Echoes of Soviet collapse in Mideast revolt

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By GREGORY KATZ, Associated Press Gregory Katz, Associated Press – Sun Feb 6, 6:07 am ET LONDON – Tunisia. Egypt. Yemen. The astounding pro-democracy domino effect in the Arab world evokes the shock waves of 1989 that toppled communism in Eastern Europe and eventually brought down the Soviet Union. Two figures who helped shape the Soviet collapse — former…

World food prices at fresh high, says FAO

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World food prices rose to a record high in January, according to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index, which measures the wholesale price of basic foods within a basket, averaged 231 points last month – its highest level since records began in 1990. It was up 3.4% from December,…

Arab League to members: Economic conditions fueling ‘unprecedented’ anger

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Arab League to members: Economic conditions fueling ‘unprecedented’ angerArab League secretary-general Amr Mussa urged member states to quickly confront their economic and social problems. Mussa warned that unrest was reaching unprecedented levels throughout the Middle East. “The Arab citizen has entered a stage of anger that is unprecedented,” Mussa said. The warning was issued amid…

Thousands march in Yemen to demand change of government

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  By Khaled Abdullah and Mohammed Ghobari Khaled Abdullah And Mohammed Ghobari – Thu Jan 27, 8:27 am ET SANAA (Reuters) – Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of Sanaa Thursday to demand a change of government, inspired by the unrest that has ousted Tunisia’s leader and spread to Egypt this week. Reuters witnesses estimated that around 16,000…

Egypt collapses into violence and anarchy

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By Jane Bradley and Shan Ross But some protesters and police embraced. Many nodded in agreement or said they would join demonstrators. One officer raised his fingers in a “V for a victory” sign. Others shouted words of encouragement and apologies at each other. The protests were organised on social networking sites such as Facebook…

Rioting over food prices subsides in Algeria

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(Reuters) – Several Algerian towns that had experienced days of rioting were returning to normal on Sunday, local people said, after a flare-up of unrest triggered by a sharp rise in food prices. There were no reports of large-scale disturbances overnight, the first night of relative calm since rioting broke out on Wednesday in the…

Haiti hit by largest earthquake in over 200 years

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By JONATHAN M. KATZ, Associated Press Writer Jonathan M. Katz, Associated Press Writer 26 mins ago PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The strongest earthquake in more than 200 years rocked Haiti on Tuesday, collapsing a hospital where people screamed for help and heavily damaging the National Palace, U.N. peacekeeper headquarters and other buildings. U.S. officials reported bodies in the…

Wholesale inflation is worst in 27 years

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  By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer Soaring costs for gasoline and food pushed inflation at the wholesale level up by a larger-than-expected amount in June, leaving inflation rising over the past year at the fastest pace in more than a quarter-century. The Labor Department reported that wholesale prices jumped by 1.8 percent last month,…

Myanmar cyclone death toll exceeds 22,000

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Story Highlights More than 22,000 killed and 41,000 missing, Myanmar radio reports 3.6-meter storm surge leaves more than 100,000 homeless in one area U.N. estimates that up to a million people could not be homeless Storm damage concentrated over a 30,000 square-kilometer area YANGON, Myanmar (CNN) — A Myanmar government radio station said Tuesday that…

India offers to help rebuild Bangladesh

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By PARVEEN AHMED, Associated Press Writer Sat Dec 1, 6:12 AM ET DHAKA, Bangladesh – India waived a ban on rice exports to Bangladesh and offered to help rebuild 10 villages worst hit by a recent cyclone that devastated crops and property, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Saturday during a visit to the…