The six-party coalition government of Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen has been sworn in two months after national elections. Earlier Wednesday, the parliament overwhelmingly elected the conservative party leader as the new prime minister. Mr. Katainen was finance minister in the outgoing center-right coalition government. Mr. Katainen, whose party won the April elections, has formed […]
Russia, EU Sign Deal to End Vegetable Ban
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 1:30 pm (UTC-5)
The European Union and Russia have signed an agreement on conditions for lifting a ban on EU vegetable imports. Moscow imposed the ban earlier this month after an outbreak of E. coli killed at least 39 people and infected around 3,000 others. The outbreak was traced to a farm in northern Germany. But Russia said […]
US Stocks Rise
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 1:15 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. stock market indexes made gains in Wednesday’s midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ all rose around one-tenth of a percent. European stock markets were down at the close of trading. London’s Financial Times 100 index lost less than one-tenth of a percent to finish at 5,773. The […]
Fed: US Economy Growing More Slowly Than Expected
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 12:55 pm (UTC-5)
Top officials of the U.S. central bank say the economy is growing more slowly than they expected, but they anticipate the problem to be temporary. Federal Reserve officials voted to keep interest rates steady in the ultra-low range where they have been for some time. The economic assessment comes after two days of consultations among […]
EU Agrees to Expand Syria Sanctions
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 12:50 pm (UTC-5)
European Union diplomats say the 27-nation bloc has agreed to expand sanctions against Syria, adding seven individuals, including three Iranians, linked to a Syrian crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising. The diplomats said Wednesday the seven individuals will be added to a list of 23 people and entities already under an EU asset freeze and travel […]
ICC Prosecutor Seeks Ivory Coast Probe
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
International Criminal Court prosecutors will seek permission to investigate possible war crimes in Ivory Coast. Prosecutors say they have collected enough evidence to warrant the probe and will ask ICC judges on Thursday to approve the investigation. Investigators have been looking into claims of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ivory Coast after a […]
Egypt’s Brotherhood and 17 Parties Establish Election Platform
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has joined with 17 political parties to establish what they call a pro-democracy platform for parliamentary elections scheduled for September. In a statement, the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and the other factions say they approved the document Tuesday. The coalition pledges to push for equality and democratic freedoms. The Islamist Muslim […]
Two Killed During Protest in Northeast India
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 12:10 pm (UTC-5)
At least two people were killed in northeastern India after police fired shots to disperse a group of demonstrators protesting a government eviction drive. At least 30 others were injured in the clashes. Wednesday’s violence took place in Guwahati city in Assam state after police fired tear gas and live rounds in the air to […]
Al-Qaida Militants Escape Southern Yemen Prison
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
Security officials in Yemen say about 60 al-Qaida-linked militants have escaped from a southern prison after gunmen attacked the facility. Officials say the attackers and escaping prisoners clashed with guards Wednesday at the prison in Mukalla, leaving one guard dead and two others wounded. The escape came as a senior U.S. envoy met in Sana’a […]
China Stakes Out China Sea Position For US Talks
Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
A senior Chinese official has warned the United States to stay out of the regional dispute over the South China Sea. Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai told foreign journalists in Beijing Wednesday that because the U.S. is not one of the states claiming territory in the South China Sea, it should “counsel restraint to those […]
