WORLD

Principals of The European Union (EU) who are meeting in Brussels to find ways to contain the euro zone debt crisis are dealing with the aftermath of the Portuguese parliament’s decision to reject an austerity budget.

French Fighter jets shot down a Libyan warplane about 150 mile east of Tripoli Thursday after Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces violated a no-fly zone, according to a report on Wednesday about 150 miles east of Tripoli.

The immense tragedy in Japan has brought out waves of support, comfort and succor from volunteers seeking to provide help if any kind, even by people who themselves have suffered terribly during the current crisis.

NATO has agreed to take over the job of enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya from U.S. led coalition.

While the metropolitan government of Tokyo has lifted its warning on radioactive tap water, the nearby prefectures of Chiba and Saitama reported radioactive iodine was detected in their tap water sources.

About 20,000 people have gathered in the southern Syrian city of Deraa for the funeral of six people killed on Wednesday allegedly by the Syrian security forces.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it has lifted restrictions against using tap water for consumption by infants in Tokyo's 23 wards and 5 adjacent cities, according to a report from public broadcaster NHK.

In a weird twist in the tale, the Egyptian government has approved a law criminalizing strikes and protest marches in the country, raising questions from various quarters whether this was the outcome expected by millions of Egyptians who passionately fought for the ouster of Hosni Mubarak's oppressive regime.

Japan, which is grappling with the impact of March 11 earthquake and the resultant tsunami, may be pushed towards a recession, an expert told IBTimes.

Soon after the launch of the military strike against official Libyan forces, the U.S. also sought to de-Americanize the war by trying to underplay its role in the UN-sanctioned action. But according to a new poll a vast majority of Americans still support military action in Libya to enforce a no-fly zone.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) will conduct a recruitment drive across ten universities in the country to hire scientists who can conduct scientific studies, complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, and fill important positions in environmental compliance.

Steam was seen rising from Japan's troubled Fukushima Daiichi plant early Thursday as workers continue to battle a potential nuclear meltdown following last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says U.S. nuclear regulators have agreed to make the Indian Point power plant their top priority as they review seismic risks in some of the nation's nuclear plants.

IBTimes Daily Edition: Wednesday March 23, 2011

Human rights activists in Syria said that at least six people have died after state security officers shot protesters outside of a mosque in the southern city of Deraa, the focal point of anti-government movement.

Here is the latest update on the situation at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor in northeastern Japan from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Egypt’s former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, has been charged by a court of contributing to the killing of protesters who demonstrated against the regime of the toppled President, Hosni Mubarak, state media MENA reported.

A hacker from Devon, England was sentenced to two years in prison for hacking social gaming company Zynga and stealing virtual gaming chips.

The parents of Taylor Anderson – the woman who is believed to be the first confirmed American victim of the massive earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan – plan to help the people living in the region where Taylor died.

A 59-year old woman was killed and dozens were injured on Wednesday afternoon in Jerusalem after a bomb exploded near a bus stop.

Yemeni opposition groups are planning to march to the palace of the embattled president on Friday to demand his immediate ouster in defiance of the 30-day state of emergency passed by the parliament to quell unceasing rebellion in the poverty-stricken nation.

The Turkish, which is still questioning the dominant role of NATO in spearheading the military campaign against Moammar Gaddafi, has nonetheless offered the services of its navy to help enforce a UN arms embargo on Libya.

The tourist-dependent state of Hawaii will suffer a huge economic hit from the earthquake that has ravaged Japan – a loss of travelers from that country.

After the devastating earthquake, soccer will return to Japan

The nuclear emergency in Japan has led more than two dozen countries to either shut down their embassies in Tokyo or to relocate further south in the country, according to the Foreign Ministry.

In spite of the crippling sanctions and an arms embargo approved by the international community, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi continued to show resistance and the possible reason for such confidence could 144 tons of gold that he still controls.

At least twenty-five people have been injured, some seriously, after an explosion struck a bus in central Jerusalem.

Libya’s rebel forces have formed an interim government, even as Moammar Gaddafi’s troops continue their assaults against them, according to a report from Al Jazeera.

The metropolitan government of Tokyo has advised residents not to allow infants under the age of one to drink tap water (or powdered milk made with tap water) after radioactive iodine was detected in a purification plant in Katsushika Ward.