{mosads}Congo: The House Financial Services subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade holds a hearing on “The Costs and Consequences of Dodd-Frank Section 1502: Impacts on America and the Congo.” The regulations require companies to understand their entire supply chain and report whether they use so-called “conflict minerals” to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The disclosure requirement aims to curtail funding for the groups fighting in Congo but has raised concerns that it’s too burdensome for corporations to follow.
Trade: The U.S. Census Bureau releases trade balance numbers for the month of March at about 8:30 a.m. today. The U.S. trade gap in February unexpectedly shrank to $46.0 billion from $52.5 billion in January, with imports dropping 2.7 percent.
Greece: Two years after Europe bailed Greece out to protect the euro, the rescue has become a debacle that threatens to unravel the common currency, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Syria: Two explosions outside intelligence headquarters in Damascus killed 40 people in the deadliest attack since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad started 15 months ago.
China: The Federal Reserve approved plans by three state-backed Chinese banks to expand in the United States.
What you might have missed on Global Affairs:
State Department to Congress: More money for Arab countries
Russian President Putin snubs Obama, will miss G8 summit
Rep. Jackson questions aid to Pakistan, says nation was ‘harboring’ bin Laden
International request for politician’s arrest draws US into Iraqi political crisis