The United Nations is calling for more consistent enforcement of a law meant to protect the rights of Afghan women, saying the measure has only been used in a small percentage of cases. In a report released Wednesday, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan and the U.N. human rights office said Afghan prosecutors opened cases in […]
UN Urges Consistent Use of Afghan Women’s Rights Law
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
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Contact Made with Russia’s Errant Mars Probe
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
Contact has been established with Russia’s Phobus-Grunt space probe. The European Space Agency said Wednesday that a European tracking station, in western Australia, made contact with the errant Mars probe. Engineers must now figure out how best to maintain radio communications with the spacecraft. The Phobus-Grunt probe was launched November 9 from Baikonour. Minutes after […]
Regional Group Warns of Unfair Elections in Gambia
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 6:05 am (UTC-5)
A West African regional bloc says it is withholding election monitors from Thursday’s presidential elections in Gambia because it does not expect the vote to be held in a free and fair manner. The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States said Wednesday pre-election conditions were not “conducive for the conduct of free, fair and […]
Israeli President Begins Diplomatic Visit to Vietnam
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 5:35 am (UTC-5)
Israeli President Shimon Peres arrived in Vietnam Wednesday for a diplomatic visit aimed at boosting economic and political ties with one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economies. After signing a series of bilateral agreements on shipping and finance, Mr. Peres told reporters that his country was committed to improving bilateral relations with Vietnam. It is […]
Pakistan Appoints New Ambassador to Washington
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 5:25 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has a new ambassador to the United States following a controversy about a memo appealing for U.S. help in reining in Pakistan’s powerful military. Officials said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appointed former information minister Sherry Rehman to the post on Wednesday, a day after former ambassador Hussain Haqqani resigned. Haqqani has denied calling […]
Libyan Militia Leaders, Oil Execs. Win Key Roles in New Cabinet
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 5:10 am (UTC-5)
Libyan militia leaders who helped to topple the late dictator Moammar Gadhafi in an uprising this year have won top security posts in a new Cabinet appointed by the country’s National Transitional Council. Interim Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib announced his Cabinet line-up in a news conference late Tuesday after weeks of negotiations. He granted the […]
Egypt Protesters Reject Military Concessions as Crisis Deepens
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
Egypt’s political crisis deepened after tens of thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square demanded the country’s top general step down and rejected an offer by the ruling military council to speed up the transition to civilian rule. Demonstrations and clashes continued in several cities Wednesday, with one man shot dead by security forces in the […]
Turkmenistan to Pump More Gas to China
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 5:00 am (UTC-5)
China’s energy hungry economy is about to get a big boost from a growing Central Asian republic. Chinese officials confirmed Wednesday Turkmenistan has agreed to boost its natural gas shipments to China by more than 60 percent a year. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is in Beijing for a series of meetings with top Chinese officials, […]
Pakistan Appoints New Ambassador to Washington
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 4:50 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has a new ambassador to the United States following a controversy about a memo appealing for U.S. help in reining in Pakistan’s powerful military. Officials said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appointed former information minister Sherry Rehman to the post on Wednesday, a day after former ambassador Hussain Haqqani resigned. Haqqani has denied drafting […]
Gambian Opposition Candidate Predicts Victory in Presidental Elections
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 4:35 am (UTC-5)
A leading Gambian opposition candidate says he is confident that he can unseat incumbent President Yahya Jammeh, who is seeking a fourth term in the country’s presidential elections on Thursday. Veteran opposition leader Ousainu Darboe tells VOA that he will win because Gambians are disenchanted with Mr. Jammeh’s leadership and are looking for change. President […]
