 | | | | | | | Newsletter | 21.02.2009, 17:15 UTC | | | Newsline | | | World news: international | | | | | | | | | World News | | | | | Current Article | | | | US, China pledge economic cooperation
The United States and China have agreed to work together to stabilise the global economy and fight climate change. The pledge came out of talks in Beijing between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Clinton and Jiechie also said a regular bilateral dialogue on economic issues would be expanded to include security concerns. Jiechi said China wanted to see its foreign cash reserves invested safely and wished to continue working with the US. Clinton thanked China for its confidence in US treasury bonds. China, with foreign exchange reserves of about two trillion dollars, is the world's largest holder of US government debt. Clinton's visit to China is the fourth, and final, stop on her tour of Asia that has also taken her to South Korea, Indonesia and Japan. It is her first trip abroad as secretary of state.
|  | | Israel, Lebanon exchange barrage
The Israeli military says it has fired artillery into southern Lebanon in response to a rocket attack, which lightly injured a woman near the northern Israeli town Maalot. At least three rockets were fired from Lebanon, with two falling short of the Israeli border. United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have set up checkpoints and advised people against entering the area of the clashes. A number of Katyusha rockets were fired into Israel from Lebanon during the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip in January. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks. | | | Rival Palestinian groups to meet in Cairo
Reconciliation talks between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas are expected to begin in the Egyptian capital on Wednesday. Divisions between Islamist Hamas and rival Fatah group of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have been blamed for stalling progress in resolving Israel's blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza strip. The Egypt-brokered reconciliation talks were meant to have begun in Egypt on Sunday, but were postponed last week after Israel set tough new conditions for a truce with Hamas militants in Gaza. Hamas is expected to demand the release of its activists held by Fatah as part of the reconciliation deal. | | | Islamabad and Taliban agree to permanent ceasefire in Swat Valley
Pakistan's government and the Taliban have agreed to a ‘permanent ceasefire' in the Swat valley. Commissioner for the region, Syed Muhammad Javed said both sides had agreed to the decision. Around 1,200 people have been killed in the fighting and between up to 500,000 people forced to leave the valley, which lies in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. A ceasefire between the two sides has been in place since last Sunday. There are reports that Islamabad has offered to reinstate Islamic law in the region if the Taliban agrees to a peace deal.
| | | German FM calls for European response to GM closures
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a European response to the planned closure of General Motors subsidiaries in Europe. Steinmeier said none of GM's plants in Europe could survive on its own. The comments come after reports that the German carmaker and GM subsidiary Opel will need more public loan guarantees than expected. Swedish carmaker Saab has filed for bankruptcy protection after General Motors announced plans to shed the brand as part of its restructuring efforts. | | | Protests bring Dublin centre to standstill
Up to 100,000 workers have taken to the streets in the Irish city of Dublin in protest against the government's austerity measures. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, who organised the demonstration said Saturday's march was the first step of a ‘rolling campaign'. Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen is introducing a two-billion-euro package of budget cuts designed to stabilise Ireland's economy, which entered recession in the first half of 2008. | | | Swiss court forbids banks from sharing data
A Swiss court has forbidden the country's banking regulator from handing over data to third parties. The court also said Switzerland's largest bank, UBS, should not have handed over banking data of alleged tax evaders to US authorities. UBS reached a settlement with US authorities on Wednesday in which it admitted to tax fraud and agreed to pay 780 million dollars. The bank was also ordered to hand over details of 250 to 300 US clients. The court ruling followed a complaint by eight UBS account holders who objected to the transfer of their data. | | | German Bundesliga football results
And in German football:
Defending champions Bayern Munich lost to Cologne 1-2 with Hoffenheim unable to cement their lead at the top of the league drawing 3-3 with Stuttgart. Energie Cottbus beat Werder Bremen 2-1, while Borussia M'gladbach clinched a 3-2 victory over Hanover. Frankfurt came away with a 1-0 win over Karlsruhe, VfL Wolfsburg beat Werder Bremen 2-1. Arminia Bielefeld and Bochum had to setlle for a 1-1 draw.
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Merkel Seeks Lead Role With European Pre-G20 Summit
