Afghan President Hamid Karzai has appealed to the Taliban to stop their attacks, saying renewed violence is only serving to prolong foreign presence in Afghanistan. President Karzai’s comments on Tuesday came a day after an 18-hour insurgent offensive across Afghanistan claimed the lives of four civilians, 11 Afghan security personnel and 36 militants. Addressing an […]
Karzai: Taliban Attacks ‘Prolong Foreign Presence’
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 7:15 am (UTC-5)
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AU Says Guinea-Bissau Coup Leaders Violating Constitution
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 6:45 am (UTC-5)
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping has expressed “deep regret” at the situation in Guinea-Bissau, saying efforts by the leaders of a military coup carried out last week are a “flagrant violation” of the country’s constitution. In a statement released Tuesday ahead of a meeting of the AU’s Peace and Security Council, Ping urged all […]
Syrian Forces Widen Attacks
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
Activists say Syrian government forces widened their attacks on opposition strongholds Tuesday, killing two civilians and wounding dozens more as a U.N.-brokered cease-fire continued to unravel despite the presence of foreign observers. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties occurred when army tanks shelled the town of Busra al-Harir, a stronghold of […]
Pentagon: Haqqani Network Likely Behind Afghan Attacks
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 6:10 am (UTC-5)
The Pentagon says the Pakistani-based militant Haqqani network was likely behind the coordinated attacks across Afghanistan that claimed the lives of four civilians, 11 Afghan security personnel and 36 insurgents. Fighting in the Afghan capital and three eastern provinces began Sunday afternoon and ended nearly 18 hours later early Monday. The Taliban claimed responsibility for […]
Former Independence Fighter New President of East Timor
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 5:25 am (UTC-5)
Former independence leader Taur Matan Ruak has won East Timor’s presidential election. Election officials announced Tuesday that Ruak won the presidential runoff with 61 percent of the vote to 39 percent for Francisco Guterres, another independence leader known as “Lu Olo.” Guterres placed slightly ahead of Ruak in last month’s first round of the presidential […]
Australian PM Sets Early Date for Afghan Pullout
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 4:10 am (UTC-5)
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard says her country’s troops will withdraw from Afghanistan in mid-2013, one year earlier than previously planned. Ms. Gillard announced the accelerated withdrawal Tuesday during a speech in Canberra. The prime minister says she will seek “broad and substantial international support” for the decision at next month’s NATO summit in Chicago, […]
Sudanese Parliament Calls South Sudan an ‘Enemy’
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 3:50 am (UTC-5)
Sudan’s parliament has declared South Sudan an “enemy” amid escalated violence along the countries’ shared border. After the vote Monday in Khartoum, South Sudanese Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin rejected the decision, saying his country is not an enemy of Sudan. Rabie Abdelati Obeid, a prominent member of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party, told VOA […]
China Joins World Powers in Strong Warning to Pyongyang
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 3:20 am (UTC-5)
China has joined other world powers in warning North Korea that they will not tolerate any more provocations after the isolated nation’s failed rocket launch last week. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said late Monday in Brasilia that the U.N. Security Council members, including China, are agreed there will be “further consequences” in the […]
Former Independence Fighter New President of East Timor
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 3:20 am (UTC-5)
Former independence leader Taur Matan Ruak has won East Timor’s presidential election. Elections officials announced Tuesday that Ruak won the presidential run-off with 61 percent of all votes cast, compared to 38 percent for Francisco Guterres, another independence leader known as “Lu Olo.” Guterres placed slightly ahead of Ruak in last month’s first round of […]
UN Security Council Toughens N.Korea Sanctions
Posted April 17th, 2012 at 2:20 am (UTC-5)
The U.N. Security Council has strongly condemned North Korea for its attempted launch of a long-range rocket last week, and agreed to impose new sanctions on the increasingly isolated nation. The council unanimously adopted what is known as a “presidential statement,” which called Friday’s launch “a serious violation of existing Security Council resolutions” aimed at […]
