WSJ News

U.S. Scaled Back Libya Security Before Attack

2012-10-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

U.S. Scaled Back Libya Security Before Attack

U.S. Scaled Back Libya Security Before Attack
Turkey Warns Syria Of 'Greater Force'
Fears of New Bali Threat as Anniversary Nears

U.S. Scaled Back Libya Security Before Attack

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 12:29 PM PDT

The U.S. State Department scaled back security in Libya in the months leading up to the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, former security officials told Congress.

Turkey Warns Syria Of 'Greater Force'

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 12:44 PM PDT

Turkey's top military commander warned of a tougher response if Syrian shells continued to land on Turkish territory, underlining heightened tensions along the long border.

Fears of New Bali Threat as Anniversary Nears

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:29 AM PDT

Indonesian authorities warned that terrorist groups may be planning an attack targeting dignitaries and events in Bali this week to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the deadly attacks on the resort island in 2002.

French, American Scientists Win Nobel

2012-10-09T13:35:00.001-07:00

French, American Scientists Win Nobel

French, American Scientists Win Nobel
Merkel Sees Hope Amid Greek Protest
Taliban Attack Pakistani Girl Activist

French, American Scientists Win Nobel

Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:55 AM PDT

Serge Haroche of France and David J. Wineland of the U.S. shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for devising laboratory experiments that made it possible to control quantum particles.

Merkel Sees Hope Amid Greek Protest

Posted: 09 Oct 2012 11:49 AM PDT

Germany's Angela Merkel, on her first visit to Athens since Europe's debt crisis began, said she saw "light at the end of the tunnel" for Greece as the country struggles through a painful austerity program.

Taliban Attack Pakistani Girl Activist

Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:54 AM PDT

A Taliban gunman walked up to a school bus in Pakistan and shot and wounded a 14-year-old girl known for championing girls' education and publicizing Taliban atrocities.

Survey Gives Edge to Chávez Opponent

2012-10-05T13:34:00.001-07:00

Survey Gives Edge to Chávez Opponent

Survey Gives Edge to Chávez Opponent
Firms Push to End Mining Strikes
Hong Kong Adds 1 to Crash Death Toll

Survey Gives Edge to Chávez Opponent

Posted: 05 Oct 2012 12:47 PM PDT

Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles has extended his lead over President Hugo Chávez in the latest survey released just days ahead of the hotly contested vote.

Firms Push to End Mining Strikes

Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:01 AM PDT

South African gold and platinum producers begin a collective effort next week to resolve strikes over pay that have shut down much of the country's vital mining sector.

Hong Kong Adds 1 to Crash Death Toll

Posted: 05 Oct 2012 10:05 AM PDT

A 10-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries in the Hong Kong ferry crash, raising the death toll from the city's worst maritime disaster in a generation to 39 as rescuers suspended efforts to locate missing victims.

Militant Link to Libya Attack

2012-10-02T13:26:00.001-07:00

Militant Link to Libya Attack

Militant Link to Libya Attack
Crew Arrested in Hong Kong Collision
Georgia's President Concedes Defeat

Militant Link to Libya Attack

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:51 AM PDT

Revolutions that swept the Mideast and North Africa emptied prisons of militants, a problem emerging as a potential threat.

Crew Arrested in Hong Kong Collision

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:30 PM PDT

Police arrested three crew members from each of the two boats that collided in the dark Monday night, killing 38 people, including five children, in the city's worst maritime disaster in 40 years.

Georgia's President Concedes Defeat

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:43 AM PDT

President Mikhail Saakashvili conceded defeat in elections regarded as a litmus test on Western-style governance in the former Soviet Union.

Georgia Opposition Appears in Lead

2012-10-01T13:27:00.001-07:00

Georgia Opposition Appears in Lead

Georgia Opposition Appears in Lead
Aquino Ramps Up Election Drive
Noda Surprises With Cabinet Pick

Georgia Opposition Appears in Lead

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili appeared to be heading toward a setback in elections, though his party is still likely to hold on to its control of parliament.

Aquino Ramps Up Election Drive

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 04:21 AM PDT

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III ramped up an electoral campaign, proclaiming a slate of Senate candidates whom he hopes will strengthen control of the chamber in next May's national elections.

Noda Surprises With Cabinet Pick

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 08:36 AM PDT

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda broadly reshuffled his cabinet, unexpectedly picking former Diet affairs chief Koriki Jojima as finance minister.

Son Defends Ousted Chinese Official

2012-09-30T13:27:00.001-07:00

Son Defends Ousted Chinese Official

Son Defends Ousted Chinese Official
U.S. and Afghan Killings Reflect War's Trust Gap
Syrian Fighting Sets Market Ablaze

Son Defends Ousted Chinese Official

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 12:47 PM PDT

Bo Guagua spoke out in defense of his father, the ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai who was expelled from the Communist Party.

U.S. and Afghan Killings Reflect War's Trust Gap

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

U.S. and Afghan troops turned their guns on each other this weekend, leaving two Americans and three Afghan soldiers dead in an incident that highlighted the breakdown of trust following a recent spate of insider attacks.

Syrian Fighting Sets Market Ablaze

Posted: 29 Sep 2012 01:19 PM PDT

Fires sparked by clashes between government troops and rebels in Aleppo raged through a medieval marketplace that is a world heritage site, activists said.

Death Toll Rises in Pakistan Protests

2012-09-21T13:37:00.001-07:00

Death Toll Rises in Pakistan Protests

Death Toll Rises in Pakistan Protests
Fight Looms on Greek Bailout
Indian Ruling Party Survives Ally's Defection

Death Toll Rises in Pakistan Protests

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 12:53 PM PDT

Pakistani protesters clashed with police in a number of cities after Friday prayers over an anti-Islam video, leading to at least 17 people dead.

Fight Looms on Greek Bailout

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 06:33 AM PDT

A confrontation is brewing among Greece's international creditors over who will provide the financing needed to keep the country afloat.

Indian Ruling Party Survives Ally's Defection

Posted: 21 Sep 2012 09:14 AM PDT

India's government weathered a challenge to its authority, declining to roll back pro-business measures after a key ally of the ruling Congress party pulled out of the coalition.

Protesters in Pakistan Clash With Police

2012-09-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

Protesters in Pakistan Clash With Police

Posted: 20 Sep 2012 11:21 AM PDT

Pakistanis angry at an anti-Islam film clashed with police in Islamabad, as the U.S. planned to close compounds in Indonesia and Malaysia ahead of planned demonstrations Friday.

France Braces for Fallout Over Cartoons

2012-09-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

France Braces for Fallout Over Cartoons

France Braces for Fallout Over Cartoons
China Report Suggests Harsh Bo Penalty
India Vows to Stand Firm on Investment Overhauls

France Braces for Fallout Over Cartoons

Posted: 19 Sep 2012 11:08 AM PDT

France said it would close its embassies as well as French schools in 20 countries on Friday, amid fears of backlash after a magazine published a series of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

China Report Suggests Harsh Bo Penalty

Posted: 19 Sep 2012 12:27 PM PDT

China for the first time suggested that fallen Communist Party official Bo Xilai rebuked his police chief in late January for telling him that his wife was suspected of murdering the British businessman Neil Heywood.

India Vows to Stand Firm on Investment Overhauls

Posted: 19 Sep 2012 10:54 AM PDT

India's ruling Congress party said it will not reverse a controversial decision to allow foreign supermarkets to invest in India and other market-opening measures.

Wave of Video Protests Expands

2012-09-17T13:36:00.001-07:00

Wave of Video Protests Expands

Posted: 17 Sep 2012 12:21 PM PDT

Demonstrations related to an anti-Islam video showed no signs of ebbing with protesters battling police in Afghanistan and Indonesia nearly a week after angry crowds first swarmed the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

Protesters Storm U.S. Compounds in Mideast, Africa

2012-09-14T13:28:00.001-07:00

Protesters Storm U.S. Compounds in Mideast, Africa

Posted: 14 Sep 2012 01:05 PM PDT

Angry protests spread across the Muslim world on Friday with violent mobs attacking U.S. diplomatic compounds in Tunisia, Sudan and Yemen sparked by an online video that denigrated the Prophet Muhammad.

Israel-U.S. Rift Over Iran Widens

2012-09-11T13:31:00.001-07:00

Israel-U.S. Rift Over Iran Widens

Israel-U.S. Rift Over Iran Widens
Missing Xi Complicates Meeting Preparations
Palestinian Unrest Prompts Price Cuts
China Sends Ships to Disputed Islands
French Tax Debate Spurs New Tension
Pirate Bay Founder Held for Tax Hack
Attack Kills 3 Afghans on U.S. Base
Obama to Nominate Iraq Ambassador
Russian Parliament Targets a Dissenter
Suicide Bomber Hits Istanbul Police
Floods in Northern Thailand Renew Fears
Bomb Misses Yemen Minister, Kills 13
Bailiffs, Occupiers Face Off in Hong Kong
Egypt's Liberals Try to Unite
Bomber Kills 15 in Divided Afghan Province
U.S. Rejects Israeli Calls For Tougher Iran Moves
NATO Chief Aims to Curb Assaults
Egyptian Protesters Scale U.S. Embassy Walls
Schäuble: Germany Is Fiscal Role Model
Spain Wants Joint Bonds for EU Fiscal Union
Portugal Gets More Time
IMF Study: Small Effect From New Loan Rules
Lowered Costs Give Spain Hope

Israel-U.S. Rift Over Iran Widens

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:19 PM PDT

Israel's prime minister blasted Washington's Iran policy, escalating a rift between the two countries, while the White House said Obama won't meet Netanyahu at the U.N. this month.

Missing Xi Complicates Meeting Preparations

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 12:12 PM PDT

Vice President Xi Jinping's absence from public life could delay preparations for China's leadership change this fall, say party insiders, analysts and diplomats.

Palestinian Unrest Prompts Price Cuts

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:18 AM PDT

The Palestinian Authority will decrease fuel prices and cut salaries of top officials, the prime minister pledged after days of protests in the West Bank against the high cost of living.

China Sends Ships to Disputed Islands

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:51 AM PDT

Chinese state media said that two government surveillance vessels had reached waters near the disputed Senkaku islands, a day after Japan announced it planned to purchase some of the islands from private owners.

French Tax Debate Spurs New Tension

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:08 PM PDT

The conflict over a French billionaire's decision to apply for Belgian citizenship escalated on Monday after a newspaper ran a front-page headline reading "Get lost, you rich jerk," prompting the industrialist to threaten a lawsuit.

Pirate Bay Founder Held for Tax Hack

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 11:55 AM PDT

Swedish prosecutors suspect Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, one of the founders of file-sharing site The Pirate Bay, of having been involved with illegally obtaining sensitive personal information from Sweden's tax authority earlier this year.

Attack Kills 3 Afghans on U.S. Base

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:29 AM PDT

An attack on a U.S. military base killed three Afghan intelligence employees and destroyed a NATO helicopter, Afghan and coalition officials said Tuesday.

Obama to Nominate Iraq Ambassador

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT

Obama has tapped career diplomat Robert Stephen Beecroft as his nominee for ambassador to Iraq, three months after his previous candidate withdrew.

Russian Parliament Targets a Dissenter

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 06:16 PM PDT

Russia's Parliament moved to expel an outspoken member of the opposition for alleged ethics violations, a step critics called a major escalation of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent.

Suicide Bomber Hits Istanbul Police

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:37 AM PDT

A suicide bombing at a police station in Istanbul killed a Turkish policeman and wounded at least seven people.

Floods in Northern Thailand Renew Fears

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:15 AM PDT

Concerns about Thailand's anti-flood defenses are growing after parts of a city in the country's north were inundated by up to a meter of floodwater, nearly a year after some of the worst flooding in the country's history.

Bomb Misses Yemen Minister, Kills 13

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:11 AM PDT

A car bomb struck the Yemeni defense minister's motorcade as he was driving through the nation's capital Tuesday, killing at least 13 people but leaving the minister unharmed, security officials said.

Bailiffs, Occupiers Face Off in Hong Kong

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 04:21 AM PDT

Court-appointed officials cleared the Occupy site at HSBC Holdings' headquarters in Hong Kong after an hours-long standoff with the few remaining demonstrators, putting an end to the 11-month protest.

Egypt's Liberals Try to Unite

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Some of Egypt's fractious non-Islamist political leaders are trying to get past the clash of egos and ideologies that has divided them and join forces against the Islamist political machine that increasingly dominates the country's young democracy.

Bomber Kills 15 in Divided Afghan Province

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 05:17 PM PDT

A suicide bomber killed 15 people and injured dozens more in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, officials said, escalating ethnic tensions after the recent outbreak of violence between Tajik militiamen and Pashtun villagers.

U.S. Rejects Israeli Calls For Tougher Iran Moves

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 06:26 PM PDT

The Obama administration rejected Israeli calls for clearer U.S. "red lines" that Iran can't pass without risking military conflict, highlighting tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama.

NATO Chief Aims to Curb Assaults

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 05:20 PM PDT

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said a surge in attacks by Afghan soldiers on NATO forces risked undermining public support for the alliance's mission in Afghanistan—and said new steps had been introduced in an effort to reduce their numbers.

Egyptian Protesters Scale U.S. Embassy Walls

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:20 PM PDT

Protesters breached the walls of the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday night, pulling down and burning an American flag to protest a U.S.-produced film they said was insulting to Islam.

Schäuble: Germany Is Fiscal Role Model

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 08:15 AM PDT

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble told the country's parliament that German economic growth is hampered by the global economic slowdown but there is little reason to worry.

Spain Wants Joint Bonds for EU Fiscal Union

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 08:38 AM PDT

Spain has laid out a three-stage proposal for forming a European fiscal union, calling for the bloc to start off by issuing short-term bonds in conjunction with individual euro-zone states.

Portugal Gets More Time

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:28 AM PDT

Portugal's international lenders have agreed to relax budget deficit targets for the next few years as the economy struggles more than expected.

IMF Study: Small Effect From New Loan Rules

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:02 AM PDT

The IMF study challenges the argument mounted by banks that a slew of new rules, especially stricter capital and liquidity requirements, will crimp lending and raise the cost of loans to borrowers, hurting economic growth.

Lowered Costs Give Spain Hope

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:41 AM PDT

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said a new backstop from the European Central Bank has helped shore up confidence in the euro zone and made it less urgent for his country to seek a new bailout.

Chinese Mystery: What Ails Xi Jinping?

2012-09-10T13:08:00.001-07:00

Chinese Mystery: What Ails Xi Jinping?

Chinese Mystery: What Ails Xi Jinping?
Al Qaeda's No. 2 Killed in Yemen
Iraqi Vice President Declares Innocence
Iran in Talks to Sell Oil to Egypt
Japan Financial Services Minister Dies
Japan to Buy Disputed Islands
Coal Scandal Derails India's Agenda
Hong Kong Election Widens Political Divide
Mexican Leftist Plans to Start Political Party
Pirate Bay Co-Founder to Return to Sweden
Kenya Tribal Clash Kills 38
Somalia's Parliament Elects President
IMF Says Ireland Making Progress, Risks Remain
EBRD President Urges Action for Eastern Europe
Russian Parliament Moves to Expel Anti-Kremlin Member
Bomb Squad Checks Home of Slain Britons
Hungary Charges War-Crimes Suspect
Japan Parties Gear Up for Races
Mine Strikes Expand in South Africa
Bomber Kills 15 in Afghanistan
NATO Chief Outlines Steps to Curb Afghan Attacks
U.S. Hands Over Prison in Afghanistan
U.S. Spending on Afghan Army Questioned
Buyers Dry Up in China
Asia Trade Data Shows Weakening Demand
Greek Factory Output Falls Again
Turkish Economic Growth Slows

Chinese Mystery: What Ails Xi Jinping?

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:10 PM PDT

Xi Jinping, the man expected to start to take the reins as China's top leader in a few weeks, canceled a meeting with Denmark's prime minister after missing other high-profile events, fueling speculation about his health.

Al Qaeda's No. 2 Killed in Yemen

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:42 AM PDT

Yemeni officials said an airstrike has killed al Qaeda's No. 2 leader in Yemen along with five others traveling with him in one car.

Iraqi Vice President Declares Innocence

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:39 AM PDT

Iraq's fugitive Sunni vice president declared his "absolute innocence" and rejected the terror trial that sentenced him to death.

Iran in Talks to Sell Oil to Egypt

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:05 AM PDT

Iran is in talks to sell oil to Egypt, officials on both sides say, part of a broader push to make up for lost European Union sales and a renewed engagement between the two countries.

Japan Financial Services Minister Dies

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:09 AM PDT

Tadahiro Matsushita, whose agency leads insider-trading probes, was found dead in what police said was a possible suicide. He was 73.

Japan to Buy Disputed Islands

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:50 AM PDT

The Japanese government made a formal decision to buy islands at the center of a dispute with China, a move to prevent the islands from ending up in nationalists' hands but one that provoked an angry response from Beijing.

Coal Scandal Derails India's Agenda

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:03 PM PDT

A broadening scandal involving alleged improprieties in the allocation of India's coal reserves has left the government's agenda upended and tarnished the reputation of its prime minister.

Hong Kong Election Widens Political Divide

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:10 PM PDT

Hong Kong's legislature risks further polarization in the coming years after both radical democrats and pro-Beijing parties made gains in the weekend elections.

Mexican Leftist Plans to Start Political Party

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:42 AM PDT

Mexican leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who lost a bid for the presidency in the July 1 election, said he wants to create his own political party, a move that would further fragment the country's political spectrum.

Pirate Bay Co-Founder to Return to Sweden

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:53 AM PDT

Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, a co-founder of popular file-sharing site The Pirate Bay, has left Cambodia and is being transported to Sweden to serve his prison term.

Kenya Tribal Clash Kills 38

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 05:16 AM PDT

Fighting between a seminomadic tribe of livestock herders and a farming community in southeastern Kenya escalated, with 38 people killed, including eight children and nine police officers, according to the Red Cross.

Somalia's Parliament Elects President

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:14 PM PDT

Somalia's Parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new president of the country's fledgling government.

IMF Says Ireland Making Progress, Risks Remain

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:31 AM PDT

The International Monetary Fund said Ireland has made good progress toward securing permanent access to market funding, but low growth and the wider euro-zone debt crisis could still yet dash its hopes of emerging from its bailout program.

EBRD President Urges Action for Eastern Europe

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT

The new president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said there is a need for an "action plan" to help countries in central and southeastern Europe.

Russian Parliament Moves to Expel Anti-Kremlin Member

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:06 PM PDT

Russia's parliament moved to expel Gennady Gudkov, one of the opposition's most outspoken members for alleged ethics violations in a step critics called a major escalation of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent.

Bomb Squad Checks Home of Slain Britons

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:28 AM PDT

A bomb squad made a brief appearance at the suburban home of a British-Iraqi couple slain in the French Alps as investigators kept searching for clues to the brutal killing.

Hungary Charges War-Crimes Suspect

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:07 AM PDT

Hungarian officials said they charged a 91-year-old war-crimes suspect of helping to organize action by the armed forces that killed more than 50 civilians demonstrating against the communist regime in 1956.

Japan Parties Gear Up for Races

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:45 AM PDT

Japan's ruling party kicked off campaigning in the race for the party's presidency on Monday, with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda widely expected to win an easy re-election in the absence of strong rival candidates.

Mine Strikes Expand in South Africa

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:46 AM PDT

Gold Fields said a strike at its KDC mine spread as unrest in South Africa's mining sector expanded. Lonmin failed to lure back its workers.

Bomber Kills 15 in Afghanistan

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:34 PM PDT

NATO Chief Outlines Steps to Curb Afghan Attacks

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:44 AM PDT

U.S. Hands Over Prison in Afghanistan

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 06:21 AM PDT

U.S. officials gave formal control of Afghanistan's only large-scale U.S.-run prison to Kabul, amid disagreements over the thousands of Taliban and terror suspects held there.

U.S. Spending on Afghan Army Questioned

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:49 AM PDT

The watchdog for U.S. spending in Afghanistan says lax accountability in a program supplying fuel to the Afghan National Army needs "immediate attention" before control of the program is turned over to the Kabul government.

Buyers Dry Up in China

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:35 PM PDT

China's soft August trade data could presage further weakness in its key export sector in the months ahead, suggesting that the world's No. 2 economy will continue to slow.

Asia Trade Data Shows Weakening Demand

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:22 AM PDT

Trade data from around Asia suggested that the region is being hit by a widening slowdown in demand.

Greek Factory Output Falls Again

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:05 AM PDT

Greece's industrial production resumed its decline in July, proving June's slight increase in output to be a blip in a recession now in its fifth year.

Turkish Economic Growth Slows

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 06:04 AM PDT

The Turkish economy slowed to a lower-than-expected 2.9% growth on the year in the second quarter, suggesting that the government could fail to meet its 4% economic growth target.

Case of 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally

2012-09-09T13:05:00.001-07:00

Case of 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally

Case of 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally
Iraq Court Sentences Sunni Leader to Death
Territorial Spats Dog APEC Forum
Discontent in Hong Kong Brings High Vote Turnout
Osaka Mayor Shakes Up Tokyo Politics
Iranian Oil Goes Private
Kabul Blast Linked to U.S. Terror Listing
China Steps Up Quake Recovery
Monti Stresses Italy's Search for Stability

Case of 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 06:53 AM PDT

The journey of a woman with one of India's first documented cases of "untreatable" tuberculosis exposes a blind spot in a medical bureaucracy that neglected to implement widespread treatment.

Iraq Court Sentences Sunni Leader to Death

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 12:45 PM PDT

An Iraqi court found the nation's Sunni vice president guilty of running death squads against security forces and Shiites, and sentenced him to death in absentia.

Territorial Spats Dog APEC Forum

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 11:58 AM PDT

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting made scant progress, beset by disputes over territorial claims, future trade initiatives and security issues in the Middle East.

Discontent in Hong Kong Brings High Vote Turnout

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 12:12 PM PDT

A day after Hong Kong's leader caved into demands by protesters to drop a Beijing-backed plan to teach patriotism in schools, exit polls showed an unusually high number of voters appearing to hand a majority of newly made "superseats" to pro-democracy parties.

Osaka Mayor Shakes Up Tokyo Politics

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:48 AM PDT

Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto's grass-roots political group is expected to make a big splash in the general election as mainstream parties struggle with widespread voter dissatisfaction.

Iranian Oil Goes Private

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:00 AM PDT

Iran has exported a crudeoil cargo through the private sector for the first time, Iranian media said, as it seeks new ways to circumvent mounting sanctions.

Kabul Blast Linked to U.S. Terror Listing

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 03:58 AM PDT

A suicide attacker killed six people in what the Taliban said was in response to the U.S. blacklisting the Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

China Steps Up Quake Recovery

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 09:45 AM PDT

Chinese officials ratcheted up recovery efforts, which included a high-profile visit from Premier Wen Jiabao, after earthquakes in southwestern China killed at least 81 people and injured 800.

Monti Stresses Italy's Search for Stability

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 12:32 PM PDT

Mario Monti, the technocrat drafted to save Italy from insolvency, on Sunday inched closer to signaling he would be open to remaining prime minister of the euro zone's third-largest economy after elections next year.

A Woman's 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally

2012-09-08T13:44:00.001-07:00

A Woman's 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally

A Woman's 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally
France's Richest Man Seeks Belgian Citizenship
Hong Kong Retreats on 'Patriotism' Classes
Deadly Kabul Blast Linked to U.S. Terror Designation
Spat Puts China-Japan Economic Ties in Crossfire
Family Feud Weighed as Motive in French Killings
Pakistani Girl Freed in Blasphemy Case
Alibaba Sees Growth in China's Online Retailing
Massive Mining Deal on Rocks
Iran Oil Exports Fall, Embassy Shut
Myanmar Passes Foreign-Investment Law
Beijing Plans Infrastructure Binge
Petrobras Seeks Partner for Deep-Water Gulf Drilling
Cleric's Shooting Stokes Kenya Tensions
Earthquake Kills at Least 80 in China
Geography Strikes Back
Italy's President Calls for 'True Political Union'
Merkel Backs ECB, Bucking Critics
Portugal Adds Austerity Measures

A Woman's 'Untreatable' TB Echoes Globally

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 11:47 AM PDT

The journey of a woman with one of India's first documented cases of "untreatable" tuberculosis exposes a blind spot in a medical bureaucracy that neglected to implement widespread treatment.

France's Richest Man Seeks Belgian Citizenship

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 11:28 AM PDT

LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault is seeking Belgian citizenship, a move that comes as France adds a tax on the wealthy.

Hong Kong Retreats on 'Patriotism' Classes

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 01:13 PM PDT

A day before legislative elections, the Chinese territory's leader eased a contested plan to teach patriotism in schools.

Deadly Kabul Blast Linked to U.S. Terror Designation

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 12:40 PM PDT

A suicide attacker killed six people in what the Taliban said was in response to the U.S. blacklisting the Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

Spat Puts China-Japan Economic Ties in Crossfire

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 10:44 AM PDT

China said Japan must meet it halfway in a spat over a group of islands, as concerns grow about whether the showdown could hurt economic ties.

Family Feud Weighed as Motive in French Killings

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 10:05 AM PDT

Police searched the home of a British-Iraqi couple slain in the French Alps, while investigators looked into a possible family dispute as a potential motive for the attack.

Pakistani Girl Freed in Blasphemy Case

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 09:22 AM PDT

A young Christian girl accused of burning pages of Islam's holy book was freed Saturday from a jail near the capital where she had been held for three weeks, a Pakistani jail official said.

Alibaba Sees Growth in China's Online Retailing

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 07:13 AM PDT

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba expects online sales to multiply, a retailing bright spot amid China's economic slowdown.

Massive Mining Deal on Rocks

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:10 PM PDT

The biggest corporate deal of the year turned into a power play after Glencore sweetened its offer for Xstrata to salvage the tie-up.

Iran Oil Exports Fall, Embassy Shut

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 09:38 PM PDT

International sanctions helped drive down Iran's oil exports more than 40% in July, a new report said, while Canada said it had closed its embassy in Tehran and would expel all Iranian diplomats in Canada, as the U.S. and its allies continue efforts to isolate Tehran.

Myanmar Passes Foreign-Investment Law

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:19 PM PDT

Myanmar's Parliament passed a long-anticipated law that lays the ground rules for global companies planning to move into the country's long-restricted market—legislation that dropped several provision that would have deterred foreign investment but still fell short of what many businesses had hoped to see.

Beijing Plans Infrastructure Binge

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:18 PM PDT

China has approved an estimated $156 billion in new infrastructure projects in recent days, giving markets a boost, even as economists are fretting that the country is behind the curve in responding to the economic slowdown.

Petrobras Seeks Partner for Deep-Water Gulf Drilling

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:29 PM PDT

Petrobras is seeking a joint-venture partner to invest as much as $4 billion into the company's deep-water drilling operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

Cleric's Shooting Stokes Kenya Tensions

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 04:52 PM PDT

The killing of Sheik Aboud Rogo Mohammed, a cleric shot in daylight last week as he drove through Mombasa, is stoking tensions between Muslims and the police they implicate in his death.

Earthquake Kills at Least 80 in China

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 02:31 AM PDT

At least 80 people were killed and more than 715 were injured after several earthquakes, the largest measuring magnitude 5.7, struck southwestern China.

Geography Strikes Back

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 01:10 PM PDT

To understand today's global conflicts, forget economics and technology and take a hard look at a map, writes Robert D. Kaplan in the Saturday essay.

Italy's President Calls for 'True Political Union'

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 10:38 AM PDT

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said a "true political union" in Europe was "no longer a taboo,"as other European officials said they worried about a growing cultural divide in the region.

Merkel Backs ECB, Bucking Critics

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:23 PM PDT

Germany's government threw its support behind the ECB's plan to intervene in bond markets, countering a deluge of domestic criticism.

Portugal Adds Austerity Measures

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 02:56 PM PDT

Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho announced a new set of measures the government will adopt next year to meet budget-deficit targets and tackle a sharp rise in unemployment.

U.S. to Call Haqqani a Terrorist Group

2012-09-07T13:49:00.001-07:00

U.S. to Call Haqqani a Terrorist Group

U.S. to Call Haqqani a Terrorist Group
Stocks Surge on Plan for Europe
Chinese Party Elders Step Back In
Japan, China Talks Unlikely Amid Spat
Cash-Strapped Japan Delays Spending
U.K., Netherlands Push to Reopen Hezbollah Debate
Canada Closes Embassy in Iran
Attacks Target Shiite Worshippers in Northern Iraq
In Death, Cleric Stokes Tensions in Kenya
Christian Girl Gets Bail in Pakistan Blasphemy Case
Clinton Plays Up 'Frank' Talks With Beijing
Colombia's Leader Expects More Violence
EU Official: Greece's Future Is in Euro Zone
Premier Resists Call to Recognize Aid Need
OMT Adds to ECB's Arsenal of Acronyms
Russia Wants to Avoid 'Gas War'
India Minister: No Plans to Raise Fuel Prices
Israelis Worry Over War Readiness
Rare Earth Boost From Lynas Win
Lonmin Reaches Accord
Earthquake Kills at Least 64 in China
Japan, Russia to Work on Ties
Putin: Obama 'Genuine,' Romney 'Mistaken'
Commission Shows It Plays by Rules
Putin Pilots Hang Glider in Support of Rare Birds

U.S. to Call Haqqani a Terrorist Group

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:22 PM PDT

The U.S. plans to designate the Pakistan-based Haqqani militant network as a terrorist group, a move that could complicate frayed relations with Islamabad.

Stocks Surge on Plan for Europe

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:41 AM PDT

The European Central Bank, acknowledging that Europe's debt crisis has reached a critical stage, said it was prepared to use its most powerful tool—its printing press—to save the euro.

Chinese Party Elders Step Back In

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:23 PM PDT

As top Chinese leaders step down, many of them linger after leaving office, maneuvering for influence and to promote protégés—and some weigh in on what to do with Bo Xilai.

Japan, China Talks Unlikely Amid Spat

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:23 AM PDT

Amid elevated tension over territorial spats in the East China Sea, the Japanese prime minister said he won't hold bilateral talks with Chinese leaders during an international meeting.

Cash-Strapped Japan Delays Spending

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:17 PM PDT

Japan's government will suspend $63.4 billion in spending, a development that could deprive the country's economy of some budgetary support when it urgently needs help to withstand a global slowdown.

U.K., Netherlands Push to Reopen Hezbollah Debate

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 11:37 AM PDT

Europe is embarking on a potentially divisive debate over whether to place the military wing of Hezbollah grouping on its terrorist list, with the U.K. and Dutch governments urging action.

Canada Closes Embassy in Iran

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:40 PM PDT

Canada said it had shut its embassy in Tehran and would expel all Iranian diplomats in the country, severing diplomatic ties amid a stepped-up campaign by the U.S. and its allies to isolate Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

Attacks Target Shiite Worshippers in Northern Iraq

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 11:44 AM PDT

Eight Iraqis were killed and 88 others wounded in bombings targeting three Shiite Muslim houses of worship in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, Iraqi police officials said.

In Death, Cleric Stokes Tensions in Kenya

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:40 PM PDT

The killing of Sheik Aboud Rogo Mohammed, a cleric shot in daylight last week as he drove through Mombasa, is stoking tensions between Muslims in this port city and the police they implicate in his death.

Christian Girl Gets Bail in Pakistan Blasphemy Case

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:22 AM PDT

A Pakistani judge granted bail to a young, mentally challenged Christian girl accused of insulting Islam by burning pages of the religion's holy book.

Clinton Plays Up 'Frank' Talks With Beijing

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 07:00 AM PDT

The U.S. secretary of state put a positive spin on meetings with Chinese leaders that yielded little visible progress on diplomatic disputes, saying the relationship is mature enough to withstand differences.

Colombia's Leader Expects More Violence

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 06:41 PM PDT

Colombia's leader warned that violence in the country could rise sharply over the coming months ahead of peace talks to end the country's half-century-old conflict.

EU Official: Greece's Future Is in Euro Zone

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:57 PM PDT

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said Greece's future is inside the euro zone, joining a chorus of European officials seeking to quash speculation of a Greek exit from the euro, but he added that efforts "must continue with additional structural reforms."

Premier Resists Call to Recognize Aid Need

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:57 AM PDT

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy balked after the European Central Bank gave him an opportunity to acknowledge the need for a bailout.

OMT Adds to ECB's Arsenal of Acronyms

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:42 PM PDT

The OMT, or Outright Monetary Transactions program, is the European Central Bank's latest acronym-to-save-the-euro, replacing the SMP, which stood for Securities Market Program.

Russia Wants to Avoid 'Gas War'

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:25 AM PDT

Russia wants to avoid a "gas war" with the EU over its probe of Gazprom and would welcome a negotiated settlement between the energy giant and European authorities, its ambassador to Brussels said.

India Minister: No Plans to Raise Fuel Prices

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:17 AM PDT

India's oil minister ruled out any increase in the prices of diesel, cooking fuels and gasoline in the near future, a statement which spells bad news for a government struggling to contain its fiscal and current account deficits.

Israelis Worry Over War Readiness

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 07:21 AM PDT

Millions of Israelis lack immediate access to bomb shelters or gas masks, according to officials, raising fears that the country isn't adequately prepared for war on the home front.

Rare Earth Boost From Lynas Win

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 07:09 PM PDT

A fresh source of rare earths is about to be unlocked after Lynas Corp. won a drawn-out battle to open a processing plant in Malaysia, opening up an important new source for the strategic minerals used in products like smart touch phones.

Lonmin Reaches Accord

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 01:30 AM PDT

Lonmin signed an agreement to end a nearly four-week platinum-mine strike in South Africa, but key parties didn't participate.

Earthquake Kills at Least 64 in China

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT

At least 64 people were killed and more than 715 were injured after several earthquakes, the largest measuring magnitude 5.7, struck southwestern China.

Japan, Russia to Work on Ties

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 06:58 PM PDT

Tokyo policy makers see an opportunity to resolve a territorial dispute with Russia over four small islands that has stunted ties for six decades, as China's rise heightens the urgency to deepen ties.

Putin: Obama 'Genuine,' Romney 'Mistaken'

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:40 PM PDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the re-election of U.S. President Barack Obama could improve relations but that he was also prepared to work with Mitt Romney.

Commission Shows It Plays by Rules

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 01:14 AM PDT

The European Commission used its powers this week in launching separate investigations against commercial interests in Russia and China, risking undermining already tricky relations with two important global actors.

Putin Pilots Hang Glider in Support of Rare Birds

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 07:32 PM PDT

In his latest back-to-nature photo op, Putin dressed head-to-toe in a white jumpsuit to teach a flock of highly endangered Siberian cranes the route to their winter nesting grounds.

ECB Unveils Bond-Buying Program

2012-09-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

ECB Unveils Bond-Buying Program

ECB Unveils Bond-Buying Program
Clinton Plays Up 'Frank' Talks With China
Blast Kills 25 Turkish Soldiers
Boat Sinks Near Turkey, Killing 58
Group Reopens CIA Torture Allegations
Girls Survive Family Slaying in France
Hungary's Premier Talks Tough on Aid Conditions
APEC Ministers Reach Green-Tariffs Deal
Soros Group Questions Scope of Afghan Prison Hand-Over
Beijing Debate Stirs Hong Kong Poll
Afghans Move to Curb 'Green on Blue' Killings
China Approves 25 Subway Projects
France to Add Police in Marseille
U.S. Removes Nepal Maoists From Terror List
Chinese Cash Brings Jobs, Conflict to Zambia Mines
Police Arrest 11 After India Factory Fire
Attack Ends Quebec Victory Fête
Japan Sees a Window Open With Russia
Putin Weighs In On 'Genuine' Obama, 'Mistaken' Romney
South Africa Moves to Allay Investor Fears

ECB Unveils Bond-Buying Program

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:59 AM PDT

The ECB unveiled its most aggressive plan to date on Europe's debt crisis, promising open-ended purchases of short-maturity government bonds to keep borrowing costs down for struggling countries.

Clinton Plays Up 'Frank' Talks With China

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:50 AM PDT

Blast Kills 25 Turkish Soldiers

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:57 AM PDT

A blast in western Turkey at a military ammunition depot killed 25 soldiers and wounded four troops late Wednesday night, officials said.

Boat Sinks Near Turkey, Killing 58

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 07:09 AM PDT

Some 58 people drowned when a fishing boat carrying migrants that smugglers had promised refuge in Europe sank after hitting rocks off the coast of western Turkey, officials said Thursday.

Group Reopens CIA Torture Allegations

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 09:01 PM PDT

Libyan fighters opposed to Gadhafi's regime were subjected to harsh interrogation techniques while in U.S. custody overseas during the administration of George W. Bush, a human-rights advocacy group alleges.

Girls Survive Family Slaying in France

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 06:53 AM PDT

Immobilized with fear, a 4-year-old British girl huddled for eight hours beneath the legs of her slain mother in the back of a car filled with corpses on a remote Alpine road—all while French investigators stood nearby, unaware the girl was there.

Hungary's Premier Talks Tough on Aid Conditions

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:01 AM PDT

Hungary's premier said his government wouldn't agree to the EU's and IMF's conditions for a financial-support package, saying the country would rather forgo help than cut pensions or ease banking taxes.

APEC Ministers Reach Green-Tariffs Deal

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:15 AM PDT

Though tough negotiations delayed the announcement by more than two hours, ministers from the 21 APEC countries said they'd agreed to limit tariffs on an extended list of environmental goods.

Soros Group Questions Scope of Afghan Prison Hand-Over

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:16 AM PDT

Days before the Afghan government takes control of the country's main U.S.-run prison, an advocacy group on Thursday released a report critical of the transition amid last-minute wrangling over the transfer of detainees.

Beijing Debate Stirs Hong Kong Poll

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 01:20 PM PDT

Hong Kong is stepping up efforts to ease mounting tension in the Chinese territory over the mainland's growing influence, just days before the city holds a landmark election.

Afghans Move to Curb 'Green on Blue' Killings

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 01:26 AM PDT

The Afghan military said it has conducted an extensive purge of its ranks to stem the rise of insider attacks against coalition troops, dismissing or detaining "hundreds" of soldiers for possible ties to the insurgency.

China Approves 25 Subway Projects

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 02:27 AM PDT

China has recently approved 25 subway projects by local governments, data from the country's top economic planning agency show, as part of the central government's efforts to boost sluggish growth in the world's second-largest economy.

France to Add Police in Marseille

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:54 PM PDT

The French government said it would dispatch more than 200 additional police officers to the Mediterranean port city of Marseille following a series of crimes that have claimed 20 lives since the start of the year.

U.S. Removes Nepal Maoists From Terror List

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:37 AM PDT

The U.S. removed Nepal's ruling Maoist party from its list of global terrorist groups, providing a diplomatic victory for the former rebels who waged a decadelong civil war until 2006.

Chinese Cash Brings Jobs, Conflict to Zambia Mines

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:45 PM PDT

Investment from China has thrown a lifeline to Zambia's ailing mines, but miners complain about safety, low pay and workplace conflicts that have spiraled into a spate of shootings.

Police Arrest 11 After India Factory Fire

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 07:26 AM PDT

Police in southern India arrested 11 employees of a fireworks factory Thursday, a day after a blaze at the facility killed 40 workers and injured 60 others.

Attack Ends Quebec Victory Fête

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:47 PM PDT

A day after separatists returned to power in Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec, police were trying to determine whether a gunman who opened fire at a victory rally was targeting Pauline Marois, the newly elected premier.

Japan Sees a Window Open With Russia

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:40 AM PDT

Putin Weighs In On 'Genuine' Obama, 'Mistaken' Romney

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:59 AM PDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the re-election of U.S. President Barack Obama could improve relations but that he was also prepared to work with Mitt Romney, calling the Republican candidate's tough stance on Russia "pre-election rhetoric."

South Africa Moves to Allay Investor Fears

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 01:26 AM PDT

A large group of South African miners marched to the site of a recent clash with police to demand their salaries be tripled, while Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies sought to reassure foreign investors in a series of meetings in London.

Former Police Chief Charged in China

2012-09-05T13:09:00.001-07:00

Former Police Chief Charged in China

Former Police Chief Charged in China
U.S.-China Talks Make Little Progress
China Firm Squabbles With North Korea
Platform Change on Jerusalem Sparks Debate
One Killed at Quebec Election Rally
Workers March on South African Mine
World Bank Appoints Chief Economist
Afghan Military Cracks Down on Insider Attacks
Turkey's Anti-Assad Policy Ricochets Back
Egypt, Turkey Leaders Slam Assad
Libya Takes Custody of Ex-Spy Chief
Tepco Head Says Nuclear-Free Japan Could Hurt Energy Security
Powerful Quake Hits Costa Rica
Japan Panel Recommends Easing Beef Restrictions
Cathay to Restrict Shark-Fin Shipments
India Plans to End Coal Miner's Monopoly
Blaze at India Factory Kills at Least 40
Spain's Math: More Students, Few Teachers

Former Police Chief Charged in China

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:20 PM PDT

The former police chief of the Chinese city of Chongqing, who fled to a U.S. consulate in February, triggering the scandal surrounding Bo Xilai, has been charged with defection, power abuse, bribe-taking and "bending the law for selfish ends."

U.S.-China Talks Make Little Progress

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:28 AM PDT

China and the U.S. made little progress in resolving thorny diplomatic disputes during Hillary Clinton's visit.

China Firm Squabbles With North Korea

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:26 AM PDT

An unusually public spat between the North Korean government and a Chinese company is providing a rare note of visible tension between Pyongyang and its closest ally and benefactor

Platform Change on Jerusalem Sparks Debate

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 09:46 AM PDT

The Democratic Party's 2012 platform omits previous language describing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, sparking an unexpected dust-up just as President Barack Obama is preparing to accept his party's nomination for a second term.

One Killed at Quebec Election Rally

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:35 PM PDT

Quebec's election night was marred after one person was killed at the victory party of separatist-leaning Parti Quebecois, after a shot was fired as PQ leader Pauline Marois delivered her victory speech.

Workers March on South African Mine

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:43 AM PDT

Around 2,000 protesting South African mineworkers marched to the site of a recent clash with police in which 34 people were killed, demanding their salaries be tripled, while Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies sought to reassure foreign investors in a series of meetings in London.

World Bank Appoints Chief Economist

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 09:33 AM PDT

The World Bank named Kaushik Basu as its new chief economist, filling one of its top posts with a former senior official in India's government.

Afghan Military Cracks Down on Insider Attacks

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:40 AM PDT

Turkey's Anti-Assad Policy Ricochets Back

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:02 AM PDT

The Turkish government, which is spearheading efforts to force Syria's president from power, is facing public skepticism over its Syria policy as the civil war next door increasingly spills across the border.

Egypt, Turkey Leaders Slam Assad

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:21 AM PDT

Syria came under scathing international criticism, with Turkey calling the country a terrorist state and Egypt's leader calling on President Bashar al-Assad to "learn from recent history" and step down.

Libya Takes Custody of Ex-Spy Chief

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:46 AM PDT

Libyan authorities have taken custody of Moammar Gadhafi's former spy chief Abdullah Senussi, who was captured by Mauritania in March while on the run from an indictment on war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Tepco Head Says Nuclear-Free Japan Could Hurt Energy Security

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 09:34 AM PDT

The new head of Japan's biggest electric company aired concerns about the possibility that Japan could phase out nuclear power, saying such a move could be detrimental to the country's energy security.

Powerful Quake Hits Costa Rica

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:31 PM PDT

A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook Costa Rica, with the U.S. Geological Survey saying the 8:42 a.m. quake struck about 88 miles west of the capital, San Jose. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

Japan Panel Recommends Easing Beef Restrictions

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT

A Japanese government advisory panel on food safety agreed on recommendations about easing U.S. beef imports, a significant step toward lifting restrictions that remain a sore spot in Japan-U.S. trade relations.

Cathay to Restrict Shark-Fin Shipments

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 07:03 AM PDT

Cathay Pacific Airways joined the growing corporate movement against the shark-fin trade, saying it will cease shipping any sharks or shark-related products not certified as sustainably sourced.

India Plans to End Coal Miner's Monopoly

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:43 AM PDT

India is considering a legislative amendment that would end state-owned Coal India's monopoly on coal mining, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said.

Blaze at India Factory Kills at Least 40

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 07:25 AM PDT

A blaze swept through a fireworks factory in southern India, killing at least 40 workers and injuring 60 others, police said.

Spain's Math: More Students, Few Teachers

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 01:26 AM PDT

Spain's teachers are preparing to start classes with longer working hours, more students and fewer colleagues, as budget cuts begin to take hold in its educational system.

In China, Clinton Faces Skepticism

2012-09-04T13:21:00.001-07:00

In China, Clinton Faces Skepticism

In China, Clinton Faces Skepticism
U.N. Says 100,000 Refugees Fled Syria
U.S. Hones Plans for Big Bailout of Egypt
South African Mine Strikes Persist
Colombia Says Peace Talks to Start in October
Bomber Kills Scores in Afghanistan
Uganda Rift Hinders Oil Plans
U.N. Warns of Food Crisis
Sudan, South Sudan Seek Border Deal
Dutch Labor Party Closes In on Socialists
Quebec Votes, With Separatist PQ Leading in Polls
Putin to Raise Government Retirement Age
Timeline for Russia's Anti-Smoking Bill Is Delayed
Asia, Europe Slowdowns Deepen
China Coal Sector Has Safety Setback
U.K. Suspends Awarding of Rail Contract
Angola's Ruling Party Wins Election
Loan Costs Raise Flag at ECB
U.K.'s Cameron Shuffles Cabinet
In Europe, Signs of a Jobless Generation

In China, Clinton Faces Skepticism

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 10:37 AM PDT

The U.S. secretary of state faces a Chinese government and public increasingly skeptical of heightened U.S. engagement in Asia when she meets with Chinese leaders.

U.N. Says 100,000 Refugees Fled Syria

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 10:10 AM PDT

More than 100,000 Syrians sought refugee status during August in what the United Nations describes as an eye-popping escalation in the pace of departures since the hostilities began.

U.S. Hones Plans for Big Bailout of Egypt

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 12:17 PM PDT

U.S. diplomats are closing in on an agreement to dole out $1 billion in debt relief to Egypt, part of an offensive that Washington hopes will help shore up the country's economy and prevent its new Islamist leadership from drifting beyond America's foreign-policy orbit.

South African Mine Strikes Persist

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:36 AM PDT

Mining companies in South Africa continue to be gripped by illegal strikes on Tuesday, with Lonmin PLC's Marikana mine and Gold Fields Ltd.'s KDC east mine still shut.

Colombia Says Peace Talks to Start in October

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:35 AM PDT

The Colombian government will formally start peace negotiations in October with the country's oldest and most powerful insurgency, a bid by President Juan Manuel Santos to end more than five decades of war.

Bomber Kills Scores in Afghanistan

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:14 AM PDT

Afghan officials say a suicide bomber killed at least 25 civilians and wounded dozens at a funeral for a village elder in a remote part of eastern Afghanistan.

Uganda Rift Hinders Oil Plans

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 10:49 AM PDT

Plans by Tullow Oil, Total and CNOOC to start pumping Ugandan crude face renewed setbacks as a rift between the partners and the East African nation delays an ambitious plan to develop its oil sector.

U.N. Warns of Food Crisis

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 09:20 AM PDT

Summer droughts have scorched crops across the globe and sent food prices soaring, raising fears of a repeat of the 2007-08 world food crisis.

Sudan, South Sudan Seek Border Deal

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 12:20 PM PDT

Negotiators from Sudan and South Sudan convened to work out a deal on border security that would allow the landlocked South to resume shipping as much as 350,000 barrels-a-day of crude oil through Sudanese territory.

Dutch Labor Party Closes In on Socialists

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 12:29 PM PDT

The Dutch Labor Party is closing in on the Socialists to become the nation's second-largest party, setting the stage for a remarkable comeback ahead of next week's general elections.

Quebec Votes, With Separatist PQ Leading in Polls

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 09:04 AM PDT

Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec is voting in a closely followed provincial election that is expected to return the pro-separatist Parti Quebecois to power after nearly a decade.

Putin to Raise Government Retirement Age

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 06:36 AM PDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed raising the mandatory retirement age for senior government officials to 70 years old, partially reversing a two-year-old move by his predecessor, Dmitry Medvedev, who had pushed to bring younger people into top jobs.

Timeline for Russia's Anti-Smoking Bill Is Delayed

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:49 AM PDT

A draft bill seeking to dramatically restrict smoking in Russia is unlikely to make its way to parliament before spring 2013, instead of November, because the law requires a series of public hearings and expert panels to be convened first.

Asia, Europe Slowdowns Deepen

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 04:40 AM PDT

Manufacturing downturns gripped Asia and the euro zone in August, surveys of purchasing executives showed, in the latest sign of weakness in the global economy.

China Coal Sector Has Safety Setback

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 10:18 AM PDT

Some 76 people have been killed in three Chinese coal-mining accidents since Aug. 13, putting the spotlight back on a fast-expanding Chinese coal mining sector that remains the world's deadliest.

U.K. Suspends Awarding of Rail Contract

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 07:53 AM PDT

The U.K. government said it has postponed an agreement awarding the West Coast rail line franchise to First Group PLC following a legal challenge by rival bidder Virgin Rail Group.

Angola's Ruling Party Wins Election

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 02:16 PM PDT

Angola's electoral commission says the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola won an overwhelming majority of votes, guaranteeing President Eduardo dos Santos, in power for 33 years, another five years' power.

Loan Costs Raise Flag at ECB

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 12:36 PM PDT

The European Central Bank's latest interest-rate cut isn't helping the economy as much because of differences in businesses' borrowing costs across the euro zone.

U.K.'s Cameron Shuffles Cabinet

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 10:39 AM PDT

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron carried out his first cabinet shuffle, but kept most senior ministers in place in a sign there will be little change in economic policy.

In Europe, Signs of a Jobless Generation

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:06 AM PDT

Euro-zone unemployment among young people is expected to remain elevated for at least the next half-decade.

Clinton Pushes for Protocol on Sea Disputes

2012-09-03T13:26:00.001-07:00

Clinton Pushes for Protocol on Sea Disputes

Clinton Pushes for Protocol on Sea Disputes
Japan Surveyors Visit Disputed Islands
New Clash at Mine Roils South Africa
Bulgaria Shelves Euro Plans
Panel Calls for India Tax Policy Revamp
Militants Attack U.S. Consulate Vehicle in Pakistan
China Coal Industry Remains World's Deadliest
New Zealand Moves Up Afghanistan Withdrawal
Ally of Next China Leader Wins Key Role
Ruling Party Leads in Angolan Ballot
Hong Kong Rally Slams 'Brainwashing'
Mali Rebels: Diplomat Killed
Rajoy: Banking Union Needs Resolution Tools
Slovenia Focused on Ending Credit Crunch
Cyprus to Present Plan to Cut Deficit
France Bails Out Lender

Clinton Pushes for Protocol on Sea Disputes

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 10:30 AM PDT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Indonesia ahead of a visit to China that Asian countries should establish a code of conduct to settle disputes involving the South China Sea.

Japan Surveyors Visit Disputed Islands

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 11:16 AM PDT

A Japanese survey team took a 1,200-mile trip over the weekend to visit disputed islands in the East China Sea, in an effort to determine whether the three uninhabited islets could be developed for use.

New Clash at Mine Roils South Africa

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 11:58 AM PDT

Security guards at a South African gold mine fired rubber bullets into a crowd of protesters armed with iron rods and sticks, injuring four people and offering another glimpse of the turmoil upending the country's mining industry.

Bulgaria Shelves Euro Plans

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 12:22 PM PDT

Bulgaria, the EU's poorest member state and a rare fiscal bright spot for the bloc, has indefinitely frozen long-held plans to adopt the euro.

Panel Calls for India Tax Policy Revamp

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 06:53 AM PDT

The head of a government-appointed tax panel said that his team has suggested that tax policies be revamped if the country wants to attract foreign investment.

Militants Attack U.S. Consulate Vehicle in Pakistan

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 10:56 AM PDT

Militants attacked a vehicle belonging to the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, killing at least two people and injuring more than a dozen.

China Coal Industry Remains World's Deadliest

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 05:30 AM PDT

Some 76 people have been killed in three Chinese coal-mining accidents since Aug. 13, putting the spotlight back on a fast-expanding Chinese coal mining sector that remains the world's deadliest.

New Zealand Moves Up Afghanistan Withdrawal

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 02:57 AM PDT

New Zealand, which had been expected to withdraw its soldiers from Afghanistan late next year, is now set to do so by the end of April.

Ally of Next China Leader Wins Key Role

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 07:14 PM PDT

In a surprise move, an ally of China's next leader, Xi Jinping, has replaced a confidant of President Hu Jintao in a powerful Communist Party post.

Ruling Party Leads in Angolan Ballot

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 02:24 PM PDT

Angola's ruling party has far outpaced its rivals in Friday's vote, according to preliminary results Sunday, assuring President José Eduardo dos Santos, who has held the office since 1979, a fresh five-year term at the helm of Africa's second-largest oil producer.

Hong Kong Rally Slams 'Brainwashing'

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 08:31 PM PDT

Just days before Hong Kong's new school year begins, thousands of students and parents took to the streets in an at-times torrential downpour to protest what they said was a government effort to "brainwash" the city's children.

Mali Rebels: Diplomat Killed

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 04:14 PM PDT

Members of a radical Islamic group in northern Mali are claiming to have executed one of the Algerian diplomats they kidnapped five months ago, when their fighters raided the Algerian consulate in the city of Gao.

Rajoy: Banking Union Needs Resolution Tools

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 02:51 AM PDT

Spain's prime minister urged his EU counterparts to makes sure that tools to handle failed lenders are included in a planned region-wide banking union.

Slovenia Focused on Ending Credit Crunch

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 10:03 AM PDT

Slovenia wants to focus on jump-starting stalled loan issuance by local banks by taking over some bad loans from state-owned lenders, the country's finance minister said.

Cyprus to Present Plan to Cut Deficit

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 08:51 AM PDT

The government of Cyprus will present a comprehensive plan to reduce its budget deficit ahead of the next round of talks on securing a bailout package, the country's finance minister said.

France Bails Out Lender

Posted: 03 Sep 2012 07:54 AM PDT

The French government rushed to bail out a small, liquidity-starved lender, putting the country's capacity to support its financial sector to the test.

Ally of China's Next Leader Takes On Key Role

2012-09-02T13:10:00.001-07:00

Ally of China's Next Leader Takes On Key Role

Ally of China's Next Leader Takes On Key Role
Unification Church Founder Rev. Moon Dies
South Africa Drops Miner Murder Charges
Ruling Party Leads In Angolan Ballot
Israel Evacuates West Bank Outpost
Karzai Criticizes Australian Raid
Blasts Near Syrian Military Chiefs' Offices
Ethiopia Bids Former Strongman Farewell
Pakistan Arrests Girl's Accuser
Former Haitian Prime Minister Dies
'Chaos' Blamed in China Mine Blast
China Manufacturing Contracts
Spain Sets Banking Measures

Ally of China's Next Leader Takes On Key Role

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 06:31 AM PDT

In a surprise move, an ally of China's next leader, Xi Jinping, has replaced a confidant of President Hu Jintao in a powerful Communist Party post.

Unification Church Founder Rev. Moon Dies

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 01:04 PM PDT

Officials say Rev. Sun-myung Moon, the religious leader who founded the Unification Church and built it into a multibillion-dollar business empire, has died in South Korea at age 92.

South Africa Drops Miner Murder Charges

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 09:50 AM PDT

South Africa's national prosecuting authority on Sunday backed away from a controversial decision to charge 270 people for the deaths of 34 fellow mine protesters shot by police last month, after an outcry added fuel to a political firestorm.

Ruling Party Leads In Angolan Ballot

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 09:27 AM PDT

Israel Evacuates West Bank Outpost

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 12:19 PM PDT

Israeli security forces evicted several hundred Jewish settlers from an illegal encampment on Sunday, in a rare legal victory for Palestinian property owners.

Karzai Criticizes Australian Raid

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 12:25 PM PDT

Afghan President Hamid Karzai this weekend clashed with the U.S.-led coalition over a recent raid to detain insurgents suspected of involvement in killing three Australian troops, claiming the operation violated the terms of an agreement signed earlier this year. The raid, which the coalition says complied with the agreement, followed Thursday's killing of three Australian troops by an Afghan soldier in southern Uruzgan province.

Blasts Near Syrian Military Chiefs' Offices

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Two bombs exploded near the offices of the Syrian military's joint chiefs of staff in central Damascus on Sunday, lightly wounding four army officers and causing damage to a building and cars, state television said.

Ethiopia Bids Former Strongman Farewell

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 06:35 AM PDT

Mourners gathered near a public square in Ethiopia's capital to pay their final respects to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who was praised for lifting many out of poverty but vilified by some for restricting certain freedoms.

Pakistan Arrests Girl's Accuser

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 04:42 AM PDT

Pakistani police arrested a Muslim cleric who allegedly tampered with evidence in the case against a Christian girl accused of desecrating a Quran, an investigating officer said.

Former Haitian Prime Minister Dies

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 04:06 AM PDT

Smarck Michel, who served for almost a year as Haiti's prime minister after the U.S. restored President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power in the mid-1990s, died Saturday, his son said. He was 75 years old.

'Chaos' Blamed in China Mine Blast

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 11:28 PM PDT

An initial investigation into China's worst mine accident in nearly three years blames "chaotic" management for sending too many workers underground and disregarding safety measures.

China Manufacturing Contracts

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 07:25 AM PDT

A key gauge of China's official manufacturing activity slumped to a nine-month low, raising fresh concerns over the world's second-largest economy and pointing to the need for more-robust policy support.

Spain Sets Banking Measures

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 12:46 AM PDT

Spain's government unveiled new financial-sector measures aimed at securing European Union aid funds, but questions remain about whether they will assuage skittish foreign investors who have been fleeing Spanish public debt.

Judge Rules in Battle of Oligarchs

2012-09-01T13:31:00.001-07:00

Judge Rules in Battle of Oligarchs

Judge Rules in Battle of Oligarchs
Syrian Forces Attack Rebels in Aleppo
Angola Ruling Party Wins Vote
Attacks Near U.S. Afghan Base Kill 12
Three Killed in Indonesia Shootout
China Mine Death Toll Rises to 43
U.S. Drone Strike Kills Five in Pakistan
Mine Charges Spur Dispute in Africa
Fugitive American Returned to the U.A.E.
Brazil's Listless Growth Continues
Argentina Challenges U.S. Ban on Its Beef
Mexico Vote Upheld
Russia's Stance Pressures Wheat
China Manufacturing Index Hits Nine-Month Low
Spain Outlines Measures as Bank Loses Big
Europe's Economy Slides
EU to Push Wide Oversight of Banks

Judge Rules in Battle of Oligarchs

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 09:30 AM PDT

Britain's High Court dismissed Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky's high-stakes lawsuit against his billionaire former protégé Roman Abramovich on Friday.

Syrian Forces Attack Rebels in Aleppo

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 09:11 AM PDT

Syrian warplanes and ground forces pounded the country's largest city, Aleppo, as soldiers clashed with rebels in its narrow streets, activists said.

Angola Ruling Party Wins Vote

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 12:54 PM PDT

Preliminary results show that Angola's ruling party won 75% of the national vote, ensuring President José Eduardo dos Santos, in power for 33 years, five more years in office.

Attacks Near U.S. Afghan Base Kill 12

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 01:45 AM PDT

Two suicide attackers, one driving a fuel tanker, blew themselves up near a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 12 people, officials said.

Three Killed in Indonesia Shootout

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 02:36 AM PDT

Two suspected militants and a member of an elite Indonesian anti-terrorism squad died in a shootout as police attempted to capture a group responsible for the death of a policeman a day earlier, authorities said.

China Mine Death Toll Rises to 43

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 10:01 PM PDT

The death toll in China's worst mine accident in nearly three years rose to 43, with three miners still trapped underground.

U.S. Drone Strike Kills Five in Pakistan

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 01:24 AM PDT

U.S. drones fired a barrage of missiles at a vehicle and a house in a Pakistani tribal area bordering Afghanistan, killing at least five suspected militants, Pakistani officials said.

Mine Charges Spur Dispute in Africa

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 03:56 PM PDT

South Africa's decision to level murder charges on 270 platinum miners—even though it was the police who fired the shots that left 34 of their protesting colleagues dead—has opened a sharp debate.

Fugitive American Returned to the U.A.E.

Posted: 01 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT

Fugitive American businessman Zack Shahin, who is fighting fiscal corruption charges in Dubai, was returned to the United Arab Emirates after fleeing to Yemen.

Brazil's Listless Growth Continues

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:33 PM PDT

Brazil's once-blazing economy has continued to slump despite government efforts to revive it, more evidence that the emerging market countries that jolted the globe back to growth after the 2008 financial crisis aren't set to provide the same remedy now.

Argentina Challenges U.S. Ban on Its Beef

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 05:45 PM PDT

Argentina has formally challenged U.S. import restrictions on Argentine beef at the World Trade Organization amid strained ties between the South American nation and several of its biggest trading partners.

Mexico Vote Upheld

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 05:51 PM PDT

Andrés Manuel López Obrador called for civil disobedience after Mexico's top electoral court rejected his bid to annul the July presidential election.

Russia's Stance Pressures Wheat

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:01 PM PDT

U.S. wheat futures fell 1.5% after Russia said it had no plans to limit grain exports, disappointing traders who were betting on changes that could have boosted demand for the U.S. crop.

China Manufacturing Index Hits Nine-Month Low

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 06:27 PM PDT

China's official manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index fell to a nine-month low of 49.2 in August. This is the first time since November the gauge has been below 50, indicating a contraction in nationwide manufacturing activity.

Spain Outlines Measures as Bank Loses Big

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 06:13 PM PDT

Europe's Economy Slides

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:18 PM PDT

The contraction in the euro-zone economy deepened in August and unemployment hit a new high, adding to recent evidence that the region's descent into recession is accelerating.

EU to Push Wide Oversight of Banks

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 05:34 PM PDT

The European Central Bank should police the more than 6,000 banks in the euro zone, said the EU's executive, setting itself up for a clash with Germany, which wants to retain oversight over smaller lenders.

Isle Spats Backdrop for Clinton's Asia Trip

2012-08-31T13:20:00.001-07:00

Isle Spats Backdrop for Clinton's Asia Trip

Isle Spats Backdrop for Clinton's Asia Trip
Russian Tycoon Loses Battle Against Rival
Prized Guests Slam Iranian Policies
Enrichment Capacity Seen to Double at Site
South Africa Officials Spar Over Miner Charges
Angolans Vote Amid Discontent
Earthquake Hits Off Philippines
Strauss-Kahn's Wife Confirms Separation
Canada Thieves Steal Syrup Reserves
Indian PM Asks Gandhi Scion to Join Cabinet
Architect in China Scandal Back in Cambodia
Chinese Dissident in Yahoo Case Is Freed
37 Killed in China Coal Mine Blast
Argentina Challenges U.S. Beef-Import Barriers
Cooling Mine Boom Pressures Australia Budget
Gold Fund Founder Held
EU Seeks Greater ECB Role on Banks
Judgment Days Arrive for Euro Crisis
Spain Unveils Financial Reforms
China Cautiously Vows Euro-Zone Aid

Isle Spats Backdrop for Clinton's Asia Trip

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Hillary Clinton is set to tour parts of Asia over the coming week in what could be the Obama administration's last chance to address escalating territorial disputes across the region ahead of November elections.

Russian Tycoon Loses Battle Against Rival

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Britain's High Court dismissed a lawsuit by Boris Berezovsky against rival Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich, handing a high-stakes victory to Abramovich in a larger-than-life, multiyear legal battle.

Prized Guests Slam Iranian Policies

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 03:31 AM PDT

Egypt's President Morsi slammed Tehran's policies on Syria and Israel at a summit in Iran. The U.N. chief blasted Damascus for using "ruthless force."

Enrichment Capacity Seen to Double at Site

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 06:40 PM PDT

Tehran has doubled its capacity to produce higher-enriched uranium at an underground facility seen as impervious to attack, and continues to block international inspectors from another suspect site.

South Africa Officials Spar Over Miner Charges

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

Angolans Vote Amid Discontent

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:26 PM PDT

Angolans voted on Friday for only the second time since 1992, in an election that has seen longtime President José Eduardo dos Santos moving to stem public anger in a country that is Africa's second-largest oil producer.

Earthquake Hits Off Philippines

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 09:04 AM PDT

A 7.6-magnitude quake struck off the eastern coast of the Philippines late Friday, killing at least one person in a house collapse, knocking out power in several towns and generating negligible tsunami surges.

Strauss-Kahn's Wife Confirms Separation

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:58 AM PDT

The wife of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former IMF chief, acknowledged in a newspaper interview on Friday that the two have separated.

Canada Thieves Steal Syrup Reserves

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:47 PM PDT

Sticky-fingered thieves made off with almost 30 million Canadian dollars (US$30.4 million) worth of maple syrup from a strategic reserve in Quebec.

Indian PM Asks Gandhi Scion to Join Cabinet

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 05:10 AM PDT

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he has asked Rahul Gandhi, politician and scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, to join the Cabinet, a move aimed at lifting the sagging popularity of the ruling Congress party.

Architect in China Scandal Back in Cambodia

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 07:28 AM PDT

A French architect embroiled in the scandal surrounding ousted Chinese party leader Bo Xilai has left China and returned to his adopted homeland of Cambodia, according to French and Cambodian government officials.

Chinese Dissident in Yahoo Case Is Freed

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:44 AM PDT

A Chinese dissident imprisoned for 10 years on a state subversion conviction supported by evidence from Web portal Yahoo was released after completing his term, his wife said.

37 Killed in China Coal Mine Blast

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:28 PM PDT

The death toll in China's worst mine accident in nearly a year has risen to 37 as high temperatures and dangerous carbon monoxide levels hampered rescue work for 10 others still trapped.

Argentina Challenges U.S. Beef-Import Barriers

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 10:11 AM PDT

Cooling Mine Boom Pressures Australia Budget

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:21 PM PDT

The government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised to return to a budget surplus this fiscal year, but plunging commodity prices are throwing its revenue projections into doubt.

Gold Fund Founder Held

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 07:39 PM PDT

A judge ordered the detention of Marcin Plichta, the founder of the collapsed Amber Gold, following his arrest on charges of fraud and other financial crimes.

EU Seeks Greater ECB Role on Banks

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:54 PM PDT

Judgment Days Arrive for Euro Crisis

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:11 PM PDT

European policy makers and financial markets are facing a tumultuous autumn marked by major showdowns in key euro-zone battlegrounds.

Spain Unveils Financial Reforms

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:13 PM PDT

Spain's government unveiled its latest set of financial reforms as it looks to accelerate the clean up of its banking sector, as fresh data showed that capital flight from Spain continues.

China Cautiously Vows Euro-Zone Aid

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:20 PM PDT

China will keep buying European government debt on the condition of a full evaluation of risk, China's premier said during a visit by Germany's Merkel.

Egypt President Slams Syria in Iran

2012-08-30T13:51:00.001-07:00

Egypt President Slams Syria in Iran

Egypt President Slams Syria in Iran
Iran Stepping Up Nuclear Capacity
China Offers Cautious Support for Europe
SEALs Battle for Hearts, Minds, Paychecks
Nigeria Secret Police Details Leaked
Poland Detains Head of Collapsed Gold Fund
Finland Aims to Narrow Deficit Amid Euro Jitters
Malaysia's Najib Faces Dilemma on Vote
19 Killed in China Coal Mine Blast
Youth Protests Shake Politics Across Africa
Assad Claims Progress in 'Global War'
Japan Raises Pressure on South Korea
Japan, North Korea Hold Talks
Japan's Budget Spending Mired in Politics
U.K. Tabloid's Former Top Lawyer Arrested
Life Sentence for Hermès Counterfeiter
Africa Lags in Job Creation
Death Upheld for Mumbai Attacker
France, Spain Demand ECB Action
Estonia Approves ESM
Greece Makes Late Push on Cuts
Dutch Candidates Become Euro-Skeptic
Hollande Sets Plan to Create Youth Jobs

Egypt President Slams Syria in Iran

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:51 AM PDT

Egypt's new president described the Syrian regime as "oppressive" and called for it to transfer power to a democratic system during a visit to Syria's key regional ally Iran.

Iran Stepping Up Nuclear Capacity

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 09:53 AM PDT

Tehran has doubled its capacity to produce higher enriched uranium at an underground facility, according to the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

China Offers Cautious Support for Europe

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:19 AM PDT

China will keep buying European government debt on the condition of a full evaluation of risk, China's premier said during a visit by Germany's Merkel.

SEALs Battle for Hearts, Minds, Paychecks

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 06:32 AM PDT

Abdul Samad, a Taliban fighter turned pro-government law enforcer, has a problem: The Afghan state isn't paying his men, raising the risk they will rejoin the insurgency.

Nigeria Secret Police Details Leaked

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:28 AM PDT

Personnel records of former and current members of Nigeria's top domestic spy agency were posted on the Internet in a threatening message that claimed to come from a radical Islamist sect.

Poland Detains Head of Collapsed Gold Fund

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:20 AM PDT

A judge ordered the detention of Marcin Plichta, the founder of the collapsed Amber Gold, following his arrest on charges of fraud and other financial crimes.

Finland Aims to Narrow Deficit Amid Euro Jitters

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 10:07 AM PDT

Policy makers in Finland, one of the euro-zone's more robust economies, aim to narrow the government's deficit in 2013 as the Nordic nation braces for an additional dose of short-term uncertainty in the coming year.

Malaysia's Najib Faces Dilemma on Vote

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:08 AM PDT

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak faces a tricky challenge as the deadline approaches for holding fresh elections here: He remains relatively popular in much of the country—but his government is less so.

19 Killed in China Coal Mine Blast

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 03:51 AM PDT

Rescuers searched Thursday for 28 miners trapped for more than a day in a coal mine after an explosion that killed at least 19 people in southwest China.

Youth Protests Shake Politics Across Africa

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 05:47 AM PDT

José Eduardo dos Santos, after 33 years as Angola's president, is set to coast to victory in elections, but youth-led protests are spreading to Angolan cities and towns.

Assad Claims Progress in 'Global War'

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:26 PM PDT

Syrian President Assad said he was making progress against an armed opposition, in his first media appearance since the killing of four top security aides last month.

Japan Raises Pressure on South Korea

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 09:43 AM PDT

Japan's foreign minister ratcheted up pressure on South Korea with tough rhetoric and hints of further countermeasures, as their island dispute that has stoked bilateral territorial tensions to the highest level in decades continues.

Japan, North Korea Hold Talks

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 03:58 PM PDT

Japan and North Korea have begun their first direct talks in four years, which analysts say reflect Pyongyang's desire to stabilize its new regime through diplomacy and economic reform.

Japan's Budget Spending Mired in Politics

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:46 AM PDT

The Japanese government is set to suspend some budgeted spending as intensified political wrangling starves it of funds, a development that may impede efforts to support the nation's fragile economic recovery.

U.K. Tabloid's Former Top Lawyer Arrested

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:41 AM PDT

British police arrested the former top lawyer at News Corp.'s now-closed News of the World tabloid on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, marking one of the most high-profile arrests in a continuing police probe into wrongdoing at the shuttered tabloid.

Life Sentence for Hermès Counterfeiter

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:33 AM PDT

A Chinese court has sentenced the alleged leader of a counterfeiting ring that made fake French luxury Hermès handbags to life in prison, an unusually harsh sentence that legal experts say was meant to highlight intellectual-property protection.

Africa Lags in Job Creation

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:22 AM PDT

Africa is lagging behind other major developing economies in creating jobs, and on a continent where almost half the people are under the age of 15, that could become a problem for its social and political stability, according to a report by McKinsey.

Death Upheld for Mumbai Attacker

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 03:53 PM PDT

India's Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which left 166 people dead.

France, Spain Demand ECB Action

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT

The leaders of France and Spain called on the European Central Bank to act to lower borrowing costs for European Union members facing financing challenges, in accordance with agreements at an EU summit in June.

Estonia Approves ESM

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:02 AM PDT

Newest member of euro zone gives green light to contributing to the bloc's permanent rescue fund for struggling member countries.

Greece Makes Late Push on Cuts

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:24 AM PDT

Greece's political leaders appeared close to agreeing on a package of austerity measures, with a deal expected before inspectors from its international creditors arrive in Athens next week.

Dutch Candidates Become Euro-Skeptic

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 05:48 AM PDT

Dutch rightist firebrand Geert Wilders has adopted a new strategy to boost his electoral prospects: attacking the EU and calling for the Netherlands to pull out of the 27-member bloc.

Hollande Sets Plan to Create Youth Jobs

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT

French President François Hollande outlined a plan to create 150,000 jobs for young people that will cost the state $2.9 billion next year in an effort to deliver on his commitments as voters lose confidence and the economy weakens.

Merkel Trip Emphasizes China's Importance

2012-08-29T13:20:00.001-07:00

Merkel Trip Emphasizes China's Importance

Merkel Trip Emphasizes China's Importance
Assad Calls for More Time to Defeat Opposition
In Syria, a Small, but Powerful Force
U.N. Chief Criticizes Iran on Rights
In Slowing India, a Fast-Growing Star
Germany Split Over Child-Subsidy Plan
Ukraine Court Upholds Tymoshenko Verdict
U.K. Police Arrest Man in Hacking Probe
Suspected WWII Bomb Closes Airport
Afghan Intelligence Chief Fired
Maersk Sees Challenges for China
New Talks May Mend Japan-North Korea Ties
Japan Political Standoff Intensifies
South Korea Wants Two Tracks With Japan
Georgian Troops Battle Militants
Body Found in Latvia May Be U.S. Man
G-7 Calls for Lift in Oil Production
In Iran, Jostling for U.N. Chief's Ear
Death Sentence Upheld for Ajmal Kasab
India Plans to Amend Electricity Laws
Merkel, Monti Bide Time Until ECB Acts
Greek Leaders Near Final Plan for Cuts
Danish GDP Stumbles
As Europe's Banks Stall, Companies Look Afar
Spain Region Seeks Cash, Stoking Fear

Merkel Trip Emphasizes China's Importance

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:59 AM PDT

Angela Merkel arrives in Beijing on Thursday at the head of the largest German business delegation ever to visit the country, underscoring Germany's growing economic dependence on China.

Assad Calls for More Time to Defeat Opposition

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:38 PM PDT

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he was making progress in the war against the opposition but needed more time to conclude the battle, in his first media appearance since the killing of four of his top security aides and the eruption of fighting in Damascus and Aleppo last month.

In Syria, a Small, but Powerful Force

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 07:13 AM PDT

The country's Alawite minority group appears to hold the key as a last line of defense to the Assad regime.

U.N. Chief Criticizes Iran on Rights

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:41 AM PDT

The U.N. chief jolted his Iranian hosts for a nonaligned nations meeting by pointing out "serious concerns" in Tehran's rights record and urging cooperation with the world body to improve freedoms.

In Slowing India, a Fast-Growing Star

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 01:11 AM PDT

Narendra Modi, chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, gave a range of prescriptions for the country's economy, from government investment to support private-sector industry to changes in the power sector to privatization.

Germany Split Over Child-Subsidy Plan

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:58 AM PDT

Merkel's government is pushing an expensive proposal to subsidize parents who stay out of the workforce to care for their young children.

Ukraine Court Upholds Tymoshenko Verdict

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 09:05 AM PDT

Ukraine's highest court upheld the guilty verdict against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is in jail on abuse of office charges.

U.K. Police Arrest Man in Hacking Probe

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:12 AM PDT

British police arrested a 28-year-old journalist on suspicion of computer hacking and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in a case involving "the identification of a previously anonymous blogger in 2009."

Suspected WWII Bomb Closes Airport

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 09:24 AM PDT

Parts of the terminal at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport were evacuated and shut down after construction workers unearthed a suspected World War II bomb.

Afghan Intelligence Chief Fired

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:14 AM PDT

Afghanistan's president fired the director of the National Directorate of Security just weeks after the ministers of interior and defense were ousted by parliament.

Maersk Sees Challenges for China

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:32 PM PDT

Sluggish global growth has eased the world's once-surging demand for Chinese goods this year, and the head of the world's biggest shipping line believes the slowdown suggests more permanent challenges to China's export sector.

New Talks May Mend Japan-North Korea Ties

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 09:13 AM PDT

Japan and North Korea have begun their first direct talks in four years, which analysts say reflect Pyongyang's desire to stabilize its new regime through diplomacy and economic reform.

Japan Political Standoff Intensifies

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 07:36 AM PDT

Japan's upper house approved a censure motion against the prime Minister, solidifying the nation's legislative gridlock as opposition parties intensify their offensive against the premier to force an early election.

South Korea Wants Two Tracks With Japan

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:10 AM PDT

A territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan shouldn't prevent their economic cooperation, Seoul's finance minister said, after Tokyo suggested it may let a currency-swap agreement expire.

Georgian Troops Battle Militants

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:02 PM PDT

At least three Georgian commandos and 11 militants were killed during an operation to free hostages held along Georgia's border with Russia, authorities said Wednesday.

Body Found in Latvia May Be U.S. Man

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

A body discovered in a forest is apparently that of a Russian-born U.S. businessman who disappeared in mysterious circumstances more than four years ago.

G-7 Calls for Lift in Oil Production

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 03:29 AM PDT

The Group of Seven leading industrialized economies appealed to the world's major oil producers to boost output as fears about Hurricane Isaac and tensions with Iran pushed up oil prices.

In Iran, Jostling for U.N. Chief's Ear

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:45 AM PDT

The Islamic Republic of Iran and its various opposition group are competing to capitalize on U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's first visit to Iran.

Death Sentence Upheld for Ajmal Kasab

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 04:29 AM PDT

India's Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which left 166 people dead.

India Plans to Amend Electricity Laws

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 07:21 AM PDT

The Indian government, looking to prevent a repeat of two major power failures in July, plans to propose legislation amendments to overhaul the electricity sector, Power Minister Veerappa Moily said.

Merkel, Monti Bide Time Until ECB Acts

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 09:08 AM PDT

German and Italian leaders voiced confidence that they are making headway against the debt crisis, but Europe appears stuck until Germany's highest court and the ECB make key decisions.

Greek Leaders Near Final Plan for Cuts

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 07:45 AM PDT

Greece's political leaders appeared close to agreeing on a package of austerity measures, with a deal expected before inspectors from its international creditors arrive in Athens next week.

Danish GDP Stumbles

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:03 AM PDT

Denmark's economic output dropped more sharply than expected in the second quarter, as solid exports failed to offset poor private consumption and declining investments, the Danish statistics office said.

As Europe's Banks Stall, Companies Look Afar

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 09:49 AM PDT

Companies in Southern Europe are looking abroad for funding as local bank lending dwindles, another indication that Europe's debt crisis is far from over.

Spain Region Seeks Cash, Stoking Fear

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:35 AM PDT

Catalonia became the third Spanish region to ask the central government for a bailout, heightening concerns about Madrid's finances.