Officials are promising a formal inquiry into press ownership in Australia, where news baron Rupert Murdoch controls about two-thirds of newspapers as well as major broadcasting properties. The Labor Party-led government has been under pressure to open a probe since July, when a scandal over illegal wiretapping in Britain prompted Murdoch’s News Corporation to close […]
Australia Announces Media Probe Amid Murdoch Scandal
Libya’s Interim Leader Calls for State Based on Rule of Law, Islam
The head of Libya’s transitional government urged thousands of cheering supporters in the capital, Tripoli, late Monday to support a civil, democratic state that honors Islam and respects the rule of law. The chairman of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, said his provisional administration seeks a state where “Islamic law is the basis […]
French FM Meets Chinese Officials Seeking Yuan Rise
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is meeting Tuesday with Chinese leaders in Beijing for talks expected to focus on Europe’s desire to see the Chinese currency appreciate more quickly. Juppe held morning talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and was expected to meet in the afternoon with Premier Wen Jiabao. The talks are aimed […]
Angolan Beauty Wins Miss Universe Pageant
Angola’s Leila Lopes was crowned Miss Universe 2011 Monday night in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 25-year-old Lopes becomes the first woman from the East African country to win the coveted title, beating out 88 other contestants at on beauty pageant’s 60th anniversary. She succeeds 2010 Miss Universe Ximena Navarette of Mexico. Miss Ukraine, Olesia Stefanko […]
China Wins Promise on Libya Contracts After Recognizing Rebels
China says representatives of Libya’s provisional government have promised to honor all existing agreements and treaties with China after Beijing formally recognized Libya’s National Transitional Council. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the NTC has also encouraged China to participate in the reconstruction of Libya and promised to “push forward” the development of bilateral ties. […]
Obama: Palestinian Statehood Bid a “Distraction”
U.S. President Barack Obama says he would “object very strongly” to a possible push for U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state, saying such a move would be counterproductive. President Obama reiterated Monday that the U.S. would use its veto to stop the motion for full Palestinian statehood if it reaches the Security Council next week […]
US Universities Sued Over Online Book Collection
Three major writers’ groups are suing five U.S. universities, claiming their joint effort to digitally archive millions of books amounts to copyright violation. The U.S.-based Authors Guild, the Australian Society of Authors and Canada’s Quebec Writer’s Union filed a lawsuit Monday in New York against the HathiTrust digital library project. The project is led by […]
ASEAN EUROPE DISASTERS
Officials from Europe and Southeast Asia are promising to work together more closely to prevent and respond to natural disasters. Kristalina Georgieva, the European Union commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis response, announced the agreement Monday after talks with officials in Indonesia. ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan represented the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in […]
ADB Warns of Hunger Risk From Climate Change
The Asian Development Bank is warning of increased hunger and malnutrition among the Pacific region’s neediest people if countries do not act quickly to address the threat posed by climate change. In a new report Tuesday, the ADB says the region is already suffering coastal erosion, floods, drought and storm surges as a result of […]