US revokes Venezuela ambassador’s visa amid Chavez row
December 30, 2010
Washington has revoked the visa of the Venezuelan ambassador to the US, the US state department has said.
The move comes amid a diplomatic dispute between the two countries over President Barack Obama’s choice of ambassador to Caracas, Larry Palmer.
Violent deaths in Iraq fall ‘but at slower rate’
December 30, 2010
The number of civilians killed by violence in Iraq in the past year was the lowest since the 2003 US-led invasion, a rights group has said.
Iraq Body Count (IBC), which collates casualty reports, said deaths dropped by 15% from 2009 to just under 4,000.
Israel ex-President Moshe Katsav found guilty of rape
December 30, 2010
Former President of Israel Moshe Katsav has been found guilty of rape by a court in Tel Aviv.
He had faced two allegations of rape by an employee when he was tourism minister in the 1990s. He was also convicted of later sexual offences.
Cuba begins to publish leaked U.S. documents
December 29, 2010
Havana, Cuba (CNN) — A Cuban government-run website has begun translating into Spanish and posting online leaked U.S. government cables that discuss the island nation.
“Las Razones de Cuba” or “Cuba’s Reasons” has as of Friday published seven cables originally released by WikiLeaks, the group whose leaks of confidential documents has been deeply embarrassing for U.S. officials.
South Korea backs six-party talks with North
December 29, 2010
South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has said there is no choice but to try to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear programme through diplomacy.
His comments came after he received his foreign ministry’s annual report.
They follow a year of high tension, including exchanges of fire between North and South.
Judge clears way for Murkowski Alaska Senate win
December 29, 2010
A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit by conservative Tea Party favorite Joe Miller that challenged his loss in Alaska’s election for a Senate seat, clearing the way for state officials to certify Lisa Murkowski’s historic write-in victory.
District Judge Ralph Beistline lifted an injunction he imposed last month that delayed certification.
Strike over massive Bolivia fuel price rises begins
December 27, 2010
Transport workers in Bolivia have begun an indefinite strike, called in protest at an increase of more than 70% in the price of fuel.
Commuters struggled to reach the main cities, and army lorries were used to help people get to work.
The Bolivian government withdrew its heavy subsidies for petrol and diesel on Sunday, saying it was not prepared to keep fuel prices artificially low.
S Korea and China defence chiefs to meet amid tension
December 26, 2010
South Korean and Chinese defence ministers are to meet in Beijing in February amid rising tension on the Korean peninsula, Seoul has said.
Obama names Treasury official to spur manufacturing
September 7, 2009
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama plans to announce on Monday that he has named a top Treasury Department official, Ron Bloom, to lead an effort aimed at revitalizing America’s hard-hit manufacturing industry.
The U.S. manufacturing industry has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs in recent years to overseas competition as some U.S. businesses have relocated abroad to take advantage of cheaper labor. Bringing an invigorated manufacturing base back to America was a campaign pledge of Obama last year.
In healthcare debate, both sides cite Kennedy
August 31, 2009
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The day after U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy’s burial, leading Democratic and Republican senators on Sunday seized on his reputation for compromise to call for cooperation in the healthcare debate but showed little give in their own positions.
The Democratic-led Congress returns in September to work on a U.S. healthcare overhaul plan criticized by Republicans as too costly and as promoting government-run healthcare.