Voters in the U.S. state of New Hampshire are preparing to vote in the 2012 presidential race’s first primary election, with front-runner Mitt Romney heavily favored to beat his Republican challengers. Social conservative Rick Santorum, who lost to Romney by only eight votes last week in the Iowa caucuses, said Monday he would be thrilled […]
South Sudan Tribal Clashes Kill 22
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 8:00 pm (UTC-5)
The two tribes fight frequently over land and cattle. The United Nations says it is worried about tension in Jonglei, one of the worst-hit states for ethnic violence in South Sudan. The Security Council said in Monday’s statement it welcomed efforts by the South Sudanese government to mediate a solution to the conflict. It also […]
China Rejects Linking Iranian Nuclear Program To Trade
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 7:55 pm (UTC-5)
A top Chinese diplomat says his country will not link Iran’s nuclear program to trade. The comments by Deputy Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai come on the eve of a visit to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, in which he is expected to seek support for sanctions against Tehran. Cui said Monday that […]
Trial of U.S. Marine Charged in Iraqi Killings Begins
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 7:35 pm (UTC-5)
Military prosecutors say a U.S. Marine at the center of the biggest criminal case against U.S. troops in the Iraq war made a series of fatal assumptions when he and his squad killed 24 Iraqi civilians, including unarmed women and children. Opening arguments in the military trial of Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich began Monday at […]
Iran Starts Uranium Enrichment at Underground Complex
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 7:30 pm (UTC-5)
Iran on Monday confirmed it has started uranium enrichment at a second facility where the material can be upgraded quickly for potential use in a nuclear bomb. Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said Tehran is refining uranium at the newly-launched Fordo complex and an older facility in the city […]
US Seriously Concerned Over Tibetan Self-Immolations
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 6:50 pm (UTC-5)
The United States says it is “seriously concerned” that more Tibetans have set themselves on fire in China, and says the actions represent deep frustration with Chinese government restrictions. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday the self-immolations show there is enormous anger over severe Chinese restrictions on human rights and religious freedoms. She […]
Ex-Pakistan Envoy to US Denies Memo Link
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 6:40 pm (UTC-5)
Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States has denied any connection to a memo sent to Washington asking for U.S. help in preventing a purported army coup. In his first appearance before a Pakistani Supreme Court commission Monday, Husain Haqqani said he had “no role in creating, drafting and/or delivering” the memo to Admiral Mike […]
Former U.S. Soldier Charged with Trying to Aid Somali Militants
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 6:15 pm (UTC-5)
A former U.S. soldier has been charged with trying to join the Somali Islamist militant group al Shabab. The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement Monday Craig Baxam secretly converted to Islam shortly before leaving the army in July of last year. The statement says the 24-year-old flew to Kenya and paid for […]
VOA’s Deewa Radio Goes on Satellite TV to Pakistan
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 5:35 pm (UTC-5)
Deewa Radio, Voice of America’s popular Pashto language news service to the volatile border region of northwestern Pakistan, has launched a new television program that is now being broadcast on direct to home satellite TV. The first of the daily one-hour TV programs to the Federally Administered Tribal Area was broadcast Monday from the VOA […]
USUrges Iran to Free American Sentenced to Death for Spying
Posted January 9th, 2012 at 5:20 pm (UTC-5)
The United States on Monday urged Iran to free an American man sentenced to death by an Iranian court on charges of spying for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The White House and State Department said allegations that Amir Mirza Hekmati, an Iranian-American dual citizen, worked for or was sent to Iran by the CIA […]
