France is holding the first round of parliamentary elections Sunday, a vote which will ultimately determine the pace of reform under the country’s new Socialist President Francois Hollande. Opinion polls show that leftist parties could gain a slim majority of the 577 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. But, it is […]
Spanish PM Hails Bank Rescue Plan
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 9:30 am (UTC-5)
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has welcomed a European financial lifeline of up to $125 billion to rescue his country’s failing banks. Mr. Rajoy told reporters Sunday that efforts by his center-right government had prevented a wider state bailout and that the assistance his country is receiving is different than that received by Greece, Italy […]
Attackers Target Two Churches in Nigeria
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Witnesses say bombers and gunmen attacked two churches in Nigeria on Sunday, one in the northeastern region and the other in central Nigeria. There are reports of casualties at both sites, but it was not immediately clear how many people were killed or wounded. Witnesses say a bomb detonated outside a Christian church in city […]
High-Level US Envoy Visits Somalia
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 8:15 am (UTC-5)
The Somali government says the top U.S. envoy to Africa has met with leaders in Mogadishu, marking the highest-profile visit by a U.S. official since the early 1990s. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson met on Sunday with President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali. The one-day visit […]
Kenyan Cabinet Minister Among 6 Killed in Helicopter Crash
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 7:15 am (UTC-5)
Kenyan officials say Internal Security Minister George Saitoti is among six people killed in a police helicopter crash early Sunday near the capital, Nairobi. Authorities say an assistant and a bodyguard of Saitoti were also killed in the crash in the Ngong hills area. Saitoti was a former vice-president who planned to run for president […]
Syrian Opposition Elects Kurd to try to Unite Movement
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 6:55 am (UTC-5)
Syria’s main exiled opposition group has elected a Kurdish academic to try to unify the movement after months of infighting, as activists report dozens of civilians killed in government attacks around the country. Senior members of the opposition Syrian National Council chose Abdulbaset Sieda to be the group’s new leader at a meeting in Istanbul […]
Kenyan Police Say Cabinet Minister Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 6:10 am (UTC-5)
Kenyan police and government officials say Internal Security Minister George Saitoti is among at least six people killed in a police helicopter crash early Sunday, near the capital, Nairobi. Authorities say an assistant and a bodyguard of Saitoti were also killed in the crash in the Ngong hills area. Saitoti was a former Vice-President, who […]
Kenyan Police Say Cabinet Minister Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 5:30 am (UTC-5)
Kenyan police and government officials say Interior Minister George Saitoti is among at least six people killed in a police helicopter crash early Sunday, near the capital, Nairobi. Authorities say an assistant and a bodyguard of Saitoti were also killed in the crash in the Ngong hills area. Saitoti was a former Vice-President, who planned […]
Activists: Syrian Troops Kill 52 Civilians in Saturday Attacks
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 5:25 am (UTC-5)
Syrian activists say government forces killed at least 52 civilians in attacks across the country Saturday, as Syria’s main exiled opposition group elected a Kurdish academic to try to unify the movement after months of infighting. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday’s highest death toll was in Daraa, with 20 people killed […]
Polls Open in French Parliamentary Election
Posted June 10th, 2012 at 2:50 am (UTC-5)
The first round of parliamentary elections began in France Sunday, where polls show that leftist parties could gain a slim majority of the 577 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament But, it is not clear whether the Socialists and their allies will win the necessary solid majority in the first round […]
