China has marked World AIDS Day by promising to increase funding to HIV prevention services, access to anti-retroviral medications, and policies to curb discrimination against those affected by the virus. During a World AIDS Day event in Beijing Thursday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called for the international community to fully meet its commitments to achieve […]
Pakistani PM to Brief Lawmakers on NATO Attack
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 1:00 pm (UTC-5)
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is planning to go before lawmakers to outline the government’s response to last week’s NATO attack that killed 24 Pakistani troops along the Afghan border. The prime minister says he will brief the parliamentary committee on national security Friday. The committee is already reviewing Pakistan’s future relationship and cooperation […]
Egyptian Vote Results Again Delayed
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 1:00 pm (UTC-5)
For a second time, Egypt has delayed its announcement of results from this week’s parliamentary elections. An election official said Thursday that results due to be announced later in the day would not be made public until Friday. He said the vote-counting from the first round of polling for the parliament’s lower house had not […]
EU, Arab League Tighten Syria Sanctions
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC-5)
European Union diplomats say member nations have agreed to tighten sanctions on Syria, as the U.N. raised the death toll from Syria’s crackdown on an eight-month-long uprising to at least 4,000. EU officials said Thursday they added 11 more entities and 12 more individuals to a blacklist hit by travel bans and asset freezes imposed […]
European Central Bank Chief Calls for Eurozone ‘Fiscal Compact’
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
The new chief of the European Central Bank says it might give new assistance to the continent’s debt-ridden governments, but only if the 17-nation eurozone first adopts “a new fiscal compact” to control the spending of individual countries. Bank President Mario Draghi said Thursday that more centralized oversight of budgets was “the most important […]
On World AIDS Day, UN Urges Continued Support for Initiatives
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the world is finally in a position to eradicate AIDS, but says funding will be critical to future progress in fighting the epidemic. In a statement to commemorate World AIDS Day on Thursday, Mr. Ban urged international donors to meet the estimated $24 billion needed annually to fully […]
UN Envoy Warns of Consequences if Cyprus Reunification Talks Collapse
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 11:40 am (UTC-5)
The United Nations envoy for Cyprus says it is unlikely the ethnically divided island will ever be reunified if the latest peace talks aimed at creating a federation collapse. Alexander Downer says if the three-year negotiations between internationally recognized Greek Cypriots and the breakaway Turkish Cypriots reach a complete deadlock, it would end the process […]
EU Increases Economic Pressures on Iran
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
The European Union has tightened economic pressures on Iran because of its controversial nuclear program. EU ministers meeting in Brussels Thursday agreed to expand the number of individuals and businesses targeted in existing sanctions. They also agreed to consider future penalties against Iran’s transportation and vital energy sectors. Diplomats said 180 Iranian officials and companies […]
Tymoshenko Appeal Hearing Begins in Ukraine Without Tymoshenko
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
A Ukrainian court has opened preliminary hearings into former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeal of her seven-year jail sentence — without Ms. Tymoshenko at the proceedings. She is appealing her conviction last month for exceeding her power as prime minister when she signed a 2009 gas deal with Russia that her opponents say was overly […]
Clinton Urges Burma to End “Illicit” Ties to North Korea
Posted December 1st, 2011 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Burma to end any “illicit” military ties to North Korea, and says more work must be done before the United States can consider lifting sanctions. Clinton said Thursday during a landmark visit to Burma that its government must respect international consensus against the spread of nuclear […]
