EUROPEAN UNION

The results of the Dutch election on Wednesday show that incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his VVD Party have won a greater plurality, but the party of far-right politician Geert Wilders has lost badly. These results cement the Netherlands' leading role in the recovery of the euro zone.

Asian shares eased Thursday ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision later in the day, but investors remained optimistic of further stimulus action to bolster the world's largest economy.

Dutch voters handed pro-European parties a sweeping election victory on Wednesday, shunning the radical fringes and dispelling concerns that euro skeptics could gain sway in a core euro zone country.

Far-right Dutch politician and leader of the ultra-conservative Freedom Party (PVV) Geert Wilders formerly established his party in parliament on a platform of Islamophobic anti-immigration, and now seeks to turn nationalist sentiment against the eurozone amid frustrations with debt-laden countries like Greece, Italy and Spain. Poll indicate his party will lose seats this election, but it has defied expectations in the past.

José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, delivered the following State of the Union 2012 speech during a session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on September 12, 2012

European markets fell Tuesday as investor confidence was weighed down by increasing concerns of the debt crisis affecting the euro zone.

Most of the Asian markets fell Tuesday as investors' concerns about the debt crisis affecting the euro zone were revived, undermining the optimism initially raised by the bond-buying plan announced last week by the European Central Bank.

Venice attracts some 22-million visitors each year (for a city of only about 60,000 residents) and these figures keep climbing.

Of the 10,000 people thought to be at risk of contracting hantavirus pulmonary syndrome from their stays in Yosemite between June and August, some 2,500 live outside the United States.

The Norton Cybercrime Report released Wednesday pegs the total cybercrime cost for the U.S. consumers at $20.7 billion, with close to 71 million Americans falling prey to the online scam.

Asian stock market declined Wednesday as weak economic reports from U.S. and China weighed on the sentiment. Concerns over global economic downturn resurfaced after the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said that U.S. factory activity contracted for the third straight month in August

StemCells Inc, Tower Semiconductor Ltd, Nokia Corp, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Telefonica, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Banco Santander, Coca-Cola Co, Harmony Gold Mining Co and ARM Holdings plc are among the companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trading Tuesday.

Most of the European markets fell Tuesday as investors continued to remain cautious waiting for the policymakers to announce stimulus measures to boost the euro zone economy and revive the growth momentum.

Gold edged higher on Tuesday to the highest level in more than five months as lacklustre manufacturing data from around the globe fanned speculation of imminent easing measures from central banks.

Asian markets remained in a tight range Tuesday as investors were waiting for the outcome of meetings among the policymakers in the euro zone which is expected to announce measures to tackle the debt crisis affecting the region.