Two Pacific island groups have declared states of emergency due to a severe lack of fresh water caused by a lingering drought. The 1,400 residents of Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand, are down to a week-long supply of bottled water that was delivered last Saturday from Samoa. The independent nation of Tuvalu, meanwhile, has […]
Drought Triggers Crisis in Pacific Island Region
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
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Greece to Pay Finland Collateral for Loan
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos says Greece has agreed to provide collateral to Finland in exchange for another round of bailout loans. Greece will issue $1.2 billion worth of collateral in the form of bonds. Finland demanded the collateral in exchange for participating in a Greek bailout package. Venizelos reiterated that the Greek government will […]
Gunmen Attack Shi’ite Muslims in Pakistan, 13 Killed
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
Gunmen have attacked a bus carrying Shi’ite Muslims in southwest Pakistan, killing at least 13 people in the second such attack in two weeks. Police say four attackers on motorcycles ambushed the bus early Tuesday on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. Gunmen lined the passengers up and opened fire on them. […]
Hong Kong Leads Asian Markets in Broad Slump
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 7:15 am (UTC-5)
Hong Kong’s stock index slumped to a two-and-a-half-year low Tuesday as concerns about the Greek debt crisis continued to play out in Asia. The Hang Seng index fell 3.4 percent after a fall of 4.38 percent Monday, hitting its lowest level since April 2009. The pessimism was felt across the region, with Japan’s Nikkei index […]
Car Bomb Kills Dozens in Somali Capital
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 7:05 am (UTC-5)
A truck bomb has exploded outside a government compound in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing more than 20 people. A VOA reporter in Mogadishu counted 21 bodies Tuesday outside the compound, which houses eight Somali ministries. Officials at the scene said the death toll was likely higher. Witnesses told VOA that two suicide bombers drove […]
Asia Markets Close Mostly Lower
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 7:00 am (UTC-5)
Major Asian stock markets closed mostly lower Tuesday. Tokyo’s Nikkei index lost just over one percent to finish at 8,456. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index plunged nearly three and one-half percent to finish the day’s trading at 16,250. Share prices were higher in Taipei and Wellington, but lower in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Mumbai, […]
UN to Vote on Syria Resolution
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 6:55 am (UTC-5)
Diplomats say the U.N. Security Council may vote Tuesday on a European-drafted resolution condemning Syria’s brutal crackdown against civilians. The proposal threatens “targeted measures” against President Bashar al-Assad’s government if it does not halt its military assault on pro-democracy protesters. Russia is against imposing sanctions on Syria, and diplomats say it is unclear whether Moscow […]
US Defense Chief Holds Talks in Egypt
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 6:50 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is meeting with leaders in Egypt Tuesday to discuss the country’s transition to a civilian government and the possible release of an alleged Israeli spy. The talks in the capital, Cairo, come a day after Panetta met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. During a news conference Monday in Tel Aviv, […]
2011 Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded in Stockholm
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
The 2011 Nobel Prize for physics has been awarded to three U.S.-born scientists for “the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe” through observations of exploding stars. American Saul Perlmutter will share the $1.5 million award with Adam Riess and U.S.-Australian Brian Schmidt. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the discoveries by the […]
Vietnamese Official Urges Reforms to Spur Green Growth
Posted October 4th, 2011 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
A Vietnamese official says the government must remove harmful subsidies and policy barriers if its wants to join in a worldwide shift toward a more environmentally sensitive economy. Nguyen Van Tai, an official with the Natural Resources Ministry, told a policy forum Tuesday that Vietnam’s economy is overly dependent on the exploitation of natural resources […]
