U.S. Reaches Mortgage Deal
The U.S. government and five of the country's largest banks reached a $26 billion agreement (NYT) to provide mortgage relief to around two million U.S. homeowners who were affected by the bursting of the housing bubble in 2008.
GUATEMALA: A special United Nations investigative unit, composed of international investigators and prosecutors, said it would remain in the country for another three years to continue its successful prosecution of drug-related crimes (WSJ).
United States, Japan Revise Plans for Military Base
The U.S. and Japanese governments agreed to suspend a plan to build a new U.S. Marine Corps base in Okinawa (WSJ) in the face of local opposition, but will move forward with transferring thousands of marines from the current Okinawa base to Guam.
MYANMAR: Authorities allowed the ethnic Mon community (al-Jazeera) to celebrate its national holiday on Wednesday for the first time in fifteen years. The decision followed a series of political reforms implemented by the country's military-backed government.
