European Union leaders have approved a new, permanent $661 billion bailout fund and agreed to strict spending limits to avoid future debt crises. EU heads of state held their first summit of the year Monday in Brussels, where they immediately saw a reminder of the continent’s financial woes — Belgian workers on strike for the […]
US Citizens Seek Refuge in Cairo Embassy as Tensions Rise
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 5:20 pm (UTC-5)
The White House says it is disappointed by Egypt’s move to bar several American citizens from leaving the country. Some of them have sought refuge at the U.S. embassy in Cairo as tensions escalate over a government probe into foreign-funded pro-democracy groups. U.S. officials said Monday Washington has discussed the situation with Egyptian military authorities […]
India Holds Mid-Term Elections in 2 Northern States
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
Millions of Indians went to the polls Monday in northern Punjab and Uttarakhand states, where the country’s ruling Congress party hopes to wrest back power following a series of corruption scandals and sluggish economy. The elections in two northern states are part of five mid-term state vote tests for the ruling party led by Italian-born […]
Senegalese President’s Decision to Run for Re-election Provokes Protests
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 4:30 pm (UTC-5)
Opposition groups in the west African nation of Senegal are calling for a nationwide protest Tuesday against President Abdoulaye Wade’s controversial bid to seek a third term in next month’s election. The 85-year-old president has governed Senegal since 2000. But a year after he took office, the country’s constitution was changed, limiting presidents to just […]
Obama: US Considering Free Trade Pact with Georgia
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 4:15 pm (UTC-5)
President Barack Obama says the United States is considering putting together a free trade pact with Georgia. Mr. Obama welcomed Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to the White House Monday, saying both countries have agreed to talk about ways to strengthen trade. The U.S. leader said this includes a possible free trade agreement. President Saakashvili said […]
EU Leaders Adopt Bigger Bailout Fund
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 3:50 pm (UTC-5)
European leaders have approved a new, permanent $661 billion bailout fund to help rescue the continent’s debt-ridden countries, but are still faced with resolving other difficult economic issues at their first 2012 summit. The heads of state met in Brussels Monday and witnessed an immediate reminder of the continent’s financial woes. Belgian workers staged their […]
Tibetan Exile Leaders: China’s Violence Against Protesters ‘Unsustainable’
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 3:45 pm (UTC-5)
Chinese state-run media have accused Tibetan exiles and unnamed Western governments of pursuing an “anti-Chinese agenda” when describing recent violence in Tibetan areas under Beijing’s control. Elected leaders of Tibet’s exile community say Chinese security forces fired into a crowd of peaceful protesters last Thursday in southwestern Sichuan province, killing at least six people and […]
China Loses WTO Appeal on Export Restrictions
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 3:40 pm (UTC-5)
China has lost an appeal at the World Trade organization over the export of raw materials. The WTO Monday upheld a ruling that China could not restrict exports of key raw materials including bauxite, magnesium, manganese and zinc. The United States, the European Union and Mexico had all launched a complaint against China in 2009. […]
US Citizens Seek Refuge in Cairo Embassy as Tensions Rise
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 3:15 pm (UTC-5)
The White House says it is disappointed by Egypt’s move to bar several American citizens from leaving the country as some of them sought refuge at the U.S. embassy in Cairo and tensions escalated over a probe into foreign-funded pro-democracy groups. The White House said Monday it has discussed the situation with Egyptian military authorities […]
US: Security Council ‘Must’ Intervene as Syrian Violence Escalates
Posted January 30th, 2012 at 3:05 pm (UTC-5)
The Obama administration says the U.N. Security Council “must” intervene in Syria’s escalating violence by sending a message that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on a 10-month opposition uprising is a threat to global peace and security. In a statement Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington strongly condemns what it calls “violent […]
