World News

Australia

• Claude Choules, the last known World War One combat veteran, died in his sleep last night.  He was 110.

European Union

• The European Central Bank held rates at 1.25%.  Speculation is that rates will be increased again next month.

Japan

• Workers have entered the Fukushima nuclear plant for the first time since March 11, installing ventilation systems in the No. 1 reactor to filter radioactive material from the air.  The 12 engineers will enter the building in groups of four for 10 minute shifts.

Libya

• The White House is looking to get US law changed to allow it to access frozen Libyan assets to"make those funds available to help the Libyan people".  It is unclear if the financial help would be humanitarian, or if it would go to the rebels.

Mexico

• Efforts continue to locate survivors of Tuesday's coal mine explosion, but only five bodies have been recovered so far.

Pakistan

• Pakistani security officials are disputing the official US version of the death of Osama Bin Laden.  "The people inside the house were unarmed.  There was no resistance," stated one of the Pakistani investigators.  They have not yet released their evidence.
• The Pakistani government is warning that any country that tries to raid its territory the way US forces did to kill Osama Bin Laden will face consequences from the Pakistani military.

Portugal

• Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos said that the austerity measures required for the bailout deal will put the nation into a recession, causing the economy to shrink by 2% annually for 2011 and 2012.

United States

• The United States reaffirmed its alliance with Pakistan, despite the whole "Osama Bin Laden was apparently living 35 miles from Islamabad for years" controversy.  "It is not always an easy relationship, you know that," said Secretary of State Clinton.  "But, on the other hand,it is a productive one for both our countries and we are going to continue to cooperate between our governments, our militaries, our law-enforcement agencies, but most importantly between the American and Pakistani people."
• Vice President Biden is meeting with a bipartisan group of Congressmen to negotiate a compromise on cutting the federal debt in the long term and raising the debt limit in the short term.  If the $14.3 trillion debt limit is not increased by August 2, this could cause a default on US obligations.
• Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the "flash crash".  Many market analysts seem to feel that regulatory response has been rather... mild.
• Contradicting the original report and possibly supporting the Pakistani security officials, US officials are now stating that four of the five people shot to death when Bin Laden was killed were unarmed and never fired a shot.  The Pentagon does still say that the Seal team came under fire, though.
• Sarah Shourd, one of the hikers who was held in prison in Iran on charges of espionage and who was released on bail, stated today that she will not be returning to Iran to stand trial.  "There is a part of me that would like to go back and stand by Shane and Josh at this most difficult time," she said.  "But really I'm afraid it would be too traumatic for me to go back after what I've been through in Iran."  The Iranian court has not yet responded to her refusal to return.