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EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton speaks during a press conference at Rafik Hariri international airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

EU proposal: private company boards should have 40% women

Last updated Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 1:41pm

BRUSSELS - European Union plans to set a 40 percent quota for women on company supervisory boards by 2020 stalled after EU commissioners failed to agree on the measures at a meeting Tuesday.

Business, Women, European Union, International Read more Comments

Greece to hold new election, markets tank

Derek Gatopoulos, Nicholas Paphitis The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 10:38am

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece is headed for another month of political paralysis ahead of new elections in mid-June, after party leaders on Tuesday failed to reach an agreement to build a coalition government.

Greece, European Union, International Read more Comments

EU carries out first air strikes on Somali pirates

Abdi Guled, Slobodan Lekic The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 9:10am

BRUSSELS -- The European Union naval force patrolling the Indian Ocean on Tuesday carried out its first air strikes against pirate targets on shore, with a pirate reporting that the raid destroyed speed boats, fuel depots and an arms store.

Pirates, European Union, International Read more Comments

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2011 file picture taken with a fisheye lens, flames from a fire set alight in a container by activists of the Frankfurt Occupy movement are seen in front of the European Central Bank and a sculpture of the euro symbol in Frankfurt, Germany. Austerity has been the main prescription across Europe for dealing with the continent's nearly 3-year-old debt crisis, brought on by too much government spending. (AP Photo/Michael Probst,File)

Brussels, Berlin tell Europe to stick to austerity

Raf Casert The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, May 8, 2012 - 9:10am

BRUSSELS -- Germany and the European Commission on Tuesday called on EU nations to stick to their agreed budget cuts despite mounting voter discontent, but promised some new efforts to boost growth to alleviate economic hardship.

Business, Economy, Europe, European Union, International Read more Comments

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2012 file photo provided by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad casts his ballot next to his wife Asma at a polling station in Damascus, Syria, during a referendum on the new constitution. EU foreign ministers imposed sanctions Friday, March 23, 2012 on Asma Assad, the stylish, British-born wife of the Syrian president, banning her from traveling to European Union countries and freezing any assets she may have there. The foreign ministers also imposed the same sanctions on President Bashar Assad's mother, sister and sister-in-law, and eight government ministers, in a continuing attempt to stop the bloody crackdown on opposition in the country. (AP Photo/SANA, File)

Syrian sanctions slapped on Assad's wife, relatives

Don Melvin, John Heilprin The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 23, 2012 - 10:29am

BRUSSELS -- EU foreign ministers have slapped sanctions on the wife and other close relatives of Syrian President Bashar Assad, freezing their assets and banning them from traveling to the EU in a continuing attempt to stop the violent crackdown on opposition, officials said Friday.

Assad, Economic sanctions, Sanctions, Syria Government, European Union, International Read more Comments

In this Sept. 27, 2000 file photo, an Iranian oil worker repairs a pipe at an oil refinery in Tehran. Iran has halted oil shipments to Britain and France, the Oil Ministry said Sunday, in an apparent pre-emptive blow against the European Union after the bloc imposed sanctions on Iran's crucial fuel exports. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

Iran says it's cutting oil exports to France, Britain

Patrick J. McDonnell Los Angeles Times

Last updated Monday, February 20, 2012 - 12:01pm

BEIRUT -- Iran said Sunday that it was cutting off oil exports to France and Britain in a pre-emptive strike against European economic sanctions, while top U.S. and British officials warned against a military attack on Iran's disputed nuclear program.

Iran's retaliatory oil ban was the latest instance of high-stakes brinkmanship surrounding Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Iran says its program is solely for peaceful purposes, but the U.S. and many of its allies suspect the goal is to develop weapons.

Business, Britain, France, Global Economy, Iran, Oil exports, European Union Read more Comments

Protesters pass by a burning cinema in Athens, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. Riots engulfed central Athens and at least 10 buildings went up in flames in mass protests late Sunday as lawmakers prepared for a historic parliamentary vote on harsh austerity measures demanded to keep the country solvent and within the eurozone. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)

Riots rage in Greece

Staff Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Last updated Monday, February 13, 2012 - 11:34am

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece's Parliament passed an austerity and debt-relief bill on Monday as rioters in Athens looted shops and set buildings on fire.

Financial, Greece, Europe, European Union, International Read more Comments

Syrian rebels are seen in Idlib, Syria, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. Syrian forces fired mortars and rockets that killed scores of people Thursday in the rebellious city of Homs, activists said, the latest strike in a weeklong assault as President Bashar Assad's regime tries to crush increasingly militarized pockets of dissent. (AP Photo)

Humanitarian crisis deepens in Syrian city

Elizabeth A. Kennedy The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, February 10, 2012 - 2:10pm

BEIRUT -- Between blasts of rockets and mortar fire, Syrians used loudspeakers to call for blood donations and medical supplies Thursday in the stricken city of Homs, where a weeklong government offensive has created a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Government forces are trying to crush pockets of violent resistance in Homs, the epicenter of an 11-month-old uprising that has brought the country ever closer to civil war. The intense shelling in restive neighborhoods such as Baba Amr has made it difficult to get medicine and care to the wounded, and some areas have been without electricity for days, activists say.

Arab Protests, Syrian Government, Syrian violence, United Nations, European Union, International Read more Comments

In this Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012 photo Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after talks in Damascus, Syria. Lavrov's visit comes days after Syrian allies Russia and China vetoed a Western- and Arab-backed resolution at the United Nations that would have condemned the Assad regime's crackdown on dissents and calling on him to transfer some of his powers to his deputy. Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Mikhail Fradkov stands at center.(AP Photo/Pool)

EU threatens new sanctions on Syria

Bassem Mroue The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - 10:44am

BEIRUT -- The European Union will impose harsher sanctions on Syria, a senior EU official said Wednesday, as Russia tried to broker talks between the vice president and the opposition to calm violence. Activists reported at least 50 killed in military assaults targeting government opponents.

Arab Protests, Economic sanctions, Syria Government, Syrian violence, Violence, European Union, International Read more Comments

Romanian President Traian Basescu, right, watches Prime Minister designate Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, left, currently the head of Romania's foreign intelligence service, deliver a speech, in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, Feb. 6, 2012. The announcement follows the resignation of former Premier Emil Boc and his government.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Romania's government collapses after protests

Alison Mutler The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, February 6, 2012 - 3:00pm

BUCHAREST, Romania -- Romania's government collapsed Monday following weeks of protests against austerity measures, the latest debt-stricken government in Europe to fall in the face of raising public anger over biting cuts.

Financial crisis, Financial protests, Protests, Romania, Europe, European Union, International Read more Comments

Greece, investors strike debt deal

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 10:51pm

ATHENS, Greece — Greece and investors who have bought its bonds have reached a tentative deal to significantly reduce the country’s debt and pave the way for it to receive a much-needed (euro) 130 billion bailout.

Debt, Debt Crisis, European Union, International Read more Comments

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton speaks during a media conference after a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. EU foreign ministers are expected on Monday to agree to new economic sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

EU adopts Iran oil embargo

Don Melvin The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, January 23, 2012 - 11:30am

BRUSSELS -- The European Union adopted an oil embargo Monday against Iran and a freeze of the assets of the country's central bank, part of sanctions meant to pressure the country to resume talks on its nuclear program.

Iran, Oil exports, Persian Gulf, European Union, International Read more Comments

Metalworkers march through downtown Turin, Italy, Monday, Dec. 12, 2011. Union leaders in Italy are calling on workers to stage a three-hour strike to protest austerity measures that Premier Mario Monti hopes will save the country from financial ruin. The union leaders say the measures hit too hard at pensioners and workers and not hard enough at the wealthy (AP Photo/Fabio Ferrari, Lapresse)

Italian markets nervous as unions strike over cuts

Colleen Barry, Frances D’emilio The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, December 12, 2011 - 8:52am

ROME — Italian financial market jitters worsened on Monday, as workers angry about government austerity reforms went on strike and held nationwide rallies while investors turned skeptical about an EU pact to save the euro.

Business, Economy, Euro, Protest, Stock Market, Strike, European Union, International Read more Comments

(DANIEL ROLAND/The Associated Press) In this Oct. 18, 2009 file photo, visitors look at e-books at the book fair in Frankfurt, central Germany. The European Union’s antitrust watchdog said Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011 it is probing whether Apple and five major publishing houses have colluded to restrict competition in the market for e-books.

EU in antitrust probe of Apple, e-book publishers

Gabriele Steinhauser The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, December 6, 2011 - 8:20am

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s antitrust watchdog is probing whether Apple helped five major publishing houses illegally raise prices for e-books when it launched its iPad tablet and iBookstore in 2010.

Business, Antitrust, Apple, e-books, iPad, Lawsuit, European Union, National Read more Comments

(RICHARD DREW/The Associated Press) A screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shows the closing number of the Dow Jones Industrial average, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. A move by the world’s central banks to lower the cost of borrowing exhilarated investors Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average soaring 490 points and easing fears of a global credit crisis similar to the one that followed the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers. It was the Dow’s biggest gain since March 2009.

Stock futures rise despite S&P’s warning to Europe

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, December 6, 2011 - 8:13am

NEW YORK — Wall Street appears headed a slightly higher opening, as investors weigh the impact of Standard & Poor’s warning about European credit ratings that sent most world markets lower.

Business, Credit Rating, Euro, Nasdaq, S&P 500, Stock Market, Wall Street, European Union, National Read more Comments