European leaders have started their first 2012 summit in Brussels, aiming to set new spending controls over individual governments, but also facing reminders of the continent’s economic difficulties. In a driving snowstorm, Belgian workers Monday staged the country’s first general strike since 2005 to protest the austerity measures imposed in their country. Some flights were […]
EU Leaders Trying to Control Spending, Cope with Greek Debt
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 10:30 am (UTC-5)
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Ethiopia Opens New Front against al-Shabab in Somalia
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
Witnesses in Somalia say columns of Ethiopian troops have crossed into the country and are marching toward key al-Shabab strongholds, apparently opening a new military front against the Islamist militant group. A government official, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the reports to VOA on Monday, saying the soldiers had reached the town of Luq […]
Cold Weather Kills 14 Across Europe
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 9:35 am (UTC-5)
Freezing weather has killed at least 14 people throughout eastern Europe as temperatures plummeted over the past few days and are expected to drop even further. Police in Poland said Monday at least 10 people froze to death as the cold weather dropped to minus 26 Celsius. Authorities say until now, the winter in the […]
Afghan Immigrants Found Guilty of Honor Killing in Canada
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Afghan police are searching for a man they say killed his wife for giving birth to a third daughter, rather than a son he had hoped for. Police in the northern Kunduz province have arrested the victim’s mother-in-law in connection with the murder but the husband fled the scene. Violence and abuse continues to be […]
China To Boost Police Presence in Restive Xinjiang Region
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 9:20 am (UTC-5)
China says it will boost the police presence in northwestern Xinjiang province, in a push to manage the area’s huge migrant population and crack down on what Beijing calls illegal religious activities. The official Xinnhua news agency says an additional 8,000 police officers will begin patrolling villages in the northwestern region. It quotes a regional […]
Suicide Bomber Kills Militant Commander in Pakistan
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 8:50 am (UTC-5)
Police say a suicide bomber has killed a militant commander in northwest Pakistan. Monday’s attack on the outskirts of the city of Peshawar killed Haji Akhunzada, his son-in-law and at least one other person. Akhunzada was a senior leader in the Ansar ul-Islam militant group, which operates in the Khyber tribal agency near the Afghan […]
Pakistan Lifts Travel Ban on Former Diplomat
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 8:05 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has lifted a travel ban on its former ambassador to the United States who had been under investigation for his connection to a controversial memo urging U.S. help in reining in the military. Husain Haqqani, who resigned his diplomatic post, said Monday he intends to travel to the U.S. to join his family there […]
AU Leaders Fail to Choose Top Official
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 7:55 am (UTC-5)
African Union leaders failed to elect a new chairman of the AU Commission Monday at the African summit in Addis Ababa. The election in the Ethiopian capital set the incumbent chairman, Jean Ping of Gabon, against South African Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. There was a deadlock after three rounds of voting, with neither candidate […]
Attacks on Nigerian Police Stations Leave 2 Dead
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 7:15 am (UTC-5)
Police in northern Nigeria say gunmen have attacked two police stations in Kano, leaving two civilians dead. Authorities say the civilians were killed late Sunday during a shootout between police and the gunmen. The attackers also threw bombs at the police station, damaging the building. Gunmen launched a second attack early Monday on a station […]
EU Leaders to Discuss Bailout Fund, Deficit Controls
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 7:15 am (UTC-5)
European leaders are set to discuss new rules for controlling deficits and a proposed bailout fund, as they work to find a solution to the continent’s sovereign debt crisis. The European Union says it expects leaders at its summit Monday in Brussels to sign off on a new permanent rescue fund for countries that use […]
