U.S. eases Myanmar sanctions to boost NGO projects

The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday relaxed sanctions on Myanmar to permit financial transactions to support certain humanitarian and development projects in the country as it moves ahead with democratic reforms after decades of military rule. The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a general license authorizing financial transactions for a range of not-for-profit projects and programs in areas such as good...

Apple battles Greenpeace over "dirty" iPhone server farms

The environmental campaign group said in its annual report on internet firms that Apple relied on coal power for services such as iCloud and the voice-controlled “personal assistant", Siri, more than its rivals. “Apple right now is falling behind companies like Google and Facebook, who are taking a leadership role on this issue,” said Greenpeace spokesman Dave Pomerantz. “It’s a shame that a company that built its...

Spain clashes with Argentina in oil row

Spain has summoned Argentina's ambassador in Madrid for talks as tensions rise in a dispute over control of a Spanish-owned oil company. The move on Tuesday came a day after Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner unveiled plans to seize control of the country's biggest oil company YPF, owned by Spain's Repsol. Repsol shares fell sharply during trading on Tuesday, sinking by more than eight per cent in Madrid. Antonio Brufau, the Repsol YPF SA president, told reporters that the company would mount a legal fight...

WikiLeaks founder Assange to make debut as talk show host

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's talk show, "The World Tomorrow," is expected to make its debut Tuesday on a state-funded Russian television network. Assange and RT, an English-language international satellite news channel, have not released the guest lineup in advance, but have hinted that the first interview would be controversial. WikiLeaks has asked followers on Twitter if they can guess who the first guest...

U.S. looking at "all options" on North Korea as nuclear test looms

The United States is looking at "all options" as it seeks to discourage North Korea from conducting a third nuclear test, a senior U.S. military officer said on Tuesday, days after a failed long-range rocket launch by the North that drew international condemnation. The U.N. Security Council on Monday condemned reclusive North Korea for Friday's rocket launch and warned of further action if Pyongyang carries out a...