Gunmen in central Somalia have kidnapped three aid workers – an American woman, a Danish man and their Somali colleague. The trio work for the Danish Demining Group, which says they were kidnapped about 3 p.m., local time, on Tuesday. A security official in Somalia’s Galmudug region tells VOA the woman and two men were […]
Europe Scrambling to Complete Debt-Relief Plan
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 1:20 pm (UTC-5)
European leaders are scrambling to finalize a plan to resolve the continent’s governmental debt contagion, ahead of Wednesday’s summit in Brussels. The outline of a package of reforms is emerging, but details have yet to be set, and a pre-summit meeting of European finance ministers was called off. That left some analysts to question whether […]
NTC: Gadhafi Buried in Unmarked Grave
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 1:10 pm (UTC-5)
Libyan provisional authority officials say the body of late ousted leader Moammar Gadhafi has been buried in an unmarked grave in a secret location. The officials said Gadhafi, his slain son Mutassim and former defense minister Abu Bakr Younis were buried early Tuesday during the same ceremony. Gadhafi’s body had been on public display since […]
US Stocks Decline
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 1:10 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. stocks declined in Tuesday’s midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped nine-tenths of one percent, the S&P 500 fell 1.1 percent, while the NASDAQ slid 1.2 percent. European stock markets were down by the close of Tuesday’s trading. London’s Financial Times 100 index was down four-tenths of a percent to end at 5,526. […]
Swiss Hostages in Pakistan Appear in Video
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
A Swiss couple being held hostage by the Pakistani Taliban is asking officials to give in to their kidnappers’ demands, in a video newly posted on the Internet. The video was made available on the YouTube website Tuesday by the Pakistani think-tank FATA Research Center. The group does not say how it obtained the footage. […]
US Envoy: N. Korea Talks ‘Positive, Constructive’
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 12:15 pm (UTC-5)
Talks between the United States and North Korea on resuming stalled nuclear negotiations have ended in Geneva, with a U.S. official calling them “positive and constructive.” That description was given by the U.S. special envoy for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, who said he is confident the two sides can eventually reach a deal. He said […]
Survivors Rescued But Death Toll Rises From Turkey’s Earthquake
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 12:10 pm (UTC-5)
The death toll from Sunday’s earthquake in southeastern Turkey has risen to 432. At least 1,300 people are injured. The number of casualties from the 7.2 magnitude quake is expected to rise — with hundreds, even thousands, still trapped under the debris. Aid workers who continue to search for survivors rescued a two-week-old baby girl, […]
Liberia Opposition Threatens to Boycott Presidential Runoff
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
Liberia’s main opposition party has threatened to boycott next month’s presidential run-off poll unless the elections commission chief is replaced. The party of former justice minister Winston Tubman on Tuesday accused the electoral body of rigging the first round of voting October 11. An official with Mr. Tubman’s Congress for Democratic Change says electoral commission […]
Obama Administration Launches Programs to Help Military Veterans Find Jobs
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
The Obama administration says it is launching several programs to help military veterans find work as the U.S. president tries to show he is serious about creating jobs during a campaign-style tour of Western states. The White House said Tuesday it wants community health centers to hire 8,000 military medics over the next three years […]
South Africa Unveils $3.2 Billion Stimulus Plan
Posted October 25th, 2011 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
South Africa’s government has unveiled a $3.2 billion stimulus plan aimed at boosting industrial output and creating jobs in sub-Saharan Africa’s largest economy. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced the six-year package during his mid-term budget speech in Cape Town on Tuesday. Gordhan said the government’s key challenge is to make South Africa more competitive, to […]
