The Fitch rating agency is keeping its top-level credit rating on the United States. Fitch says it kept the AAA credit rating in place because the U.S. economy is flexible, diversified, and wealthy, which helps the nation adjust to marketplace shocks. The rating decision by Fitch follows an August 5 downgrade of U.S. debt by […]
US Stocks Fall in Early Tuesday Trading
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
U.S. stock indexes fell in early trading Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is off seven-tenths of one percent, while the broader S&P 500 fell nine-tenths of a point. The NASDAQ dropped one percent. European markets were also down in afternoon trading. London’s Financial Times 100 index is down seven-tenths of a percent, the CAC-40 […]
Bangladesh Investigates Woman’s Banishment, Suicide
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
Bangladesh’s High Court has launched an investigation into the death of a woman who killed herself after being reprimanded by a village court over allegations of an extramarital affair. Ferdousi Akhter jumped in front of a train with her four children on Sunday after a village court in Habiganj district banished her from the community […]
Eritrean President Begins 3 Day Visit to Uganda
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 10:05 am (UTC-5)
Eritrea’s President Isaias Afewerki, who rarely travels abroad, has begun a three day visit to Uganda. Uganda provides most of the African Union peacekeeping troops in Somalia, a country that President Afewerki has been accused of destabilizing by allegedly financially supporting al-Shabab militants. Mr. Afewerki has called those accusations from the United Nations, “ridiculous and […]
NATO Condemns Libya’s Use of Scud, Rebels Advance
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 9:40 am (UTC-5)
NATO is condemning Libya’s use of a scud missile in its battle against rebels who are advancing toward Tripoli to oust Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero says the Gadhafi government’s use of the short-range ballistic missile shows that it is “desperate” as the rebels close in on the capital. In a news […]
European Economic Growth Slows Markedly
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 9:40 am (UTC-5)
Economic growth slowed markedly in the April-to-June period in the 17-nation European bloc that employs the common euro currency, stoking new fears of another global recession. The European Union reported Tuesday that the economy in the euro region grew just two-tenths of one percent in the second quarter, a quarter of the rate in the […]
Iran Welcomes Russian Proposal to Restart Nuclear Talks
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Iran has welcomed a Russian proposal to revive talks between Tehran and six world powers on Iran’s controversial nuclear program. Iran’s nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, told state media Tuesday the Russian plan could be a “basis” for restarting talks on nuclear activities. Jalili had met with Russia’s National Security Council secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, earlier in […]
Obama Pushes Economic Policy on Midwest Bus Tour
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 9:20 am (UTC-5)
President Barack Obama is continuing a bus tour of the U.S. Midwest to explain his economic policy, as he pushes back against criticism that he is not doing enough to spur the economy and address high unemployment. Mr. Obama hosts a rural economic forum Tuesday in the state of Iowa, a day after speaking with […]
Outcry Prompts China to Help Train Crash Toddler
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 9:10 am (UTC-5)
China is sending a team of medical experts to help save the leg of a little girl injured in last month’s hi-speed train crash near the eastern city of Wenzhou. China’s health ministry said on its website four experts would leave for Wenzhou Tuesday. The announcement came just as Chinese state media said the government […]
India Detains Anti-Corruption Activist Ahead of Planned Hunger Strike
Posted August 16th, 2011 at 9:05 am (UTC-5)
Indian police have arrested a prominent social activist just hours before he was preparing to push ahead with a public hunger strike to demand tougher anti-corruption legislation. Anna Hazare was detained by plain-clothes police officers early Tuesday at a New Delhi apartment as he prepared to lead a procession to a public park to begin […]
