Britain’s Foreign Office says Syria’s chief diplomat in London has defected, making him the latest top official to quit in protest of Syria’s bloody crackdown against the opposition. The foreign office said Monday that Charge D’affaires Khaled al-Ayoubi informed it that he would no longer represent President Assad’s government. Also Monday, Syrian troops and rebels […]
British Officials: Top Syrian Diplomat Defects
Posted July 30th, 2012 at 4:20 pm (UTC-5)
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Third Day of Olympics Features Swimming Finals; China Wins Men’s Gymnastics Gold
Posted July 30th, 2012 at 3:15 pm (UTC-5)
The third full day of competition is well under way at the London Olympics, featuring 12 medal finals. China once again dominated the men’s gymnastics event, winning the gold by a wide margin over second place Japan. The biggest cheers from the hometown crowd went to the British team and its bronze medal finish. The […]
Colorado Massacre Suspect Charged With Murder, Attempted Murder
Posted July 30th, 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC-5)
The suspect in a U.S. movie theater massacre has been charged with multiple counts of first degree murder and attempted murder, for the shooting attack in which 12 people were killed and 58 were wounded. Prosecutors filed formal charges Monday against suspect James Holmes in Colorado. They say they will decide whether to seek the […]
UN: 200,000 Syrians Flee Aleppo as Rebels, Troops Clash
Posted July 29th, 2012 at 5:35 pm (UTC-5)
United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos says fighting between Syrian troops and rebels in the city of Aleppo has forced 200,000 people to flee the country’s commercial hub and surrounding area over the past two days. In a statement issued Sunday, Amos said many of the Aleppo refugees have sought shelter in schools and other […]
US Swimmer Vollmer Wins Women’s Olympic Gold
Posted July 29th, 2012 at 3:50 pm (UTC-5)
American swimmer Dana Vollmer took the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter butterfly in world record time Sunday at the London Summer Olympics. Vollmer, the reigning world champion, swam the 100 meters in just 55.98 seconds. China’s Lu Ying won the silver and Alicia Coutts of Australia took the bronze. Also Sunday, North Korea won […]
Romney Meets with Israeli, Palestinian Leaders
Posted July 29th, 2012 at 1:50 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney began a short visit to Israel Sunday by meeting with his longtime friend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Netanyahu told the presumptive Republican nominee that he agrees with his stance that the greatest danger facing the world is the potential for a nuclear-armed Iran. In his public comments, Romney […]
Syrian Forces Intensify Assault in Aleppo
Posted July 28th, 2012 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
Intense shelling and mortar rounds rocked Syria’s northwestern city of Aleppo on Saturday as security forces stepped up assaults on rebel positions. Opposition activists say troops with tanks and helicopter gunships have pounded neighborhoods with rebel strongholds. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 29 people were killed in Saturday’s unrest in the […]
‘Firsts’ for Qatar, Albania at Olympic Games
Posted July 28th, 2012 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
A competitive shooter has become the first Qatari woman to participate in an Olympic event while an Albanian weightlifter earned the distinction of being the first athlete ejected from the 2012 games for doping. Qatar’s Bahai al-Hamad broke her country’s gender barrier on Saturday by taking part in the qualifying round of the 10-meter air […]
Hyde Park Completely Open After Safety Concern
Posted July 28th, 2012 at 7:30 am (UTC-5)
Police say Hyde Park is completely open after investigating reports of a suspicious package. Authorities earlier cleared part of the park in central London Saturday, the first day of Olympic compition. A senior officer told a VOA correspondent a suspicious package was found near the Russia House Exhibition Center, a display sponsored by the Russian […]
Chinese Politician’s Wife Charged with Murder
Posted July 26th, 2012 at 11:20 pm (UTC-5)
Chinese prosecutors have charged the wife of former senior Communist Party official Bo Xilai and a family aide with the murder of a British businessman. China’s official news media say Bo Gu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun were charged Thursday with the intentional homicide of Neil Heywood in the eastern city of Hefei. The trial date […]
