Greece's cabinet unanimously approved the terms of its international bailout on Wednesday, hours after euro zone countries formally approved the 130 billion euro ($169 billion) financial package that Athens needs to stay afloat.
The unprecedented move marks the first time the Union has punished a member state for flouting the strict budget rules, which stipulate no country must go above a debt ceiling of 3 percent of GDP.
The United States is pressing Saudi Arabia to boost oil output to fill a likely supply gap arising from sanctions on Iran, Gulf oil officials said, adding that an increase in production is unlikely to be needed before July.
The European Commission doesn't believe the Greek austerity measures currently adopted are enough. For 2013 and 2014, it is demanding additional cuts equivalent to 5.5 percent of the GDP, according to a report obtained by Reuters.
Spain announced it will adhere to budget cuts demanded by the European Union, ending the first tussle over new, stricter budgetary rules within the trading bloc.
The U.S., the European Union and Japan will file a complaint with the World Trade Organization, which arbitrates international trade disputes, on Tuesday over Chinese export caps on rare earth minerals used in high-tech manufacturing, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The European Union, United States and Japan formally asked the World Trade Organization on Tuesday to settle a dispute with China over Beijing's restriction on exports of raw materials, including rare earth elements critical to major industries.
Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.56 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.45 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.54 percent at 0949 GMT.
The U.S. will join Japan and the European Union for pressing the World Trade Organization to force China for loosening its restrictions on exports of rare-earth minerals.
The Obama administration is all set to file a case against China's export restrictions on rare earth at the World Trade Organization.
Eurozone finance ministers approve second bailout for Greece but demand Spain acts urgently to deal with tight deficit target.
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement, or Pasok, will vote Sunday on a replacement for party leader George Papandreou, the former prime minister. Venizelos is the only candidate.
Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS both claimed victory Monday in a World Trade Organization ruling that the U.S. aircraft maker had received unfair government subsidies.
As ministers meet to finalize the Greek payout, concerns have been raised that Spain may become the next challenge for the Union as it struggles to keep its debt-ridden Southern members afloat.
Nicolas Sarkozy said during a rally on Sunday that France should pull out of the Schengen zone in an effort to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country.
Israel claimed it launched the attack to retaliate for prior rocket launches onto its territory by militants in Gaza.
Finance ministers from euro zone nations are meeting in Brussels on Monday to discuss their likely final approval of a second package of rescue loans for Greece.
Mounting the pressure on New Delhi, the Italian Embassy has sent a letter to the Union Ministry of External Affairs demanding the release of the Italian marines detained following a rogue firing off the southern coast of India, which resulted in the death of two Indian fishermen on board a fishing boat.
President Nicolas Sarkozy, recasting himself as France's savior from low-cost competition and high immigration, threatened to disregard European limitations on protectionism as he sought to give his re-election campaign a second wind Sunday.
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos will run unopposed for the leadership of the Socialists, party officials said Sunday, as the political focus shifts towards a parliamentary election now that Athens has secured a bond swap deal.
China had a trade deficit of $31.48 billion in February, according to data revealed by the General Administration of Customs Saturday. This is another indication that global economic condition is continuing to affect the country's exports.
In a bid to pressurize Iran into giving up its nuclear weapons ambitions, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee said a naval blockade of Iranian oil exports should precede a U.S.-Israel joint military action against the Islamic nation.