Hundreds are fleeing the Syrian border town of Azaz after the Syrian military dropped bombs on the rebelled-controlled area. VOA reporter Scott Bobb reported from Azaz Thursday that the death toll from Wednesday’s attack stood at more than 50 people and that at least 25 others were missing amid the chaos to evacuate. “I saw […]
Afghan Helicopter Crash Kills 7 Americans, 4 Afghans
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 2:25 pm (UTC-5)
NATO says a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan has killed seven American service members and four Afghans. The coalition said three Afghan soldiers and one Afghan civilian interpreter died when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down on Thursday. Afghan authorities say the helicopter crashed in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. The […]
Ecuador Grants Asylum to Assange
Posted August 16th, 2012 at 1:05 pm (UTC-5)
Ecuador has granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, intensifying a political dispute involving Ecuador, Britain and Sweden. Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino announced the decision Thursday in Quito, saying Assange’s personal security was at risk. He said Assange would not receive a fair trial if he is eventually extradited to the U.S. Britain Foreign […]
Defected PM: Syrian Government Near Collapse
Posted August 14th, 2012 at 7:10 am (UTC-5)
The Syrian prime minister who defected says President Bashar al-Assad’s government is on the verge of economic and moral collapse and controls no more than 30 percent of the country’s territory. Riad Hijab’s comments came Tuesday in his first public appearance since he defected to the opposition earlier this month. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense […]
Romney, Ryan Hit Campaign Trail
Posted August 12th, 2012 at 8:15 pm (UTC-5)
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his new running mate are casting themselves as the duo to bring back America’s economy. Romney and Representative Paul Ryan campaigned Sunday in North Carolina and then in Ryan’s home state of Wisconsin. Both states are considered key battlegrounds in the race for the White House. Romney is […]
Iran Earthquakes Kill 250, Thousands Injured
Posted August 12th, 2012 at 5:30 pm (UTC-5)
Rescue teams are still searching for victims in collapsed buildings after two strong earthquakes hit northwestern Iran, killing at least 250 people and injuring 2,600 others. The 6.4 and 6.3 magnitude quakes struck minutes apart late Saturday afternoon, leveling several villages near the city of Tabriz and seriously damaging several others. The United States on […]
Uganda’s Kiprotich Wins Marathon on Final Day of Olympics
Posted August 12th, 2012 at 12:15 pm (UTC-5)
Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich won a surprise gold medal in the men’s marathon Sunday, as the London 2012 Olympics neared its end. The race through the streets of London was expected to be a showdown between runners from Kenya and Ethiopia. But Kiprotich surged ahead at mile 23 to take a lead he never relinquished. His […]
US Women’s Basketball Team Wins Olympic Gold
Posted August 11th, 2012 at 11:30 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. women’s basketball team won its fifth straight Olympic gold medal Saturday, beating France 86-50. The winning game was another victory for the American Olympians who are likely to end the 2012 London Games with more gold medals and more total medals than any other country. The U.S. has 44 gold medals of 102 […]
Iran Reports 180 Dead in Earthquake
Posted August 11th, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
Officials in Iran say 180 people have been killed in two strong earthquakes just 11 minutes apart in the country’s northwest, near the city of Tabriz. More than 1,300 people are estimated to have been injured in Saturday’s mid-afternoon quakes. State television reported at least six villages in were completely leveled, while 60 others sustained […]
US to Slap New Sanctions on Syria, Hezbollah
Posted August 10th, 2012 at 10:45 pm (UTC-5)
The United States says it will level new sanctions against the Syrian government and its supporters, including the Lebanese group, Hezbollah. The U.S. Treasury’s top official on terrorism and financial intelligence, David Cohen, told reporters Friday that Washington will be tightening existing sanctions and adding new ones. Cohen, traveling with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary […]
