Syrian human rights activists say hundreds of people are fleeing the central city of Hama for fear of a military crackdown by security forces. A Syrian activist monitoring developments in Hama told VOA in a telephone interview that dozens of families left the city Thursday. She said military forces have surrounded the city with tanks, […]
Syrian Rights Activists Say Hundreds Flee Hama
Posted July 7th, 2011 at 1:50 pm (UTC-5)
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At Least 39 Killed in Pakistani City of Karachi
Posted July 7th, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
Police say at least 39 people have been killed in political and ethnic violence in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi in the last three days. Gunmen opened fire on buses Thursday in the latest unrest. Police blame clashes between rival political groups in Sindh province, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National […]
Obama, Lawmakers Start High Stakes Debt Talks
Posted July 7th, 2011 at 11:45 am (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama is sitting down with top lawmakers, hoping to win support for a bolder package of spending cuts and tax increases aimed at slashing the nation’s debt. White House and congressional aides say Mr. Obama will propose doubling the amount of money trimmed from the country’s budget deficit to $4 trillion during […]
Children Unharmed as Hostage Standoff Ends in Malaysia
Posted July 7th, 2011 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
Malaysian police have freed 30 pre-school children and their four teachers hours after they were taken hostage Thursday by a hammer and machete-wielding man in southern Jolor state. Police fired tear gas and stormed the building after several hours of negotiations had failed. The standoff ended when a police sniper shot and wounded the suspect. […]
US Stocks Bounce Higher at Open
Posted July 7th, 2011 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
The major U.S. stock indexes moved higher in Thursday’s early trading following a government report showing fewer Americans are applying for unemployment insurance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained nearly half a percent. The S&P 500 index advanced three-quarters of a percent. And the NASDAQ rose eight-tenths of a percent. European stock prices were also […]
Officials: US Pullout from Afghanistan to Begin Slowly
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 8:40 pm (UTC-5)
The No. 2 commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan says a planned troop withdrawal from the country will begin slowly, with the departure of about 800 National Guard troops later this month and some 800 Marines in the fall. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon by video link from Kabul Wednesday, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez […]
South Koreans Celebrate Successful Bid to Host 2018 Winter Olympics
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
South Koreans celebrated victory Wednesday in their bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics with fireworks, cheers, screams of delight and tears. Residents of the resort city of Pyeongchang were ecstatic at the news that their city had been chosen over Munich, Germany and Annecy, France. Pyeongchang won an outright majority in the International Olympic […]
British PM Calls for Inquiries into Newspaper Phone Hacking Scandal
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 5:00 pm (UTC-5)
British Prime Minister David Cameron has called for independent inquiries into new allegations that British tabloid newspaper News of the World hacked into the phones of multiple murder victims in recent years. British media said Wednesday police suspect the newspaper intercepted voicemails sent to the phones of several schoolgirls murdered in 2002 and the phones […]
Pakistan Expresses ‘Serious Concern’ Over Cross-Border Attacks
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 2:45 pm (UTC-5)
Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani spoke to Afghan President Hamid Karzai by phone Wednesday to express “serious concern” regarding the activities of militants along the countries’ shared border. The conversation came hours after Pakistani officials said hundreds of militants crossed from Afghanistan and attacked several border villages in Pakistan’s northwest. The prime minister’s […]
Rebels Seize 2 Villages Near Libyan Capital
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 2:45 pm (UTC-5)
Libyan rebels have seized two small towns south of Tripoli following a six-hour gunbattle with forces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi. Rebels said Wednesday they had gained control of al-Qawalish and Kikla, which are both within 100 kilometers of the capital. The next larger town to the north is Garyan, which controls a main road […]
