A hostage standoff has ended without injury at a legal office in Sydney, Australia, with police raiding the building to arrest a man holding his daughter hostage while claiming to possess a bomb. The man entered the building complex earlier Tuesday with the girl and told a court clerk to call the state attorney general’s […]
Hostage Drama Ends in Sydney Legal Building
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 7:50 am (UTC-5)
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Thai PM to Visit Cambodia Next Week
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 7:06 am (UTC-5)
Officials say Thailand’s newly installed prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, will visit Cambodia next week. Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kyuong told VOA he expects the September 15 visit to produce a major improvement in relations between the two countries, which fought a series of border skirmishes earlier this year. The spokesman said relations with Thailand […]
Asia Markets Close Mostly Lower
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 7:00 am (UTC-5)
Major Asian stock markets closed mostly lower Wednesday. Tokyo’s Nikkei index lost nearly two and one-quarter percent to finish at 8,591. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up half a percent to finish the day’s trading at 19,710. Share prices were higher in Bangkok, Jakarta, Singapore and Mumbai, but lower in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, […]
UN War Crimes Court Convicts Ex-Serbian Army General
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 6:56 am (UTC-5)
The United Nations’ war crimes tribunal has sentenced the former chief of staff of the Serbian army to 27 years in prison on charges relating to the war between Bosnia and Croatia after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The tribunal at The Hague convicted ex-General Momcilo Perisic on charges of crimes against humanity, due […]
Turkey Suspending Trade, Military Ties with Israel
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 6:50 am (UTC-5)
Turkey says it is “totally suspending” all trade and military ties with Israel as relations between the two countries continue to worsen. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the freeze Tuesday, a day after Turkey ordered all senior Israeli diplomats to leave the country by Wednesday. Mr. Erdogan also said he may visit the […]
Indian Politician: Send Wikileaks’ Head to Insane Asylum
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 6:40 am (UTC-5)
A leading Indian politician says that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be sent to an insane asylum, angrily dismissing allegations contained in a series of U.S. diplomatic cables leaked by the organization. Mayawati , chief minister of India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state, said Tuesday that Assange has either “gone mad,” or is being used by […]
China to Review Arms Sale Policy After Libya Embarrassment
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
China said Tuesday that officials will examine whether regulations were violated by arms manufacturers who met in July with envoys from Moammar Gadhafi’s then-ruling Libyan government. Spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Wednesday the government will strengthen its oversight of military exports. She said relations with the rebel-led provisional government are “smooth” and that China will recognize […]
Italian Workers Stage General Strike Amid Austerity Debate
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 6:30 am (UTC-5)
Millions of workers across Italy walked off their jobs Tuesday to protest the government’s massive austerity package. The eight-hour general strike called by the CGIL, Italy’s largest union, is expected to disrupt most forms of transportation and manufacturing across the country. The strike is taking place as the Italian parliament begins debate on a $65 […]
Global Markets Unsettled for Second Day
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
European stock prices rebounded some Tuesday from the previous day’s steep losses but Asian markets continued their slide, driven by fears of slowing growth in the United States and the sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Japan’s closely watched Nikkei index closed down by 2.2 percent, at its lowest level since April 2009, while similar losses […]
Lee Causes Flooding and Tornadoes, Katia Creates Hazardous Surf Along U.S. Atlantic Coast
Posted September 6th, 2011 at 5:51 am (UTC-5)
The slow-moving remnants of Tropical Storm Lee have dumped heavy rain across the southern United States and triggered tornadoes that damaged dozens of homes in Georgia, where more heavy rain is expected. The tropical storm made landfall near the city of New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, flooding streets and recalling the devastation caused by Hurricane […]
