The United States has condemned the Iranian government’s decision to begin uranium enrichment near the Shi’ite holy city of Qom, a second facility where the material can be upgraded quickly for potential use in a nuclear bomb. In a statement Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said “the move is contrary to Iran’s obligations […]
7.3-magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Western Indonesia Coast
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 6:45 pm (UTC-5)
A powerful earthquake has hit waters off the western coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. The U.S. Geological Survey says that the magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit Tuesday at a depth of 29 km, 423 kilometers of Banda Aceh on Sumatra. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said “a destructive […]
North Korea Holds Mass Rally
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 6:35 pm (UTC-5)
North Korea’s powerful military has held a mass rally in the capital, Pyongyang, to pledge loyalty to the country’s new leader Kim Jong Un. Armed forces chief Ri Yong-Ho read the pledge of loyalty to Kim Jong Un of the three branches of the military. In typically exaggerated language, the pledge promised to “wipe out […]
Bomb Kills 35 in NW Pakistan
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 6:10 pm (UTC-5)
A bomb blast in northwestern Pakistan Tuesday killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 60 others. Local authorities said a remote-control car bomb exploded in the town of Jamrud in the Khyber tribal agency bordering Afghanistan. The blast struck near a bus terminal, destroying several vehicles. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. […]
Delegate Rule Change Spurs Speculation about Republican Nomination Process
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 5:50 pm (UTC-5)
Political analysts are watching to see if a new Republican Party rule regarding the distribution of party delegates will affect the outcome of the nomination process in the 2012 presidential election. Each state has a certain number of delegates to send to the Republican Party’s National Convention in August. Their votes will officially nominate the […]
US Criticizes Assad for Blaming Turmoil on ‘Foreign Interference’
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 5:40 pm (UTC-5)
VIDEO: APExpress 4 – 1/10/2012 8:17:00 AM – AP-APTN-1230: ++Syria Assad 3 // ReutersUS 3 – 1/10/2012 7:09:00 AM – BC-WORLD-JAN10-TURKEY-AS WEB: TYPE: CN )) The United States has criticized Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s speech in which he blamed “foreign interference” for the 10-month anti-government uprising and vowed to crack down on”terrorists with an iron […]
US Official Optimistic About Haiti’s Economic Future
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 5:35 pm (UTC-5)
A U.S. State Department official says he is optimistic that sustained economic growth is possible in Haiti, which is struggling to rebuild following a deadly earthquake two years ago this week. Tom Adams, the State Department’s special coordinator for Haiti, spoke to VOA Tuesday, two days before the anniversary of the 7.0 magnitude quake that […]
Geithner Opens Iran Sanctions Talks in Beijing
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 5:20 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is in Beijing for talks aimed at persuading Chinese officials to support U.S. sanctions against Iran’s oil industry. Geithner is seeking Chinese cooperation with recently enacted U.S. legislation that calls for sanctions against financial institutions that deal with Iran’s central bank, which is its main clearinghouse for oil exports. The […]
Lawyer: Serb War Crimes Suspect Seselj Was ‘Clinically Dead’ in Hague Hospital
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
A lawyer for Serbian war crimes suspect Vojislav Seselj is accusing the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal of ignoring his health problems. The lawyer says Seselj was clinically dead when he was brought to a hospital from his jail cell in the Hague last Friday. He said Seselj is suffering from heart and lung failure. […]
Report: Construction of Israeli Settlements Up 20%
Posted January 10th, 2012 at 5:05 pm (UTC-5)
A new report by Israel’s Peace Now movement says the construction of Israeli settlements increased by 20 percent last year compared to 2010, despite opposition from the Palestinians and the international community, which consider it an obstacle to peace. Peace Now director Yariv Oppenheimer, who announced the findings Tuesday, said that although 2011 was an […]
