Listening to the people of Ukraine

April 17, 2014 - Daily News Briefing

Short version: Things are not going smoothly.

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NATO is strengthening its military footprint along its eastern border immediately in response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the alliance’s chief said Wednesday. Secretary-
General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said NATO’s air policing aircraft will fly more sorties over the Baltic region and allied ships will deploy to the Baltic Sea, the eastern Mediterranean, and elsewhere if needed.

General Motors revealed in court filings that it will soon ask a federal bankruptcy judge to shield the company from legal claims for conduct that occurred before its 2009 bankruptcy. The automaker’s strategy is in a motion filed in a Corpus Christi, Texas, federal court case, and in other cases across the nation that involve the defective ignition switches that have led GM to recall 2.6 million cars.

Russia’s economy slowed sharply in the first three months of the year as uncertainty over the crisis in Ukraine prompted investors to pull money out of the country, a government minister said Wednesday. Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev told parliament that growth was only 0.8 percent in the first quarter – far short of the ministry’s earlier prediction of 2.5 percent.

As a robotic submarine dived into the ocean to look for lost Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, angry Chinese relatives stormed out of a teleconference meeting Wednesday to protest the Malaysian government for not addressing them in person. The Bluefin 21 sub surfaced early for the second time in as many missions, this time after experiencing technical difficulties.

China’s economic growth slowed further in the latest quarter but appeared strong enough to satisfy Chinese leaders who are trying to put the country on a more sustainable path without politically dangerous job losses. The world’s second largest economy grew 7.4 percent from a year earlier in the January-March quarter, down from the previous quarter’s 7.7 percent, government data showed Wednesday. It matched a mini-slump in late 2012 for the weakest growth since the 2008-09 global crisis.

The Pakistani Taliban said Wednesday they will not renew a cease-fire they called over a month ago to facilitate peace negotiations but said they will still continue talks with the government. The surprising announcement comes just days after the country’s Interior minister said comprehensive talks with the militants would start this week.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday that the US job market still needs help from the Fed and that the central bank must remain intent on adjusting its policy to respond to unforeseen challenges. Fed officials still see only a gradual return to full employment over the next two to three years, Yellen said.

Suspected Islamic militants have struck for a fourth time in three days in Nigeria, killing 20 people including a traditional ruler in attacks in the northeast, local government and security officials said Wednesday.

Compiled from wire service reports

“The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” – Mary Baker Eddy

The Daily News Briefing is published Monday through Friday by The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston, Massachusetts.

Compiled from wire service reports

“The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” – Mary Baker Eddy

The Daily News Briefing is published Monday through Friday by The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston, Massachusetts.

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