Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Israel OKs super-settlement in WB

Israel OKs super-settlement in WB (plus 96 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Israel OKs super-settlement in WB

Posted: 13 May 2010 06:26 AM PDT

The Islamic Christian Commission for Support of Jerusalem and Holy Places says Israel has approved plans for the construction of a new settlement near Jerusalem.

Hasan Khatir, the commission's secretary general, revealed the Israeli officials' green light for the new settlement of Givat Yael during a Wednesday news conference in Ramallah, the Saudi English-language daily Arab News said on its website.

Economy overtakes jobs as top US fret

Posted: 13 May 2010 04:54 AM PDT

A new survey indicates that the US economy has overtaken unemployment as the primary concern of the American public in the month of May.

In its monthly report released Wednesday, the Gallup opinion poll reported that "the economy" in general moved back into the top position on the list of major American concerns.

More Jerusalem demolitions in pipeline

Posted: 13 May 2010 04:29 AM PDT

More Palestinian homes are slated to be demolished in East Jerusalem despite the ongoing indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Israel's Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch announced the demolitions on Wednesday, saying plans to raze the homes were previously delayed in the light of US efforts to renew the so-called peace process.

Iran says assaulted Pakistani is well

Posted: 13 May 2010 03:24 AM PDT

Pakistan's ambassador to Iran has been discharged from the hospital a day after being attacked by an Afghan individual in Tehran.

Doctors say Mohammad Bakhsh Abbasi has recovered from a minor injury and is now in good health.

Israeli forces invade N Gaza Strip

Posted: 13 May 2010 03:11 AM PDT

Palestinian resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip have clashed with Israeli forces upon a fresh incursion into the north of the Palestinian coastal enclave.

The confrontation occurred on Wednesday when a number of Israeli armored vehicles and bulldozers briefly crossed into an area east of al-Shujaiyeh, Ma'an news agency quoted witnesses as saying.

US slammed for journalist ban at Gitmo

Posted: 13 May 2010 02:48 AM PDT

Human rights groups have deplored the US Defense Department for banning four reporters from covering military commission proceedings at Guantanamo prison.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and several other rights groups said the ban contradicted Obama Administration's pledge of greater transparency, in a letter sent to the Pentagon on Wednesday.

Iran's Zob Ahan enters AFC-CL quarters

Posted: 13 May 2010 02:42 AM PDT

A late winner from Brazilian striker Igor has helped Iran's Zob Ahan beat 10-man Mes FC 1-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the AFC Asian Champions League.

The hosts Zob Ahan were the first to threaten in the 15th minute of the game when striker Mohammad Qazi headed over from a free-kick with just the goalkeeper Abbas Mohammadi to beat at the Foulad Shahr Stadium in the Iranian city of Isfahan on Wednesday.

Pakistan lake threatens flooding

Posted: 13 May 2010 01:41 AM PDT

A lake formed by a landslide in northern Pakistan is threatening to burst its banks and submerge thousands of homes.

According to local authorities on Thursday, water is continuing to flow into the lake, endangering outlying areas.

Bakiyev supporters seize city HQ

Posted: 13 May 2010 01:13 AM PDT

Supporters of Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Kyrgyzstan's ousted leader, have taken over the local government headquarters in the southern city of Osh.

The protesters scuffled with guards and entered the government building on Thursday after holding a demonstration that drew about 1,000 people.

I'm liable for Afghan casualties: Obama

Posted: 13 May 2010 01:06 AM PDT

US President Barack Obama says he is "ultimately accountable" for civilian deaths in Afghanistan.

He made the remarks at a White House news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday.

Israel slams Medvedev's Hamas call

Posted: 13 May 2010 01:02 AM PDT

Israel's foreign ministry has rejected Russian president Dmitry Medvedev's call for immediate engagement with the Palestinian group Hamas.

Medvedev met with Khaled Meshaal, the exiled head of Hamas, in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Wednesday.

Car bomb kills 7 in Baghdad's Sadr City

Posted: 13 May 2010 01:00 AM PDT

A car bomb kills seven people and injures 22 others outside a cafe in a Shia neighborhood of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

The explosion occurred in Sadr City Wednesday evening, in an area where young people usually gather to play dominos.

US still wooing China on sanctions

Posted: 13 May 2010 12:30 AM PDT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a Chinese official have made "good progress" on drafting new Iran sanctions, a US official says.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said Clinton and China's state councilor Dai Bingguo spoke for more than an hour by telephone late Tuesday, discussing both Iran and North Korea.

'Accusations against Iran baseless'

Posted: 13 May 2010 12:22 AM PDT

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says there is no evidence to prove accusations that Iran is pursuing a military nuclear program.

Chavez urged the international community to ease pressure on Iran, which he said was "not the biggest threat in the world."

Israel must sign NPT, IAEA chief says

Posted: 13 May 2010 12:15 AM PDT

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has called for international input to pressure Israel into joining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano has asked the watchdog's 151 member states to share views on how to implement a resolution demanding that Israel "accede to the" NPT and open its nuclear facilities to inspections.

Thai PM withdraws early poll offer

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:57 PM PDT

Thailand's prime minister has rescinded an offer to hold new elections in November after anti-government protesters ignored a deadline to end two months of street rallies.

Korbsak Sabhavsau, the prime minster's secretary general, said on Thursday that the government would not carry out elections as part of a peace deal with the so-called red shirt protesters until the demonstrations ended.

Turkey PM eyes better Greece ties

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:55 PM PDT

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, is set to visit Greece for improving historically tense bilateral relations.

Erdogan, accompanied by almost a dozen cabinet ministers and more than 100 Turkish businessmen, arrives in Athens on Friday for a two-day visit.

Vanunu receives three-month jail term

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:38 PM PDT

Israel's top court has sentenced nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu to three months in jail.

Vanunu was imprisoned in 1986 after revealing Israel's military activities at the Dimona nuclear plant.

Russia, Turkey call for Hamas inclusion

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:20 PM PDT

Russia and Turkey have called for the inclusion of the democratically elected Palestinian government of Hamas in Middle East peace talks.

"Unfortunately Palestinians have been split into two… In order to reunite them, you have to speak to both sides. Hamas won elections in Gaza and cannot be ignored," Turkish President Abdullah Gul said during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Ankara on Wednesday.

China attack blamed on rent dispute

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:59 PM PDT

A dispute over property has emerged as a possible reason that a man hacked seven kindergarten children and two adults to death in northern China.

Neighbours in Shaanxi province reported seeing a heated argument on Wednesday between the suspected attacker, Wu Huanming, and the woman who ran the Shengshui Temple kindergarten in Nanzheng county of Hanzhong, before he allegedly attacked her with a meat cleaver and then went on to attack the children.

Iran, Tajikistan to sign defense MOU

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:35 PM PDT

Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi says the Islamic Republic and neighboring Tajikistan will sign a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation.

Vahidi, who arrived in Dushanbe for a two-day visit on Wednesday night, said that he and his Tajik counterpart will sign the agreement during the visit, IRNA reported.

Greek workers hold demo held in Athens

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:17 PM PDT

Hundreds of people have gathered in central Athens to protest the Greek government's new austerity measures, a week after deadly riots in which three people were killed.

On Wednesday, marching workers carried banners reading "Cancel the IMF-EU deal now!" and "If we don't react we will starve." Public and private sector unions said they would stage a 24-hour nationwide strike on May 20 to step up pressure on the government.

US senators introduce climate bill

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:52 PM PDT

A climate change bill has been introduced in the US senate aimed at cutting domestic emissions by 17 per cent in the next decade.

Details of the bill, which aims to reduce smokestack emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases associated with global warming, were outlined on Wednesday by John Kerry, a Democratic senator, and Joseph Lieberman, an independent.

Russia supports Turkey, Brazil on Iran

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:20 PM PDT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says the nuclear fuel swap deal that Turkey and Brazil are trying to revive could resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

"If such a type of proposal will be supported by all participants of this process, then this would be not a bad way out of the situation," Reuters quoted Medvedev as saying in the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday.

The Babylonian Woe

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:59 PM PDT

john kaminski From earliest times and apparently without exception down to the present day, the leaders of nations have been the puppets of moneymen who hire them to rob the people they pretend to rule.

From the ruins of Lagash, a citystate in ancient Sumer c. 2400 BC, where archeologists unearthed the estate of a banker that was much larger than the king's, up on through the fabled empires of Egypt, Assyria and ancient Greece, each of which was finally consumed in flames due to the machinations of the always secret international money power, humanity has always ruined its own paradise by letting the incredible lure of money overpower its own common sense.

US budget deficit hits record in April

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:42 PM PDT

The US Treasury Department says that the federal budget deficit hit a record for the month of April, reaching nearly 83 billion dollars.

On Wednesday, the Treasury Department announced that the April deficit soared to $82.7 billion, the largest imbalance for that month on record.

Oil spill blamed on safety lapses

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:12 PM PDT

US congressional investigators have revealed that a key safety system in BP's oil-drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico had a hydraulic leak and a failed battery that probably prevented it from working as the final safeguard against a massive spill that threatens to become an environmental catastrophe.

Russia, Turkey Call For Holding Talks With Hamas

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:26 PM PDT

Gul and Medvedev - Palestine-Info

Both Russia and Turkey stated Wednesday that that International Community must deal with the Hamas movement as it is a movement that was elected to rule the Palestinian people in fair elections, and cannot be ignored.

The two countries also called on the Palestinian factions to unite, and to end the current conflict between the rival Fateh and Hamas movements.

U.S Slams Israel's Decision TO Demolish Palestinian Homes in Jerusalem

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:09 PM PDT

The United States denounced a statement by Israel's Internal Security Minister who said that the government intends to demolish Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem in the coming days, and considered the declaration is a provocative act that affects proximity talks.

A White White official said that both parties must refrain from any acts that could jeopardize the talks, and added that the U.S will question any party responsible for counterproductive unilateral measures.

Russia snubs US on Iran S-300 sale

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:08 PM PDT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has snubbed a US warning over the delivery of the sophisticated S-300 anti-aircraft system to Iran.

A senior advisor to US President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned that the delivery of the system to Iran would have "severe" impacts on Washington-Moscow ties.

'UK may seek fresh Afghan approach'

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:46 PM PDT

Britain's new government may adopt a new approach towards the war in Afghanistan due to growing public opposition, former US Senator Mike Gravel says.

There are growing calls in Britain to end its much-criticized partnership with the US in an increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan.

General strike planned in Greece

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:28 PM PDT

Greek workers plan to launch a general 24-hour strike next week to express protest against a pension reform, which has its roots in government austerity measures.

The general walkout on May 20th will be in response to planned pension cuts linked to an international 110-billion-euro (139.7-billion-dollar) bailout for Greece.

Black hole expelled from its galaxy

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:27 PM PDT

A team of international astronomers have stumbled upon a supermassive black hole while analyzing the data gathered by the US Chandra space X-ray observatory.

According to the study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the bright X-ray source could be the big black hole being hurled from its parent galaxy at high speed.

Laser tech revolutionizes archeology

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:24 PM PDT

Laser technology has provided a vivid picture of Mayan urban centers, producing images of the ancient city of Caracol in the Central American country of Belize.

University of Central Florida researchers used LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) equipment to see through the thick Belize jungles in a research project funded by NASA in April 2009.

Obama, Karzai discuss civilian casualty

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:21 PM PDT

The US and Afghan presidents say they have agreed to take measures to decrease the rising civilian casualties in the war-torn country.

On Wednesday, during a joint press conference with President Barack Obama, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan insisted on the judicial independence of his country.

UAE unveils gold-dispensing machine

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:21 PM PDT

The Emirates Palace hotel has set up a gold-dispensing machine, which monitors the daily gold price and offers small bars to its Abu Dhabi customers.

The machine is the first international foray for German entrepreneur Thomas Geissler's 'Gold to Go' brand.

Iran: Fuel swap constructive solution

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:18 PM PDT

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says a UN-brokered nuclear fuel swap proposal can serve to build confidence in the Iranian nuclear issue.

"The fuel swap is a constructive solution and an opportunity for various parties involved in supplying fuel for Tehran's research reactor to build confidence," Mottaki said in a joint press conference with his Congolese counterpart Alexis Tambwe Mwamba on Wednesday.

Seymour Hersh: U.S. troops executing prisoners in Afghanistan

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:11 PM PDT

Obama is merely continuing what Bush and the neocons began.

Somalia clashes leave 9 dead

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:53 PM PDT

At least nine people have been killed and several others wounded in a fierce exchange of fire between government forces and local fighters in the Somali capital.

The head of Mogadishu's ambulance service said Wednesday that 31 civilians had been wounded by shelling. Sources say of those killed, 6 were civilians and the rest local fighters.

Iraq elections commission ends mission

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:43 PM PDT

The chief of the committee inspecting Iraqi officials for ties to Saddam Hussein's Baathist Party says no more candidates from the elections will be disqualified.

Ali al-Lami, the head of the Accountability and Justice Committee, said Wednesday the body will no longer engage in any disqualification attempt with regard to candidates from the March 7 elections, the Associated Press reported.

Deaths in Baghdad car bomb

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:43 PM PDT

Seven people have been killed and 22 injured in a car bomb attack in Baghdad's Shia neighbourhood of Sadr City, police and sources at the Iraqi interior ministry said.

The blast in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday evening occured near a popular cafe where young people were gathered, police said.

Pennsylvania Cops Ticket Hundreds of People for Bad Language

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:40 PM PDT

In Pennsylvania, the cops have become arbiters of polite speech.

According to an ACLU lawsuit, the Pennsylvania State Police charged hundreds of people with disorderly conduct for swearing. "American Civil Liberties Union lawyers say they reviewed 770 such citations issued by state police in a recent one-year span and found that most of them involve profanities and other legal, nonobscene speech," reports the Associated Press.

Iran welcomes EU offer for talks

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:08 PM PDT

After EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton expressed readiness for negotiating with Iran over its nuclear work, Tehran welcomed the notion of constructive talks.

"If Iran wishes to contact me directly to propose that we have real discussions on the issue of nuclear weapons capability, I'd be pleased to discuss that," Ashton said on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministerial meeting in Brussels on Monday.

Cameron vows 'seismic shift' in UK govt.

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:55 PM PDT

The UK prime minister says he will make a "seismic shift" in the British government, promising coalition plans to address the budget deficit.

Speaking in a joint news conference with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on Wednesday, David Cameron said that his colleagues in the Conservative Party will join hands with the Liberal Democrats to take Britain in a "historic new direction."

Obama urges 'direct' PA-Israel talks

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:44 PM PDT

US President Barack Obama has urged acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas to engage in direct talks with Israel, the White House says.

In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, President Obama urged Abbas to make a quick transition from indirect talks to face to face negotiations, DPA reported citing a White House statement.

Israel nukes real threat: Bahraini official

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:21 PM PDT

A senior Bahraini lawmaker rejects claims that Iran jeopardizes security in the Middle East, stressing that Israel is a much greater threat.

On the sidelines of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) Standing Committee on Political Affairs meeting in Tehran, Salah Ali Mohammad told IRNA that "the efforts made by the US and other Western countries to impose sanctions against Iran over its peaceful nuclear activities are unconstructive."

'US knows better than to attack Iran'

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:06 PM PDT

Following a recent provocation by a US aircraft, Iran's Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi says Washington "knows better" than to take military action against Tehran.

On the last day of a major military maneuver in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, Vahidi said Washington's constant war threats against Tehran are "illegal" and attests to the "disoriented state of mind" of US officials.

Church, Nilometer unearthed in Egypt

Posted: 12 May 2010 12:16 PM PDT

Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed the remains of an ancient church during excavations at the Avenue of Sphinxes in the historical city of Luxor.

The fifth-century Coptic church was found along with a Nilometer -- a structure used for measuring the water level of the Nile river during the annual flood season.

Tympshenko bribery inquiry re-opened

Posted: 12 May 2010 12:11 PM PDT

Ukrainian prosecutors have re-launched an investigation into bribery accusations involving former Prime Minister and pro-west opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

A defying Tymoshenko met with the investigators on Wednesday and was submitted an official note of the probe.

Kandahar jail chief killed in shootout

Posted: 12 May 2010 11:57 AM PDT

The chief of the central prison in the Afghan city of Kandahar has been killed in an attack amid deteriorating security situation in the country.

The office of Kandahar's governor said Wednesday that the chief had been shot dead in the Dand district, west of the city. Police say the attackers managed to flee the scene.

UN: Over 100 killed in Darfur clashes

Posted: 12 May 2010 11:53 AM PDT

The UN says clashes between rival tribes in Darfur have left 107 people dead since March, amid the worsening security situation in the Sudanese region.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan warned of a buildup of government troops and rebels in the region.

NY man with guns arrested in Cairo

Posted: 12 May 2010 11:24 AM PDT

Egyptian police say they have taken into custody an American-Egyptian man after several guns were found in his luggage on a flight from New York.

According to officials, the man's luggage was packed with a metal box containing two 9 mm handguns, 250 bullets and several swords and knives.

Iran wraps up major naval drill

Posted: 12 May 2010 11:22 AM PDT

Iran has wrapped up a major naval maneuver in the country's southern waters, stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the north of the Indian Ocean.

The Iranian navy kicked off the eight-day maneuvers dubbed Velayat 89 on May 5. Backed by the Air Force and the Army, the drills which ended on May 12 successfully tested different types of destroyers, submarines, anti-submarine torpedoes, mid-range cruise missiles, missile launcher frigates and fighter jets.

US backs Karzai's offer to Taliban

Posted: 12 May 2010 11:08 AM PDT

Barack Obama, the US president, has said ties with Afghanistan remain strong and backed the Afghan government's efforts to engage with Taliban fighters who give up violence.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, at the White House, Obama said he supported Kabul's efforts to "open the door to Taliban, who cut their ties with al-Qaeda and renounced violence".

Iran slams foreign meddling in Balkans

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:56 AM PDT

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says the intervention of foreign forces is the main reason behind the ever-increasing problems in the Balkans.

"Unfortunately certain powers still seek to create trouble in the Balkans," Mottaki said in a Wednesday meeting with Serbia's ambassador to Tehran Alexander Tacik.

UK new premier forming cabinet

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:45 AM PDT

Britain's new premier has kicked off the process of picking his cabinet members, amid pledges that his government would be a "full and proper" coalition block.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats agreed to create Britain's first coalition government in 65 years.

Kagan Involved In 9/11 Cover Up

Posted: 12 May 2010 10:22 AM PDT

In addition to the attacks on free speech, detainee rights and the close connections to Goldman Sachs, another noteworthy black mark on the record of Elena Kagan, the president's nominee to the Supreme Court, is that she played a significant part in killing off the efforts of 9/11 victims' families to bring lawsuits against members of the Saudi Royal family for financial links to the conspiracy.

Last year, thousands of family members filed suits claiming that Saudi Arabia and four of its princes actively aided in financing the terrorist attacks through front groups posing as charities.

Russia and Turkey sign nuclear deal

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:54 AM PDT

Russia and Turkey have signed a $20bn project for Moscow to build and own a controlling stake in Ankara's first nuclear power plant, as the two Cold War-era rivals try to cement a strategic partnership.

Several agreements, including removing visa restrictions and shipping oil products from the Black Sea, were struck during the landmark visit by Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, to Turkey.

Spain plans to reduce deficit

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:39 AM PDT

Spain's prime minister has outlined a deficit-reduction plan, amid concerns that the country would slide into a debt crisis similar to Greece.

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced a 5% cut in public sector salaries, as well as a freeze in pensions, baby-boom payments and regional government funding.

Ahmadinejad advises US to leave region

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:23 AM PDT

Amid concerns about the continuing presence of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Iranian president advises the White House to withdraw its troops from the region.

Addressing a large crowd in Iran's southwestern city of Yasuj on Wednesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the era of occupation and plundering other nation's national resources is over.

Republican Tea Party Hedges on Rejecting Enemy of the Constitution Kagan

Posted: 12 May 2010 09:12 AM PDT

The Republican version of the Tea Party, the Tea Party Express (a money-making machine for establishment Republicans), has drafted a guideline for selecting Supreme Court nominees.

The plan lays out "Five Constitutional principles," as follows: "Judges must interpret the Constitution of the United States as written," "Judges must not use their positions to replace the text of the law and Constitution of the United States with their own personal feelings or experiences," and "Judges must understand that the Federal government has no power if the Constitution does not explicitly provide it."

Russia mine death toll reaches 60

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:05 AM PDT

The death toll from two blasts at a coal mine in Russia's Siberia has risen to 60, while 30 other workers remain missing amid fading hopes for more survivors.

Earlier reports had put the death toll from Saturday's explosion in south-central Raspadskaya mine in Siberia's Kemerovo region at 52.

Two girls killed in Pakistan attack

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:05 AM PDT

Two children have been killed and two others left injured in a hand grenade attack in the outskirts of the Pakistani city of Peshawar.

The children were playing in the Ram Krishan area when they were attacked.

Firms accuse each other on US oil spill

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:01 AM PDT

Three giant oil executives trade blame over the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, as the US Congress launches an inquiry into the event.

British Petroleum (BP), Transocean and Halliburton each took a grilling during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.

7 children hacked to death in China

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:54 AM PDT

Seven children have been hacked to death in an attack at a kindergarten in northwest China, the official Xinhua news agency has reported, citing local officials.

At least 20 other children were wounded during the violent rampage at the kindergarten in the city of Hanzhong in the Shaanxi province on Wednesday.

APA conference kicks off in Tehran

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:49 AM PDT

Delegates from 16 countries have arrived in Tehran to take part in a three-day conference of the Permanent Political Committee of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA).

Representatives from sixteen APA member states are scheduled to discuss major security issues in the Asian continent on the first day of the conference.

Egypt extends 30 year emergency law

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:47 AM PDT

Egypt's parliament has extended a state of emergency in the country for two years as the opposition says the law could be used to stifle dissidents.

"The People's Assembly has passed by a 308-member majority the presidential decree to extend the state of emergency for a period of two years," Egyptian news agency MENA reported on Tuesday.

Iraq advises US against meddling

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:47 AM PDT

Iraq's government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh has called on the United States to avoid any intervention in the issue of forming the country's new government.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Dabbagh said Washington has not intervened until now on the details of the government formation, but only observed the political situation in the country.

Spain announces major budget cuts

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:25 AM PDT

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister, has announced he will cut the wages of state employees and slash investment spending in the latest attempt to rein in the country's budget deficit.

The cost of protecting Spanish government debt against default fell immediately following his statement which detailed $19bn of cuts in 2010 and 2011.

Lib Dems seal the deal with Tories

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:08 AM PDT

With a Conservative-Lib Dems coalition being struck, David Cameron will now be UK's new Prime Minister with Nick Clegg acting as his deputy PM.

The deal was struck Tuesday night, after negotiations with Labour could not be reached. The Lib Dems have secured five cabinet posts and 15 other ministerial jobs in the Whitehall, while the Conservatives' George Osborne will be Chancellor and William Hague the Foreign Secretary.

UK refuses to sign rescue package

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:06 AM PDT

Britain has refused to contribute to a £429bn euro zone bailout fund, leaving the UK vulnerable to uncertainty in the event of its own financial crisis.

European Union finance ministers met in Brussels to discuss a rescue package that would help bailout EU countries on the verge of bankruptcy. The deal includes €440bn in loans or guarantees from eurozone countries, plus an additional €60bn stabilisation fund from the European Union's budget and up to €250bn from the International Monetary Fund. Britain has only agreed to contribute to the €60bn stabilisation fund, under a concession in the Lisbon Treaty for "exceptional occurrences."

Tehran flower expo draws masses

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:05 AM PDT

An international show of flowers and plants in the Iranian capital has attracted thousands of people and nature lovers to the Tehran Municipality's exhibition center.

The International Exhibition of Flowers and Plants opened in the heart of the Iranian capital on Sunday, putting on a dazzling display of flowers and plants for citizens to enjoy.

Dutch boy survives Tripoli plane crash

Posted: 12 May 2010 06:49 AM PDT

An eight-year-old Dutch boy has miraculously become the sole survivor in a deadly plane crash at the international airport in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

An Afriqiyah Airbus 330 arriving in from South Africa crashed near Tripoli airport at around 6:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Wednesday.

Israeli Troops Arrests 15 Palestinian Civilians During West Bank Invasions

Posted: 12 May 2010 06:31 AM PDT

israeli_troops_in_the_west_bank_photo_by_ghassan_bannoura_2008_4.jpg

The Israeli military arrested on Wednesday 15 Palestinian civilians during pre dawn invasions targeting a number of west Bank communities.

The Israeli military announced that all those arrested today were on what it calls its "wanted list". The army added that the arrestees were moved to military detention camps for questioning.

Statistics: Palestinians Population Increased By 8 Times

Posted: 12 May 2010 06:27 AM PDT

Statistical data by the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics issued today showed that the number of Palestinians by the end of 2009 reached 10.9 million people.

This means that the number of Palestinians in the world increased by about 8 times since the events of the Nakba (Catastrophe) of 1948.

Priest sex scandals on rise in Belgium

Posted: 12 May 2010 06:22 AM PDT

In Belgium complaints of sexual abuse continue to pile up as the Roman Catholic Church struggles to mend its severely tainted reputation.

An investigative committee probing allegations of priestly pedophilia says it has received 270 separate letters in this regard since April 23rd.

Indian GM retains World Chess title

Posted: 12 May 2010 06:00 AM PDT

Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand has retained his World Chess Championship title after defeating Bulgarian Veselin Topalov in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The 40-year-old Anand beat Topalov, 35, in the nail-biting 12th and final game in 56 moves with the black pieces to claim his title with a score of 6.5-5.5 on Tuesday.

Alan Grayson: "We Beat The Fed"

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:46 AM PDT

While many are expressing disappointment and even despair that the Senate voted down Ron Paul's audit the Fed bill while passing a weakened version, Congressman Alan Grayson is confident that the stronger provisions of the original House amendment can be added in Committee, ensuring the Federal Reserve doesn't get off the hook, as Congressman Paul has warned.

The Senate last night voted 96-0 in favor of a compromise amendment that requires the GAO to conduct a one time audit of the Federal Reserve that will focus on which financial institutions received over $2 trillion dollars in bailout funds during the peak of the economic crisis.

How Sovereign a State?

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:45 AM PDT

Since the 1980s the Palestine Liberation Organization has aimed for a sovereign state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.

But this analysis by Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Camille Mansour reveals how unlikely it is that a truly sovereign Palestinian state can come about as a result of negotiations in the present circumstances.

Baghdad blast kills three, wounds 22

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:38 AM PDT

Three people have been killed and 22 wounded in a bomb explosion in the Iraqi capital as the country remains grappled in a fresh wave of raging violence.

The blast happened at around 7 am (0400 GMT) on Wednesday and hit a grocery store in Baghdad's northern district of Shula, an Iraqi interior ministry official told AFP.

Quartet Welcomes Proximity Talks

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:07 AM PDT

The Middle East Quartet committee welcomed the first round of proximity talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.

The talks, mediated by the U.S, kickoff on Sunday; Peace talks have been stalled for the past 16 months following the Israeli elections of a hardliner government headed by the Likud party pf Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Federer in Madrid Masters 3rd round

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:04 AM PDT

Defending champion Roger Federer has advanced to the third round of the Madrid Masters after defeating Benjamin Becker of Germany.

The top-seeded Swiss managed to beat his German opponent 6-2, 7-6 (4) at the Estoril Tennis Open in Oeiras, outside Lisbon on Tuesday night.

105 killed in Tripoli plane crash

Posted: 12 May 2010 05:03 AM PDT

A passenger airplane has crashed at the international airport in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, killing all the 105 people traveling on the plane.

The crash took place at 6:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) Wednesday when the plane was trying to land, AFP quoted security officials at the airport as saying on condition of anonymity.

Egyptian navy kills a fisherman off Gaza shoreline

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:47 AM PDT

Gaza – Egyptian navy killed on Thursday morning a Palestinian fisherman near the Gaza Strip southern shoreline.

Mohamed Al Bardaweel, 44 years old, was killed when an Egyptian Navy vessel rammed his boat, witnesses reported.

Troops arrest 15 Palestinians during West Bank invasions

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:29 AM PDT

The Israeli military arrested on Wednesday 15 Palestinian civilians during pre dawn invasions targeting a number of west Bank communities.

The Israeli military announced that all those arrested today were on what it calls its "wanted list". The army added that the arrestees were moved to military detention camps for questioning.

US: Iraq troop drawdown on schedule

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:23 AM PDT

Despite recent deadly attacks in Iraq, the US military has said it will continue to pullout its forces from the war-torn country in accordance with previously announced schedules.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell assured that the recent surge in violence would not affect this summer's planned withdrawal of troops.

Shin Bet blackmails Jerusalem students

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:16 AM PDT

The Shin Bet is reportedly trying to entice Palestinian medical students to join the Israeli intelligence service by promising entry permits to Jerusalem.

The spying agency allegedly tried to blackmail two fifth-year medical students at Jerusalem University who are pursuing internships in Palestinian university hospitals in the city, Israel's English-language Haaretz newspaper said on its website on Wednesday.

GCC wants diplomacy on Iran case

Posted: 12 May 2010 04:02 AM PDT

Amid western calls for sanctions against Iran, six permanent members of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) call for resolving Tehran's nuclear issue through dialogue.

During a consultative meeting of the bloc held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Tuesday, GCC member states also called for the removal of nuclear weapons from the Middle East region, IRNA reported on Wednesday.

UK's ruling coalition begins work

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:59 AM PDT

The Conservative party and Liberal Democrats differ on several major policy issues

Britain's first coalition government since 1945 has begun setting out its main policy goals, with tackling the country's record budget deficit high on the agenda.

BP in new bid to contain oil spill

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:56 AM PDT

BP, the UK-based energy company, has begun lowering a second containment box into the Gulf of Mexico in another bid to stop a weeks-long oil spill.

Ken Salazar, the US interior secretary, said it will be clear by Saturday whether or not the box worked.

Ronaldinho fails to make Brazil roster

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:50 AM PDT

Ronaldinho has been left out of Brazil's preliminary World Cup squad as Brazilian manager Carlos Dunga announces his provisional roster.

AC Milan star Ronaldinho, Flamengo striker Adriano were omitted from Dunga's initial 23-man list which was announced on Tuesday.

Israel vows more building in Jerusalem

Posted: 12 May 2010 03:00 AM PDT

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again repeated Tel Aviv's stance to go ahead with its construction plans in Jerusalem.

In a speech to mark the occupation of East Jerusalem' Old City in 1967, Netanyahu on Tuesday claimed a unique bond between Jerusalem and Israel, and that Tel Aviv had provided unique religious freedom to those in the city -- which is highly revered by Christians and seen as the third holiest site in the Muslim world.

Analysis: The colour movement in Britain

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:38 AM PDT

Political reformers believe some 22 million votes cast in the UK General Elections have had no direct bearing on its outcome. This means that Parliament will not properly represent the people or a democracy.

Within just a few hours after hundreds of citizens across the country were denied the right to vote as polling stations were closed in their faces at 10pm British time, upon standing in long queues for hours, in the tightest contest the country has seen in years, British protesters took to the streets of London to demand electoral reform, as the results of the country's general elections closed with no outright winner.

Al Shabab beats Esteqlal 3-2 in AFC-CL

Posted: 12 May 2010 02:14 AM PDT

Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia has advanced to the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League after defeating Iran's Esteqlal 3-2 at the King Fahd International Stadium.

Al Shabab took the lead after 23 minutes when Faisal Al Sultan netted the opener which was canceled out by Siavash Akbarpour who converted a penalty just a minute later after skipper Farhad Majidi was brought down inside the area.

Netanyahu: "Jerusalem Is Ours, We Will Build And Develop It"

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:47 AM PDT

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Israel will always build and develop the city of Jerusalem is order to make it a "viable, developed and advanced city".

Netanyahu said the relation between the Israelis and Jerusalem cannot be questioned and the Jews around the world look forwards to return to it and live it.

'Church persecution own fault'

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:29 AM PDT

Pope Benedict XVI has admitted that the Catholic Church's guilt in sex abuse scandals come from the "sins within the church" not from campaigns by outsiders.

"The greatest persecution of the church doesn't come from enemies on the outside but is born from the sins within the church," Associated Press quoted the pontiff as saying.

Taiana testifies against dictatorship

Posted: 12 May 2010 01:18 AM PDT

Argentina's Foreign Minister, Jorge Taiana, has testified against the country's former military dictatorship for its human rights violations.

In a trial addressing the crimes of Argentina's former dictatorship, Taiana revealed the mistreatments and tortures in the prison in which he and other prominent human rights activists had been detained for years, the Associated Press reported.

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