Many people around the world are marking World Refugee Day Wednesday by paying tribute to the more than 42 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes. In a special message, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said “refugees leave because they have no choice.” He said everyone must choose to help. U.S. Secretary of […]
Millions Pay Tribute on World Refugee Day
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 12:50 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment
Pakistan Moves to Elect New PM
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned lawmakers to meet later this week for discussions on electing a new prime minister, following the dismissal of Yousuf Raza Gilani. The president’s office announced Wednesday that Mr. Zardari had summoned the lower house of parliament to meet Friday. The announcement comes a day after the Supreme Court […]
Hostages at Toulouse Bank Freed, Suspect Detained
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 11:45 am (UTC-5)
A gunman who took four hostages inside a bank in Toulouse, France, has been arrested and his captives freed. Police say the suspect was slightly injured in their efforts to free the hostages, but the hostages themselves were unharmed. The police statement came soon after gunshots were reported in the area of the bank. The […]
Two More Tibetans Self-Immolate in Anti-China Protest
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
Two young Tibetans set themselves on fire in eastern Tibet Wednesday, while calling for Tibetan independence and a long life for their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Exile leaders say the activists, age 22 and 24, were carrying Tibetan national flags as they launched their midafternoon protest in Zatoe town, in the southeastern Kham […]
Two More Tibetans Self-Immolate in Anti-China Protest
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
Two young Tibetans set themselves on fire in eastern Tibet Wednesday, while calling for Tibetan independence and a long life for their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Exile leaders say the activists, age 22 and 24, were carrying Tibetan national flags as they launched their midafternoon protest in Zatoe town, in the southeastern Kham […]
Activist Fears Syria Will Become ‘New Somalia’
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
Syrian rights activists say violence across the country Wednesday has killed at least 53 people, after the head of a United Nations monitoring mission says his team is committed to staying in the war-torn country. Rami Abdelrahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told VOA that he fears Syria will become […]
Gunman Takes Hostages at Toulouse Bank
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
A gunman holding hostages inside a bank in Toulouse, France, has released at least one of his four captives. Police say the released hostage is a woman. They say talks are underway with the gunman to arrange the release of the hostages still inside the bank. Authorities say they are trying to establish communications with […]
Suicide Bomber Attacks NATO Troops in Afghanistan
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC-5)
A suicide bomber killed at least 21 people, including three coalition soldiers, in an attack on a joint NATO and Afghan patrol in eastern Afghanistan. Provincial police chief General Sardar Mohammad Zazai told VOA the attacker struck a checkpoint where coalition and Afghan forces were using biometric data to screen residents in Khost city. The […]
Samaras To Be Sworn in as Greek Prime Minister
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
Conservative Antonis Samaras has been sworn in as Greece’s new prime minister, leading a newly formed coalition government that intends to renegotiate the terms of an international bailout package. Three political parties — Mr. Samaras’s New Democracy, the Democratic Left, and the socialist PASOK — arrived at an agreement on a coalition government earlier Wednesday […]
New Greek Government Seeking Bailout Relief
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
The new Greek government is moving quickly to win Europe’s approval for easing the terms of its financial bailout. Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos, a partner in the fledgling coalition government, said the meeting of the continent’s finance ministers on Thursday in Luxembourg “will be the first big battle” on revising the $168 billion bailout Greece […]
