Turkish European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis told a news conference Wednesday that full membership to the European Union is Turkey’s only goal and that no other outcome can be accepted. Mr. Bagis made his remarks after the EU released its latest progress report on countries seeking EU membership It was critical of Turkey for not […]
Putin Says Russia, China Close to Resolving Gas Price Dispute
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:45 pm (UTC-5)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says Moscow and Beijing are close to resolving a long-running dispute about the price of Russian natural gas to be exported to China’s energy-hungry economy. In an interview with Chinese media published Wednesday as he ended a two-day visit to Beijing, Mr. Putin said pricing negotiations between Russian gas giant […]
UN Extends Mandate of NATO-led Force in Afghanistan
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for another year. Security Council members voted unanimously to continue the mission of the approximately 130,000 ISAF troops Wednesday, while also calling on U.N. member states to contribute more troops, supplies and other resources. The council further […]
Ukraine’s Tymoshenko to Appeal Seven-Year Jail Sentence
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
Lawyers for former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko have announced plans to appeal her seven-year jail sentence. Ms. Tymoshenko was convicted by a Kyiv court Tuesday of abuse of power in a gas deal she brokered with Russia in 2009 that led to a nearly $200 million budget loss for Ukraine. The former prime minister […]
Report: Liberian President Holds Slight Election Lead
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:15 pm (UTC-5)
A Liberian media report says President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf holds a small lead over her main rival Winston Tubman as votes are counted from Tuesday’s presidential election. The independent Liberian Media Center said Wednesday that President Sirleaf has about 135,000 votes, with Tubman at 113,000. Several other candidates trailed far behind. The report said the […]
Clinton: Assassination Plot is ‘Dangerous Escalation’
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:05 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called an alleged Iranian-backed plot to assassinate Saudi ambassador to the U.S. a “dangerous escalation” in Tehran’s support of terrorism. Clinton commented on Wednesday, a day after the U.S. Justice Department announced it had charged Manssor Arbabsiar, a naturalized U.S. citizen, and Gholam Shakuri, a member of an […]
US Stocks Advance in Midday Trading Wednesday
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:05 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. stocks moved higher in Wednesday’s midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 1.1 percent, while the S&P 500 is ahead 1.4 percent. The NASDAQ is up 1.3 percent. European stocks closed higher. London’s Financial Times index increased nine-tenths of a percent to end at 5,442. The CAC-40 in Paris gained 2.4 percent […]
Obama Vows to Push for Passage of Jobs Plan
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:00 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama has promised to keep pressuring Congress to pass his $447 billion jobs plan, one day after the Senate rejected the measure. In a speech Wednesday to a Hispanic forum in Washington, Mr. Obama criticized Republicans for not supporting his American Jobs Act, which is aimed at creating millions of new jobs […]
Top Ugandan Politicians Step Down Ahead of Graft Hearing
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:00 pm (UTC-5)
Uganda’s foreign affairs minister and two other ruling party officials have stepped down ahead of a hearing on graft charges brought against them. Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa, Junior Labor Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana and parliamentary leader John Nasasira resigned Wednesday, the day before their scheduled appearance before an anti-corruption court. The three are expected to […]
Nigerian Accused of Failed US Plane Attack Pleads Guilty
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 12:55 pm (UTC-5)
The Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up an American airliner in 2009 with a bomb in his underwear has pleaded guilty. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab admitted Wednesday to the eight charges against him for the failed Christmas Day attack. The plea came on the second day of testimony in his trial in the U.S. […]
