The head of Greece’s small Democratic Left party says it will support a coalition government led by the conservative New Democracy party, which won the most seats in Sunday’s parliamentary elections. Fotis Kouvelis said Wednesday he expects the announcement of a final agreement later in the day. The coalition will likely also include the PASOK […]
WikiLeaks Founder Seeks Asylum in Ecuador
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
British authorities say WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is “beyond the reach of police” now that he has sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. The 40-year-old Australian entered the embassy Tuesday. Ricardo Patino, Ecuador’s foreign minister, told reporters Tuesday in the capital, Quito, that it was considering Assange’s request for political asylum in the […]
Egypt’s Mubarak on Life Support
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 6:15 am (UTC-5)
Egyptian security sources say ousted president Hosni Mubarak is unconscious and on a respirator after being rushed from prison to a military hospital following a stroke. Military officials said early Wednesday that Mubarak, who was taken to Maadi Hospital in southern Cairo, was “using artificial respiration.” Earlier reports by the state news agency MENA said […]
Dissident Chinese Artist Ordered to Avoid Tax Hearing
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 5:55 am (UTC-5)
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei says he has been barred from attending Wednesday’s court hearing of a lawsuit filed by his company to challenge a large fine imposed by Beijing tax authorities. Ai Weiwei told reporters outside his Beijing home that police called and ordered him to stay away from the courthouse, without giving him a […]
Aung San Suu Kyi: Warm British Welcome No Challenge to Burmese President
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 4:55 am (UTC-5)
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi says Burma’s president should not see the warm welcome she has received during her first trip to Britain in 24 years as a challenge. She was due to receive an honorary degree and give an address Wednesday at Oxford University, a day after a packed auditorium at the […]
Asia Number One Home of World’s Millionaires
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 2:20 am (UTC-5)
Asia’s population of millionaires outpaced that of North America for the first time last year, but the total net worth of the world’s wealthiest people declined in the face of global economic uncertainty. The newest World Wealth Report says the Asia-Pacific region was home to 3.37 million people having $1 million or more to invest, […]
Miami Heat On Verge of First NBA Title in LeBron James Era
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 12:55 am (UTC-5)
LeBron James is one win away from his first National Basketball Association championship after his Miami Heat beat the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 104-98 Tuesday. James led Miami with 26 points, including a three-point shot late in the fourth quarter that snapped a 94-94 tie and put the Heat in the lead for good, despite […]
Mood: UN Team Will Stay in Syria
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 12:35 am (UTC-5)
The head of the United Nations monitoring mission in Syria told the Security Council Tuesday his team has been repeatedly targeted by gunfire but is committed to staying in the war-torn country. Major General Robert Mood of Norway said Tuesday that questions about canceling the mission were premature, and that the “suffering of the Syrian […]
Survey Offers Rare Glimpse of Somalis’ Political Views
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
A new VOA survey offers a rare look at the political views of people in war-torn Somalia. More than 3,000 people throughout Somalia responded to an unprecedented survey about the country’s proposed constitution. More than three-quarters of the respondents supported the draft constitution. The vast majority backed a provision calling for Islamic law, or Sharia. […]
Mood: UN Team Will Stay in Syria
Posted June 19th, 2012 at 9:30 pm (UTC-5)
The head of the United Nations monitoring mission in Syria told the Security Council Tuesday his team has been repeatedly targeted by gunfire but is committed to staying in the war-torn country. Major General Robert Mood of Norway said Tuesday that questions about canceling the mission were premature, noting “We are not going anywhere.” U.N. […]
