In Flurry of Activity, Only Muted Hope for Fiscal Deal
WASHINGTON — President Obama will meet with Congressional leaders on Friday, and House Republicans summoned lawmakers back for a Sunday session, in a last-ditch effort to avert a fiscal crisis brought on by automatic tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to hit next week.
Republicans expressed a flicker of hope Thursday that a deal could still be reached to at least avert most of the tax increases on Jan. 1, to prevent a sudden cut in payments to medical providers treating Medicare patients and to extend expiring unemployment benefits. But both parties’ leaders said time is running out.
Food fight complicates Ikea's entry into India
Minister rallies behind Swedish chain's investment plan – meatballs and all – amid opposition to government's reforms
Ikea's Swedish meatballs, gulped down in their thousands each weekend in store cafes around the world, are the subject of a bureaucratic tug-of-war in India that could hit local consumers' hopes of sampling the joys of flatpacked furniture in the near future.
The retailer plans to invest about £1.25bn in India to exploit demand from the growing urban middle class. Though growth has slowed recently, Asia's third-largest economy is still set to expand by between five and eight per cent this year.
Ten Ikea stores are planned over a decade, to be followed by 15 more, as part of a bigger push to enter emerging markets. However, last month officials told Ikea it was only allowed to sell furniture products, and that selling food and drink would infringe on regulations.
ARMED CONFLICT
US evacuates Central African Republic embassy
The US has evacuated its embassy in the Central African Republic. The State Department ordered its diplomats to leave the country as rebels advance on the capital of Bangui.
The US said Thursday it was suspending operations at its embassy in the Central African Republic.
The move comes amid increased security fears as rebel forces continue seizing land in the north of the country.
The State Department said it had not broken off diplomatic ties with the Central African Republic, but warned its citizens not to travel to the country while unrest continues.
State Department Spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the ambassador and other embassy personnel had left the country. Some 40 people in total were flown out of Bangui on a US Air Force plane to Kenya.
Mortgage NightmaresEvictions Become Focus of Spanish Crisis
By Helene Zuber
After a record number in 2012, evictions in Spain have become the symbol of a crisis that shows no signs of improving. Next year isn't likely to be any better, but with more attention now being paid to those losing their homes, relief in the form of legal reform may soon be on the way.
Joan Peinado Garrido, 59, can't sleep at night and he's lost his appetite. He takes various medications and has resumed stuttering when he's upset. The frail man gently guides his 86-year-old mother, María José, from the tiled kitchen to the living room.
Why Latin Americans top the happiness rankings
A global index on happiness shows several Latin American countries topping the list. The report cites centrality of family as a key reason.
By Rich Basas, Guest blogger
This month an index of global happiness was released, and the results showed that many countries in Latin America were the world’s happiest. Panama, Paraguay, El Salvador, Venezuela,Guatemala, Ecuador, and Costa Rica were all at the top of the survey. Colombia was ranked 11th, and Mexico and Brazil ranked around 20th.
Experts have suggested many reasons for the results. One includes the ability of Latin Americans to look beyond immediate problems and live life day-by-day, despite what is going on externally. It suggests that constant problems make people adapt and live positively, perhaps because it is difficult to constantly fear the worse and still live a productive life. Other explanations include cultural aspects that teach Latin Americans to keep a positive face on things, even if there are personal problems.
These are both interesting suggestions. The fact that having less might make someone feel as if he has more to be positive about could come from an appreciation for the smaller things in life.
Predictions for 2013: BBC correspondents
Lyse Doucet
World affairs correspondent
Remember that infamous phrase "axis of evil"? This year tough decisions will be made on Syria, Iran, and North Korea.
2012 ended with strong statements by some Western leaders that they will accelerate support to Syrian rebels. This will be the year of a post-Assad order but "transition" looks set to be bloody.
What is the "or else" if negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme don't succeed by the Spring?
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Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu looks set to win elections in January and will push world leaders to take action on Iran.
President Hamid Karzai will be under pressure as Afghanistan heads towards elections and a Nato troop pull-out in 2014. Some Taliban commanders will engage in secret talks and some won't.
On a more peaceful note, Malala Yusufzai will leave hospital and help galvanise adults to improve girls' education worldwide.
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Mark Mardell
North America editor
In news terms it will continue to be the Arab uprisings, but I am more interested in whether the US and China co-operate or clash in the Pacific.
The US economy will come back strongly and, surprisingly, manufacturing will play an important role. This will be largely based on growing US energy independence. Europe will slip further back, with crisis as the new normal.
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Can US president Barack Obama be bold and push his own agenda for a strong legacy? I think the answer will be yes. If John Kerry becomes US secretary of state he will want to make a mark, and if former Republican senator Chuck Hagel becomes defence secretary it will enrage the right who label him an anti-Israeli traitor.
I think the new Chinese leader Xi Jinping may be a breath of fresh air in terms of style, but not in substance.
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