Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is urging supporters not to lose hope. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party has faced some criticism for its decision to participate in by-elections in April. But the long-time democracy advocate tells the Associated Press there have been changes for the better even though the country’s slow […]
Burma’s Suu Kyi: This Will Be Telling Year
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 11:45 am (UTC-5)
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Obama Unveils New Military Shaped by Budget Cuts
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 11:40 am (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama has unveiled a new defense plan reflecting billions of dollars in budget cuts and what he described as a “moment of transition” after a decade of war. The president outlined the strategic review at the Pentagon Thursday. Joining him were Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs […]
Police Break Up Fuel Protest in Northern Nigeria
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Police in northern Nigeria have fired tear gas to break up a protest against the government’s decision to end a popular consumer fuel subsidy. Authorities disrupted the demonstration early Thursday in the city of Kano. Protesters say several people were injured. Nigeria’s main unions have called for nationwide strikes next week unless the government restores […]
French Health Minister Calls for Tighter Regulations After Breast-Implant Scandal
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
French health minister, Xavier Bertrand, has called for the European Union to impose stiffer rules on medical devices, after a breast-implant scandal that affected thousands of women. Bertrand said Thursday that the EU should devise a special authorization for medical devices similar to that of prescription medications. His call came after a French company, Poly […]
Obama Unveiling New Military Shaped by Budget Cuts
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama is unveiling a new defense plan Thursday reflecting billions of dollars in budget cuts and ending a decades-old strategy of being prepared to fight two wars at once. The president is outlining the strategic review at the Pentagon. Joining him are Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the chairman of the Joint […]
Karzai Demands Transfer of Bagram Prison to Afghan Control
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC-5)
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is demanding that the U.S. detention center at Bagram Air Base be transferred fully to the Afghan government’s control within a month. Mr. Karzai issued the order Thursday after hearing a briefing on a report detailing what his office called “many cases of violations of [the] Afghan Constitution and other applicable […]
Amid Worries, Euro Sinks Against the Yen and Dollar
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:15 am (UTC-5)
The value of the euro fell Thursday to an 11-year low against the Japanese yen and a 16-month low against the U.S. dollar as investors showed new concern about the European economy. The euro traded below 99 yen, its lowest point against the Japanese currency since December 2000, and dipped below $1.28, the lowest exchange […]
Pakistani Taliban Kills 15 Abducted Security Officers
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
The Pakistani Taliban says it killed 15 paramilitary soldiers after abducting them late last month along the country’s restive border with Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesman told reporters Thursday that the group shot the troops before dumping them in the border tribal region of North Waziristan. Local officials say they have recovered the bodies and that […]
China Airs Anger Over EU Flight Tax
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
Flying to and from Europe will not be getting more expensive for passengers using Chinese airlines, at least not yet. China says its airlines will not pay a European Union tax on carbon dioxide emmissions that went into effect January 1. And during a news conference Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei urged European […]
US Job Market Improves
Posted January 5th, 2012 at 9:50 am (UTC-5)
New economic data Thursday show the U.S. job market is getting a bit better. The Labor Department says the number of Americans signing up for unemployment compensation dropped by 15,000 last week, to a nationwide total of 372,000. A separate measure that averages jobless claims over a four week period hit its lowest rate in […]
