Greece's former prime minister George Papandreou told his PASOK socialist party on Wednesday that he will step down as party leader and not seek re-election, a socialist deputy told Reuters. "He told us that he will resign as PASOK leader and that he will not run for prime minister again," said the deputy who attended

The consumer price inflation rate rose to 3.3% in 2011, from 2.4% in 2010 according to the latest figures from the Statistical Service. The big jump in electricity prices in 2011 was reflected in prices for the category of housing, electricity, water and gas, which rose in 2011 by 10.2%. Electricity tariffs had already risen

Registered unemployment ended the year 28% higher than a year earlier in 2011, according to the latest figures from the Statistical Service. The number of unemployed persons registered at the District Labour Offices on the last day of December 2011 reached 32,895 persons, marking an increase of 7,202. The main sectors hit were wholesale and

Washington state Governor Chris Gregoire will announce her support on Wednesday for legislation that would legalize gay marriage, a source who has been informed of her decision told Reuters on Tuesday. The expected announcement will come just days before the Washington state legislature was scheduled to convene for its next session. A group of Democratic

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his ministers will see their pay slashed by about 36 percent as the government responds to opposition complaints over their high salaries but Lee will remain the world's best-paid leader. Singapore pays its government members and civil servants generously to attract top talent to the public sector but

Children who get more exercise also tend to do better in school, whether the exercise comes as recess, physical education classes or getting exercise on the way to school, according to an international study. The findings, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, come as U.S. schools in general cut physical activity time

President Barack Obama will start setting the tone on Wednesday for an election-year strategy that attempts to capitalize on voter frustration with Congress but which could also mean further legislative gridlock as he seeks a second term. Stepping back into the 2012 campaign spotlight just a day after Iowa held the first contest of Republican