Thai groups remain committed to peace (plus 95 more items)

Posted: 08 May 2010 11:37 AM PDT

Thailand's government and red-shirt protesters say they are committed to ending the country's political crisis which has paralyzed Bangkok for months.

The pledge comes after unknown assailants attacked and killed two policemen during two separate incidents in the capital. Ongoing violence has left at least 29 people dead and hundreds of others injured over the past two months.

US to roll out red carpet for Karzai

Posted: 08 May 2010 11:29 AM PDT

The White House, following the tenor of "tough love" with the Afghan president, plans to roll out the red carpet for Hamid Karzai after flying him to the US.

With his retinue, President Karzai will head to Washington on board a US military jet that is usually used to accommodate senior American officials.

IAEA to focus on Israeli nukes in June

Posted: 08 May 2010 11:22 AM PDT

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will discuss Israel - the owner of Middle East's sole atomic arsenal -- and its nuclear activities

The IAEA is allowed to refer nuclear proliferation concerns to the UN Security Council.

'US attack on Iran political suicide'

Posted: 08 May 2010 10:38 AM PDT

Former European Union lawmaker Giulietto Chiesa has placed a US attack on Iran on a par with political suicide for President Barack Obama.

In an interview with Dirreta News, the renowned Italian politician and journalist said that Washington has no hope of convincing Russia and China to join a military confrontation with Iran.

Hand washing can clear mental slate

Posted: 08 May 2010 10:27 AM PDT

A new study conducted at the University of Michigan has revealed that the physical act of washing hands can result in a clear mental slate.

"Going beyond prior purification effects in the moral domain, physical cleansing seems to more generally remove past concerns, resulting in a metaphorical "clean slate" effect," the CBS quoted the co-authors of the study, Spike W. S. Lee and Norbert Schwarz, as saying.

Pakistan test-fires ballistic missiles

Posted: 08 May 2010 08:21 AM PDT

Pakistan has successfully test-fired two short-range and medium-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the country's military has announced.

An official statement issued by the Pakistani military on Saturday said the short-range ballistic Shaheen-1 missile and the medium-range ballistic Ghaznavi missile both "successfully hit the target areas."

Greek economic woes trouble US

Posted: 08 May 2010 08:15 AM PDT

Washington has asked its European allies to take faster and more serious steps to contain a Greek economic collapse, as it may impede a US recovery.

US President Barack Obama conveyed the message in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday.

PLO to discuss talks with Israel

Posted: 08 May 2010 08:14 AM PDT

The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is expected to meet in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah to discuss indirect 'peace talks' with Israel.

The meeting will be chaired by acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas, during which the group will decide on holding US-mediated talks with Israel.

Iran's naval drills go on in S. waters

Posted: 08 May 2010 08:09 AM PDT

Iran has launched the third phase of a major naval maneuver in the country's southern waters of the Straight of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman in a display of its military might.

During the fourth day of the drill on Saturday, hovercrafts strafed mock enemy targets while vessels, destroyers, and frigates blocked their advance towards Iran's territorial waters, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Russia releases captured pirates

Posted: 08 May 2010 07:58 AM PDT

Pirates seized earlier by a Russian warship off the Somalian coast have been freed because of "imperfections" in international law, Russian officials say.

According to a statement released Friday by the Russian Defense Ministry, there were no international legal guidelines for prosecuting the 10 men arrested earlier in the week during the rescue of a Russian ship hijacked off the coast of Somalia.

Federer books Estoril Open semis

Posted: 08 May 2010 07:27 AM PDT

World number one Roger Federer has secured a semifinal place at the clay-court Estoril Open after defeating his French opponent Arnaud Clement.

The Swiss tennis ace, playing the event for the second time after winning the title on his debut in 2008, beat Clement 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 in the quarterfinal of the event in 1 hour, 37 minutes at National Stadium on Friday.

Posted: 08 May 2010 06:47 AM PDT

Iran has launched its first national bird-watching festival in the capital of Tehran in an attempt to raise public awareness about native Persian birds.

The country's first bird-watching event was launched in Sa'd Abad cultural complex on Saturday, seeking to attract fans and encourage individuals to take part in different specialized areas of birding.

More US banks shut, vowing new peak

Posted: 08 May 2010 06:46 AM PDT

The US economy faces further bad news as regulators shut down four more financial institutopms, bringing the total number of failed US banks in 2010 to 68.

The Bank of Bonifay, Access Bank of Champlin, Towne Bank of Arizona and First Pacific Bank of California are the latest closures and are expected to cost the deposit-insurance fund over hundreds of millions of dollars.

US angry at French acquittal of Iranian

Posted: 08 May 2010 06:39 AM PDT

The US Department of Justice has angrily objected to a French court ruling that acquitted Iranian businessman Majid Kakavand of all charges of violating US trade sanctions against Iran.

"Although we're disappointed by the French court ruling, we will continue to seek justice in this matter," Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said in a statement following Kakavand's acquittal.

FBI team in Pakistan to probe NY attack

Posted: 08 May 2010 06:24 AM PDT

The US has dispatched a team of FBI agents to Islamabad to probe into the failed Times Square bombing in New York amid reported US plans to expand its forces in Pakistan.

According to Pakistani officials, a team of FBI investigators arrived in Islamabad, where the agency has a legal attaché office that cooperates with Pakistani law enforcement and intelligence officers, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

South Africa hopes US bows out early

Posted: 08 May 2010 06:18 AM PDT

South Africa's police chief has expressed hope that the US is knocked out of the 2010 World Cup in the first round to avoid a visit by President Barack Obama.

"One challenge is the American president who is coming, not coming, coming, not coming," General Bheki Cele told a parliamentary committee during a briefing on the police's World Cup security plans in Cape Town on Friday.

Iranian journalist attacked in Kabul

Posted: 08 May 2010 05:55 AM PDT

An Iranian journalist in Kabul has been seriously injured in an attack by an unidentified individual who has reportedly been detained.

The correspondent for prominent Fars News Agency was transferred to a Kabul hospital for the multiple knife wounds he sustained during the attack, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Turks protest Israeli mosque burning

Posted: 08 May 2010 05:08 AM PDT

Hundreds of people have taken to streets of Istanbul burning Israeli flags in protest at a recent attack against Palestinian mosques by Israeli settlers.

The demonstrators -- who rallied after the Friday prayer in the Turkish city's monumental Fatih Mosque -- chanted anti-Israeli slogans and warned of massive demonstrations against aggressive Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, IRNA reported on Saturday.

Mourinho voted world's best manager

Posted: 08 May 2010 05:01 AM PDT

Inter Milan Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho has been named the world's best coach by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).

The 47-year-old Mourinho was voted the best coach in the world according to a survey made at the 73rd annual AIPS congress which was held this week in Antalya, Turkey.

Report: Robots harmful to humans

Posted: 08 May 2010 04:55 AM PDT

The inexorable rise of a robot-driven lifestyle may end up having 'dangerous' consequences for humans, German scientists say in a recent study.

The Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German aerospace agency recently conducted a series of tests, which involved robots using sharp tools alongside humans, in order to see if a prototype safety system could limit the damage done.

PLO debates indirect Israel talks

Posted: 08 May 2010 04:49 AM PDT

Palestinian leaders have gathered in the West Bank for a crucial meeting to decide whether to approve the resumption of indirect talks with Israel.

Members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee and officials from the Fatah movement are expected to endorse the move during the meeting in Ramallah on Saturday.

Somali pirates seize Yemeni boat

Posted: 08 May 2010 04:40 AM PDT

Somali pirates have seized a Yemeni fishing boat with seven crew members on board off the coast of Yemen, the country's defense ministry website has reported.

The website quoted the Yemeni coastguard as saying that the pirates hijacked the boat, called the 'al-Dhafir', as it was docked at a Yemeni island in the Red Sea.

US food stamp handouts hit new record

Posted: 08 May 2010 04:30 AM PDT

US distribution of food stamps among its poverty-stricken citizens has broken yet another record as nearly 40 million Americans use the vouchers to feed themselves.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had previously reported that over 39.6 million people, equivalent to one in every eight Americans, were receiving food stamps during February.

US to supply Pakistan with warplanes

Posted: 08 May 2010 04:25 AM PDT

The US has pledged to supply Islamabad with modern warplanes by June in an effort to step up the fight against militants in Pakistan's tribal regions,.

The assurance was given by US officials in a bilateral security cooperation working group meeting in Rawalpindi on Friday, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Argentina beats Iran in World Team Cup

Posted: 08 May 2010 03:47 AM PDT

Iran's national wheelchair tennis team has failed to reach the final of the 2010 Invacare World Team Cup held in Turkey after losing against Aregentina.

Powerhouse Aregentina entered the final after defeating the Iranian side 2-1 in the semifinal on Friday night, Fars news agency reported on Saturday.

Posted: 08 May 2010 03:34 AM PDT

Voters who had queued for hours across the country were deprived of their say in the tightest election contest for years when polling stations were closed in their faces at 10pm British time . Others ran out of ballot papers.
In many polling stations police were called in to disperse voters. There were angry stand-offs in towns and cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield Newcastle and Birmingham as officials failed to cope with the predicted swell in turnout.
There was further chaos as one polling station ran out of ballot papers, while another allowed people to vote beyond the deadline - meaning their votes would not feature in the official exit poll that predicted a hung parliament.

2 peacekeepers killed in Darfur

Posted: 08 May 2010 03:26 AM PDT

Two Egyptian peacekeepers serving with the joint UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) have been killed during an ambush.

Three other Egyptians were also injured when they were attacked on Friday in an ambush in the restive western Sudanese region of Darfur, UNAMID announced in a statement that describing the assault as a "war crime."

Posted: 08 May 2010 03:17 AM PDT

The electoral Commission announced yesterday that it will launch an investigation into why thousands of people were unable to cast their votes during one of the most chaotic general elections in recent memory.
At polling booths up and down the country, scores of constituents were turned away because election officials failed to process their ballots quickly enough to meet the 10pm deadline that officially draws all voting to an end.
Problems were worst in densely populated urban areas, where high numbers of people work long hours and tend to head to the polls towards the end of the day.

US jobless rate climbs despite gains

Posted: 08 May 2010 03:11 AM PDT

US unemployment rate continues to climb despite the latest announcement by the Department of Labor that 290,000 jobs were created in April.

While boasting about the good news on new additions to the work force, US Secretary of Labor Hilda L Solis noted on Friday, however, that the jobless rate has jumped to 9.9 percent from the previous rate of 9.7 percent reported for the first three months of this year.

ICC prosecutor arrives in Kenya

Posted: 08 May 2010 02:59 AM PDT

The International Criminal Court prosecutor has arrived in the Kenyan capital to lead investigations into the country's 2007-08 post-election violence.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo landed in Nairobi on Saturday for a five-day visit, during which he is expected to meet victims of the unrest as well as various segments of Kenyan society.

Posted: 08 May 2010 02:57 AM PDT

Thousands of people were deprived of the right to vote on Thursday as polling stations were unable to cope with demand. According to reports some polling stations ran out of ballot papers, while in others there was confusion over electoral law.

Harriet Harman, the deputy prime minister, suggested that the Electoral Commission might have to rule on whether results were valid in cases where people who arrived in time to vote were not allowed to do so.

In Nepal, Maoists call off strike

Posted: 08 May 2010 02:45 AM PDT

Nepal's Maoists have halted a general strike that brought the country into a standstill for six days, saying they would continue their protest in different forms.

The Nepalese capital of Katmandu was plagued by nearly a week-long general strike by the Maoists who demand Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal step down and the coalition government be dismantled.

PLO to debate indirect Israel talks

Posted: 08 May 2010 02:32 AM PDT

Palestinian leaders have gathered in the West Bank for a crucial meeting to decide whether to approve the resumption of indirect talks with Israel.

Members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee are expected to endorse the move during the meeting in Ramallah on Saturday.

UK parties court Lib Dems leader

Posted: 08 May 2010 02:24 AM PDT

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, is at the centre of furious negotiations as the race to form a British government gains momentum.

He came last in Thursday's general elections, but that has not stopped him from becoming the most courted man in British politics.

Lebanon makes arrests over lynching

Posted: 08 May 2010 02:14 AM PDT

Lebanese security forces have arrested two people accused of taking part in the lynching of an Egyptian murder suspect.

Witnesses said some angry residents of Ketermaya village in the country's southeast tried to block the streets and stop the security forces from leaving with the suspects on Friday.

Alvarez: Sevilla doesn't fear Barca

Posted: 08 May 2010 01:47 AM PDT

Sevilla manager Antonio Alvarez has said that his side has a lot of respect for the Spanish league leader FC Barcelona but does not fear the Catalans.

"We are also playing for a lot," the 55-year-old Alvarez told a press conference on Friday.

'Greece being forced to buy arms'

Posted: 08 May 2010 12:25 AM PDT

A leading European parliamentarian has accused France and Germany of forcing Greece to buy billions of euros in arms in exchange for their bailout money.

France and Germany, while publicly urging Greece to make harsh public spending cuts, bullied its government to confirm billions of euros in arms deals, Franco-German lawmaker Daniel Cohn-Bendit alleged on Friday.

Nigeria power balance under watch

Posted: 08 May 2010 12:19 AM PDT

Goodluck Johnathan, Nigeria's new president who was sworn into office just days ago, is set to nominate a vice president early next week for Africa's most populous nation. But geopolitical divisions are expected to play a vital role in the nomination due to an unwritten rule of power balance between a predominantly Muslim north and majority Christian south. The ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) has long maintained a geopolitical zoning system for choosing their leadership. Now the system is coming under scrutiny as Johnathan, a Christian, prepares to choose his deputy. Yvonne Ndege reports from Abuja, the Nigerian capital. [May 8, 2010]

'Eurozone in state of emergency'

Posted: 08 May 2010 12:16 AM PDT

Italian Prime Monster Silvio Berlusconi has told his counterparts in the monetary bloc that the eurozone is in a "state of emergency."

"We are in a state of emergency, we need to take decisions," Berlusconi told fellow eurozone leaders at a summit in Brussels, his spokesman said.

'Turkey always for diplomacy on Iran'

Posted: 08 May 2010 12:00 AM PDT

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Ankara will always support a diplomatic solution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

"We have always had friendly and brotherly ties with Iran. We always believe that the issue should be solved through diplomacy," Turkey's Anadolu news agency quoted Davutoglu as saying at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki in Istanbul on Friday.

EU leaders pledge to defend euro

Posted: 07 May 2010 11:44 PM PDT

Leaders of the 16 eurozone nations have pledged to create a financial defence mechanism to protect their shared currency and calm markets rattled by Greece's debt crisis.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and his German counterpart, Chancellor Angela Merkel, announced the plan on Saturday, calling for an emergency fund to defend the euro against speculators and restore investor confidence.

Posted: 07 May 2010 11:33 PM PDT

Four Turkish soldiers have been killed and seven wounded in clashes with Kurdish rebels in eastern Turkey, a security source said.

A military outpost near Nazimiye town, Tunceli province, came under attack by militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) late on Friday, triggering a gunfight that lasted until the early hours of Saturday.

Brazil urges dialogue on Iran N-program

Posted: 07 May 2010 11:21 PM PDT

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim says he sees a window of opportunity to find a diplomatic solution for the deadlock over Iran's nuclear program.

"I think there's room (for dialogue)," Brazilian foreign minister said in an interview with Reuters on Friday.

Philippine concerns over machine poll

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:53 PM PDT

It is the last day of campaigning for Philippines' general elections, which will be a huge test for the country's first ever automated polling system. Preparations for the use of the 82000 scanning machines, which are expected to speed up the count of some 50 million voters and help avoid human error or rigging, have been going on for months. But in recent tests on them, sample votes were mis-counted and more than 90 per cent of the memory cards, which give instructions to the machines for reading the vote, had to be replaced.

India-Pakistan talks will continue

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:43 PM PDT

The sentence handed down to Pakistani national Ajmal Amir Qasab, will not affect the upcoming dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, says Pakistan's foreign minister.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, talking to PTV said on Friday that Islamabad will give its response on the sentencing of Qasab after Pakistani experts review the case in detail. He assured that the Indian court's decision will not affect the forthcoming talks between the two foreign ministers.

'India-Pakistan talks will continue'

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:43 PM PDT

USSR was totalitarian, Medvedev says

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:42 PM PDT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has criticized the Soviet Union as a totalitarian state that crushed individual liberties.

Medvedev's comments, which also included stinging criticism of the historical role of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, are the bluntest statements on the USSR by a Russian leader in recent times.

Chavez critic jailed for corruption

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:37 PM PDT

A former defence minister and critic of Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison after being convicted of embezzlement and abuse of power.

Raul Baduel, a retired general, was sentenced to seven years, 11 months in prison by a military court on Friday and also barred from running for public office, state television reported.

Pace of decline in child labor slowing

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:06 PM PDT

The International Labor Organization has warned that the pace of decline in child labor has slowed down over the past few years.

The number of child laborers fell to 215 million in 2008 from 222 million in 2004, a reduction of only 3 percent, an ILO report issued on Saturday said.

Mumbai attacks convict to stay in Jail

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:01 PM PDT

Ajmal Amir Qasab, the terror convict of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, will remain in jail until the Mumbai high court confirms the capital punishment.

Should the death sentence be carried out, "Qasab will be moved out of Arthur Road jail a day before he is going to be hanged," Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ramesh Bagwe, said on Friday.

Mumbai attacks convict to stay in jail

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:01 PM PDT

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:46 PM PDT

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, told the U.S. Middle East peace Envoy, George Mitchell, that the Palestinian Authority would provide its final decision on U.S. mediated proximity talks with Israel on Saturday.

The Palestinian Authority said that the United States will declare its stance on guarantees for the talks in the coming days.

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:46 PM PDT

The Palestinian Authority said that the United States will declare its stance on guarantees for the talks in the coming days.

Mudslide leaves 13 dead in Tajikistan

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:39 PM PDT

A mudslide, a common phenomenon in Tajikistan, has left 13 people dead and scores of others missing, after heavy downpours hit a remote region.

Around 200 homes were destroyed in the mountain village of Kilyab, some 220 km (130 miles) southeast of the capital, Dushanbe, emergency services spokesman Distmurod Zabirov said on Friday, AFP reported.

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:32 PM PDT

Israeli forces have clashed with Palestinians protesting against the construction of the apartheid wall and other Israeli policies.

On Friday, clashes erupted in two West Bank villages when Israeli soldiers fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, which caused a fire in olive groves.

Storm kills 17 in India's Bihar

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:28 PM PDT

High winds and heavy rains have lashed eight Bihar districts in eastern India, killing at least 17 people, destroying hundreds of houses and rendering thousands homeless.

The worst affected districts were Kaimur, Rohtas, Gaya, Nalanda, Khagaria and Patna, IANS News Agency reported Friday.

Kakavand vows to sue US authorities

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:16 PM PDT

Iranian citizen Majid Kakavand, who has been acquitted of all charges brought against him in France, has vowed to take legal action against US authorities.

"Given that I have spent four months in jail on false charges, it is my legal right to sue US authorities as soon as possible," said Kakavand, who arrived in Tehran early Saturday, IRNA reported.

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:14 PM PDT

Responding to a request from the Israeli High Court regarding two illegal settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli government stated that it intends to

Deadly violence rocks Thai capital

Posted: 07 May 2010 09:01 PM PDT

At least two policemen have been killed and 12 other people injured in a grenade blast and a drive-by shooting in the Thai capital Bangkok.

Police said early on Saturday that a grenade attack hit a security checkpoint in front of a city park that forms the edge of the protest encampment.

Lebanese colonel charged with spying

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:50 PM PDT

A Lebanese prosecutor has charged an army colonel with spying for Israel and referred him to a military court, security sources said.

Colonel Gazwan Shahin was arrested a few months ago and was the fourth officer arrested on suspicion of espionage since last year, Reuters reported on Friday.

Mottaki holds talks with Davutoglu

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:46 PM PDT

Iran's foreign minister holds talks with his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul, hours after hosting representatives from all UN Security Council members in New York.

Manouchehr Mottaki met with Ahmet Davutoglu behind closed doors late on Friday and is expected to hold talks with Turkish President Abdullah Gul before wrapping up his visit, IRNA reported.

Vault in place to cap US oil spill

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:46 PM PDT

BP, the energy company, has successfully lowered a giant concrete-and-steel box over a ruptured well that has been spilling hundreds of thousands of tonnes of crude into the Gulf of Mexico.

Underwater robots guided the 100-tonne contraption into place on Friday, in an unprecedented attempt to cap most of the gushing crude following an explosion at a deepwater drilling platform.

Bomb rocks Dagestan, 1 dead, 4 injured

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:20 PM PDT

A bomb has been detonated at the Derbent railroad terminal in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, killing one woman and injuring four people.

The explosive device went off on Friday at the station in the southern Dagestan city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea as a suburban train approached, the ITAR-TASS and Interfax news agencies reported, quoting security sources.

South Africa foils white extremist plot

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:10 PM PDT

Police in South Africa say they have foiled a plot by white extremists to bomb black townships ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.

Seven white extremists have been arrested in connection with the plot, a spokesman for the police special investigations unit, Musa Zondi said Friday.

US tries to spin Iran's role in NY

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:59 PM PDT

A senior US official has attempted to put a negative spin on Iran's role at the NPT review conference in New York.

On Friday, the director of policy planning at the US State Department, Anne-Marie Slaughter, said she saw Iran's actions at the conference as a sign that it is worried.

Obama urged to fight cancer in US

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:54 PM PDT

A special cancer panel has urged US President Barack Obama to protect the American public against the "far too many" cancerous factors to which it is exposed.

"The American people, even before they are born, are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures," read a report authored by Dr. LaSalle Leffall, professor of surgery at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington and Margaret Kripke, an emeritus professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

BP vault in place to cap US spill

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:52 PM PDT

Oil giant BP has successfully lowered a giant concrete-and-steel box over a ruptured well that has been spilling hundreds of thousands of tonnes of crude into the Gulf of Mexico.

Underwater robots guided the 100-tonne contraption into place on Friday, in an unprecedented attempt to cap most of the gushing crude following an explosion at a deepwater drilling platform.

Deadly violence rock Thai capital

Posted: 07 May 2010 06:04 PM PDT

At least two policemen have been killed and 12 other people injured in a grenade blast and a drive-by shooting in the Thai capital Bangkok.

Police said early on Saturday that a grenade attack hit a security checkpoint in front of a city park that forms the edge of the protest encampment.

'Flotilla' to bring aid to Gaza by sea

Posted: 07 May 2010 05:54 PM PDT

International pro-Palestinian bodies have organized a massive relief convoy to break the Israeli siege of Gaza under the banner of "Freedom Flotilla."

The convoy is consisted of five passenger boats and three aid-laden ships, the first of which would set sail for the Gaza Strip from Greece next week, the International Middle East Media Center reported on Thursday.

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:38 PM PDT

The police in Dubai managed to name five more persons suspected of involvement in the assassination of a senior Hamas leader, Mahmoud Al Madbouh, who was killed at his hotel room in Dubai on January 20, the Al-Arabiyya TV reported Friday.

With the naming of this suspect, the number of total suspects arrives to 32. Two of the newly identified suspects traveled using British passports, two held French passports while the fifth, a woman, carried an Australian passport.

NY Police evacuate Times Square again

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:08 PM PDT

New York police have cordoned off part of Times Square again to examine a suspicious parcel left in the area almost one week after the discovery of a car bomb.

"We're responding to a suspicious package," a spokesman for the New York Police Department (NYPD) told AFP on Friday. "We will be taking all necessary precautions."

Israel defiant on its 'nuclear arsenal'

Posted: 07 May 2010 04:06 PM PDT

A senior Israeli official insists that Tel Aviv will not change its nuclear policies despite international calls for the denuclearization of the Middle East.

"There is nothing new here, and no reason for a change of direction on our part," the unnamed Israeli official was quoted by Reuters as saying on Friday.

US mulls force expansion in Pakistan

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:53 PM PDT

The US is looking to expand its military presence in Pakistan in the wake of the unsuccessful Times Square bombing that allegedly involved a Pakistani American.

Some officials within President Barack Obama's administration view the CIA program of "killing militants" through drone bombing attacks is not adequate in thwarting attacks on the West and that an "expanded training mission" by US special forces is needed to establish enough "confidence" in Pakistani military to launch offensives against militant strongholds in North Waziristan tribal region, The New York Times reports in a Friday article.

Eurozone approves Greek debt deal

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:25 PM PDT

Eurozone leaders meeting in Brussels have concluded a deal to offer debt-ridden Greece $140bn in crisis loans and agreed to "reinforce" rules governing national budgets, a European Union source has said.

Greece's 15 partners in the shared currency "have approved the plan for loans, there's no problem there", the source told the AFP news agency of the
unprecedented loan, which is also backed up by funds from the IMF.

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:22 PM PDT

At least three people have been killed during protest in Greece, as rioters set fire to a bank building. Thousands are on the streets of Athens in opposition to harsh spending cuts which are part of a new austerity package aimed at saving Greece from bankruptcy. Workers marched to the parliament and clashed with police, with many blaming the government for cutting wages and pensions. The draft bill of the new austerity package will be voted on by the end of the week.

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:22 PM PDT

As Russia celebrates Victory Day over Nazi Germany, the Russian President gives his views on that historic conflict to the correspondent of the Russian newspaper "Izvestia".

Deadly blasts rock Thai capital

Posted: 07 May 2010 03:07 PM PDT

At least one police officer has been killed and seven people injured, including five policemen, when a drive-by shooting and a series of explosions shook the Thai capital Bangkok.

The incident took place after midnight on Friday, in the Silom Road area popular with tourists, and struck a group of protesters that had gathered to voice their opposition to the "red shirts" near a branch of Krung Thai Bank.

US regulators to probe market crash

Posted: 07 May 2010 02:46 PM PDT

Financial regulators in the US are investigating the causes of Thursday's record-breaking volatility on the US stock markets.

The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial average fell by 995 points on Thursday - including a 587-point drop in just 15 minutes - before recovering most of those losses.

Posted: 07 May 2010 02:46 PM PDT

A giant funnel to be installed at the scene of last month's devastating explosion off the US coast, is BP's best hope of halting the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The device, designed to channel oil from the seabed to the surface where it can be collected safely, will be set up on Thursday. However, with the energy company itself not sure it will even work, Russian experts suggest that a radical solution from Soviet history may be a way out.

Long queues cause vote chaos

Posted: 07 May 2010 02:40 PM PDT

It has been estimated that hundreds of eligible voters across the UK have been denied the opportunity to cast their ballot in polling stations. Long queues built up shortly before the polls closed forcing many to miss the deadline for the vote. The electoral commission has promised an investigation into complaints about the voting irregularities. Al Jazeera's Richard Martin reports. [May 7, 2010]

Zimbabwe elders bear Aids burden

Posted: 07 May 2010 01:57 PM PDT

Aids kills some 6000 people each day in Africa - more than wars, famines and floods. Millions of children are orphans, many more live with HIV or Aids. In Zimbabwe, almost 1.2 million children have been orphaned by HIV/Aids. Many grandmothers, who assume responsibility for orphans, are living in absolute poverty, and struggling daily to provide for the numerous children under their care. After having endured the trauma and distress of watching their children and grandchildren struggle with the deadly disease, the stress and isolation is compounded by the lack of resources available to them. Al Jazeera's Imran Khan reports on the country's elderly population who have to be brave when faced with adversity. [Friday, May 07, 2010]

Japan awards ex-Iranian envoy

Posted: 07 May 2010 01:56 PM PDT

A former Iranian ambassador to Japan is awarded with a Japanese order of merit for his efforts to promote cultural ties between the two ancient nations.

Abdul Rahim Govahi travelled to Japan upon a formal invitation from Tokyo officials on Thursday and was awarded with the Order of the Sacred Treasure on Friday, IRNA reported.

US bill to link 'terror' to citizenship

Posted: 07 May 2010 01:56 PM PDT

New bipartisan legislation introduced in US Congress says Americans involved in terrorist activities should be denied their right of citizenship.

If passed, the Terrorist Expatriation Act would strip any American that provides material support or resources to foreign terrorists from their citizenship.

Israel demands its security in talks

Posted: 07 May 2010 01:39 PM PDT

Amid US pressure for the resumption of Middle East peace talks, Israeli President Shimon Peres insists Tel Aviv's "security" should top the agenda of such talks.

"Resolving security issues is of the highest importance," Peres told the visiting US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell.

German lower house OKs Greek bailout

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:59 PM PDT

The German parliament has ratified a rescue package for Greece, amid warnings that the failure to do so would have dire consequences for Europe and Germany.

The Bundestag, the lower house of the parliament, voted 390 votes out of 601 on Friday to support the government decision to offer cash-strapped Greece 22.4 billion euros (USD 29.1 billion) in credit over the next three years.

Iran's naval drills in phase 2

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:52 PM PDT

Iran has kicked off the second day of its naval maneuver in the Oman Sea to test its capabilities in securing the waterways in the area and fighting piracy.

The Iranian Army's ground and air forces are also involved in the 8-day drill. On Friday, they began to exercise patrolling the sea routes and escorting passenger and cargo ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:49 PM PDT

Video of a SWAT narcotics raid in Columbia, Missouri has gone viral on the internet after officers stormed into a house, shooting one family pet dog and killing another in front of a small child, only to discover an insignificantly small amount of marijuana.

Militarized SWAT Drug Raids on the Rise

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:37 PM PDT

The Cato Institute has compiled information on botched SWAT thug raids around the country and produced the map below. The map graphically reveals how often militarized police mistakenly terrorize citizens as the government pursues its totalitarian drug war.

US economy adds 290,000 new jobs

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:27 PM PDT

The US economy created 290,000 new jobs in April, the largest one-month gain in more than four years, according to new data from the US government.

Barack Obama, the US president, hailed the numbers as a positive sign for the economy.

UK's Cameron makes coalition bid

Posted: 07 May 2010 12:13 PM PDT

David Cameron, the leader of Britain's Conservative opposition, has made a "big, open and comprehensive" offer to the Liberal Democrats in an attempt to form a majority government.

Speaking in London on Friday, Cameron said he hoped the two parties could reach an agreement quickly, admitting that the two parties do have substantial differences.

Nepal Maoists end unpopular strike

Posted: 07 May 2010 11:52 AM PDT

Nepal's former Maoist rebels have ended their general strike six days after it paralysed businesses and daily life in the Himalayan nation.

Friday's decision followed a rally attended by around 35,000 people in Kathmandu, the capital, who demanded an end to the shutdown.

Europe leaders hold Greece talks

Posted: 07 May 2010 11:25 AM PDT

Eurozone leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss the Greek debt crisis.

Friday's meeting will discuss their next steps towards Greece and also towards other countries with mounting debt problems, like Portugal and Spain.

Iraq mulls Baghdad 'security fence'

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:34 AM PDT

The Iraqi defence ministry plans to build a "security fence" around Baghdad to prevent anti-government fighters from entering the Iraqi capital, according to local television reports.

The barrier will be made of concrete, topped by security cameras and other monitoring devices, reports said.

Posted: 07 May 2010 10:25 AM PDT

He's the half-brother of the Afghan President and the power-broker of Kandahar. But Ahmed Wali Karzai has also been accused of supporting the drugs trade, taking bribes and even being on the payroll of the CIA. Now - NATO is counting on his co-operation in its next big push against the Taliban. Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid's been asking him about the personal allegations - and how stability can be brought to Kandahar (7 May, 2010).

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:56 AM PDT

Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as the villagers of Nil'in, central West Bank, protested on Friday Israeli wall built on their lands.

Israeli and international protesters joined the villagers after the midday prayers and marched towards the gate of the wall. At the gate villagers demanded access to their lands behind the wall.

Posted: 07 May 2010 08:39 AM PDT

Bil'in Today <hr id="system-readmore" /><table style=

Bil'in Today – Photo by Hmadi Abu Rahma

One resident was injured; Six others detained, on Friday by the army during the weekly anti wall protest at the village of Bil'in, central West Bank.

The villagers were joined by international and Israeli activists. Protesters set out toward the wall carrying Palestinian flags and calling for national unity against the Israeli occupation, land confiscation and stating their refusal to all military procedures to close the village and prevent activists from joining protests.
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