A group apparently linked to a militant Kurdish organization has hijacked a passenger ferry boat just southwest of the Turkish city of Istanbul. Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday as many as five hijackers had taken control of the boat and was holding passengers hostage. Since the ferry was taken over earlier Friday there […]
Hindu Group Assails Indian PM for Gilani Comments
Posted November 11th, 2011 at 3:55 pm (UTC-5)
An apparent thaw in relations between India and Pakistan is leading to condemnation from at least one radical Hindu group. The leader of India-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad lashed out at Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday, blasting Mr. Singh for calling Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani a “man of peace.” In a sarcastic comment […]
Italian Senate Approves Financial Reforms
Posted November 11th, 2011 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
The upper house of the Italian Parliament has approved austerity measures and other reforms designed to help the country out of a financial crisis. If the reforms passed by the Senate are also approved by the lower house of Parliament on Saturday, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has said he will resign and clear the way […]
Debt Crisis Hits Global Markets
Posted November 9th, 2011 at 10:55 pm (UTC-5)
World financial markets took a dive Wednesday into early Thursday despite Italy’s and Greece’s attempts to contain fears fueled by their continued political crises. Stocks were sharply lower in Asian markets Thursday, after a down day in Europe and United States on Wednesday. Italian President Giorgio Napolitano named former European Commissioner Mario Monti a senator […]
US Says Syria’s Assad ‘Must Go’
Posted November 9th, 2011 at 9:40 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. officials say Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s rule is coming to an end as U.S. and international sanctions and the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people are having their intended effect. Assistant U.S. Secretary of State , Jeffrey Feltman told the Senate Foreign Affairs subcommittee Wednesday, Syrian oil revenue is now almost non-existent and Damascus’ […]
White House Calls Obama Asian Trip a Job Creation Mission
Posted November 9th, 2011 at 7:05 pm (UTC-5)
The White House is touting President Barack Obama’s visit to Asia as a chance to create U.S. jobs, boost trade, and generate markets for American goods. White House officials Wednesday previewed the president’s trip which starts Friday when he leaves for Hawaii to host the 21-nation Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. White House official […]
Debt Crisis Hits Markets in Europe, US
Posted November 9th, 2011 at 3:20 pm (UTC-5)
Major U.S. and European stock exchanges plunged Wednesday and Italy’s borrowing costs jumped, as the long shadow of the continent’s debt crisis consumed the Greek and Italian governments. Key stock markets in New York, London, Paris and Frankfurt all slid about two percent, in part due to the political uncertainty in Athens and Rome. Late […]
Papua Miners Threaten to Extend Labor Strike
Posted November 9th, 2011 at 3:00 pm (UTC-5)
Thousands of workers at a massive U.S.-owned gold and copper mine in eastern Indonesia are threatening to extend a crippling labor strike into December, if negotiators fail to reach a deal this week on worker pay. Workers at the Freeport-McMoRan mine in eastern Papua province have been on strike over pay since mid-September, slashing production […]
European Finance Ministers Facing New Greek, Italian Concerns
Posted November 7th, 2011 at 2:30 pm (UTC-5)
European finance ministers are gathering in Brussels to decide whether to hand Greece another segment of its bailout money. The ministers are to meet late Monday to consider the $11 billion Greek funding. Meanwhile, Greece Prime Minister George Papandreou and opposition leader Antonis Samaras conferred in Athens to pick a new caretaker prime minister. The […]
White House Protestors Oppose Oil Pipeline Plan
Posted November 7th, 2011 at 1:10 am (UTC-5)
Protesters formed a human chain around the White House Sunday afternoon to oppose plans for an oil pipeline they say would be bad for the environment. Several thousand protesters linked hands in a big circle around the presidential residence and buildings on either side of it. They called on President Barack Obama, who was away […]
