BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau (AP) – Guinea-Bissau’s military junta has set a date for new elections following its takeover late last year, according to a statement by the junta’s leader on Wednesday.
NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks rallied to the edge of their all-time high and crude oil prices eased. The S&P 500 rose 1.2% Tuesday, bringing the index within 0.2% of its record set in January. The Dow gained 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2%.
BRUSSELS (AP) – Rattled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland, the European Union is readying countermeasures against the United States. As primarily a trading bloc, the EU’s toolkit is mostly financial instruments, from steep tariffs on U.S. goods to the so-called trade bazooka touted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
BEIJING (AP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape intertwined with change and chaos.
TYRE, Lebanon (AP) – Israel pressed on with bombarding southern Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after historic talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington. Smoke rose over the coastal city of Tyre, underscoring the fragility of diplomatic efforts.
LISBON, Portugal (AP) – A record number of 11 candidates in Portugal’s upcoming presidential election kicked off their campaigns on Sunday. The official two-week campaign period preceding the Jan. 18 election will see the contenders competing to capture voters’ support.
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) – Swiss investigators are probing what caused a fire in a bar at an Alpine ski resort that left around 40 people dead and another 115 injured during a New Year’s celebration.