Russia to formally insist on extradition of Bout, Yaroshenko
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed on Saturday that Russia will formally “insist” on the extradition of Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko from US custody, and that the necessary documents are already being prepared. “At the meeting with Clinton we paid attention to remaining claims about conditions where Russia's citizens Bout and Yaroshenko are kept," Lavrov said in Vladisvostok. "We have confirmed that we are undertaking steps aimed at using the legal norms we have for extradition of our citizens to the Russian Federation." Bout is serving a 25-year jail sentence in America for “conspiracy to kill Americans”, while Yaroshenko has been sentenced to 20 years on drug smuggling charges.
Pentagon designates Pakistani Haqqani network as terrorist organization
Hillary Clinton formally signed documents declaring the Haqqani network a terrorist organization on Friday. The move comes after two years of speculation by the US government on how to handle the tribal militant group on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border with Pakistani security ties. The new designation is expected to make it more difficult for the network to maintain funding. Despite tensions building up to the move, the reaction from Pakistan has been decidedly muted. “This is an internal matter for the United States. It’s not our business. We are not in the business of coddling terrorists and those who challenge the writ of our state,” Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman said in a statement.
China to boost domestic demand, ensure growth - Hu Jintao
China will ensure growth by boosting domestic demand and rebalancing its economy in efforts to help tackle global financial problems, Chinese President Hu Jintao has said. Speaking at the APEC summit in the Russian city of Vladivostok Hu stressed, "the global economy has reached a critical moment and the priority task is to overcome difficulties and to achieve full economic recovery and sustain growth." The Chinese leader said that his government will prioritize promoting home-driven growth and continuing to open up the country's economy for foreign investment.
Death toll from China quakes rises to 80
The number of those killed in a series of earthquakes in southwestern China has soared to at least 80 people, state Xinhua news agency reports citing Chinese government. Over 700 people were injured after the quakes struck on the border of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces on Friday. Twenty thousand buildings have been damaged in the tremors, the largest of which measured 5.7 at a depth of 14 kilometers. At least 16 aftershocks have also been reported.
Portugal announces more austerity measures
Portugal’s Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelho, announced on Friday a fresh round of austerity measures for 2013. The measures include a rise in social security contributions for public and private sector workers, as well as cuts in employers' contributions in a bid to kickstart job creation. "In so doing we will considerably reduce labor costs... and we will do so at a time when the financial situation of our businesses is very fragile," he said. The announcement comes as officials from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank visited Portugal. The country is facing severe economic problems, with the unemployment rate running at more than 15 per cent.
Russia, US sign memorandum on cooperation in Antarctica
Russia and the United States have signed a memorandum on cooperation in the Antarctica. The document, which creates a legal basis for the two countries’ scientific cooperation in the region, was signed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Vladivostok on Saturday. “This is a good example of constructive cooperation between the Russian Federation and the United States in this field,” Russian foreign minister said. “Scientists from both our countries will work together to explore Antarctica’s terrain, study the effects of the climate change and cooperate on a range of issues to better understand and protect our shared environment,” said Clinton. The sides also signed a joint statement on strengthening Russian-US inter-regional cooperation.
Bahraini police disperse anti-regime protesters
Police in the Bahraini capital have used tear gas to disperse dozens of Shiite protesters who attempted to stage a rally in support of jailed opposition figures, AFP reports. Some carried banners reading "Freedom for the prisoners" and "We want an independent judiciary," according to witnesses. Authorities said the demonstration was prohibited. The activists planned to protest against a Tuesday appeals court verdict, which upheld jail sentences against 13 leading activists, including seven facing life in prison. The tiny gulf kingdom of Bahrain, which hosts US 5th Fleet, has seen massive demonstration led by Shiite majority against Sunni rulers since last year.
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