Japan’s newly elected prime minister, Shinzo Abe, is a long-time conservative politician who has pushed for a more aggressive foreign policy and a greater role for Japan on the world stage. His stance appealed to many voters who are concerned that Japan is falling behind China economically and diplomatically. Mr. Abe has called for amending […]
Abe Favors Greater Role for Japan on World Stage
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 9:35 am (UTC-5)
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Activists Say 20 Killed in Syrian Government Shelling
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
Syrian opposition activists say government shelling in a northern province near the Turkish border has left at least 20 people dead, including eight children. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights released a video on Wednesday showing what it said were victims of a government assault on a village in the Raqqa region. It was […]
Egypt’s Senate Convenes After Constitution Passes
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
Egypt’s upper house of parliament has convened for its first session since President Mohamed Morsi signed a decree putting the controversial new Islamist-backed constitution into effect. The Shura Council met on Wednesday to swear in 90 new members appointed by Mr. Morsi. The council is also expected to begin setting the framework for elections in […]
Shinzo Abe Officially Approved as New Japanese Prime Minister
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 3:05 am (UTC-5)
Shinzo Abe has been confirmed as Japan’s next prime minister, marking a return to power for the veteran politician and his Liberal Democratic Party. Japan’s lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved Mr. Abe to form a new government Wednesday, ten days after the conservative LDP trounced the Democratic Party of Japan in parliamentary elections. The […]
Shinzo Abe Officially Approved as New Japanese Prime Minister
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
Shinzo Abe has been confirmed as Japan’s next prime minister, marking a return to power for the veteran politician and his Liberal Democratic Party. Japan’s lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved Mr. Abe to form a new government Wednesday, ten days after the conservative LDP trounced the Democratic Party of Japan in parliamentary elections. The […]
Holiday Storms Sweep Through Southwestern U.S.
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 1:00 am (UTC-5)
At least two people are dead after a severe weather system swept through the southern United States on Christmas Day . Tornadoes touched down in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, damaging or destroying scores of homes and leaving tens of thousands of residents in the region without power. The system also caused winter storms in […]
Deadly Bombing in Eastern Afghanistan
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 12:50 am (UTC-5)
A suicide car bomber has detonated explosives near a U.S.-run military base in eastern Afghanistan. Security officials say at least three people were killed. Afghan officials say the attack occurred on Wednesday near a military facility and airport in Khost, a volatile city near the Pakistani border. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, which […]
China Officially Opens World’s Longest High-Speed Rail Line
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
The world’s longest high-speed rail line began operations in China Wednesday. The first train of the 2,298-kilometer Beijing-to-Guangzhou route departed from the capital at 9 a.m. local time , with a second train departing an hour later from Guangzhou. Trains on the new route will travel at 300 kilometers an hour, which will reduce the […]
Analysts: Bad Weather, Violence Weaken Pre-Holiday Retail Sales
Posted December 25th, 2012 at 7:45 pm (UTC-5)
Economists say a combination of natural and man-made disasters led to unexpectedly weak U.S. retail sales in the crucial two months before Christmas. MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, which tracks retail spending, reports that sales rose just 0.7 percent over the same October-to-December period last year. MasterCard says October’s Superstorm Sandy affected sales in the Northeast while […]
