French President Nicolas Sarkozy has formally announced that he will seek a second five-year term in this year’s presidential elections. Mr. Sarkozy made a televised announcement Wednesday evening. The elections are set for April 22 with a runoff May 6 if necessary. The latest opinion polls show the incumbent behind opposition Socialist leader Francois Hollande. […]
France’s Sarkozy Announces Candidacy for Re-election
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 3:50 pm (UTC-5)
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Obama Calls for Tax Changes to Boost US Manufacturing
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 3:30 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to enact a series of tax law changes to help boost American manufacturing and encourage companies to add jobs in the United States rather than moving them overseas. Mr. Obama told a group of workers Wednesday at the Master Lock plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that it is […]
Greek Leaders Pledge Austerity Support as European Doubts Grow
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 3:30 pm (UTC-5)
Greece’s coalition leaders are pledging to carry out the country’s latest austerity plan, but the government also pointedly acknowledges some of its European neighbors may want the country out of the 17-nation eurozone. Both socialist leader George Papandreou, the country’s former prime minister, and conservative leader Antonis Samaras sent written pledges to eurozone finance ministers […]
Study: Malnutrition Leads to 2.6 Million Child Deaths Per Year
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 3:20 pm (UTC-5)
A new study says malnutrition is the root cause of some 2.6 million child deaths each year. The report from an international aid group, Save the Children, says despite global efforts to end hunger, malnutrition remains a largely ignored problem that affects a quarter of the world’s children. The study, conducted in December and January, […]
UN: Mladic Trial Delayed Until May
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC-5)
The Yugoslav war crimes tribunal has announced a six-week delay in the trial of former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic to give the defense more time to prepare its case. The United Nations court said in a statement Wednesday that the trial will begin on May 14 instead of the original start date of March […]
Japan’s Nuclear Chief Admits Sub-Standard Nuclear Safety
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 2:10 pm (UTC-5)
Japan’s atomic safety chief told a government panel Wednesday that the country’s nuclear safety regulations are outdated and do not meet global standards. He also apologized for their failure to avert disaster last year, when a massive earthquake and tsunami wrecked a nuclear power plant and contaminated a wide area of northeastern Japan. Nuclear chief […]
UN, Aid Groups Call for ‘Urgent’ Action in Sahel
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 2:05 pm (UTC-5)
U.N. officials and humanitarian groups are calling for an “urgent scale up” of aid to Africa’s Sahel region, where millions of people are facing severe food shortages. Officials met with donor governments in Rome Wednesday. United Nations Development chief Helen Clark told them the region needs $725 million in aid to stop the problem. U.N. […]
Zurich Replaces Tokyo as World’s Most Expensive City
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 2:00 pm (UTC-5)
A new survey says Zurich has claimed the dubious honor of becoming the world’s most expensive city. Zurich ranked fourth a year ago, but the Economist Intelligence Unit said Wednesday in its latest cost-of-living report that the Swiss city has surpassed Tokyo and moved to the top for the first time in at least two […]
Chinese VP: US, China Must Respect Each Other’s Interests, Concerns
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 1:55 pm (UTC-5)
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping says China welcomes the U.S. playing a “positive role” in the Asia-Pacific region. But, he said, the world’s two largest economies should respect each other’s “core interests and major concerns.” In what has been billed as the major policy speech of his four-day visit, Xi addressed a luncheon in Washington […]
Bahrain Opposition Vows to Keep Protesting
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 1:30 pm (UTC-5)
Opposition parties in Bahrain have vowed to carry on with public demonstrations for political reform, after security forces prevented activists from staging a mass rally to mark the first anniversary of their uprising. Phillip Walter Wellman reports for VOA from Manama. A number of clashes between police and opposition supporters were reported throughout Tuesday’s anniversary […]
