A U.N. food agency says that global food prices reached new highs in February and warns that oil price spikes could provoke further increases. Skyrocketing food prices have been among the triggers for protests in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere and raised fears of a repeat of the food price crises in 2007 and 2008. Global oil prices have spiked on concerns about the potential impact of supply disruptions from Libya.
Obama: Israelis must show seriousness on peace
US President Obama this week called on Jewish leaders to speak to their colleagues in Israel and to “search your souls” over Israel's seriousness about making peace, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported Wednesday. According to participants, Obama told the Jewish leaders that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is eager to secure his legacy by establishing a Palestinian state and would accept a decent offer if one were on the table.
'Arabs will protest like Egypt over social workers' strike'
Following Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, will riots reach Israel too? Arab sector warns that social workers' strike and recent price hikes could lead to outburst. 'Government needs to wake up,' says Kafr Kana official. Welfare agencies are set to close Sunday. Social workers protesting their employment terms and claiming that enough is enough will launch a strike as price hikes abound and the economic burden increases. But in the Arab sector there is an additional concern – fears of protests over racial discrimination.
Germany: Islamism behind attack on US forces
The attack on a busload of U.S. Air Force troops at Frankfurt airport that killed two is being investigated as a possible act of Islamic terrorism, German federal prosecutors said Thursday. Two airmen were also wounded late Wednesday when a man identified as a 21-year-old ethnic Albanian from Kosovo fired on the servicemen at close range. His family said the young man worked at Frankfurt airport and was a devout Muslim.
Hillary Clinton says US in direct competition with China
Mrs Clinton made the unusually strong comments before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as she bemoaned cuts to the U.S. aid program sought by the Republican lawmakers. She told Wednesday's hearing: "We are in a competition for influence with China."
Zimbabwe: We will supply Iran with uranium for its nuclear program
Zimbabwe was willing to work with Iran on extracting uranium resources meant for Tehran's nuclear program, Zimbabwe's foreign minister told the Iranian ISNA news agency on Thursday. Last month a new intelligence report claimed that Iran was expanding its covert global search for the uranium it needs for its nuclear activities and a key focus is Zimbabwe.
Militants kill Christian minister in Pakistan
Militants gunned down the only Christian in Pakistan's government outside his widowed mother's home Wednesday, the second assassination in two months of a high-profile opponent of laws that impose the death penalty for insulting Islam. Shahbaz Bhatti was aware of the danger he faced, saying in a videotaped message that he had received death threats from al-Qaida and the Taliban. In it, the 42-year-old Roman Catholic said he was "ready to die" for the country's often persecuted Christian and other non-Muslim minorities.
China aims to settle nationwide trade in yuan by 2011
China hopes to allow all exporters and importers to settle their cross-border trades in the yuan by this year, the central bank said on Wednesday, as part of plans to grow the currency's international role. In a statement on its website www.pbc.gov.cn, the central bank said it would respond to overseas demand for the yuan to be used as a reserve currency.
Heads of U.S., Mexico to Meet as Tensions Rise
President Felipe Calderón will meet in Washington on Thursday with President Barack Obama in an attempt to repair relations at a time when spiraling violence in Mexico's drug war has frayed ties between the two allies. The meeting comes just three weeks after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent was killed and another wounded by alleged drug gunmen.
Trade unions 'dare' EU to hold referendum on economic pact
Angry at economic governance proposals by EU leaders that aim to push down wages, public sector unions have "dared" governments to hold referendums over a 'Competitiveness Pact' currently being hashed out behind closed doors. "Which of these EU government leaders dares to put the Competitiveness Pact, which goes so very far in asking for legal or constitutional changes to enforce budget deficit targets, to a referendum asking the people if they agree or not?"
Dutch soldiers held as EU puts out full list of Libya sanctions
The EU has published the full list of 26 Libyan regime members on its sanctions list. But as the international crackdown begins, Libyan authorities have arrested three Dutch soldiers involved in the evacuation effort. The EU list comes on top of a UN travel ban and asset freeze imposed last weekend on Moammar Gaddafi and 15 associates.
Egypt's prime minister quits after calls for purge
Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq resigned on Thursday and a former transport minister was picked to appoint a new government after pro-democracy activists demanded a purge of Hosni Mubarak's old guard from the cabinet. Military rulers said they had accepted the resignation of Shafiq and appointed Essam Sharaf in this place.
