Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a coalition airstrike that officials say killed a family of eight in eastern Paktia province, where Afghan and international troops are trying to quell the Taliban insurgency. A provincial government spokesman Rohullah Samoon told VOA Sunday the overnight airstrike killed a man, his wife and six […]
Afghan President Orders Probe Into Civilian Casualties in Paktia
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 3:40 pm (UTC-5)
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Mali Rebel Groups Merge, Plan to Create Islamic State
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 12:45 pm (UTC-5)
Tuareg rebels and a militant Islamic sect in Mali say they have joined forces to create an independent, Islamic state in the north. The new alliance is made up of Tuaregs with the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, and members of the al-Qaida-linked extremist group Ansar Dine. The groups say they signed the […]
Karzai Orders Probe into Latest NATO Airstrike
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a coalition airstrike that local officials in the eastern part of the country say killed a family of eight. Earlier Sunday, a government spokesman for Paktia Province, Rohullah Samoon, told VOA a coalition airstrike killed a man, his wife and six children overnight in the Gerda […]
Officials: NATO Airstrike Kills 8 Afghan Civilians
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
Officials in eastern Afghanistan say a NATO airstrike has killed a family of eight. A government spokesman for Paktia province, Rohullah Samoon, tells VOA that a coalition airstrike late Saturday killed a man, his wife and six children in the Gerda Serai district. He said that according to his information, the man was not linked […]
Sweden Wins Eurovision Song Contest
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
Swedish singer Loreen has won the 2012 Eurovision song contest in Baku, Azerbaijan. The 28-year-old pop singer won the final round of the annual competition with her song “Euphoria.” Days earlier she angered Azerbaijani authorities by meeting with local rights activists critical of the country’s human rights record. Opposition activists have accused President Ilham Aliyev […]
Syrian Officials Deny Responsibililty for Houla Massacre
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 9:40 am (UTC-5)
The Syrian government has denied its troops massacred at least 92 people, about one-third of them children, Friday in the town of Houla. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jihad Makdissi called accusations against the Syrian government a “tsunami of lies”. Instead, he blamed heavily armed “terrorists” who he claimed attacked soldiers. U.N. observers said artillery and tanks […]
Suspected NATO Airstrike Kills 8 Afghan Civilians
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 9:15 am (UTC-5)
Officials in eastern Afghanistan say a NATO airstrike has killed a family of eight. A government spokesman for Paktia province, Rohullah Samoon, tells VOA that a coalition airstrike late Saturday killed a man, his wife and six children in the Gerda Serai district. He said that according to his information, the man was not linked […]
Syrian Officials Deny Responsibililty for Houla Massacre
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 6:40 am (UTC-5)
Syrian officials say Damascus is not responsible for the massacre in a village that killed at least 92 people, including dozens of children. A Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters in Damascus Sunday that anti-government gunmen carried out Friday’s attack. He says the government condemns what he called the “terrorist” attack, and is opening an investigation […]
Brother of Blind Chinese Dissident Returns Home
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 5:20 am (UTC-5)
A rights lawyer says the older brother of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng has returned to his village in eastern China after escaping guards on Tuesday and travelling to Beijing. Attorney Ding Xikui said Sunday that he was told by a friend of the family that Chen Guangfu had returned to Dongshigu village after seeking […]
Lady Gaga’s Indonesian Concert Cancelled
Posted May 27th, 2012 at 3:35 am (UTC-5)
Promoters for American pop singer Lady Gaga said Sunday that her June 3 show in Indonesia has been cancelled after Islamic hard-liners threatened violence if she performs. Concert promotion lawyer Minola Sebayang said that the cancellation was not only about Lady Gaga’s security, but the safety of those who would be watching her. Indonesian police […]
