The Syrian government blamed “terrorists” Thursday for a massive explosion in the central city of Hama that killed at least 16 people as Syria’s tenuous cease-fire continues to unravel amid more violence and a rising death toll. Both government and rebels traded blame over the blast that caused a huge fireball in a residential neighborhood […]
Syria Government, Opponents Trade Blame Over Massive Blast
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 9:05 am (UTC-5)
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Maoist Rebels Release Indian Lawmaker
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 8:50 am (UTC-5)
Maoist rebels in eastern India have freed a state lawmaker after holding him captive for more than a month. Jhina Hikaka, a member of the Orissa state assembly, was released from a remote jungle hideout on Thursday. The rebels said Hikaka had agreed to resign from his post in exchange for his release. The deal […]
6 Dead in Nigerian Explosions
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 8:20 am (UTC-5)
Officials in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, say a bombing at a newspaper office has killed three people, while another blast hit a market near the same publication’s office in the northern city of Kaduna. Officials say the first explosion Thursday went off at the Abuja office of This Day, one of Nigeria’s most prominent papers. A […]
Charles Taylor Convicted of War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 8:10 am (UTC-5)
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has been found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a special tribunal in The Hague. The Special Court for Sierra Leone ruled Thursday that Taylor aided and abetted severe human rights abuses carried out by rebels during Sierra Leone’s civil war. Presiding Judge Richard Lussick said the […]
Taliban Storm Police Post in Northeast Afghanistan
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 7:55 am (UTC-5)
Afghan officials say a group of Taliban insurgents have stormed a police post in northeast Afghanistan, killing at least four police officers and and capturing 16 others. The attack took place late Wednesday in Badakhshan province, which borders Pakistan, Tajikistan and China. Deputy Provincial Governor Shams ul-Rahman told reporters that two police officers were also […]
Pakistani PM Convicted of Contempt But Spared Prison
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 7:40 am (UTC-5)
The showdown between Pakistan’s highest court and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is over, with the court convicting Mr. Gilani of contempt. The Supreme Court issued its verdict Thursday in Islamabad, ruling the prime minister openly defied the court’s order to reopen an old corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. But the high court […]
Explosion Rocks Newspaper Headquarters in Nigerian Capital
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
Witnesses say a bomb has exploded at a newspaper headquarters in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. The explosion Thursday went off at the headquarters of This Day, one of the country’s most prominent papers. A resident of the neighborhood told VOA the explosion shook his house at around 11 o’clock in the morning local time. He […]
Charles Taylor Found Guilty of War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 7:20 am (UTC-5)
A special tribunal in The Hague has found former Liberian president Charles Taylor guilty on multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Special Court for Sierra Leone ruled Thursday that Taylor was guilty of murder, rape, sexual slavery, and other charges. The charges stemmed from Taylor’s support for rebels during Sierra Leone’s […]
UN Truce Observers Return to Douma
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 7:10 am (UTC-5)
A spokesman for the United Nations truce-monitoring team in Syria says observers are going to the Damascus suburb of Douma and other areas, while rights activists report continued violence by government forces. Observer mission spokesman Neeraj Singh said Thursday monitors found a need to “de-escalate” the situation in Douma during a visit a day earlier, […]
Japan’s ‘Shadow Shogun’ Acquitted in Fund-Raising Scandal
Posted April 26th, 2012 at 6:05 am (UTC-5)
Influential Japanese political figure Ichiro Ozawa was acquitted Thursday on charges of violating fund-raising laws, setting up a possible showdown in the country’s ruling party. The Tokyo District Court said there was no evidence that Ozawa knowingly falsified reports to hide a $5 million loan he made to his political fund-raising body to facilitate a […]
