Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi says a joint Burma-China hydro-electric project is impeding water flow on Burma’s largest river, the Irrawaddy, threatening rice production in a country that relies on the grain as a staple food and as a major export. In an appeal issued Thursday, the Nobel laureate sided with environmentalists and […]
Burmese Activist Issues Irrawaddy Appeal
Death Sentences Upheld for Killers of Former Indian PM
India’s president has rejected the clemency petitions of three men sentenced to death for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. President Pratibha Patil’s office said Thursday that she rejected their petitions last week. The three men, all members of the Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebel group, were given the death penalty in 1998 […]
Ukraine President Vows Non-Interference in Tymoshenko Trial
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has rejected calls to intervene in the trial of former prime minister and political rival Yulia Tymoshenko. Mr. Yanukovych has been criticized by the West for his government’s handling of the Tymoshenko trial, which many Western governments say appears to be politically motivated. Replying specifically to a letter from Czech President […]
New US Jobless Claims Fall to Four-month Low
First-time claims for jobless benefits in the United States have fallen to a four-month low, an indication companies are laying off fewer workers. The U.S. government reported Thursday that 395,000 unemployed workers made their initial claim for financial assistance last week, a decline of 7,000 from the previous week. It was the fewest number of […]
Nairobi Councilors Elect New Mayor
Nairobi city councilors have elected George Aladwa of the Orange Democratic Movement as mayor of Kenya’s capital. Aladwa, who was acting mayor, got 57 votes to defeat his lone rival, James Gakuya of the Party of National Unity , who got 39 votes. Thursday’s poll marks the last time councilors will elect the mayor. Under […]
British PM: ‘No culture of Fear,’ Promises New Measures Against Rioters
British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced new measures to restore order to Britain’s streets and prevent the riots that have gripped the country for much of the past week from erupting again. Speaking at an emergency session of parliament Thursday, Mr. Cameron told lawmakers authorities are considering ordering youths to remove masks and temporarily […]
Yemen’s President Studying Transition Plan
Yemen’s president says he is studying how to implement a plan for a peaceful transition of power, while a government official has warned that an opposition plan amounts to a war declaration. President Ali Abdullah Saleh says he is considering a plan put forth by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council . A state-run media report […]
South Africa Set to Introduce National Health Insurance Plan
South Africa’s government is set to propose a national health insurance plan aimed at improving health care services for the poor. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the goal of the plan, known as NHI, is to ensure that everyone in the country receives essential healthcare, regardless of their employment status or ability to make a […]
US Stocks Rebound, European Bank Shares Fall on Debt Worries
U.S. stock markets made strong gains in early trading Thursday, rebounding from a sell-off in the previous session as new economic data indicated that U.S. companies are laying off fewer workers. The U.S. government said first-time claims for jobless benefits fell to a four-month low in the past week. Major U.S. stock indexes rose more […]
Obama to Talk About Jobs in Hard-Hit Michigan
U.S. President Barack Obama is visiting Michigan Thursday, to talk about job creation in a state where the unemployment rate exceeds the national average. Mr. Obama is to appear at a plant that makes advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. The plant has received a $3 million federal grant and expects to create 150 […]