Amid international skepticism, a U.N.-backed cease-fire took an uneasy hold in Syria on Thursday, and there are scattered reports of violence. Syrian state media say a roadside bomb in the city of Aleppo killed one soldier and wounded 24 officers and cadets on Thursday. Rights activists one civilian was shot dead in Hama province by […]
Zimmerman Charged with Murder in Florida Shooting of Black Teen
Posted April 11th, 2012 at 6:55 pm (UTC-5)
A Florida special prosecutor has charged a white Hispanic suspect with second degree murder in the shooting death of African-American teenager Trayvon Martin. Special prosecutor Angela Corey announced Wednesday that George Zimmerman turned himself in to police. He will appear before a judge to hear the charges later this week. Corey gave no details on […]
Syria Pledges to Meet Cease-fire Deadline, But Violence Continues
Posted April 11th, 2012 at 12:10 pm (UTC-5)
Even as it continued widespread shelling of opposition strongholds Wednesday, the Syrian government told peace envoy Kofi Annan that it will stop military action against rebels on Thursday morning. In a letter to Mr. Annan, the Syrian foreign ministry said the government reserves the right after the cease-fire deadline to continue responding to attacks from […]
North Korea Announces Fueling of Rocket for Space Launch
Posted April 11th, 2012 at 10:40 am (UTC-5)
North Korean officials say they have begun injecting fuel into a rocket for an imminent space launch, raising the stakes in an escalating standoff with its regional neighbors and the United States. Paek Chang Ho, chief of North Korea’s launch command center, announced the action Wednesday to a visiting group of international reporters, saying fuel […]
Sudan Official: No Talks With South Sudan
Posted April 11th, 2012 at 9:10 am (UTC-5)
A top Sudanese official says Sudan is cutting off talks with South Sudan, as the sides clash in a disputed border region. State radio Wednesday quoted Vice President Al-Haj Adam Yusuf as saying there will be no talks with the south and that Sudan must protect its border. Sudan is accusing South Sudan of launching […]
Magnitude 8.6 Earthquake Hits Off Indonesia Coast, Tsunami Warning Issued
Posted April 11th, 2012 at 6:05 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. Geological Survey says an 8.6-magnitude earthquake has struck off the northwestern coast of Indonesia, sparking fears of a tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean region. The quake hit about 430 kilometers southwest of Banda Aceh, the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, at an estimated depth of 22 kilometers. In […]
Pyongyang Declares Rocket Ready for Launch
Posted April 10th, 2012 at 5:50 am (UTC-5)
North Korea on Tuesday announced the completion of preparations for a rocket launch that is being roundly condemned by the international community. The deputy director of North Korea’s space program told reporters in Pyongyang that the rocket is now ready for a launch date as early as Thursday. International journalists including a VOA reporter were […]
Activists Report Attacks in Syria as Government Claims Pullout
Posted April 10th, 2012 at 5:15 am (UTC-5)
Syrian activists reported military attacks on two towns and no large-scale troop pullout Tuesday, the day President Bashar al-Assad was to halt the use of heavy weapons and withdraw his forces from urban areas under an internationally brokered truce. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces shelled the central city of Hama […]
Twin Suicide Bombings Kill at Least 18 in Afghanistan
Posted April 10th, 2012 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
Afghan officials say suicide bombers have attacked a police station in the southern province of Helmand, just hours after a deadly suicide attack on a government facility in the western part of the country. Officials say at least eight policemen were killed when three bombers stormed the police compound Tuesday in the district of Musa […]
US, Brazil Affirm Strong Economic Ties
Posted April 9th, 2012 at 11:45 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. and Brazilian leaders have affirmed their countries’ strong economic ties, raising the prospect of more American investment in Brazil as it prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff met at the White House Monday. President Obama, who visited Brazil last year, […]
