Parts of Syria’s capital were under siege Thursday, with pitched fighting reported between Syrian government forces and rebels. Activists reported shelling and house-to-house raids in Daraya, on the edge of Damascus, as well as clashes in the city’s Hajar al-Aswad district. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebel fighters killed or wounded 10 […]
Foreign Journalist Killed, Two Others Missing in Syria
Posted August 21st, 2012 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
A Japanese journalist who was traveling with Syrian rebels has died after being caught in gunfire, while two Alhurra TV journalists who may have been with her are missing. Japan’s Foreign Ministry says Mika Yamamoto was shot Monday while traveling with the Free Syrian Army in the northern city of Aleppo. She worked for the […]
Ethiopian Leader Meles Dies at 57
Posted August 21st, 2012 at 9:45 am (UTC-5)
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has died at the age of 57, after months of speculation about his health. State television announced his death Tuesday, saying he died from a sudden infection late Monday at a hospital abroad. Speaking with VOA (Somali Service), government spokesman Bereket Simon would not say where Mr. Meles died, or […]
Ethiopian Leader Meles Dies at 57
Posted August 21st, 2012 at 8:55 am (UTC-5)
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has died at the age of 57 after months of speculation about his health. State television announced his death Tuesday, saying he died from a sudden infection late Monday while at a hospital abroad. Speaking with VOA (Somali Service), government spokesman Bereket Simon would not say where Mr. Meles died, […]
Pakistan’s President Orders Report on Girl’s Arrest for Blasphemy
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 3:10 pm (UTC-5)
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has asked the country’s Interior Ministry for a report about the arrest of a Christian girl on blasphemy charges for allegedly desecrating a religious text. Police say the girl was taken into custody Thursday after angry neighbors surrounded her house in Islamabad and accused her of burning pages inscribed with […]
Obama Concerned About Afghan Insider Attacks
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama said he is concerned about the “green on blue” attacks, the recent killings of NATO troops by Afghan security forces. At a news conference Monday, Mr. Obama said he has spoken to senior military leaders who are in Afghanistan talking to coalition and afghan counterparts about the recent “uptick” of such […]
South American Countries Back Ecuador’s Asylum for Assange
Posted August 19th, 2012 at 8:10 pm (UTC-5)
South American foreign ministers are backing Ecuador and its decision to grant asylum to embattled WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at its London embassy. The ministers of the 12 countries forming the Union of South American Nations issued a statement Sunday expressing solidarity with Ecuador. The ministers reaffirmed the rights of nations to grant asylum without […]
Syria Denies Defection of Vice President
Posted August 18th, 2012 at 2:05 pm (UTC-5)
Syria is denying reports that Vice President Farouq al-Shara has defected. Syrian state television Saturday quoted a statement from Shara’s office as saying the 73-year-old Sunni Muslim “never thought for a moment about leaving the country.” The channel also said Shara welcomed the U.N. appointment Friday of veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi as international envoy […]
South African Police: Mine Shootings Were in Self-Defense
Posted August 17th, 2012 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
South Africa’s national police chief says her forces opened fire in self-defense against striking mine workers, in violence that left 34 people dead and 78 injured. Riah Phiyega said Friday that police used force to protect themselves after coming under attack Thursday by strikers armed with “dangerous weapons.” The mining company also said after the […]
2 Years in Prison for ‘Hooliganism’ for Russian Punk Band
Posted August 17th, 2012 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
A Russian judge has handed down a sentence of two years in prison for three women from a small punk band who were charged with hooliganism for performing a song ridiculing President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s main cathedral. The members of the band Pussy Riot say their performance was meant to protest the strong ties […]
