U.S. tennis star Serena Williams is set to return to the courts after nearly a year on the sidelines because of injuries and health issues. Williams says she will play in next week’s Eastbourne grass-court tournament, one of the warm-up events for Wimbledon, which begins June 20. That will set the stage for the 29-year-old […]
Lagarde Fails to Receive India’s Support for Top IMF Job
French Finance Minister Christine Laggard has failed to receive India’s support in her bid to become the next head of the International Monetary Fund. Laggard met Tuesday with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi, as part of a global tour that has included a stop in Brazil and […]
UN: Food Prices Slightly Lower in May But to Stay High, Volatile
A United Nations agency says global food prices fell slightly in May but will remain “stubbornly” high for the rest of the year and into 2012. The Food and Agriculture Organization released a price index Tuesday that shows food prices dropped 1 percent in May compared with April — but remain 37 percent above what […]
Obama, Merkel to Discuss Differences over Libya, Economy
U.S. President Barack Obama has welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Washington, where the two leaders are set to discuss economic policy and the conflict in Libya. President Obama is honoring Ms. Merkel with all the pomp and ceremony of an official visit, including an elaborate White House arrival ceremony. But the more serious issues, […]
Lagarde Fails to Receive India’s Support for Top IMF Job
French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has failed to receive India’s support in her bid to become the next head of the International Monetary Fund. Lagarde met Tuesday with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi, as part of a global tour that has included a stop in Brazil and […]
President Obama Loses Key Economic Advisor
One of U.S. President Barack Obama’s key economic advisors will leave the White House in a few months and return to teaching at the University of Chicago. Mr. Obama calls Austan Goolsbee one of his “most trusted advisors” and a close friend who helped steer the country out of the worst economic crisis in decades. […]
Afghanistan Wants 50 Taliban Off UN Blacklist
The Afghan government is asking 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 said Tuesday the committee will make a decision on whether to […]
Obama Welcomes UN Chief’s Bid for 2nd Term
U.S. President Barack Obama has welcomed the candidacy of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a second term heading the world body. In a statement Tuesday, the White House said Mr. Ban has made important reforms and led the U.N. as it played a critical role in crises and challenges around the world — including in […]
Japan’s Mazda to End US production of Mid-Sized Car
Japanese car maker Mazda says it has decided to stop building its mid-sized sedan at a plant in the United States jointly run with the Ford Motor Company. A Mazda spokesman said Tuesday the decision to halt the Detroit production of the Mazda6 model was made after a recent reassessment of the company’s global needs […]
Syrian Town Braces for Possible Government Crackdown
Syrian residents in a town near the Turkish border are bracing for possible violence after the government pledged a forceful response to what it called a massacre of security forces. Government officials said Monday that armed gangs had killed 120 law enforcement officers during clashes over the past few days in Jisr al-Shughour. However, opposition […]