Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Georgia O'Keeffe works go online

Georgia O'Keeffe works go online (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Georgia O'Keeffe works go online

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:02 PM PDT

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum has launched an online database containing images of over 3,000 artworks from the museum's collection and research center archive.

Visitors can search images of over 900 works by the modern American artist as well as photographic collections, artist and study materials from the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center.

Rwanda leader to continue US visit

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:51 PM PDT

Rwanda's president will continue his visit to the US despite legal accusations over the death of two African presidents killed in a crash in 1994.

President Paul Kagame honored Rwandan graduates at an Oklahoma university Friday as lawyers for the widows of Burundian and Rwandan presidents filed a lawsuit against him in Oklahoma City.

'Israeli attack to provoke retaliation'

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:44 PM PDT

Hezbollah's Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah says it will target Israeli infrastructure should the regime launch an attack on Lebanon.

"If a war breaks out ... we said we will attack their infrastructure. We are able to fulfill these promises," Nasrallah said in remarks published on Friday, the Associated Press reported.

US warns of 'imminent' attacks in India

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:40 PM PDT

The United States has warned its citizens of possible "imminent" attacks by militants on New Delhi, as the Indian police are put on high alert.

"There are increased indications that terrorists are planning imminent attacks in New Delhi," said a statement on the US embassy's website.

Merkel hails private bank aid for Greece

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:33 PM PDT

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed contributions from her country's private sector to support a bailout package for Greece.

"I would very much welcome the voluntary participation from banks," Merkel said in an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, to be published on Sunday.

Iran commander wants Basij reinforced

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:25 PM PDT

A commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says reinforcing the country's Basij forces will further strengthen Iran's military might.

"If we focus on the Basij and strengthen and enhance the forces, we will no longer have qualms about any threats," Fars News Agency quoted IRGC's Deputy Coordinator, Brigadier General Jamaluddin Aberoumand, as saying Saturday.

Thieves rustle honeybees in Japan

Posted: 01 May 2010 02:47 PM PDT

The Japan Beekeeper and Honeybee Association has warned its members about a spate of hive thefts caused by a government ban on honeybee imports.

Police suspect a gang of specialist thieves is stealing honeybees, after the price of the insects doubled to more than $400 due to the ban.

Dozens injured in Zambia vote violence

Posted: 01 May 2010 02:47 PM PDT

Dozens of Zambians have been injured in clashes between supporters of the country's rival political parties since holding the parliamentary by-elections.

Zambian police say clashes occurred between supporters of the ruling MMD party and the opposition after the elections earlier in week.

Iraq to host Iran's Kamkars

Posted: 01 May 2010 01:47 PM PDT

The Iranian Kamkars ensemble is planning to perform traditional Persian and regional music with the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra (INSO).

"We will hold concerts in the Iraqi cities of Sulaymaniyah and Arbil after the holy month of Ramadan," musician and leader of the group Houshang Kamkar told Fars News Agency.

China steps up security at schools

Posted: 01 May 2010 01:37 PM PDT

China has set up a special task force in a move aimed at beefing up security at schools across the country after three violent campus attacks against young children.

China has been shocked by a sudden spree of attacks on schoolchildren in the past couple of days.

Bolivia nationalises energy firms

Posted: 01 May 2010 11:18 AM PDT

Bolivia has nationalised at least four power companies, expanding state control over the Latin American nation's key industries.

Evo Morales, the Bolivian president, signed a decree authorising the nationalisation at the offices of one of the companies in the city of Cochabamba on Saturday, hours after police had moved in to secure them.

Dozens dead in Somali mosque blasts

Posted: 01 May 2010 11:14 AM PDT

At least 32 people have been killed and more than 70 others injured after two bombs exploded at a mosque in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

The attack at the Bakara market mosque took place on Saturday as a leader of the al-Shabab movement, which is fighting to topple the UN-backed government, was delivering a sermon.

Albanians demand vote recount

Posted: 01 May 2010 10:40 AM PDT

Thousands of government supporters also gathered in Tirana to call for Albania's EU accession [AFP]

Thousands of opposition protesters have gathered in the Albanian capital, Tirana, to demand a recount of votes from last June's parliamentary elections.

Iran makes heart bio-implants

Posted: 01 May 2010 10:00 AM PDT

Iran has launched the production line of cardiovascular bio-implants material seeking to save thousands of lives, the country's minister of industries and mines says.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the second phase of the tissue-cloning company based on the Persian Gulf island of Kish, Iranian Minister of Industries and Mines Ali Akbar Mehrabian described the product as "strategic".

Gulf Oil Rig Fiasco: It's About Scarcity and World Government

Posted: 01 May 2010 09:42 AM PDT

A second oil rig has overturned on the Gulf coast. It is not being widely reported. The Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch reports:

The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it is responding to a second oil-rig accident. A "mobile inland drilling unit" with a 20,000-gallon diesel fuel capacity overturned in the Charenton navigational channel south of U.S. Highway 90 near Morgan City, La. No fuel leak or injuries have been reported but 500 feet of containment boom has been deployed around the rig, the Coast Guard said.

Pressure rises on BP over oil spill

Posted: 01 May 2010 09:21 AM PDT

Pressure is mounting on oil giant British Petroleum (BP) over its handling of a massive leak from a sunken oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, as the slick reached shore in states along the coast of the southern United States.

Officials in the state of Mississippi joined Alabama, Florida and Louisiana in declaring a state of emergency on Saturday.

Worshippers killed in Somali attack

Posted: 01 May 2010 09:20 AM PDT

An attack on a mosque in Somalia's capital Mogadishu has claimed the lives of at least 10 worshippers and wounded more people, reports pointed out.

Two successive blasts hit Abdalla Shideye mosque, a venue used by al-Shabab officials to deliver speeches, in a local market, witnesses said on Saturday.

Clashes in Greece over budget cuts

Posted: 01 May 2010 08:49 AM PDT

Riot police have clashed with Greek demonstrators angry about planned wage cuts, tax rises and pension reductions to be implemented to tackle the country's debt crisis.

Thousands of left-wing demonstrators and labour union members descended on Athens, the capital, on Saturday for a May Day march against the so-called austerity measures.

US root of global terror: Ahmadinejad

Posted: 01 May 2010 08:45 AM PDT

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has 'documented evidence' that Washington and Israel are linked to leading terrorist organizations in the world.

"We have documents that prove [Washington] is the root of world terrorism. It has been aiding and abetting extremist groups over the past years," said President Ahmadinejad in a Saturday ceremony marking World Labor Day.

Guardiola lifts Barca players

Posted: 01 May 2010 08:17 AM PDT

Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola is making efforts to lift his downhearted players for a crucial La Liga trip to Villarreal following their Champions League elimination.

"We now have to pick ourselves up, get ourselves right psychologically and plan for Saturday's game," Guardiola said on Friday.

Greeks warned of austerity measures

Posted: 01 May 2010 08:15 AM PDT

Greek's government is planning a new round of austerity measures to secure rescue loans from other members of the European Union and the IMF.

"The measures we must take, which are economic measures, are necessary for the protection of our country," the country's Prime Minister George Papandreou told parliament on Friday.

Israel snubs Turkey on Barak-8

Posted: 01 May 2010 07:51 AM PDT

Israel has refused to provide Turkey with the advanced Barak-8 missile interceptor over fears it could end up in the possession of the Iranian government.

Intelligence sources in Israel and a number of Western countries claimed on Friday that Turkish naval chiefs have made several requests to acquire Barak-8, which was developed by Israel and India in a joint partnership beginning in 2004.

Nepal Maoists call general strike

Posted: 01 May 2010 07:51 AM PDT

Nepal's Maoists have announced a general strike beginning on Sunday after the country's prime minister refused to heed calls for him to step down.

At least 150,000 people had gathered in Kathmandu, the capital, on Saturday to show their support for the Maoists' demand.

IUCN to help on Iran wild cats

Posted: 01 May 2010 07:32 AM PDT

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is set to hold a workshop in Iran to study the living conditions of the country's wild cats.

Iran inked a memorandum of understanding with the IUCN as part of efforts to preserve the country's wild feline species of which two have become extinct, Mohammad-Baqer Sadouq, an official with Iran's Department of Environment told MehrNews agency on Saturday.

Israel Ban Popular Struggle Leader From Traveling

Posted: 01 May 2010 07:02 AM PDT

Eyad Burnat, a leader in the popular struggle against the Israeli wall, was Banned by Israel's military from crossing the West Bank borders into Jordan on Saturday.

Burnat is head of the local committees against the wall and settlement in the central West Bank village of Bil'in. The villagers of Bil'in have been organizing weekly anti wall protest since five years.

New UNICEF boss takes office

Posted: 01 May 2010 06:49 AM PDT

Anthony Lake has been appointed as the new executive director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) as he vows to improve children's rights around the world.

Lake, who was a former US national security adviser, said on Saturday that he was excited to be joining UNICEF.

Bomb disrupts N Caucasus May Day

Posted: 01 May 2010 06:46 AM PDT

At least one person has been killed and 21 others injured when a bomb exploded during May Day celebrations in Russia's North Causcasus region, news agencies have reported.

Marat Prokopenkov, an emergency ministry official, said the blast happened during a horse race in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, on Saturday.

US police beat Chinese diplomat

Posted: 01 May 2010 06:40 AM PDT

Three Houston police officers have been confined to desk duty after beating a Chinese diplomat in the parking garage of the Chinese Consulate.

Houston's mayor, Annise Parker, said the guilty officers' responsibilities would be limited till it is clear as to why they arrested and beat Chinese diplomat Yu Boren last Saturday.

Spanish jobless rate soars

Posted: 01 May 2010 06:23 AM PDT

Spain's unemployment rate has breached the twenty percent benchmark in the first quarter of 2010, meaning that 4.6 million people are out of work.

The number of unemployed people in the country reached 4,612,700 at the end of March, a record registered for the first time in the past 13 years, Spain's National Statistics Institute said in a report released on Friday.

BP vows damages for oil spill victims

Posted: 01 May 2010 05:39 AM PDT

British Petroleum (BP) pledges to compensate those affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as documents reveal that it downplayed the possibility of such a disaster.

"We are taking full responsibility for the spill and we will clean it up, and where people can present legitimate claims for damages we will honor them," BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward said on Friday.

Danish artists wipe Israel off the map

Posted: 01 May 2010 05:26 AM PDT

A Danish modern art duo, Surrend, has gained attention over a series of posters in which Israel is wiped off the map of the Middle East.

In the posters, the territory presently named Israel has been renamed "Ramallah" by the two artists Jan Egesborg and Pia Bertelsen.

UNSC extends W. Sahara mandate

Posted: 01 May 2010 05:09 AM PDT

The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in the Western Sahara (MINURSO) for another year.

Following seven hours of closed-door consultations, the council unanimously passed a resolution to extend MINURSO's mandate, which had been due to expire at midnight on Friday.

Deaths in Mogadishu mosque blast

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:48 AM PDT

At least 10 people have reportedly been killed in two explosions in the centre of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Al Jazeera has learned that two successive blasts were heard inside the Bakara market mosque on Saturday.

4 killed in Pakistan bomb blast

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:45 AM PDT

A bomb has gone off in a busy market in Pakistan's northwestern Swat district, leaving four dead and many others injured.

The bombing occurred in Mingora, the region's main town on Saturday about one hour after police arrested another teenage bomber.

Think-tank suggests UK tax rise

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:37 AM PDT

Income taxes in the UK should rise considerably in the next decade to make inroads into its huge deficit, a think-tank that advises the British Treasury says.

According to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), Britain should raise income taxes by 6p in the pound to protect the country from the next potential financial crisis as the turmoil continues across Europe.

PKK militants kill 4 Turkish soldiers

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:35 AM PDT

Members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have killed at least four Turkish soldiers in the eastern parts of the country, officials say.

The PKK attacked a military outpost near the town of Nazimiye in Turkey's Tunceli province on Saturday.

Honda to recall 167,000 Acura TSX

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:33 AM PDT

Honda Motor Co Ltd has announced it plans to recall 167,255 Acura TSX models sold in the United States as the automaker is struggling hard to restore its reputation.

The Company's luxury vehicle division Acura says it will withdraw the car to replace its power steering hose that could leak and cause an under-the-hood fire.

'More work to do for Iran sanction'

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:25 AM PDT

The US says it is working with its allies to draft new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, announcing further that more work is needed to reach a final decision.

"We are working continuously with our partners on the P5-plus-1," US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters on Friday when asked about the latest discussions on the Iranian nuclear program.

Obama: Oil spill bill on BP, Chem spray to save nature

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:16 AM PDT

The Air Force is preparing to spray chemicals to try and disperse the massive oil slick that's threatening the Louisiana coastline. It's now affecting an area of sea some 900 kilometres in circumference. The oil began washing ashore following last week's rig explosion which killed 11. Up to 5000 barrels a day are spilling into the water. resident Obama says oil giant BP will be responsible for the clear-up, and that new drilling has been banned for the timebeing.

Mudslide claims 10 lives in W Kenya

Posted: 01 May 2010 04:08 AM PDT

At least 10 people have lost their lives when they were buried in a landslide in western Kenya following a heavy downpour in the region.

Rescue workers flocked to Kitony village in order to aid in recovery and evacuation efforts in the aftermath of the early Friday mudslide, the Daily Nation newspaper reported.

Lebanon 'to repel any Israeli attacks'

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:55 AM PDT

The Commander of Lebanon's Armed Forces, General Jean Kahwaji, has announced that his country will counter any probable offensive by Israel.

"Lebanon's army is watching the enemy's movements and it will counter any attacks with all facilities and at all cost," he said during an opening ceremony of a military garrison in eastern Lebanon on Friday.

Nadal rolls into Rome Masters semis

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:47 AM PDT

World tennis third seed Rafael Nadal of Spain has advanced to the Rome Masters semifinals after defeating Swiss top seed Stanislas Wawrinka.

The 24-year-old Nadal managed to defeat the 2008 runner-up Wawrinka 6-4, 6-1 on Friday to stay unbeaten on clay this season.

'Gas merger with Russia a joke'

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:45 AM PDT

The former Ukrainian premier says the idea of a merger of the country's state-owned gas company with the Russian Gazprom could destroy Ukraine's sovereignty.

"The proposal for merger of Gazprom and Naftogaz, which was made today during the meeting between the prime ministers of Ukraine and Russia could be considered as a joke," Julia Tymoshenko, currently the leader of Ukraine's opposition, was quoted Friday as saying on her official website.

Protests mark May Day

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:22 AM PDT

Protesters across the world are taking to the streets to mark May Day, also known as Labour and International Workers Day.

In Greece, Saturday's demonstrations have gained special significance this year with millions of people are facing increased taxes and pay cuts as the government struggles to overcome its huge debt problem.

Ahmadinejad to meet UN Chief

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:15 AM PDT

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scheduled to meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of a nuclear nonproliferation conference in New York.

As world countries are to attend the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference on Monday, UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky announced Friday that the two officials will discuss recent developments in a sit-down at the UN headquarters.

US firm recalls children's drugs

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:15 AM PDT

A US company is recalling more than 40 over-the-counter children's medicine for cold and allergy because they do not meet quality standards.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare said in a statement on Friday that it was initiating the "voluntary recall" in consultation with
Health Canada "because these products may not fully meet the required manufacturing specifications".

US, Russia agree on 3 START annexes

Posted: 01 May 2010 03:03 AM PDT

The United States and Russia have agreed to add three annexes to the protocol of their new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

"These Annexes contain the technical information and detailed procedures that will be used in implementing the New START Treaty verification regime," US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley announced on Friday.

Somali troops defect to join al-Shabab

Posted: 01 May 2010 02:58 AM PDT

A US-backed plan to train a police force for combat against al-Shabab is crumbling as a host of Somali government troops defect and join the militants.

Somali Defense Minister, Yusuf Mohamed Siyad aka Indha'ade, confirmed to Associated Press that some trainees joined al-Shabab after the men's $100 monthly wages were stolen by their commanders.

The Next 9/11-Made in Israel?

Posted: 01 May 2010 02:45 AM PDT

Citing the possibility of a terrorist organization getting hold of a nuclear weapon as the greatest threat to U.S. security, Barack Obama persuaded 46 other countries at the recent Nuclear Security Summit to agree to secure the world's loose nuclear material. Those leaders who came to Washington might have made done more to avert a nuclear attack, however, if they had asked the U.S. President to account for America's own loose nukes.

Capello tops UK managers' rich list

Posted: 01 May 2010 02:44 AM PDT

England soccer coach Fabio Capello has emerged as the wealthiest manager in Britain in 2010 with an estimated personal fortune of £34 million.

The 63-year-old Capello tops The Sunday Times Sport Rich List 2010 thanks to his £6.5million-a-year contract with the English Football Association.

Dozens killed in Pakistan violence

Posted: 01 May 2010 02:29 AM PDT

At least 16 militants and two members of Pakistan's security forces have been killed during separate clashes between the army and insurgents in the country's northwest.

Fresh fighting took place in the Orakzai region on Friday during which 8 militants were killed, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Proof of Media Cover Up of Mass Murder in South Africa

Posted: 01 May 2010 01:54 AM PDT

I am an ex- South African living in London due to the crime and racism problems in SA. I find it really hard that the whole world is now simply ignoring the SA situation. I fully realise that I am probably wasting my time as the world has decided they did the correct thing forcing a corrupt revolutionary government on the people of South Africa, but who knows…

Austria to host Iran-Spain friendly

Posted: 01 May 2010 01:49 AM PDT

Iran's national soccer team is to play a friendly match against Spain in the near future, Iranian Football Association's spokesman Mohammad Sedeq Doroudgar says.

"The friendly match will be held in Austria," IRIB quoted Doroudgar as saying on Friday.

The Arizona Immigration Law

Posted: 01 May 2010 01:27 AM PDT

The liberal media has launched an hysterical attack against the new Arizona Immigration law, responding as if Segregation had just been re-instituted or as if all the non-Whites in Arizona had just been ordered to leave. Darrell Steinberg, the Democrat leader of the California legislature is calling for a boycott of Arizona. Liberals seem to be crawling out of the woodwork insisting that they'll file lawsuits or legal challenges against the Arizona law.

Halle Berry Splits, Princess TNT Takes Paris, and Prince Harry Up in the Air

Posted: 01 May 2010 01:05 AM PDT

Princess TNT aka Gloria Thurn und Taxis is celebrating her birthday this weekend in Paris with a half dozen parties organized by her children. The Princess will likely be spotted on the Seine boat hopping, and partying like only she knows how. Whether or not her on off Italian lover Alexandra Borghese will be there is anybody's guess, though we doubt her friends from Vatican City will make the trip. Gloria has been known to appear on German television heavily promoting Catholicism despite what she does behind closed doors.

'Saboteurs' threaten Myanmar vote

Posted: 01 May 2010 12:56 AM PDT

Myanmar's widely criticised national elections, expected to be held later this year, are under threat from enemies, the country's highest ranking general has said.

Speaking in a May Day address reported by state media on Saturday, General Than Shwe said "conspiracy saboteurs from inside and outside the country" were attempting to "harm the election".

Nepal's Maoists to hold anti-govt. rally

Posted: 01 May 2010 12:22 AM PDT

Tens of thousands of Nepalese are expected to throng Kathmandu streets on Saturday after a call by Maoists for a May Day anti-government protest.

The Maoist party, with the largest number of seats in Nepal's parliament, is demanding for the ruling coalition to be replaced by a new Maoist-led administration.

Arizona tries to shake hate state tag

Posted: 01 May 2010 12:13 AM PDT

Intense national debate continues over the controversial Arizona immigration law as analysts predict that the issue could have enormous political consequences.

On Friday, Arizona lawmakers made subtle amendments to the law approved by the state governor last week because the law was challenged in court after it drew a storm of protests from civil rights groups.

Israeli settlers call for uprising

Posted: 01 May 2010 12:09 AM PDT

Jewish settlers of an Israeli settlement in occupied West Bank have called for an uprising against any construction freeze in the Palestinian territory.

Israeli settlers from the West Bank settlement of Yizthar, released a letter Friday calling on "all West Bank settlers" to fight against any restriction on West Bank settlement works, Israeli daily Haartz reported.

$50-$60 Billion Laundered from US Nonprofits into Illegal West Bank Colonies Creates Threat of ...

Posted: 01 May 2010 12:01 AM PDT

The following document case file reveals the failure of US law enforcement agencies to act on credible, specific public and private allegations that up to $60 billion has been laundered from the United States into illegal colonization of the West Bank. The US national security interest in averting another 9/11 style attack motivated by this type of ongoing illegal activity continues to be high. The Jewish Agency was identified in the 1960's as a source of $35 million illegally laundered into the United States for stealth grassroots action, PR and lobbying.

Petraeus warns of major Kandahar battle

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:57 PM PDT

A top US commander has warned of tough months ahead for Kandahar in southern Afghanistan as the US-led forces are gearing up for a major offensive against the Taliban.

The Head of US Central Command General David Petraeus said Friday that the operation in Kandahar "is not going to be a conventional offensive" once the thousands of US, NATO and Afghan forces enter into battle with the enemy.

Nepal Maoists plan massive protest

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:46 PM PDT

Thousands of riot police have been deployed in Kathmandu, the Nepali capital, as Maoists plan to bring in half a million supporters to rally against the government.

Ramesh Kharel, the Kathmandu police chief, said about 15,000 police were patrolling on Saturday to stop any violence during the planned protest.

US seeks to snub Global South in NY

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:36 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decision to attend the upcoming non-proliferation conference in New York has prompted the US to take measures to counter the move.

On Monday, which is the opening day of the conference to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Ahmadinejad is scheduled to speak third after the opening remarks by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and a Non-Aligned Movement representative, the Dutch Press Agency reported on Friday.

2nd oil rig overturns on Gulf Coast

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:02 PM PDT

A second oil drilling rig has overturned near Morgan City, Louisiana, after the oil slick from the first accident in the Gulf of Mexico washed ashore.

No injuries have been reported. The overturned rig is unrelated to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that threatens the coast's fragile ecosystem.

Pentagon Map Shows Wide Taliban Zone in the South

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

The Pentagon was still trying to spin its report on the war in Afghanistan issued this week as holding out hope because the instability had leveled off, even as some news outlets were noting that it documents the continued expansion of Taliban capabilities and operations.

The most significant revelation in the report, however, is that Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal and the U.S.-NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) joint command now acknowledge officially that the Taliban insurgents dominate a vast contiguous zone of heavily populated territory across southern Afghanistan that McChrystal regards as the most critical area in the country.

Atrocities in Afghanistan: A Troubling Timetable

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Peace activists can hasten an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan by demanding a timetable for U.S. military withdrawal. A bill in the U.S. Congress introduced by Representatives McGovern and Jones, requires such a timetable. In the Senate, a similar bill has been introduced by Senator Feingold. Arguments in favor of a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan should include readiness to examine disturbing patterns of misinformation regarding U.S./NATO attacks against Afghan civilians.

US states braced for oil slick

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Three US states have now declared a state of emergency as the expanding slick from a sunken oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico approaches the country's southern coastline.

The growing alert comes as forecasters predict worsening weather and unusually high tides over the next few days, hampering efforts to contain the spill.

Stirring the Bosnian Pot

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

In October last year, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu famously "rode into" Sarajevo and delivered a lecture about the "golden age" of Ottoman rule to an adulating audience. On that occasion, he declared:

"Now is the time for reunification. Then we will rediscover the spirit of the Balkans. We need to create a new feeling of unity in the region. We need to strengthen regional ownership, a common regional conscience… It all depends on which part of history you look to. From the 15th to the 20th century, the history of the Balkans was a history of success. We can have this success again."

PA: Arab League to decide fate of talks

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 10:54 PM PDT

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says the resumption of peace talks with the Israeli regime would be decided in an Arab League (AL) committee meeting.

"The decision to go or not to go to the negotiations will be taken during the Arab League's follow-up committee which is meeting on Saturday," said Erekat, quoted by Xinhua news agency on Friday.

China tightens school security

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 10:53 PM PDT

Schools across China have been ordered to step up security measures after a series of bloody attacks on children and teachers in recent days.

As part of the increased security, armed police are to begin patrolling schools in Beijing, officials said.

Middle East talks 'set to begin'

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 10:43 PM PDT

The US secretary of state has said that the Middle East peace process will get back on track next week, with indirect Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Hillary Clinton said on Friday that George Mitchell, the US special Middle East envoy, would travel to the region to mediate the peace negotiations.

Shanghai Expo opens to public

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 10:19 PM PDT

The multi-billion-dollar 2010 World Expo has opened to the public in China's commercial capital, Shanghai.

Organisers of the exhibition have said they expect 70 million people to visit the site over its six month duration, with pavilions from almost 200 nations reflecting the expo's urban sustainability theme of "Better City, Better Life."

'Nuclear fuel swap must happen in Iran'

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 10:18 PM PDT

An advisor to the Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution says Tehran cannot trust a Western offer on exchanging its nuclear fuel outside the country.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a foreign policy advisor of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that the West has a record of breaking its promises to Iran.

Down with 'Too Big to Fail': Angry Americans march on Wall Street

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:54 PM PDT

The largest anti-Wall Street rally since the credit crunch has taken place in New York. Thousands of workers and trade union leaders marched in anger over lost jobs and ruined lives, demanding answers from the source of the trouble - the banks.

Ex-ISI official found dead in Pakistan

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:29 PM PDT

A former Pakistani intelligence official kidnapped a month ago was found shot dead in a lawless northwest tribal region, officials said.

Khalid Khawaja, an ex-official of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) went missing in late March along with one of his former colleagues, Sultan Amir Tarar, and a film maker. There has been no reports on the fate of the other two.

PHRF: "52 Palestinians Gassed in Tunnels Since beginning of 2010"

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:28 PM PDT

Killing Civilians In Gaza, A Crime Punishable By Law, PHRF

The Palestinian Human Rights Foundation (PHRF) reported Friday that since the beginning of this year, 52 Palestinian residents were killed in border tunnels after the Egyptian Authorities gassed the tunnels while the residents were in them.

The PHRF stated that the Egyptian Authorities are deliberately gassing the tunnels used by the residents to smuggle food, medicine, and essential supplies not found in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli-led siege.

US warns Syria, Iran on Israeli threats

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:27 PM PDT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned Syria against transferring "sophisticated weaponry" to Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement.

Speaking at an annual conference of another pro-Israeli pressure group in the US, the American Jewish Committee, Clinton reiterated Washington's "unshakable" commitment to Israel's security, warning Damascus, as well as Iran, against 'consequences' of threatening the Israeli regime, the Associated Press reported.

Germany braces for May Day clashes

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:25 PM PDT

The German police are gearing up for potentially violent clashes at May Day demonstrations throughout the country.

Police in Germany were bracing Friday for what could be the worst May Day violence in years, fearing clashes with both leftist and right-wing extremists, who plan marches in Berlin and other cities.

Settlers Uproot 30 Olive Trees Near Qalqilia

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:19 PM PDT

IMEMC Israeli settlers uprooted on Friday at least 30 Olive trees that belong to residents of Kefir Qaddoum town, near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia.

Local sources reported that the trees belong to resident Saleh Yousef Shtewy and his brothers.

FBI probes US mine disaster

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:58 PM PDT

A US energy company is facing a criminal investigation by the FBI over an explosion at a West Virginia coal mine earlier this month which left 29 miners dead.

According to FBI officials investigators have interviewed almost two dozen current and former employees of the Massey Energy Company, the mine owner, as they look into the circumstances surrounding the explosion.

Kandahar violence 'to get worse'

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:50 PM PDT

Residents of the Afghan city of Kandahar face an upsurge in violence in the coming months as US forces mass on the outskirts of the city, General David Petraeus, the head of US Central Command, has said.

His warning came as US and Nato forces prepare to launch the largest military offensive so far against the Taliban.

CrossTalk on Goldman Sachs: Dog & Pony Show?

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:48 PM PDT

On this edition of Peter Lavelle's 'CrossTalk' he asks his guests whether the US Senate hearings humiliating Goldman Sachs are merely a show trial with the aim of watering down global financial reform.

Oil spill reaches Gulf Coast, threat of worst US environmental disaster

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:48 PM PDT

Oil is starting to wash ashore in the US state of Louisiana, threatening the coastline's delicate wildlife. President Obama's sent cabinet officials to deal with the crisis and pledged to use 'every single available resource' to respond. The spill comes from a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico which sank after an explosion, killing 11 workers. Coast guards say up to five-thousand barrels of oil a day are spewing into the sea.

New oil spill found at US rig disaster site in Gulf of Mexico

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:48 PM PDT

US coast guard officials say they have found a new leak at the site where an offshore drilling rig sank into the Gulf of Mexico last week. They estimated five thousands barrels were now leaking into the sea every day. Earlier clean up crews lit a controlled test fire in to try and clean up the slick. The spill is threatening wildlife and fisheries on the coastline.

Cash Clash: Can next PM fix 'black hole' in UK economy?

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:48 PM PDT

The UK's three main political party leaders have held their final live TV showdown ahead of next weeks election. This time it was to convince voters they have the master plan to restore Britain's battered economy. But not all are convinced that their numbers add up.

Gordon Brown 'bigoted' gaffe sets stage for final UK debate on economy

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:47 PM PDT

A day after Britain's Prime Minister called a voter a bigot, the candidates of the three biggest parties will clash in the last TV debate before polling day. The focus will be on the economy. For a look at the state of the UK's finances, RT talks Matthew Sinclair, research director at the TaxPayers' Alliance.

Fabrice Tourre & Co. deny all as Goldman Sachs grilled for fraud

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:47 PM PDT

The bank that for years helped mask the extent of Greece's deficit has been in the dock. Goldman Sachs has faced a grilling before a US senate special committee. Its executives have denied any involvment in misleading their customers. The bank is accused of selling clients mortgage-backed debts on the basis they would become more valuable. Then Goldman bet these securities would fall in price - contributing to the credit crunch. The hearing is highly politicized due to Barack Obama's plan to overhaul financial rules before congressional elections in November.

Go with the Flow: Gas giants merger to warm up Russia-Ukraine ties?

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:40 PM PDT

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has suggested a merger between Russia's gas giant 'Gazprom' and Ukraine's 'Naftogaz'. The two companies have long been at the centre of a row between the two countries that left some European states out in the cold in January 2009.

Eurozone unemployment rate still 10%

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:39 PM PDT

The latest Eurostat figures show that the unemployment rate across the eurozone remains stagnant at a record 10 percent, with Spain's jobless rate topping 20 percent in the first quarter.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment in the 16-nation eurozone stood at 10 percent, the highest level since August 1998 and much higher than the 9.1 percent a year ago.

CrossTalk on 'Big Bang': In Large Hadron Collider we trust?

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:19 PM PDT

On this edition of Peter Lavelle's CrossTalk his guests are asked whether or not the Large Hadron Collider is safe.

US economy 'growing stronger'

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 07:34 PM PDT

The US economy is in a "much better place" than it was a year ago, Barack Obama has said, welcoming the US GDP figures showing a third straight quarter of economic growth.

The US president's comments on Friday followed the release of data showing that the US economy grew at 3.2 per cent in the first quarter of the year, in a further hopeful sign of recovery from the longest and deepest recession since the 1930s.

Budget cuts ensure survival: Greek PM

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 07:28 PM PDT

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has said that the new austerity measures are being taken to ensure the survival of the debt-ridden country.

"The measures we must take, which are economic measures, are necessary for the protection of our country, for our survival, for our future. So we can stand firmly on our feet," Papandreou said in parliament on Friday.

AI blasts Belgium's burqa ban

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 07:25 PM PDT

Belgium's preliminary decision to ban face veils has been condemned by Amnesty International and other human rights groups.

On Thursday, the Belgian lower house of parliament voted to ban people from wearing veils that cover the entire face, like the niqab or burqa, in public. The measure has paved the way for the first clampdown of its kind in Europe.

Radio Free Virginia: Going Positive

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 07:01 PM PDT

Hunter Wallace and Pip Pockets discuss the state of the White Nationalist movement. We're feeling bullish and conclude that a more positive message is needed.

Cemetery of fuel barrels poisons Russia's Arctic

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 06:36 PM PDT

Hundreds of rusting fuel barrels - relics of the Soviet era - are having a severe impact on the Arctic environment as they contaminate local waters. A problem environmentalists believe could turn the wildlife-rich area. Maria Finoshina went far to investigate.

Obama's India-Pakistan-Afghanistan triangle

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 05:10 PM PDT

On April 5, 2010 – Peter Spiegel reported in the Wall Street Journal (Member Israel Hasbara Committee ) that Barack Obama has issued a secret directive in December to intensify US diplomacy aimed at easing tension between India and Pakistan – assering that progress in Afghanistan hinges on improved relations between the two neighbors which have fought three major wars in the last 62 years of their existence.

Maliki warns of ballot-box coup

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 04:37 PM PDT

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has warned of a ballot-box coup after a call by his main rival for foreign intervention in the country.

Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi recently called for an internationally-watched interim government, after his al-Iraqiya Alliance failed to secure a conclusive lead over Maliki's State of Law coalition.

Wake Up and Smell the System

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 04:23 PM PDT

The president of Bolivia and the writer from India speak for the majority population of earth which has born the brunt of the worst aspects of western culture. They are sending a wake up call to humanity to solve our existential problems as a race, the only one existing despite the propaganda, ignorance and hatred dividing us into competing national and ethnic entities that confuse learned culture with biological difference and jeopardize our future in the process.

Italy puts Iranian under house arrest

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 04:12 PM PDT

Italy has released an Iranian national held in custody on suspicion of arms trafficking from jail, putting him under house arrest, says an Iranian diplomat.

"Iranian citizen Ali Damirchilou was released and placed under house arrest in Milan Thursday night," Iranian Ambassador to Italy Mohammad Ali Hosseini told Fars News Agency on Friday.

Gaza fishermen come under Israeli fire

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 04:02 PM PDT

The Israeli navy has attacked Palestinian fishing boats, the latest in only part of Israel's various measures to tighten the noose of its siege on the Gaza Strip.

The incident happened on Friday morning when Israeli forces opened "heavy fire" on Gazan fishing boats off the Rafah coast in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Ma'an news agency quoted the fishermen as saying. There were not any reports of casualties, it added.

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