The head of the U.S. central bank says the nation’s economic recovery has been “slower than expected” but the outlook for the second half of the year is more promising. In a speech Tuesday in Atlanta, Federal Reserve Chairman Benjamin Bernanke said the jobs situation remains “far from normal,” and that the recovery cannot be […]
Bernanke: US Economic Recovery Slow, but Progressing
North-South Fighting in Sudan Kills 6
The United Nations Mission in Sudan says new clashes between northern and southern forces have killed six people. U.N. officials said Tuesday the latest violence took place once again in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state. The United States said it was deeply troubled by reports of the latest violence. A U.S. State Department […]
New Crew Blasts Off for Space Station
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is on its way to deliver a new crew to the International Space Station. The Soyuz blasted off early Wednesday from Kazakhstan with Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and U.S. astronaut Michael Fossum. They are expected to arrive at the space station Thursday for a five-month stay. While […]
Libyan Leader Defiant Despite Intense NATO Airstrikes
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has vowed to fight to the end, as NATO warplanes pounded Tripoli with some of the most intense airstrikes since the coalition began its campaign in March. Mr. Gadhafi made his vow in a fiery audio speech broadcast Tuesday on state television. He said the Libyan people will not surrender and […]
Afghanistan Wants 50 Taliban Off UN Blacklist
The Afghan government has asked the United Nations to remove 50 Taliban members from a U.N. blacklist, in an effort to promote peace talks with insurgents and end the 10-year war. The head of the U.N. committee overseeing sanctions against al-Qaida and the Taliban, Peter Wittig, said Tuesday the committee will consider the request by […]
US Stocks Decline
U.S. stock market indexes fell in Tuesday’s trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost two-tenths of a percent to end at 12,071. The S&P 500 retreated one-tenth of a percent to hit 1,285 while the NASDAQ slid less than one-tenth of a percent to close at 2,702. European stock markets were higher at the close […]
France Calls UN Silence on Syria ‘Inconceivable’
France’s foreign minister says it is “inconceivable” that the United Nations Security Council has remained silent on the escalating situation in Syria. Alain Juppe told reporters at the U.N. Tuesday that France is working with Britain and other European allies to gather a large majority to support a resolution condemning Syria for its violence against […]
Crude Oil Prices Rise Slightly
Here are the prices of some key commodities traded in New York on Tuesday: Crude oil prices rose 8 cents to close at $99.09 a barrel. Coffee prices gained 3 cents to finish at $2.63 per pound. Copper prices rose one cent to end the day’s trading at $4.14 a pound. Cocoa futures advanced $28 […]
Ministers Agree on Global Nuclear Stress Tests
Officials from around the world have agreed to push for stress tests on their nations’ nuclear power plants to prevent an accident similar to the one at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant in Japan. The decision Tuesday is part of an international movement toward raising safety standards at nuclear power stations across the globe, after the […]
Tiger Woods Won’t Play U.S. Open
American golf star Tiger Woods has pulled out of next week’s U.S. Open championship because of lingering issues with his left leg. It will be the first time Woods has missed the U.S. Open since 1994, when he had just graduated high school. In making the announcement Tuesday, Woods said he is extremely disappointed but […]