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Putin Says He May Face Run-Off in Russia’s Presidential Election

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that he could fail to win an outright victory in the country’s March presidential election and face a run-off vote. Speaking at a meeting with election monitors on Wednesday, Russian news reports quoted Mr. Putin as saying he is prepared for such an outcome. But he also warned […]

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Hershey to Invest Millions in Ivory Coast, Ghana Cocoa Production

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
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The Hershey Company, famous for Hershey kisses and other chocolate treats, says it will invest $10 million to improve cocoa production and curb child labor in Ghana and Ivory Coast. The U.S.-based company says its programs will help farmers improve productivity and sustainability and develop cocoa-growing communities. The company says the West African region provides […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa

US: Obama Proposing Home Loan Relief

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. President Barack Obama is set to offer beleaguered American homeowners a chance to refinance their housing loans to take advantage of near-record-low borrowing costs. White House officials described the plan in advance of Mr. Obama’s announcement Wednesday at a community center outside Washington. They estimated that 3.5 million homeowners, many of whom hold loans […]

Tags: , , Posted in Economy

Burma Nears Peace Deal with Mon Separatists

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
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Peace mediators say Burmese government negotiators and ethnic Mon separatists have reached a preliminary deal ending decades of low-level warfare. The cease-fire deal is the seventh such truce between Burma’s new, nominally-civilian government and rebels from 11 ethnic groups, since the country’s long-ruling military junta ceded power and permitted national elections last year. A spokesman […]

Tags: , , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

US Republican Presidential Race Moves West

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. presidential contender Mitt Romney is marching forward with his reclaimed front-runner status into a series of smaller nominating contests starting later this week in Nevada. The Romney campaign will concentrate its efforts Wednesday on two upcoming caucus states, Minnesota and Nevada, which will hold the next nominating contest Saturday. The former Massachusetts governor had […]

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Deadly Anthrax Sent to Office of Pakistani PM

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
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A Pakistani official says a package containing deadly anthrax was mailed last year to the office of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. A spokesman for Mr. Gilani said Wednesday tests conducted at a laboratory after the package arrived in October of 2011 determined that it contained anthrax. The package was mailed from the town […]

Pakistan Dismisses Allegations of Afghan Taliban Support

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
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Pakistan has dismissed a leaked NATO report that accuses it of secretly assisting the Taliban. According to the classified report, Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, the ISI, is supporting the Afghan Taliban, and the insurgents believe victory is inevitable once NATO troops leave in 2014. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry called the report’s findings “frivolous” and said Islamabad […]

Tags: , , , , , Posted in South Asia

Burma Nears Peace Deal with Mon Separatists

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 10:15 am (UTC-5)
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Peace mediators say Burmese government negotiators and ethnic Mon separatists have reached a preliminary deal ending decades of low-level warfare. The cease-fire deal is the seventh such truce between Burma’s new, nominally-civilian government and rebels from 11 ethnic groups, since the country’s long-ruling military junta ceded power and permitted national elections last year. A spokesman […]

Tags: , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

EU Blocks New York-Frankfurt Stock Exchange Merger

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 9:50 am (UTC-5)
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European Union regulators have blocked the planned merger of the New York and Frankfurt stock exchanges, a $10 billion deal that would have created the world’s largest financial market operator. The EU’s Competition Commissioner, Joaquin Almunia, said Wednesday the proposed deal between the owners of the New York Stock Exchange and the Deutsche Boerse exchange […]

Tags: , , Posted in Economy

Wikileaks Founder Takes Extradition Fight to Britain’s Top Court

Posted February 1st, 2012 at 9:50 am (UTC-5)
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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has appealed to Britain’s Supreme Court to block his extradition to Sweden over rape allegations. Lawyers for the 40-year-old Assange told the court the European arrest warrant is invalid because it was issued by a Swedish prosecutor and not a judge or court. Lawyers for Sweden are arguing that prosecutors play […]

Tags: , Posted in Europe