EIJING/WASHINGTON – U.S. President Barack Obama still plans to meet the Dalai Lama, the White House said yesterday, despite China’s warning that such a meeting would hurt ties already strained by U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan.
– – – –
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s advisers told Congress yesterday it would have to take measures beyond Obama’s $3.8 trillion budget proposal to cut stubborn deficits as the president headed to New Hampshire to pitch job creation plans to a recession-weary public.
– – – –
WASHINGTON – White House economic adviser Paul Volcker urged Congress yesterday to rein in risky investing by big banks to prevent them from becoming “too big to fail.”
– – – –
UNITED NATIONS – The United States and three European powers hope to blacklist Iran’s central bank and firms linked to the Revolutionary Guard Corps in a new round of U.N. sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program, diplomats said.
– – – –
JERUSALEM – A senior Hamas leader said yesterday indirect talks with Israel on a prisoner exchange had collapsed and blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for hardening Israeli terms.
– – – –
SANAA – Yemen’s northern Shi’ite rebels said yesterday they were open to a prisoner swap with neighbouring Saudi Arabia if Riyadh was committed to peace, but said the kingdom had carried out more air strikes against them.
– – – –
ABUJA – Nigeria’s main militant group, revitalized by growing frustration over the government’s lack of leadership, has the manpower, weaponry and local support to disrupt much of the Niger Delta’s onshore oil operations.
– – – –
BRUSSELS – The European Union and the United States are likely to scrap plans to hold a summit in Madrid in May because U.S. President Barack Obama has decided not to attend, EU diplomats said on Tuesday.
– – – –
SEOUL – North and South Korea have been secretly trying to set up a summit by mid-year, news reports said yesterday, but the South insisted the destitute North would not be offered any payment as an enticement.