The U.S. economy received a boost of good news Friday, after the U.S. Labor Department said the national unemployment rate dropped last month to the lowest level in more than two years. U.S. stocks rose in early trading Friday, after government statistics showed the jobless rate for November was 8.6 percent, a drop of four-tenths […]
US Hands Over Former Military Hub to Iraq
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
The base that once served as headquarters for the U.S. military in Iraq is now under Iraqi control. A United States military spokesman said U.S. officials handed over Camp Victory to Iraq Friday, after officials from both countries signed the necessary paperwork. There was no formal handover ceremony. About 13,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, […]
German Chancellor Sees European ‘Fiscal Union’
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is calling for a European “fiscal union” with stringent spending oversight to resolve the continent’s debt crisis and save the common euro currency. Ms. Merkel told the German parliament Friday that significant European Union treaty changes need to be made to enforce spending limits throughout the 27-nation bloc, and to punish […]
Clinton Wraps Up Burma Trip With Pledge of U.S. Support
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wrapped up a three-day visit to Burma after discussions with democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a vow that the U.S. is prepared to support further democratic reform. The two women held hands as they spoke to reporters Friday from the veranda of Aung San Suu Kyi’s […]
Kenya Says Sudan Ties Normal After Bashir Arrest Ruling
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
Kenya’s foreign minister says relations with Sudan are back to normal, four days after a Kenyan court ordered the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Minister Moses Wetangula said Friday that a high-level delegation that met with Sudanese leaders in Khartoum was able to resolve the dispute. Sudan had responded to Monday’s high court ruling […]
Iranian Diplomats Leave London
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
Expelled Iranian diplomats packed up Iran’s London embassy on Friday, as crowds staged new anti-Britain protests in Tehran. Embassy staff were to leave Britain by 1400 GMT on Friday — a deadline given by the British government after the ransacking of its embassy in Tehran earlier this week. The Iranian flag was still flying outside […]
Pakistan to Respond ‘Instantly’ to Any Border Aggression
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 10:05 am (UTC-5)
The head of Pakistan’s military has ordered his country’s forces to respond instantly to any future aggression along the border with Afghanistan without waiting for instructions from high command. Pakistani military sources confirmed to VOA Friday that General Ashfaq Kayani has told his soldiers to fully retaliate “irrespective of the cost and consequences” to any […]
US Unemployment Rate Drops Sharply
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level in more than two years in November. Friday’s report from the Labor Department says the jobless rate was 8.6 percent, a drop of four-tenths of a percent from the prior month. The data also show that the U.S. economy had a net gain of 120,000 jobs. […]
Egypt to Announce Election Results Late Friday
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 9:35 am (UTC-5)
Egyptian officials say the results of the first round of voting in parliamentary elections will be announced Friday evening local time , after delaying the announcement twice this week. The results from Monday and Tuesday’s polling in Cairo, Alexandria and seven other provinces were originally set to be released on Wednesday. However, election officials said […]
Unrest Erupts Near Syrian-Lebanese Border
Posted December 2nd, 2011 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Witnesses and activists say there is heavy shelling in villages near Syria’s border with Lebanon. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA Friday that security forces opened fire on villagers who were trying to flee into Lebanon after forces launched raids in the region. The London-based group also says unidentified gunmen opened fire on […]
