China has urged Syria to speed up promised reforms, a week after joining Russia in vetoing a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned Syria for its crackdown on civilian protesters. The comments Tuesday from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman follow a call last week by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who said Syrian President Bashar […]
Liberians Vote in Second Post-War Election
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 4:25 am (UTC-5)
Voters in Liberia are going to the polls Tuesday for the second time since the end of their 14-year civil war. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is facing a tough fight for a second term, just days after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. The Liberian leader is running against more than a dozen opponents, and her […]
German Air Traffic Controllers Consider Strike
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 4:15 am (UTC-5)
The German air traffic controllers union says it could stage a walkout later this week. Union officials said Monday they had rejected the latest management proposal, but are willing to meet with an arbitrator. The union’s leadership says a strike could happen as soon as Wednesday unless a deal is made to change working conditions […]
Rocket Attack Kills One, Injures Four in Northwest Pakistan
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 4:05 am (UTC-5)
Pakistani officials say a rocket attack on a meeting convened by a provincial governor has left one person dead in the country’s northwest. Officials say the suspected militants fired at least two rockets at the gathering early Tuesday in Kalaya, a town in the Pashtun tribal district of Orakzai. At least four people were wounded. […]
Ukrainian Court Delivers Verdict in Tymoshenko Trial
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 4:00 am (UTC-5)
A judge in Ukraine has begun reading the verdict in the abuse-of-office trial of former Ukrainian prime minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Judge Rodion Kireyev said Ms. Tymoshenko clearly exceeded her authority in signing a 2009 gas deal with Russia. Prosecutors in Kyiv are pressing for a seven-year sentence for Ms. Tymoshenko. She is […]
Oil Spill Worsens off New Zealand Coast
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 4:00 am (UTC-5)
New Zealand says an oil spill from a grounded cargo ship off its eastern coast is now the worst environmental maritime disaster it its history. The Liberian-flagged Rena has been leaking fuel oil since striking a reef on Wednesday in the Bay of Plenty. Maritime New Zealand says between 130 and 350 tons of oil […]
Putin Arrives in China With Energy Deals Topping Agenda
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 3:55 am (UTC-5)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has arrived in China for two days of meetings in which energy cooperation will be at the top of the agenda. Mr. Putin arrived at Beijing’s airport Tuesday afternoon and was taken to a formal welcoming ceremony ahead of his talks with Premier Wen Jiabao. It is Mr. Putin’s first […]
US Envoy Enters China Talks With Senate Bill Pending
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 3:40 am (UTC-5)
A senior U.S. diplomat is in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials just hours before the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on legislation punishing China for its currency policies. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell arrived in the Chinese capital Tuesday and immediately went into talks with Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai. Cui said […]
Burma’s State Television Says Prisoner Release Imminent
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 3:35 am (UTC-5)
Burma’s state television announced Tuesday that the government will begin releasing more than 6,000 prisoners Wednesday. The brief announcement, monitored by VOA’s Burmese service, said the prisoners will be released for good conduct. It did not say how many would be freed in the first group or whether the release would include any of Burma’s […]
Rights Groups Demand Action to Safeguard Khmer Rouge Tribunal
Posted October 11th, 2011 at 3:20 am (UTC-5)
International human rights groups are calling for stronger action by the United Nations to prevent Cambodian government interference with the tribunal on Khmer Rouge war crimes. The Open Society Justice Initiative, which has been monitoring the Khmer Rouge trials, said Tuesday that a “crisis of confidence” has been created by this week’s announcement that a […]
