Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Boycott called on Israeli products

Boycott called on Israeli products (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Boycott called on Israeli products

Posted: 07 May 2010 11:18 AM PDT

The Palestinian Authority (PA) seeks to tighten a boycott on Israeli products by urging Palestinians against buying at Israeli supermarkets in the occupied West Bank.

PA official Hassan Abu Libdeh said Thursday that Palestinians must steer clear of the two Israeli-founded Rami Levy supermarkets there, The Jerusalem Post reported.

2 US-led troops killed in Afghanistan

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:54 AM PDT

Two NATO soldiers have been killed in separate attacks across Afghanistan, bringing to 184 the number of foreign troops killed in the war-torn country in 2010.

NATO said in a statement on Friday that the troops were killed in southern and eastern Afghanistan during the past 24 hours.

Oil prices triple Statoil profits

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:27 AM PDT

Norwegian oil company Statoil has announced that its profit for the first quarter of the year has almost tripled following an increased production and a hike in oil prices.

Statoil's net profits for the three months ending March 31, 2010 jumped to 11.1 billion kroner ($1.84 billion) from 4 billion kroner in 2009, the Associated Press reported.

Ex-Israeli PM in trouble over fraud

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:22 AM PDT

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has claimed to be victim of a 'witch-hunt' upon appearing at a court where he stood trial for bribery and fraud.

Ahead of his appearance at the court hearing in al-Quds on Thursday, Olmert told reporters that "a brutal, ruthless witch-hunt, the likes of which have never before been seen in Israel," has been waged against him, AFP quoted him as saying.

Iran, Turkey to discuss fuel swap deal

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:19 AM PDT

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will pay a surprise visit to Istanbul to discuss a proposed nuclear fuel exchange deal with his Turkish counterpart.

Mottaki, who was on a five-day trip to New York to attend the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference, will briefly stop in Turkey before returning to Tehran on Friday.

Irish airports reopen, ash risk remains

Posted: 07 May 2010 07:48 AM PDT

Ireland has reopened its airports after they were closed due to new ash clouds caused by an erupting volcano under Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) informed that 6 airports will be opened on Friday morning, also warning that an ash cloud drifting south from Iceland still posed a risk of future disruption, Reuters reported.

Iran brooks no language of threat

Posted: 07 May 2010 07:37 AM PDT

A senior cleric admires Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for having the courage to 'speak his mind' at a nuclear non-proliferation conference in New York

"The President's visit to New York was truly remarkable and admirable. Ahmadinejad got the Iranian nation's message across with utmost bravery, vigilance, and tactic," said Tehran's Interim Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami.

Gunmen kill 4 policemen in Pakistan

Posted: 07 May 2010 07:18 AM PDT

Gunmen have sprayed bullets at a checkpoint in the troubled northwestern Pakistan, killing four police officers and injuring another in the process.

The attack took place in the town of Ghazi Kot in the mountainous Mansehra district. The area is a relatively peaceful part of Pakistan's volatile northwest.

Iran details plans for satellite launch

Posted: 07 May 2010 07:11 AM PDT

Iranian Telecommunications Minister Reza Taqipour expounds on the plans and preparations for a national satellite launch in the coming year.

"Iran has laid the foundation for the development of its aerospace industry in the past three to four years," said Taqipour, describing the launch of a home-produced satellite, named Omid (Hope), in February 2009 as one such achievement.

New gunfight breaks lull in Kashmir

Posted: 07 May 2010 07:08 AM PDT

At least four militants and two troopers have been killed during a gunfight in the Indian-administered Kashmir as a new wave of violence strikes the scenic valley.

The Thursday fighting started after militants shot at the soldiers near the mountainous village of Chitibandi, 50 kilometers north of Indian Kashmir's main city of Srinagar.

Authorities Terrorize Bus Passengers Over Bomb Rumor

Posted: 07 May 2010 07:08 AM PDT

Since the non-bomb event in Times Square the corporate media has whipped up irrational hysteria over the prospect of homegrown terrorism.

Neocons now demand that people associated with terrorists (as defined by the government) have their citizenship and constitutional rights stripped. Republicans and Democrats debate if terror suspects should be informed of their right to remain silent and seek legal consul. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has discussed a proposal to deny more than a million Americans the right to buy and own firearms because they ended up on the terrorist watch list (now containing nearly a million and half names) and the equally erroneous no-fly list.

UK's Brown in bid to remain leader

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:31 AM PDT

Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, has made it clear that he does not intend to step down as prime minister, as Britain faces the prospect of a hung parliament.

In a speech made outside Downing Street in London on Friday, Brown said he would be prepared to talk to the Liberal Democrats, who are being seen as the "kingmakers" after neither of the two major parties secured enough seats to form a majority government.

Labour considering alliance with Lib Dems

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:27 AM PDT

As the UK general election has plunged Britain into a political limbo, Labour Party is considering an alliance with the centrist Liberal Democrats.

Exit polls show the opposition Conservative Party led by David Cameron has won Britain's general elections but without having a mandate with an absolute majority.

Israel faces new pass abuse scandal

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:17 AM PDT

Investigations are underway to verify reports implicating Israel for abusing another Australian passport for the murder of a Hamas official in Dubai, officials say.

The latest revelation comes after officials in Dubai recently identified five new suspects in the assassination of the top Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in January, Australian media reported on Friday.

More suspects named in Dubai murder

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:15 AM PDT

Dubai police have named 32 suspects in the killing, but none have been arrested yet [EPA]

Police in Dubai have named five new suspects in connection with the murder of a Hamas officialin January, officials have said.

Asian markets slide on Greek debt

Posted: 07 May 2010 05:15 AM PDT

Shares in Asian stock markets have fallen sharply over mounting fears that the Greek debt crisis could stop the global economic recovery.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei index closed down by more than three percent.

Horror and chaos in Wall Street

Posted: 07 May 2010 05:06 AM PDT

A computerized error has caused a historic rollercoaster ride in Wall Street, plunging the markets into a loss of almost 10 percent in values in less than an hour, before recovering most of it before the end of the session.

The shockwave, which chilled the investors, even hit the most stable stocks such as Procter & Gamble, the Associated Press reported.

Spain scrapes out of recession

Posted: 07 May 2010 05:04 AM PDT

Spain's economy grew in the first three months of 2010 after six consecutive quarters of recession, a rare piece of positive news for the heavily indebted euro zone nation.

"GDP [gross domestic product] grew by 0.1 per cent on a quarterly basis following six consecutive quarters of contraction," the Bank of Spain said in a report on Friday.

BP moves to cap US oil leak

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:55 AM PDT

BP engineers have lowered a giant metal box into the water of the Gulf of Mexico in the latest attempt to stop the flow of oil pouring from a ruptured well.

Crews from the UK-based energy giant began to ease the 100-tonne concrete-and-steel container into the sea on Friday as patches of oil began to wash ashore on the southern US coast.

Allawi insists on forming Iraqi gov't

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:50 AM PDT

Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi says his Iraqiya list entitles him to form the next government -- regardless of the merger of Iraq's two Shia blocs.

"The Iraqiya list insists on its electoral and constitutional rights. We are interested in having good relations with the political powers, especially the Iraqi National Alliance; this meeting will be the first among a number of meetings that will be taking place over the next days," Allawi made the comments after meeting with leaders of the Iraqi National Alliance on Thursday.

'No delay in Arizona immigration law'

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:37 AM PDT

Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer says she will not put off the state's controversial immigration law that calls for a crackdown on illegal immigration.

In a Thursday letter to Brewer, prominent Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer asked her to delay the date the law takes effect for a year so that the Congress can get a chance to act, the Associated Press reported.

Myanmar's NLD party disbanded

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:18 AM PDT

Aung San Suu Kyi's Myanmar pro-democracy party is dissolved after it boycotted the elections scheduled for this year.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) was officially abolished at midnight Thursday after NLD refused to re-register as a political party before a May 6 deadline.

Germany approves Greek rescue deal

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:12 AM PDT

Germany's parliament has agreed to provide up to $28.6bn over three years as their contribution to an emergency loans package for debt-ridden Greece.

The lower house's decision on Friday followed days of delays in approving the deal, funded jointly by the European Union and International Monetary Fund, after stating that Athens must make strict cuts backs to receive the finance.

The Angola Three - 38 Years in Prison Hell

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:37 AM PDT

steve lendman

On March 30, 2010, an Amnesty International (AI) Public Statement read:

"USA: Amnesty International calls for immediate end to nearly 73 years of solitary confinement endured by Louisiana prisoners Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox."

Greek lawmakers back austerity bill

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:24 AM PDT

Greece's Parliament has passed a $40 billion austerity bill to prepare the ground for a much-needed bailout to save the country from a historic economic crisis.

The bill which ensures the $110 billion aid from European Union and the International Monetary Fund includes tax rises, pension reforms and major cuts in public sector bonuses, Reuters reported.

Hung parliament after UK polls

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:12 AM PDT

Britain's general election has resulted in a hung parliament, leaving the country uncertain over who will be the next prime minister.

With 615 seats out of 650 declared, the Conservatives have won 290 seats, Labour have 247 and the Liberal Democrats have captured 51.

Giant chamber to collect Gulf oil

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:08 AM PDT

Workers have started to lower a massive containment chamber over the wrecked wellhead at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico in a risky effort to collect the gushing crude.

The concrete-and-steel chamber is designed to collect 85 percent of the spilled oil and funnel it up to a tanker, the Associated Press reported.

Mass grave of Iraqis found in Kuwait

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:01 AM PDT

Kuwait says it has found a mass grave where scores of slain Iraqi soldiers were buried during the 1991 US war with the ex-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Kuwaiti Interior Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Saber said on Thursday that at least 55 Iraqi soldiers were buried in the grave in a northern town across from the Iraqi border, the official news agency KUNA reported.

EU urges solution to Nepal crisis

Posted: 07 May 2010 02:46 AM PDT

The European Union wants the Nepalese government to come to an agreement with the country's main opposition amid growing political turmoil in the Himalayan state.

EU officials say the Maoist-led anti-government protests may lead to a full-blown political crisis.

N Korea 'wants denuclearisation'

Posted: 07 May 2010 02:17 AM PDT

North Korea's leader has told China's president that he is committed to "denuclearisation", pledging to work with Beijing to restart talks on the country's nuclear programme, Chinese state media reported.

Kim Jong-il met Hu Jintao during a five-day visit to China earlier this week, the official
Xinhua news agency said on Friday.

Israel To Impose Further Sanctions On Detainees

Posted: 07 May 2010 02:04 AM PDT

Israeli paper, Maariv, reported that Israeli Internal Security Minister, Yitzhak Aharonovitch, retracted his opposition to imposing further sanctions and restrictions on the detainees in an attempt to push Hamas movement to change its stances on prisoner-swap.

On Wednesday, Aharonovitch held a special session on the issue and stated that he fears such sanctions would lead to

Ash cloud prompts Irish air closure

Posted: 07 May 2010 01:16 AM PDT

A massive ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano has again disrupted air travel in Europe as drifting ash prompted authorities to close airspace off the western coast of Ireland.

The Irish Aviation Authority said winds from the north had caused erupted ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano to accumulate into a massive cloud that was growing in width and height by the hour on Friday.

A Brief Sample of the Anti-White Reaction to Arizona

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:50 AM PDT

ARIZONA'S DREADFUL ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAW, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of LA Cardinal Roger Mahony, 18 April 2010:

What led the Arizona legislature to pass such a law is so obvious to all of us who have been working for federal comprehensive immigration reform: the present immigration system is completely incapable of balancing our nation's need for labor and the supply of that labor. We have built a huge wall along our southern border, and have posted in effect two signs next to each other. One reads, "No Trespassing," and the other reads "Help Wanted." The ill-conceived Arizona law does nothing to balance our labor needs.

Turkey reform bill approved

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:26 AM PDT

Turkey's parliament approves a bill on major judicial reforms cementing AK Party's grip on power, a move met with opposition from country's chief prosecutor.

The draft to overhaul the judiciary and the role of the military will now go to President Abdullah Gul for final approval, after which a referendum can be held within 60 days.

US diplomat attends Iran banquet in NY

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:08 AM PDT

A top US diplomat has attended a banquet held by Iran to bring together senior diplomats from the fifteen members of the UN Security Council.

The US administration sent its Deputy Ambassador to the UN Alejandro Wolff to the banquet which was held at the New York residence of the Iranian ambassador to the UN on Thursday, IRNA reported.

TTP denies link with Times Sq. suspect

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:00 AM PDT

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) denies US media reports that the group has links with the suspect behind the failed car bomb attack in New York's Times Square.

Azam Tariq, a spokesperson for the TTP, rejected the report first circulated by The New York Times, saying that "we don't even know him. We did not train him," AFP reported on Thursday.

Time Square Bomber, Sleeping Cell or a Time Bomb?

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:47 PM PDT

The failed car-bombing attempt last week in New York Time square is an important reminder that terrorism is not simply going away with just tighter security measures by this country or any other. What we know so far about the personal life of the suspect, Faisal Shahzad, is rather a grim reminder of what future would-be terrorists look like. We might not see terrorism on the scale of September 11 attacks anymore, what we might see, rather, is more of the lone operator type such as Shahzad. Shahzad might not be a card-carrying member of the Taliban or Al Qaida, but certainly shares its anti-American rational and is inspired by its extensive propaganda operations in the cyberspace.

PCHR Weekly Report: 7 civilians wounded, 40 abducted in 24 Israeli invasions this week

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:37 PM PDT

Palestinian mosque in Nablus burned by Israeli settlers (PCHR photo)

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 29 April – 05 May 2010, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children and a journalist, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

In addition, Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. Israeli forces continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in border areas of the Gaza Strip.

Iran steps up diplomatic offensive

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:27 PM PDT

Iran's foreign minister has reaffirmed his country's right to pursue nuclear energy capabilities during a rare meeting with the US and other United Nations security council diplomats.

Manouchehr Mottaki hosted the diplomats at a dinner in New York on Friday on the sidelines of the nuclear non-proliferation conference.

FBI Director In Israel For Talks On Cooperation

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:23 PM PDT

FBI director - Robert Mueller

Israeli sources reported Thursday that FBI director, Robert Mueller, arrived in Israel and held a meeting with Israel's Police Chief, David Cohen, on cooperation against what was described as international crime, and the joint U.S-Israeli efforts to counter "terrorism".

Several senior Israeli police officials attended the meeting that took place in Jerusalem.

Iran slams Israeli attacks on holy sites

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:18 PM PDT

Iran has strongly condemned the "barbaric attacks" on Mosques and desecration of Muslim holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories by Israeli settlers.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that the silence and inaction of the Arab states and international organizations will only "embolden the Zionists to accelerate their illegal actions."

Turkey MPs back judicial overhaul

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:14 PM PDT

Turkey's parliament has voted for changes to the constitution that would overhaul the judiciary and the role of the military, paving the way for a referendum on the issue.

The bill, which was backed by the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) party, was passed early on Friday, but failed achieve sufficient support for automatic adoption.

Israel detains 33 Palestinian civilians

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:04 PM PDT

Israeli soldiers have detained 33 Palestinian civilians during several overnight raids on West Bank cities and towns as well as a raid on a refugee camp.

The Israeli military raided the cities of Beit Lahm (Bethlehem) in the southern West Bank, the nearby town of Taqua, the northern city of Tubass, the nearby town of Qabatiya and the al-Far'a refugee camp late on Thursday.

West Bankers Made Refugees in Their Own Country

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Mel_Frykberg

RAMALLAH — Several Palestinians have set up a protest tent in no-man's land in the northern Gaza Strip, near the Erez border crossing into Israel, as they protest their deportation from the Israeli occupied West Bank into Gaza where Hamas authorities have refused them entry.

Tens of thousands of other Palestinians face a possibly similar predicament in the near future. This follows a sweeping new Israeli military order which allows for the expulsion of Palestinians or foreigners whom Israel considers to be in the West Bank illegally as "infiltrators."

Is Faisal Shahzad Crazy?

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Amid all the media coverage of the Times Square Fizzler, Faisal Shahzad, we still know very little about the circumstances surrounding his actions. As Rachel Maddow helpfully pointed out on MSNBC Wednesday night, all those leaks about his alleged "links" to the Pakistani Taliban, and other "news" stories purporting to tell us what he's told investigators, are unsourced, often single-sourced, and subject to the agendas of various factions who want to put their "spin" on the failed attack.

What we do know is this: his father, Baharul Haq, is a retired Pakistan air force officer, a former top official of the civil aviation agency, and that the family is "liberal" and secular. He had lived and worked in the US for years, become a naturalized US citizen, and was employed by Elizabeth Arden, the cosmetics company, and also by the Affinion Group, based in Connecticut, as a financial consultant. He bought a house that was later foreclosed on, andsent his wife to Pakistan, along with the rest of his family.

Weapons of Mass Destruction???

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Over the weekend, a crude car bomb (a Nissan Pathfinder SUV with propane tanks and gas cans wired to a crude detonator – alarm clocks connected to a can filled with fireworks – and fertilizer in the cargo area, but not the explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer such as was used by Timothy McVeigh in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing) was discovered in Times Square in New York City. All things considered, it was an amateurish (the fact that so many of the thwarted terrorist attacks in the United States have been amateurish – like the Christmas underwear bomber – is something we should be grateful for if that's the extent of the terrorist threat we have to confront) device, i.e., not even close to being on par with the deadly improvised explosive devices – IEDs – being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nonetheless, police believe the SUV bomb could have produced "a significant fireball" and sprayed shrapnel capable of killing nearby pedestrians. Thankfully, it didn't blow up.

Aborted Bomb Plot Tests US-Pakistan Ties

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Amid mounting evidence that Saturday's aborted car-bombing in New York's Times Square was linked to violent Islamist groups in Pakistan, observers here are expressing concern that recently enhanced cooperation between Washington and Islamabad could be negatively affected.

Thus far, the two governments appear to be cooperating well in investigating the activities of the alleged terrorist suspect, 30-year-old Faisal Shahzad, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after boarding an Emirates Air flight bound for Dubai Monday evening at the JFK International Airport.

Muslim Blowback?

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT

It is hard to overstate just how deeply unpopular the United States is in the Muslim world.

A 2008 poll of six majority Muslim countries found that overwhelmingly large portions of the population, ranging from 71 percent in Morocco to 87 percent in Egypt, held unfavorable opinions of the United States. A 2009 poll in Pakistan revealed that 64 percent of the public views the United States as an outright enemy.

Obama Will Not Allow Unilateral Palestinian Steps

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:58 PM PDT

U.S President - Barack Obama

Diplomatic sources in Washington reported that U.S. President, Barack Obama, gave Israel verbal and written guarantees that the United States will not allow the Palestinians to conduct any unilateral steps during indirect talks, or in the case of failure of such talks.

The sources did not mention any guarantees that would prohibit Israel from continuing its unilateral measures especially settlement activities and its illegal policies in occupied East Jerusalem.

Police clash with protesters in Tbilisi

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:34 PM PDT

Riot police clashed briefly with stone-throwing protesters in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, as tension rises in the country ahead of local elections.

Georgia's opposition party has denounced a new holiday introduced by the government as glorification of the security services and a further proof that the former Soviet republic is becoming a "police state."

Ahmadinejad: Obama, US' last chance

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:24 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says President Barack Obama is the United States' last hope for "real change" and for saving its image worldwide.

"Mr. Obama is the greatest and the last chance for the United States to make real change and repair its image in the world," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with the New York Times on Thursday.

'New party' for Myanmar opposition

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:04 PM PDT

Former members of the political party of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar opposition leader, are reportedly planning to set up a new group to run in controversial national elections expected later this year.

The move follows the effective disbanding of the National League for Democracy (NLD) at midnight on Thursday after it refused to register with election authorities.

Fashion Wrap: The Met Gala Disappoints

Posted: 06 May 2010 09:50 PM PDT

A panoply of distinctly hideous dresses and ill-conceived looks appeared on the red carpet at this year's MET Costume Institute gala. What a disappointment! There were scarcely any pretty frocks and well-dressed women. So-called arbiters of style like Anna Wintour, Andre Leon Talley, and Hamish Bowles were among the most poorly dressed. In fact, all three of them looked totally ridiculous. It is as if they were attempting to see just how gullible people are. Surely words like chic and fabulous were thrown about freely, though inelegant and butt-ugly would be more to the point.

The Times Square Surprise

Posted: 06 May 2010 09:36 PM PDT

As I read the news about this Pakistani jackal who admits to planning a cowardly assault on hundreds of innocent people in New York's Times Square, a thought that occurs to me is, how endlessly interesting history is. Often things take place that one never would have imagined.

'No clear winner' in UK election

Posted: 06 May 2010 09:15 PM PDT

Exit polls are predicting a hung parliamentin the UK as polling booths closed across Britain in what is being seen as the closest general election race in a generation.

Figures released at 21:00 GMT gave 305 seats to the main opposition Conservatives, 255 to the ruling Labour party and 61 to the Liberal Democrats.

Asia markets slide on Greece fears

Posted: 06 May 2010 09:13 PM PDT

Asian stock markets have registered a sharp fall in early trade following massive losses on Wall Street amid continuing fears over the Greek debt crisis.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei index plunged four per cent within 20 minutes of opening on Friday, although it later clawed back some losses and was down 3.1 per cent in afternoon trade.

Palestinians commemorate Nakba

Posted: 06 May 2010 09:01 PM PDT

Artists in the Gaza Strip are commemorating Nakba, or the Palestinian Catastrophe, by painting murals and releasing thousands of balloons into the sky.

Nakba marks the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their land in 1948, before the fabrication of Israel.

Ecuador water law sparks protests

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:32 PM PDT

Police in Ecuador have used tear gas and batons in clashes with protesters trying to reach the national assembly in the capital, Quito.

The clashes on Thursday came as about 1,500 people joined a protest against a proposed new law that would regulate water resources.

Ash clouds affect flights, airports again

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:25 PM PDT

An Icelandic volcano, which wreaked havoc on the European aviation industry last month as produced another large ash cloud after surging back to life.

On Thursday, Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano began spewing out more ash, prompting the authorities to consider re-routing transatlantic flights.

Iran trying to 'buy time,' says US

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:04 PM PDT

Washington has accused Tehran of attempting to 'buy time' by accepting Brazil's offer to mediate in UN-brokered nuclear fuel swap deal.

US President Barack Obama's top Latin American adviser, Daniel Restrepo, called Tehran's bid a stalling tactic to avoid new sanctions, after Iran accepted Brazil's proposal to act as an intermediary to help resume negotiations on the swap deal.

Greek concerns hit US stocks hard

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:48 PM PDT

US stock markets have plunged with the Dow Jones skidding by hundreds of points over fears that Greece's debt problems may halt the global economic recovery.

The Dow lost almost 1,000 points before recovering to a loss of 505 on Thursday, as traders watched on television the protests on the streets of Athens.

Asian stocks plunge on Greece fears

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:48 PM PDT

Asian stock markets have registered a sharp fall in early trade following massive losses on Wall Street amid continuing fears over the Greek debt crisis.

On Friday morning Japan's benchmark Nikkei index plunged four per cent within 20 minutes of opening.

Ecuador water bill sparks protests

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:43 PM PDT

Ecuadorean police have clashed with protesters trying to reach the national assembly in the capital Quito.

About 1,500 people were rallying against a law that regulates water resources on Thursday.

Polls project Conservative win in UK

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:10 PM PDT

The opposition Conservative Party, led by David Cameron, has won Britain's general elections but without an absolute majority, exit poll says

The Conservatives have 307 seats, 19 short of an overall majority of 326, Labour has 255 and the Liberal Democrats 59, an exit poll compiled by British broadcasters suggested after polling stations closed on Thursday.

Biden threatens Iran with 'isolation'

Posted: 06 May 2010 06:41 PM PDT

US Vice President Joe Biden renews western accusations against Iran's nuclear program, which he alleged could trigger an "arms race" in the Middle East.

"Iran's nuclear program violates its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and risks sparking a nuclear arms race in the Middle East," said Biden, at the start of a European tour in Brussels on Thursday.

Turkey train collision injures 32

Posted: 06 May 2010 06:23 PM PDT

Thirty-two people, including a pregnant woman, have been injured in Turkey after a coach derailed, colliding with a train coming from the opposite direction.

The accident occurred in Kocaeli Province, some 100 km (60 miles) east of Istanbul, Governor Gokhan Ozer of Kocaeli told state television.

Movie Review: Harry Brown

Posted: 06 May 2010 06:05 PM PDT

One sentence review: a searing indictment of Black ghetto thug culture in which not a single Black is seared or indicted!

To expand: This may in some ways be one of the best films I've ever seen. It was the work of a mature director who was confident enough in his material to take his time and allow both tension and character to grow naturally. The choice of Emily Mortimer to play the lead detective was an inspired piece of casting as shoe was by turns compassionate, smart and utterly incapable of standing up to the savagery that surrounded her.

Greek protest turns violent

Posted: 06 May 2010 05:52 PM PDT

Greek police have fired tear gas to repel stone-throwing protesters after tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through Athens to denounce austerity cuts.

On Thursday, demonstrators, banging drums and shouting anti-government slogans through bullhorns, unfurled a giant black banner outside parliament. However, the riot police stopped the young protesters in front of the building.

Iran's exports to EU up by 10%

Posted: 06 May 2010 04:19 PM PDT

Iran's non-oil exports to EU member states rose by 10 percent in the Iranian year ending March 2010, the Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) of Iran has said.

Iran exported more than $2 billion in non-oil products in the year 1388, which ended on March 21, 2010, up from $1.8 billion in the previous year, said Reza Tofiqi, an official for the TPO international affairs.

'No clear winner' in UK elections

Posted: 06 May 2010 03:01 PM PDT

Exit polls are predicting a hung parliament in the UK as polling booths closed across Britain in what is being seen as the closest election race in a generation.

Figures released at 21:00 GMT gave 305 seats to the opposition Conservatives, 255 to Labour and 61 to the Liberal Democrats.

Persepolis misses AFC-CL spot

Posted: 06 May 2010 02:44 PM PDT

Esteqlal beats Rah Ahan to move to the second place in Iran's Premier League as Persepolis' hopes for an AFC Champion League spot are gone after losing to Abumoslem.

Sepahan, which has already claimed the league title, beat Paykan 2-1 at home.

Iran sanctions and worse

Posted: 06 May 2010 02:27 PM PDT

Paul J. Balles

On 23 April, US congressional representative Ron Paul strongly opposed a motion that would support sanctions against Iran. Unlike other members of Congress who automatically yield to the wishes of Israel, Dr Paul spurns the special interest groups who led the US and UK unto war in Iraq.

Paul says, "…it feels as if we are back in 2002 all over again: the same falsehoods and distortions used to push the United States into a disastrous and unnecessary one trillion-dollar-war on Iraq are being trotted out again to lead us to what will likely be an even more disastrous and costly war on Iran. The parallels are astonishing."

N. Korean leader ready for nuke talks

Posted: 06 May 2010 02:16 PM PDT

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il has reportedly expressed his willingness to resume long suspended talks over his country's nuclear weapons program.

South Korean media reports that Kim Yung-Il has made the pledge in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.

NY suspect carried out test run ‎

Posted: 06 May 2010 02:14 PM PDT

The US car bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad has made a test run days before the failed attack in Times Square, an official linked to the investigation says.

Faisal Shahzad, the alleged Times Square car bomber, had driven in his white Pathfinder SUV from Connecticut to the bustling Manhattan theater district on April 28 where he test ran a plan to detonate his explosive-packed car amid tourists and Broadway theatergoers, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press.

Israelis accountable for mosque fire

Posted: 06 May 2010 02:08 PM PDT

While the Israelis blamed the fire at a West Bank mosque on electrical short circuit, further investigations have proven that the real cause of the fire was arson and that all signs point to the Israeli settlers.

The fire ripped through the mosque in the village of Luban a-Sharkiyeh on Tuesday, burning holy books and prayer carpets, the Associated Press reported.

'Torpedo behind S. Korean ship sinking'

Posted: 06 May 2010 01:53 PM PDT

An investigation report on the sinking of a South Korean warship in the Yellow Sea near the disputed maritime border with North Korea two months ago has concluded that the sunken ship was hit by a torpedo.

A member of the investigating team says traces of explosives from a torpedo have been found on the debris from the sunken vessel, the Dong-A Ilbo, South Korean newspaper reported on Thursday.

Iran ready to host UN rights chief

Posted: 06 May 2010 01:31 PM PDT

Iran says it is ready to host United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and answer her questions about human rights situation in the country.

Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Secretary General of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, invited Pillay to visit Iran in a February meeting with the UN official in Geneva.

2 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Posted: 06 May 2010 01:24 PM PDT

Two more NATO soldiers have been killed in southern Afghanistan, raising to 181 the number of foreign troops killed in the war-torn country this year.

The western alliance says one of the troopers was killed by a roadside bomb. It added that the other soldier was slain by small arms fire.

Russia says Iran attack 'disastrous'

Posted: 06 May 2010 01:20 PM PDT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has highlighted the "necessity" of political discourse with Iran in ending an impasse over its civilian nuclear program.

In a meeting with ambassadors from Arab states on Wednesday, Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's support for diplomatically engaging Tehran and warned against the "disastrous" consequences of taking military action.

Thai yellow-shirts urge PM to resign

Posted: 06 May 2010 01:02 PM PDT

Pro-establishment supporters known as the yellow-shirts have called on the Thai Prime Minister to step down amid worsening political turmoil in Thailand.

The yellow-shirts have accused Abhisit Vejjajiva of bowing to the demands of the anti-government protesters known as the red-shirts.

Iran to pursue Canada rights violations

Posted: 06 May 2010 12:54 PM PDT

Iran slams Canada for its stance on Tehran's election to a UN panel on women's rights and says Ottawa should answer for the violation of the rights of its indigenous groups.

Canada on Saturday reacted to a UN decision to appoint Iran, along with 10 other countries, to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) for the term beginning in 2011.

Google Editions eBook store coming

Posted: 06 May 2010 12:27 PM PDT

Google says it will launch its Google Editions eBooks service this summer, enabling users to download eBooks on cell phones, eBook readers and PC.

Google Editions will provide about half a million eBooks ready to be downloaded in late June or July.

Oil sheen washes up on US islands

Posted: 06 May 2010 12:27 PM PDT

Oil sheen from a massive crude spill in the Gulf of Mexico has begun washing ashore on islands off the coast of Louisiana, the US coast guard said.

"Teams have confirmed oil on Freemason Island," Petty Officer Connie Terrell of the US coast guard, said on Thursday.

Brazil 'offered no N proposal to Iran'

Posted: 06 May 2010 12:21 PM PDT

Brazil has made no formal proposal for a nuclear swap deal to provide Iran with highly enriched uranium, a Brazilian foreign ministry spokesman has told AFP.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a telephone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez that Tehran has agreed "in principle" with Brazil's offer regarding a swap deal to provide fuel rods for the Tehran research reactor earlier this week, a statement on the presidential office website said on Tuesday, without detailing Brazil's offer.

Egyptian blue found in Spanish church

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:57 AM PDT

Barcelona University researchers have stumbled upon the remains of Egyptian blue pigment in a 12th-Century Romanesque altarpiece in northeast Spain.

According to the research published in the journal Archaeometry, the pigment was found in the altarpiece of the Sant Pere de Terrassa church in Barcelona.

Nigeria swears in Jonathan as president

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:42 AM PDT

Nigeria's Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has been sworn in as the head of state in Africa's most populous country following the death of President Umaru Yar'Adua.

Jonathan took the oath of office in front of government officials at the presidential villa almost 12 hours after Yar'Adua died.

IAEA says Iran not 'transparent' enough

Posted: 06 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT

The IAEA chief has called for more transparency from Iran in its nuclear program, claiming that Tehran has not allowed adequate monitoring of its enrichment facilities.

As a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran conducts all its nuclear activities under the full supervision of the agency's inspectors.

US warns EU of Mideast 'arms race'

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:58 AM PDT

Amid efforts to rally support for tougher UN sanction against Iran, the US has encouraged the European Union to continue pressuring Iran over its nuclear program.

Addressing EU lawmakers in Brussels on Thursday, US Vice President Joe Biden said Iran's nuclear program now risks sparking a nuclear arms race "in some of the most unstable parts of the world."

Iran restores Soltanieh citadel

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:32 AM PDT

Iranian experts have started to refurbish the three-story structure supporting the Ilkhanid Soltanieh Dome in the western Zanjan Province.

The 700-year-old dome was renovated in 2008. The restoration team has now decided to work on the citadel, which is believed by experts to be one of the largest Ilkhanid stone structures.

Patriotic American Students Persecuted for Stars and Stripes on Cinco de Mayo

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:11 AM PDT

In California, now considered by many to be a de facto part of Mexico, it is racist to wear a stars and stripes t-shirt on Cinco de Mayo.

"Five Morgan Hill, California students were asked to take off their American flag bandannas and turn their T-shirts inside out after students complained," reports The New York Daily News. "Many members of Live Oak High School's large Mexican-American student population that felt it was offensive for the students to wear the American flag on a day that's supposed to celebrate Mexican heritage."

Greek MPs pass austerity bill

Posted: 06 May 2010 10:08 AM PDT

Greece's parliament has voted in favour of an austerity bill proposed by the government to address the country's financial crisis.

The bill, which will pave the way for Greece to receive a joint European Union-IMF emergency loan, was passed with 172 votes in favour and 121 against.

Elisabeth Mandala's Short Career as Sojourner Truth

Posted: 06 May 2010 09:45 AM PDT

An attractive White high school student goes to Mexico to pursue her dream of helping to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States. She is found beaten to death.

Blogger David Sirota says Left needs to be more anti-White; Kievsky agrees

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:42 AM PDT

The demonization of the Tea Party groups is solely based on the fear of Assembling While White. AWW is the sole reason there is a debate "is the Tea Party racist?" The powers that be terribly fear AWW.

David Sirota, whose name is Russian for "orphan" writes that all roads lead to white privilege." As with Tim Wise, one wonders about the absence of any mention of Jewish privilege.

Israeli Arabs ban settlement products

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:30 AM PDT

Israeli Arabs have launched a wide-ranging boycott on Israeli products in a show of protest against Tel Aviv's ongoing expansion of its illegal West Bank settlements.

Palestinian retailers in the West Bank are to put up lists of settlement-made items in their outlets, notifying shoppers which products they should shun.

Obama calls war council after NY plot

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:28 AM PDT

US President Barack Obama is to convene a war council, in wake of a failed New York City bomb attack, for security talks on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The meeting on Thursday will bring together Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, top US commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal and other intelligence and counterterrorism officials.

Settlers Clash With Israeli Police At A Northern West Bank Settlement

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:25 AM PDT

Israeli settlers in the West Bank - file 2007

Around 100 Israeli settlers clashed with Israeli police forces on Thursday when officers tried to remove homes at the settlement of Hashmonaim, northern West Bank.

Police forces managed to demolish two homes before settlers stopped them from leveling a third, Israeli media sources reported. The Three homes in Hashmonaim is considered to be illegal according to Israeli law.

Turkey, Brazil continue talks on Iran

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:18 AM PDT

Turkey says it will continue its consultations with Brazil on Iran's nuclear issue with hopes that positive outcome would emerge from it.

"We are continuing our vigorous consultations in full coordination with Brazil. We will have fresh initiatives in the coming days and I hope our joint efforts will bring about positive results," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Kostyantyn Gerashchenko in Kiev on Wednesday.

Iran FM to visit Turkey after NPT event

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:04 AM PDT

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will visit Turkey for talks on his return from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review in New York.

On his way back to Tehran, Mottaki plans a one-day stopover in Ankara on Friday for a brief visit and talks with Turkish officials, diplomatic sources said Thursday.

Senate reaches deal on failing banks

Posted: 06 May 2010 08:03 AM PDT

The US Senate has backed a bipartisan accord to prohibit government-funded bailouts of large financial firms deemed responsible for the global economic crisis.

The Senate lawmakers agreed on Wednesday by a 96-1 margin to guarantee that no taxpayers' money will be used to bailout big financial institutions.

Deadly tornado strikes Chinese city

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:47 AM PDT

At least 29 people have been killed after heavy rain, hail, and a tornado hit China's southwestern city of Chongqing, damaging thousands of homes and destroying crops.

More than 190 people were injured and at least one person was missing, with rescue work under way in the districts of Liangping and Dianjiang on Thursday, state news agency Xinhua reported.

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