Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to submit proposals on territory and security to international mediators who are trying to re-start direct peace talks. A spokesman for the Quartet of Mideast peace negotiators announced the agreement on Wednesday after the group held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian representatives in Jerusalem. The spokesman says the […]
Israel, Palestinians To Present Proposals on Key Issues
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 11:30 pm (UTC-5)
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Liberian Opposition Candidate Wants Pre-Conditions for Presidential Runoff
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 10:00 pm (UTC-5)
Liberian opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman is demanding pre-conditions for next month’s runoff election against President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Tubman tells VOA that the conditions include removing elections commission head James Fromayan. Tubman says many members of his Congress for Democratic Change party think Fromayan is biased in favor of the Sirleaf government and dismissive […]
European Leaders Reach “Broad Agreement” On Finances
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 10:00 pm (UTC-5)
European Union diplomats say private bankers lending money to Greece have reached an agreement to take a 50 percent loss on the debt. A formal announcement is expected Thursday. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and IMF chief Christine Lagarde met with the banking lobby late Wednesday in Brussels to press the issue. […]
Obama Reinstates Economic Benefits Act for Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 9:00 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama has reinstated benefits for Guinea, Ivory Coast and Niger under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. All three countries lost eligibility because of what U.S. officials call undemocratic changes of government. But the State Department says all three have recently completed free and fair presidential elections — a key factor in […]
China, Gates Foundation Sign Agreement to Help Farming in Poor Nations
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 8:35 pm (UTC-5)
China has signed a deal with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to provide health and farm technology to poor and developing countries. Gates, co-founder of computer giant Microsoft, said Wednesday that the partnership shows the critical role that countries like China can play in new ways to cut hunger and poverty. He said China’s […]
NATO Delays Decision to End Libya Mission; UN to Terminate No-Fly Zone
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 8:20 pm (UTC-5)
NATO has unexpectedly postponed a decision to end its bombing campaign in Libya, as consultations continue with the United Nations and the country’s interim government over how and when to end the operation. Last week, the alliance announced preliminary plans to phase out its military mission on October 31. NATO ministers had been scheduled to […]
UN Chief Stresses Importance of Sri Lanka’s Reconciliation Process
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met Wednesday with Sri Lanka’s special envoy on human rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe, to discuss the reconciliation process following the country’s 26-year civil war that ended in May 2009. The meeting was part of the U.N. ongoing dialogue with the Colombo government. The U.N. chief stressed the importance of dealing with […]
European Leaders Reach “Broad Agreement” On Finances
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 7:25 pm (UTC-5)
European Union officials say they have reached a “broad agreement” on a plan to boost bank capital, but they failed to agree with private sector on how much of the Greek debt needs to be forgiven. Under the plan hammered Wednesday in Brussels, European banks would have to raise close to $150 billion to recapitalize. […]
South Sudan to Phase Out Arabic in Schools
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 7:05 pm (UTC-5)
The government of the newly founded African nation of South Sudan will phase out teaching Arabic in its schools, in favor of English. Under a bill the parliament passed this week, all courses will be taught in English. Arabic will be offered only as another subject, along with such traditional subjects as math and science. […]
Georgia Offers Russia Conditions for WTO Approval
Posted October 26th, 2011 at 6:40 pm (UTC-5)
Georgia says it has offered Russia new conditions for approving Moscow’s bid to join the World Trade Organization. Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergi Kapanadze said Wednesday that Tbilisi has proposed international monitoring of trade in Georgia’s two breakaway regions, Abkhasia and South Ossetia. Kapanadze is the head of a Georgian delegation meeting with Russian counterparts […]
