines, in one of the largest such seizures in Mexico to date. Mexico’s Defense Department says soldiers found sacks of the materials piled high in a warehouse in the north-central state of Queretaro. One security expert says the size of the […]
