Well done, now support our statehood bid, Palestinians tell Obama
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said he hoped Obama’s second term in office would see the establishment of a Palestinian state. Erekat added that, with the Palestinians determined to bid for nonmember state status at the UN this month, he expected the president to show support for the move.
Obama reelection signals new phase in Syria war
Within hours of President Barack Obama’s re-election the deadlocked Syrian conflict moved into a new phase Wednesday, with Britain’s prime minister urging the US to join him in working directly with Syrian rebels and Turkey saying Washington has discussed protecting a safe zone inside Syria with Patriot missiles. The changes would mark a profound shift in Western efforts to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad, and indicate that leaders have been waiting for the result of the US presidential election before embarking on a new strategy to end the civil war that has killed more than 36,000 people.
Asian Stocks Tank on U.S. Election News
Asian stock markets fell Wednesday as traders watched the final hours of a cliffhanger U.S. presidential election whose conclusion would allow leaders of the world’s biggest economy to focus on issues other than the campaign. Traders say one of the most pressing issues facing the U.S. is the looming “fiscal cliff,” a combination of higher taxes and government spending cuts that automatically takes effect unless Congress acts by Jan. 1.
Israel mulls steps against PA over UN bid
Senior members of Israel's cabinet on Tuesday weighed punitive steps that could be taken against the Palestinians if they pursue a campaign to upgrade their status to "observer state" at the United Nations this month. A senior Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inner circle of ministers reached an agreement in principle on the measures Israel may take if the Palestinians ask the UN General Assembly for the diplomatic upgrade.
US election: America goes liberal with gay marriage, abortion and cannabis votes
The generally liberal moves were decided among more than 170 ballot initiatives and referendums held across the country, as it re-elected Democratic President Barack Obama for four more years. ...Three states voted Tuesday to legalise same-sex marriage, including Maine – which voted in a referendum against it in 2009, but reversed that decision with 54 per cent in favour to 46 per cent against.
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Iran, USGS reports
The quake was centered 32 miles north-northeast of Tabriz, at a depth of 6.2 miles, the USGS said.
China asserts claims to disputed islands
The uninhabited islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have long been an issue between the countries but tensions escalated when Japan brought the islands under its control in September. The underlying issue isn't the small land masses but the rights to natural resources, believed to be extensive, in waters near to islands.
Virus Breaks Out at NYC School Being Used as Storm Shelter
A Brooklyn high school being used as a shelter for Sandy victims has to be shut down and sanitized after about a dozen storm refugees came down with a stomach virus. Mayor Bloomberg said John Jay High School will be closed Wednesday instead of opening for classes as scheduled. "The school will be thoroughly cleaned and then reopened," Bloomberg said.
For Obama and Netanyahu, four more years of mutual dislike and suspicion? Not so fast
Obama is the last thing Benjamin Netanyahu was hoping for. Ever since he moved into the Prime Minister’s Office in March 2009, three months after Obama was inaugurated, Netanyahu was waiting for the day he could govern without Obama on his back. There was never any love lost between the two, and no one should expect the relationship between the two of them to improve in January if, or almost certainly when, Netanyahu matches Obama and gets reelected.
The Milky Way’s Black Hole Shoots Out Brightest Flare Ever
For some unknown reason, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy shoots out an X-ray flare about once a day. These flares last a few hours with the brightness ranging from a few times to nearly one hundred times that of the black hole’s regular output. But back in February 2012, astronomers using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory detected the brightest flare ever observed from the central black hole, also known as Sagittarius A*. The flare, recorded 26,000 light years away, was 150 times brighter than the black hole’s normal luminosity.
Syria crisis: Damascus hit by deadly blasts
A spate of bomb attacks has rocked the Syrian capital Damascus leaving several people dead and many others wounded, activists have said. At least 10 people reportedly died when several blasts struck an area populated mostly by members of President Bashar al-Assad's minority Alawite sect. Hours later, a car bomb exploded near a mosque in the largely Sunni Muslim district of al-Qadam, activists said.
More children should be in care, say MPs
More children at risk should be put into care, says a committee of MPs examining child protection in England. They warned that too often the benefit of the doubt was given to neglectful parents who then failed to improve. The MPs also said there was insufficient support for older children, particularly when vulnerable youngsters left the care system.
Samaras Faces Down Parliament Dissenter as Greeks Srike
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras faces a test of his fragile coalition government today as he seeks parliamentary approval of austerity measures to unlock bailout funds amid the third general strike in six weeks.
Dollar Falls as Obama Win Paves Way for Monetary Easing
The dollar declined on speculation Barack Obama’s re-election as president will boost chances the U.S. will maintain monetary stimulus policies that tend to weaken the greenback. The U.S. currency fell versus 12 of its 16 major peers as Obama defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney, who disagreed with current Federal Reserve policy. Obama now faces the so- called fiscal cliff, $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts due to be implemented in 2013. Australia’s dollar rose for a third day as stocks rallied, boosting demand for higher- yielding assets. The euro pared earlier gains as the Greek parliament prepared to vote on austerity measures.
Republicans retain control of House, setting up ongoing standoff with Obama
Republicans have clinched control of the House for two more years, assuring that their conservative agenda will dominate the chamber and that future clashes with re-elected President Barack Obama lie ahead. The GOP has won 217 seats. Two Louisiana Republicans will face each other in a December runoff, assuring the GOP will have 218 seats - the number needed for a majority.
Netanyahu: Israel-US alliance 'stronger than ever'
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu congratulated US President Barack Obama on Wednesday for winning a second term and said the strategic alliance between their two countries was "stronger than ever." "I will continue to work with President Obama to ensure the interests that are vital for the security of Israel's citizens," Netanyahu said in a short written statement after Obama gave his victory speech.
Obama wins second term, Romney concedes defeat
Emboldened by a resounding election victory, President Barack Obama immediately pledged to reach across America's political divide and seek deals on stubborn issues that dogged his first term. Obama scored a clear win over Republican challenger Mitt Romney in Tuesday's vote, overcoming deep doubts among voters about his handling of the weak U.S. economy.