Turkey’s military says one of its helicopters has crashed into a house on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, killing 12 Turkish soldiers onboard and at least two people on the ground. Authorities say the Sikorsky helicopter was on a mission as part of the NATO force in Afghanistan when it crashed Friday in the […]
NATO Helicopter Crash Kills 14 Near Afghan Capital
Archbishop of Canterbury Announces Resignation
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion and the Church of England, announced Friday he is stepping down at the end of this year. Archbishop Rowan Williams said on his website, he will begin a new position as Master of Magdalene College, in Cambridge, beginning in January. He has served as […]
Eritrea Calls for UN to Respond After Ethiopian Attack
Eritrea is calling for the United Nations to impose penalties on arch-rival Ethiopia, after Ethiopian forces attacked a military base inside Eritrea. In a statement Friday, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said the incursion is part of a history of “unlawful and provocative attacks” by Ethiopia. He urged the U.N. Security Council to take measures […]
Envoy to Brief UN Security Council on Syria
Russia’s foreign ministry says it is encouraging the Syrian government to “fully cooperate” with Kofi Annan, the U.N.-Arab League envoy attempting to find a settlement to the year-long bloodshed in the country. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday he also expects Western governments to urge the Syrian opposition to cooperate with the mediation efforts of […]
Eritrea Calls for UN to Respond After Ethiopian Attack
Eritrea is calling for the United Nations to impose penalties on arch-rival Ethiopia, after Ethiopian forces attacked a military base inside Eritrea. In a statement Friday, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said the incursion is part of a history of “unlawful and provocative attacks” by Ethiopia. He urged the U.N. security council to take measures […]
12 Turkish Soldiers Killed in Afghan Crash
Turkey’s military says one of its helicopters has crashed into a house on the outskirts of the Afghan capital Kabul, killing 12 Turkish soldiers. Authorities say the Sikorsky helicopter crashed into the house Friday in the Bagrami district. The Turkish military said the aircraft belonged to the Turkish armed forces and was part of the […]
Nigeria, Boko Haram in Indirect Talks for a Ceasefire
Nigeria is said to have opened ceasefire talks with with the shadowy Islamic sect Boko Haram, blamed for hundreds of deaths in bombings and shootings over the past 18 months. Political and diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, say intermediaries are bringing messages between the government and militant leaders. Reports from Nigeria say Boko […]
US Envoy to Haiti Urges Patience on Disaster Recovery
The U.S. ambassador to Haiti says the reconstruction efforts from the devastating 2010 earthquake will take years to complete. In an interview with VOA’s Creole Service, Kenneth Merten compared the pace of reconstruction efforts in Port au Prince to that of New York City’s World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the 2011 terrorist attack. […]
North Korea Announces Planned Satellite Launch
North Korea says it will use a long range rocket to launch a satellite next month in honor of late president Kim Il Sung’s 100th birthday, which falls on April 15. In a statement carried by official media, a spokesman for the North’s Korean Committee for Space Technology said a long-range Unha-3 rocket would launch […]
Bodies of Swiss Bus Crash Victims Being Flown Back to Belgium
Belgian military planes are bringing home the bodies of 28 people, mostly children, killed in a bus crash earlier this week in a Swiss tunnel. Belgian officials declared Friday a national day of mourning, as the memorials outside two Catholic schools attended by nearly two-dozen victims continue to grow. Authorities say all the victims have […]