TEHRAN – U.S. allies in Asia and Europe voiced support yesterday for Washington’s drive to cut Iran’s oil exports, although fear of self-inflicted pain is curbing enthusiasm for an embargo that a defiant Iran says will not halt its nuclear programme.
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BEIRUT – Several Arab League monitors have left Syria or may do so soon because the mission has failed to halt President Bashar al-Assad’s violent crackdown on a popular revolt against his rule, an Algerian former monitor said yesterday.
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GREER – Prominent Republicans and business leaders rallied to Mitt Romney’s defense yesterday against charges of job killing from his rivals that threaten to undermine his central argument for why he should be elected president.
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MOSCOW – Calls for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to resign and drop his presidential bid flooded his campaign website within minutes of its launch yesterday, prompting administrators to limit public access.
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ABUJA – One of Nigeria’s main trade unions said talks with President Goodluck Jonathan over the government’s removal of publicly popular fuel subsidies were “fruitful” and ongoing, but that strikes would continue until an agreement was reached.
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ATHENS – Time is running short to clinch a deal on a voluntary debt exchange for Greece, private sector bondholders warned yesterday during crunch talks, while euro zone sources said Athens might force reluctant investors to accept losses.
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BUDAPEST – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said yesterday his government was open to altering its policies to win a new financing deal, but he demanded that the EU and IMF bring “not political opinion but arguments” to the aid talks.
