Showing posts with label Arab world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arab world. Show all posts
Fed Reserve approaches crossroads as growth slows
The central bank's top policy panel will convene in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday to decide if the recovery can make-do with less Fed help.
Concretely, the seven men and three women who vote on the Fed's rate-setting panel will have to choose whether or not to extend a $600 billion stimulus plan that is scheduled to end in June.
Until recently the choice had appeared pretty straightforward. Growth was picking up nicely and the recovery was, in the Fed's own words, "on a firmer footing."
But amid higher oil prices and government spending cuts, the economy now
As Syria death toll rises, US ponders moves
The White House has little leverage on Syria, which it classifies as a state sponsor of terrorism, compared to Egypt, which as a recipient of US aid gave Obama a stronger foundation to push for regime change, analysts told AFP.
Even as activists say the death toll from Friday's protests in Syria could top 100, Obama and other world leaders haven't called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down -- as they did with prior uprisings.
"This is not Egypt, this is not Tunisia, you
Taylor Swift buys parents $1.4m house
GE: SPP eyes Ang Mo Kio GRC
The SPP is the first political party to declare its intention to contest in the GRC, which is helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Mr Tan said he has assembled a team for the six-member constituency, and is putting together its battle plans.
Details of the team will be revealed in due course, and he said the team will comprise new faces and experienced
Arabic second-most common Australian tongue
The Australia Early Development Index, a government-backed study of more than 260,000 children in their first year of school, found that 18 percent spoke a language other than English.
Despite no Arabic nation making the top 15 countries of birth for Australia's children, some 5,565 spoke the language at
Loud blasts rock Libyan rebel-held Misrata
The blasts were accompanied by bursts of gunfire heard coming from the city centre, after NATO flyovers and possible air raids followed by a lull in shelling and shooting, an AFP correspondent reported.
Officials at Misrata's main Hikma hospital said overnight it had received five dead bodies and 31 wounded.
The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said
Crude oil prices hit new 2.5-year highs
New York's main contract soared to $112.91 -- a level last seen in September 2008, before pulling back to $112.79, up $2.49 from Thursday.
Brent North Sea crude for delivery in May ended the day at $126.65, up $3.98 from Thursday's closing level.
Prices rose sharply this week on the back of violent unrest in Libya, popular unrest in the wider Middle East, and as the dollar has weakened
Fed Reserve planning end to ultra-low interest rates
Amid concern that sustained unrest in oil producing nations might spark entrenched inflation, minutes from the Fed's March meeting show members discussed ending long-standing policies, including ultra-low interest rates.
The Fed has kept interest rates near zero since December 2008 and bought up more than a trillion dollars in assets to help stimulate the economy.
Critics argue the bank may not be able to unravel low rates and massive stimulus spending quickly enough if inflation picks up too rapidly.
Obama, Peres see urgent need for Middle East peace
"We had an extensive discussion about what has happened in the Middle East," Obama told reporters, adding that the two leaders shared the belief that this was a moment of "challenge and opportunity."
"With the winds of change blowing through the Arab world, it is more important than ever to create a peaceful solution between the Palestinians and the Israelis," Obama said.
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