Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Pakistan militant leader 'still alive

Pakistan militant leader 'still alive' (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Pakistan militant leader 'still alive'

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 06:14 PM PDT

Intelligence officials in Islamabad say they believe Pakistan militant leader Hakimullah Mehsud is still alive, despite earlier reports that he was killed in January.

Senior Pakistani intelligence officials say they now believe that Mehsud was only wounded in a US drone attack in the country's northwest.

Turkey, Brazil not alone on Iran

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 06:06 PM PDT

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin says Turkey and Brazil are not the only countries opposing new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

"It is not only Turkey and Brazil that believe the diplomatic opportunity is still there," Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper quoted Ozugergin as saying in a weekly press conference on Thursday.

US exempts Russia, China from Iran bill

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:21 PM PDT

The White House has reportedly called on Congress to provide waivers in the Iran sanction bill that would allow Chinese and Russian companies to do business with Iran.

The Obama administration is pressing Congress to provide an exemption from sanctions against Iran for certain companies of "cooperating countries," Foxnews reported on Thursday.

UK police complacent in 7/7 attacks

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:16 PM PDT

The Chief Executive of the UK-based Ramadhan Foundation has called on UK politicians to agree to a public inquiry into the terrorist acts of July 7th, 2005.

"As the inquests into the victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks begins, the Ramadhan Foundation once again calls for politicians to agree to a full public inquiry into the evil terrorism that struck London," the foundation's CEO, Mohammed Shafiq said.

Turkey sentences 15 minors to jail

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:06 PM PDT

A Turkish high criminal court has sentenced 15 minors to three to five years in prison on charges of hurling stones at police officers and chanting illegal slogans during a protest in the southern province of Mersin.

The minors, whose ages range between 13 and 17, were arrested recently for participating in protests against the imprisonment of the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, according to a report published by Hurriyet newspaper on Thursday.

Naturalist to present new moth species

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:54 PM PDT

An amateur naturalist is to present a 3mm-long micro moth, which has been officially recognized as a new species only living in the United Kingdom.

Bob Heckford stumbled upon the bright green caterpillars of the tiny moth on oak saplings of Hembury Woods, a site managed by the National Trust in Devon.

Arab reps in Israel may be expelled

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:24 PM PDT

Knesset may strip six legislators of immunity over their meeting with the Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi during a recent Arab League summit.

"Knesset immunity is not a license to inflict continual damage on the state and make a mockery of parliament and the public," Ha'aretz newspaper quoted the Chairman of Knesset's House Committee Yariv Levin as saying on Wednesday.

Car bomb kills 8 in southwest Baghdad

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:20 PM PDT

At least eight people have been killed and 20 more others injured as an explosive-laden car was detonated near a liquor shop in a neighborhood in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

The explosion occurred around 8:00 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) in the al-Shurta al-Rabaa area of southwestern Baghdad. It is the latest in a spree of attacks in and around the Iraqi capital that have killed tens of people. On Wednesday, two car bomb explosions in a predominantly Shia neighborhood of Baghdad left at least five people killed and 10 others injured.

World floating ice constantly melting

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:14 PM PDT

A recent study shows that the world's floating ice is constantly melting away, raising global sea levels by 49 micrometers, about a hair's breadth, every year.

According to the report published in Geophysical Research Letters on Wednesday, the floating ice has disappeared at a steady rate over the past 10 years.

Malaysia: Submarine scandal rages on

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:08 PM PDT

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has denied brokering a deal for military submarines --worth millions of dollars in kickbacks.

But French prosecutors have begun a probe into the 2002 sale of two Scorpene submarines made by the French shipbuilder DCN, Free Malaysia Today news network reported.

Allawi might seek new elections

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:21 PM PDT

Iraq's ex-premier Iyad Allawi has called for a caretaker government and new elections as more winner candidates from his Iraqiya bloc are barred from taking office.

"We will demand the formation of a temporary government, a caretaker government that will take into their responsibility the … conducting elections," Allawi told al-Sharqiya television channel.

Afghan clashes leave 14 dead

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:56 PM PDT

Fierce clashes between Afghan security forces and Taliban militants have left at least 14 people dead in the troubled northern Afghanistan.

Two policemen were among those killed in the fight in Baghlan province.

Arizona immigration law challenged

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:41 PM PDT

Immigrant advocates across the United States are preparing to take their fight over the legal rights of the immigrants to the court as furor over Arizona's strict law escalates.

Several groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the National Immigration Law Center were set to announce their plans to challenge the measure in Phoenix on Thursday.

What's happening in Thailand?

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:40 PM PDT

kourosh ziabari Nowadays, Thailand is witness to one of the bloodiest civil wars since the 2006 military coup which ousted the popular Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from office. The supporters of former Prime Minister are calling for the dissolution of parliament and a new round of general elections. The "Red Shirts" are middle-urban and rural Thais who benefited from the socialistic policies of former Prime Minister and are now risking their lives for the reappearance of freedom and democracy in Thailand. According to the official stats, 24 people have been killed and 1000 other wounded since the eruption of demonstrations and street clashes in which the Thai police has relentlessly opened fire on the angry demonstrators.

South Korea mourns lost sailors

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:28 PM PDT

Mourning their dead comrades, the South Korean navy has held a funeral for the 46 sailors whose warship sank near the disputed maritime border with North Korea last month.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak attended the gathering.

CAR presidential election delayed

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:13 PM PDT

The May 16 presidential election for the Central African Republic (CAR) has been postponed as the country's election body has announced that the timeframe for organizing the polls is too tight.

After a meeting with the electoral commission, political parties and former rebel groups, President Francois Bozize announced that the polls will not be held until the parties involved in the elections and the international community are ready for the event.

Chinese man stabs 32 at nursery school

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:54 PM PDT

A man has stabbed 32 people -- including 28 children -- in a kindergarten in eastern China, the third such incident, targeting children in just over a month.

The incident took place in the city of Taixing in the province of Jiangsu.

Lavrov cautions Iran over sanctions

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:45 PM PDT

In the strongest signal yet of support for the US-pursued sanctions against Iran, Russia has warned Tehran that the measure could become "inevitable."

"In the absence of cooperation on the part of Iran, it is quite possible that sanctions will become inevitable, and in the very near future the Security Council will deal with these matters," RIA Novosti quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Thursday.

Lebanon detains 3 spy suspects

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:28 PM PDT

Lebanese police and army intelligence have arrested three people on charges of spying for Israel, As Safir newspaper reports.

According to the Beirut-based newspaper, the suspects were arrested by intelligence agents in a raid that took place at the village of al-Ain in the town of Bekaa, located about 30 km (about 19 miles) east of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

Rush: Obama 'afraid' of eligibility question?

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:19 PM PDT

The website Media Matters is highlighting a comment from talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh in which he explains he can understand President Barack Obama's sensitivity to a state requirement for documentation of citizenship.

"Maybe he's afraid somebody's going to ask him for his," stated Limbaugh on his program Wednesday.

He was commenting on the president's use of the word "papers" as in "Show me your papers" regarding the new Arizona state law cracking down on illegal aliens in the state.

US soldiers kill Afghan MP relative

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:07 PM PDT

US troops have raided the home of a female Afghan lawmaker and killed one of her relatives amid growing discontent with the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan.

The attack took place in a village in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

Hamas: Egypt kills Gazans with gas

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:03 PM PDT

A senior Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri has held Egypt responsible for the death of four Palestinians killed in a border tunnel and has demanded for an impartial investigation.

Speaking at a press conference in Gaza on Thursday, Abu Zuhri strongly condemned Cairo's application of gas against Palestinian citizens. The Hamas official also demanded Egypt to conduct an immediate probe into the incident and to prosecute the perpetrators, the International Middle East Media Center reported.

Thailand warns EU against interfering

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 11:09 AM PDT

Thailand's government has warned against any foreign interference in its internal affairs following a Red Shirt opposition leader's plea for assistance from the EU.

Thailand's foreign ministry says the government is in control of the situation and does not need any assistance.

Iran, Syria reaffirm unshakable ties

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 11:04 AM PDT

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi has criticized Western powers for spewing Iranophobic propaganda in the Middle East.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Thursday, ahead of the 12th session of a joint Syrian-Iranian commission aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties.

Iran's Persian Gulf confab kicks off

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 10:36 AM PDT

Iran's sixth edition of the Persian Gulf Conference has kicked off in the southern Kish Island, focusing on cultural and tourism potentials of the region.

The conference will also discuss social, historical, economic, political, geographical and environmental aspects of the Persian Gulf region.

Singh, Gilani meet at Bhutan summit

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 10:16 AM PDT

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has held direct talks with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Bhutan, raising hope for the resumption of extensive peace talks.

The two parties met on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit which is underway in Bhutan.

Russia launches new oil platform

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 10:06 AM PDT

Russia's largest independent oil producer LUKoil has officially started operating a modest offshore oilfield in the Russian parts of the Caspian Sea.

The oil production at the Russian oil facility on the Yury Korchagin offshore oilfield is projected to have the capacity to reach 2.5 million metric tons per year.

Enemy loses intel war on Iran

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 09:58 AM PDT

A top Iranian official has warned against the intelligence war waged on the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly following the post-election unrest.

An intelligence official was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying that the US and Western powers made strenuous efforts to "convince the Iranian nation into believing that there was a rift among high officials" in order to undermine the "credibility" of the country's Leadership.

Taliban gun down Afghan tribal leader

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 09:55 AM PDT

Prominent Afghan tribal leader Abdul Rahman has been shot to death in southern Kandahar Province amid growing Taliban insurgency against government officials.

Rahman, a tribal chief in Arghandab district, was shot in the head by unknown assailants while walking home in Zhara district on Tuesday.

Brown recants on 'bigoted woman'

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 09:25 AM PDT

An apologetic Gordon Brown regrets the remarks he made about an inquisitive voter who had questioned him on the street, referring to her as a "bigoted woman."

Gillian Duffy, 66, a life long Labour supporter and Rochdale resident, encountered Brown on the streets of her suburb as she was going out to get a loaf of bread. The incident was part of a 'walkabout' requested by Labour Party officials from Sky News, who gave him a radio microphone. The short exchange between the two revolved around pension taxes, national debt, and immigration.

US report claims Karzai unpopularity

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:59 AM PDT

A new Pentagon report claims that only a quarter of Afghanistan's 121 districts support the government of President Hamid Karzai.

"The overall assessment indicates that the population sympathizes with or supports the Afghan government in 24 percent (29 of 121) of all Key Terrain and Area of Interest districts," said the report, published Wednesday.

Rain in the Arctic worries explorers

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:24 AM PDT

Amid major concerns about global warming, a three-minute rain shower hits the North Pole, proving that the Arctic is heating up.

British explorers in Canada's Far North reported that the rain shower hit the team's ice base off Ellef Rignes Island last weekend.

UN's Ban shows bias on nuclear issue

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:18 AM PDT

UN Secretary General urges Tehran to convince "international community" on its nuclear drive, while ignoring US declared nuclear threat against Iran.

Ban Ki-moon accused Tehran of not satisfying international concerns over the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, as he welcomed the planned participation of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the upcoming UN meeting to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) next Monday in New York, according to a Wednesday report in the major US daily The New York Times.

France admits killing Afghans

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 07:49 AM PDT

The French army has admitted killing four civilians with a missile strike in a Taliban-controlled area of Afghanistan.

The group of civilians died on April 6 when French soldiers fired a missile from a military base in Kapisa province after it came under attack from the Taliban.

US Fed keeps interest rates near zero

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 07:35 AM PDT

The US Federal Reserve has voted to keep its interest rates at a near zero level for an extended period while admitting that US economy continues to strengthen.

The Fed's rate-setting panel announced in an official statement released Wednesday that "economic activity has continued to strengthen and that the labor market is beginning to improve" as its rates will remain at the zero-0.25 per cent range.

Iran FM highlights SAARC ties

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 07:33 AM PDT

Iran says the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) offers a good opportunity for regional cooperation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki made the remark at the 16th SAARC Summit in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu.

Nasrallah slams Egyptian verdicts

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 07:23 AM PDT

Hezbollah has denounced Egypt's move to sentence 26 men with alleged ties to the Lebanese movement to jail terms, calling the move 'politically motivated.'

In a Thursday statement, Hezbollah's Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah described the verdicts issued by the Egyptian court as "political and unjust"

US cardinal ignored pedophilic priest

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 07:02 AM PDT

A recently uncovered statement reveals that a US cardinal kept silent after learning that a California priest had molested a boy 15 years ago.

Former archbishop of San Francisco, Cardinal William Levada ,talked about the case in a 2005 deposition obtained by The Associated Press.

Palestine youth urge Israeli boycott

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 06:30 AM PDT

Palestinian students and youth groups across West Bank and Gaza have signed a petition calling for a massive boycott of Israeli products and programs.

The document, endorsed by more than 40 Palestinian university councils and youth groups, demanded a ban on any "economic, political, cultural and institutional" activities that could normalize relations between Palestine and Israel.

Clashes in NW Pakistan leave 6 dead

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 06:25 AM PDT

Armed clashes between Pakistani security forces and Taliban militants in North Waziristan have claimed the lives of six, including two soldiers and four fighters.

The fighting erupted when Taliban militants targeted a check post in Esha in North Waziristan, prompting Pakistani forces to repel the attack, a Press TV correspondent reported on Wednesday.

US drone found in Mosul arms depot

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 06:22 AM PDT

Iraqi military forces have discovered an unmanned aerial vehicle, belonging to the US Army, among a cache of weapons and explosives in a depot in western Mosul.

"A force from the third division of the Iraqi army found on Wednesday a US unmanned aerial vehicle in a stockpile of weapons and explosives in al-Yarmouk neighborhood in western Mosul," a military source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Iran's 1st VP visits Syria

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:17 AM PDT

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi arrives in Damascus to attend the 12th Joint Commission of the two countries.

Before his departure, Rahimi told reporters at the Mehrabad International Airport on Thursday that the two-day visit comes at the invitation of Syrian Prime Minister Naji Otri.

US cautious on Afghan progress

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:09 AM PDT

The Afghan president enjoys little support in "strategically important" areas of the country, a US defence department report has concluded just weeks before Hamid Karzai is due to visit Washington.

In what the Pentagon called a "sober" assessment of its progress in Afghanistan, it concluded on Wednesday that violence was up nearly 90 per cent on levels the previous year.

Pilot blamed for 2007 Kenya crash

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:48 AM PDT

A new investigation has blamed the pilot for the 2007 disastrous Kenyan plane crash in Cameroon that killed 114 people on board.

The investigation report released by Cameroon's Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday said the plane "took off without authorization from air traffic controllers."

Belgrade fan sentenced to 10 years jail

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:39 AM PDT

A Serbian court has sentenced a football fan to ten years in jail for attacking a policeman during a riot during a Red Star Belgrade match in 2007.

According to a report by the Beta news agency, the 22-year-old Uros Misic was found guilty on Wednesday of attacking the policeman with a lit torch and trying to put it into his mouth.

Al-Quds mayor denies settlement halt

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:32 AM PDT

Israeli authorities dismiss recent media reports announcing a settlement freeze had been ordered in East Jerusalem (al-Quds).

The Israeli media reported earlier in the week a direct order from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against new construction in East al-Quds under US pressure for a settlement freeze on occupied Palestinian lands.

Indian and Pakistani PMs meet

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:12 AM PDT

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan have agreed that the two countries relations should be normalised after months of diplomatic deadlock prompted by the attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008, according to officials.

India's Manmohan Singh met Yusuf Reza Gilani, his Pakistani counterpart, on the sidelines of a summit of South Asian leaders in Bhutan's capital, Thimpu, on Thursday.

Is Obama A Congenital Liar & Sadistic Torturer?

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:09 AM PDT

obbc dees I could only be called semi-handsome ... in a dim light ... at 20 feet ... many years ago.

Good looks may not be everything, but they can give one a head start in life. But, paraphrasing Mark Twain, "God must love plain looking (ugly) people as he made so many of us." And, I'd rather be loved by God than look like Rock Hudson used to look, or how Tom Cruise looks, today.

Nigerian poll chief forced to resign

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:57 AM PDT

Nearly one year ahead of elections in Nigeria, the country's Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered Nigerian electoral chief to resign.

Jonathan made the decision on Wednesday, citing fears that Maurice Iwu's leadership of Nigeria's electoral body would undermine the credibility of polls scheduled to be held in April 2011.

Australia overhauls cigarette packs

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:56 AM PDT

Australia is set to ban branding, logos, promotional text and colourful images from all packets of cigarettes in attempt to dramatically cut the number of smokers in the country.

From 2012, all packets of cigarettes will look almost identical, carrying prominent, graphic health warnings while the brand will be relegated to a small, generic font at the bottom.

16 killed in Mexico drug incidents

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:46 AM PDT

At least 16 people, including a teenager and a woman, have been killed in separate incidents in the Mexican northern border city of Ciudad Juarez.

Spokesman for the Chihuahua state attorney general's office, Arturo Sandoval, said Wednesday that gunmen shot eight people dead in the parking lot of the Aristos bar.

Baloch Rebels kill Pakistani professor

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:42 AM PDT

A female professor at Pakistan's Balochistan University in Quetta has been killed in a drive-by shooting while travelling in a rickshaw.

Local police said gunmen shot assistant professor of mass communication Nazima Talib, 50, in Pakistan's troubled province of Balochistan on Tuesday.

Zob Ahan beats Al Ittihad in AFC-CL

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:34 AM PDT

Iran's Zob Ahan has set up an all Iranian clash with Mes FC in the AFC Champions League knockout stage following a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad.

Iranian international Mohammad Reza Khalatbari pounced on a defensive error just before the hour mark at Foulad Shahr Stadium in the Iranian city of Isfahan on Wednesday.

US to probe confession under torture

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:33 AM PDT

A United States military court has held hearings to determine whether Guantanamo prison guards tortured a teenage Canadian suspect into confession.

A teenage Canadian citizen, Omar Khadr was captured in July 2002 after being accused of killing a US soldier in Afghanistan. He, eventually, admitted to the alleged offense.

2 Turkish soldiers killed in PKK clash

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 03:00 AM PDT

Two soldiers have been killed in fresh military operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in southeastern Turkey.

The clashes took place on Wednesday when the members of the military patrolling Semdinli district of Hakkari province came across a group of PKK members. The militants opened fire when demanded to surrender.

Iranian MP says US held in contempt

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:40 AM PDT

A senior Iranian lawmaker says the United States is held in contempt for its status as the only country to have used nuclear weapons in the past.

Chairman of Iran's parliamentary (Majlis) Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Wednesday that Washington should apologize for its failure to abide by its obligations under international law and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Claim: MI5 files on 7/7 attacks 'impossible' to access

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:26 AM PDT

Aftermath of 7 July bomb attacks

It would be "impossible" to reveal secret MI5 files about the 7/7 London terror attacks, a court has been told.

The claim has been made at a hearing to decide the format of inquests into the deaths of those killed in 2005.

Lawyers for the families of those who died argue the hearing should also look at whether the intelligence services could have prevented the attacks.

Thai army urged to stop red shirts

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:22 AM PDT

Pro-government protesters in Thailand have called on Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, to take concrete measures against thousands of opposition demonstrators on the streets of Bangkok.

About 1,000 so-called yellow shirts gathered demanded that outside the 11th Infantry Regiment headquarters on the outskirts of the capital on Thursday demanding that he army act against their rival red shirts.

Children hurt in China knife attack

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:19 AM PDT

At least 31 people, including 28 children, have been wounded after a man carrying a knife attacked a kindergarten in Jiangsu province in eastern China, state media said.

Five of the injured pupils were in critical condition in a Taixing city hospital following the attack on Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

US plans burning huge oil spill

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:07 AM PDT

An oil spill burning operation has been launched to stop a giant oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico from washing up on the ecologically fragile coasts.

A fleet of vessels are sweeping the slick with an almost 1000 kilometer circumference and towing it to a more remote area where it will be ignited and burned in a controlled manner.

NYC rally slams Ariz. immigration law

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:52 AM PDT

Protesters in New York have expressed outrage concerning the possible civil rights violations in connection with the new Arizona immigration law.

A rally brought together hundreds of people to New York on Tuesday with placards reading, "Immigrants' Rights are Human Rights" and "Stop Deporting Families." Speaker after speaker criticized the situation in Arizona, Press TV reported Wednesday.

Qatar blasts Israel on Scud claims

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:39 AM PDT

Qatar's Prime minister has charged Israel with posing new threats against Lebanon and Syria by accusing Damascus of supplying Scud missiles to Hezbollah.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jaber al-Thani, who arrived in Beirut on an invitation from his Lebanese counterpart Saad Haariri, said Israel fabricated Scud allegations without providing any evidence, Lebanese media reported Wednesday.

Hamas slams Egypt for tunnel deaths

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:39 AM PDT

The Hamas movement has criticised Egyptian security forces after four Palestinians were killed when a smuggling tunnel from the country's Sinai desert region into the Gaza Strip was destroyed.

An Al Jazeera source said on Thursday that Egyptian authorities had warned the Palestinians that the tunnel would be destroyed, before using gas canisters and dynamite to blow it up.

Inter enters Champions League final

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:22 AM PDT

Ten-man Inter Milan has reached the European Champions League final despite a 1-0 semi-final second leg defeat against the defending champion Barcelona.

The Serie A leader lost 1-0 to Barcelona on Wednesday night but still reached its first Champions League final in 38 years by defeating the Spanish giants 3-2 on aggregate.

US oil leak 'worse than thought'

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:17 AM PDT

The southern US state of Louisiana is seeking emergency help after reports that an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico was five times worse than previously thought.

Rear Admiral Mary Landry of the US coast guard said on Wednesday that the leak from an underwater oil well owned by British energy company BP was dumping 5,000 barrels, or nearly 80,000 litres, of oil a day into the Gulf.

'Iran sanctions would solve nothing'

Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:03 AM PDT

The Brazilian president has repeated his call for a diplomatic solution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, saying that new Iran sanctions would not be helpful in any way.

On Wednesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that he would also keep working to persuade permanent members of the United Nations Security Council that sanctions against Iran would solve "absolutely nothing."

Afghans mark 18 yrs since fall of Kabul

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:53 PM PDT

Afghan leaders have marked the 18th anniversary of the defeat of the pro-Soviet government amid rising dissatisfaction with the US-NATO occupation.

Security measures in Kabul remained tight as Afghanistan commemorated the day when Mujahideen fighters finally took over the capital.

Bomb kills NATO soldier in Afghanistan

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:29 PM PDT

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) says at least one of its soldiers died in a bomb attack in southern Afghanistan.

The nationality of the soldier, who died in an attack on Wednesday, has not been disclosed.

Ecuador seeks arrest of Colombian pol

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:21 PM PDT

An Ecuadorian court has issued an arrest warrant for Colombian presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos.

Santos, an ultra-rightist candidate in the presidential election in Colombia, was allegedly behind a 2008 bombing inside Ecuador. Santos was Colombia's defense minister at the time and he allegedly oversaw the attack.

4 die in attack on Gaza tunnels

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:04 PM PDT

Four Palestinians were killed and another 10 injured after Egyptian security forces blew up four tunnels under the border with Gaza.

The Palestinian police blame the Egyptian security forces for killing the Palestinians by destroying the tunnels while they were working in them, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Iran Sanctions Debate Heats Up

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Wednesday's highly unusual public launch of a "conference committee" of both houses of Congress to hash out differences in long-pending legislation to impose unilateral sanctions on Iran marks a new stage in the escalating debate over what to do about Tehran's nuclear program.

With mid-term elections only six months away, many lawmakers are eager to demonstrate their strong support for Israel, which has argued for the adoption of "crippling" sanctions against the Islamic Republic as the only way to halt its alleged effort to acquire nuclear weapons short of a military attack.

US-Japan Airbase Spat May Have Regional Ripples

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

A protest of more than 90,000 Okinawans Sunday over the proposed relocation of a U.S. Marine Corps airbase in the southern Japanese prefecture has fueled speculation in Washington that the U.S.-Japanese alliance may be facing a serious test with the election of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), and that such strains might have serious implications for the U.S.'s ability to balance Chinese naval power in East Asia.

Prior to taking office in September 2009, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's election platform included a call for reexamining Japan's ties with the U.S., with a particular focus on the 50,000 U.S. military personnel based in Japan.

Papering the War Against Iran

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Perhaps the presence of so many lawyers in government has made inevitable the tendency for the United States to attempt to justify a war on paper even before a single shot is fired. George W. Bush decided to invade Iraq virtually from the day that he entered office, but the Administration nevertheless dutifully worked its way through the United Nations, basing its case on a parcel of lies and half-truths, to obtain a legal justification in the form of a Security Council resolution to attack Saddam Hussein.

To Peace Plan or Not to Peace Plan, and When?

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Reports earlier this month that President Barack Obama may present a comprehensive U.S. peace plan for resolving the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict have spurred a growing public debate over its wisdom and timing.

While relatively few voices are calling for Washington to table such a plan immediately, some experts argue that Washington should be preparing the ground now, if it is not doing so already, for unveiling possibly as early as the end of the year.

Settler Sewage Ruins Palestinian Crops, Drinking Water

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

BEIT UMMAR, West Bank — Residents of this Palestinian village refuse to buy the idea that the flood of raw sewage from the adjacent Israeli settlement of Kfar Etzion, that destroyed vineyards and contaminated their drinking water, was an accident.

The Israeli Civil Administration, which administers the occupied West Bank, claims the spillage was the result of an accidental power malfunction which caused excess settlement sewage to overflow onto Palestinian land.

Becker's paradox

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 10:37 PM PDT

john kaminski

It has been my contention, since the mid-1990s, that the human population of planet Earth has trapped itself in a lie of its own device, which will destroy everything we know and love if we don't admit it and correct it.

The lie, you must know by now, is that we do not die, when in fact we do, most obviously. This knowledge, this thought, is the one single fact that is always on our mind, though we sashay through the day without ever giving it a single notice, because it is buried so deeply in the trappings of our existences, trappings all chosen for the very purpose of totally anesthetizing that thought from our waking consciousness.

Dual Loyalty Revisited

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 10:03 PM PDT

Jeff Gates

Four-fifths of the U.S. House and Senate recently declared in correspondence to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the U.S. must reaffirm its "unbreakable bond" with Israel. What persuaded our Congress to proclaim their loyalty to Israel while our military is waging war in the Middle East based on fabricated intelligence?

Any sober assessment of this bond must concede a need to reappraise its cost in blood and treasure. Yet the Congress—our Congress—opposed that reassessment even as our commander-in-chief seeks to end a brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine that has provoked worldwide outrage for more than six decades.

'US seeks deal' in Guantanamo case

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 09:53 PM PDT

Prosecutors and defence lawyers have been discussing a possible plea bargain for a young Canadian held on terrorism charges at the US military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, a defence lawyer has said.

As pre-trial hearings in Omar Khadr's case began, a defence lawyer said there had been negotiations over a deal that would allow Khadr to plead guilty to reduced charges in exchange for leniency.

IMF fears debt crisis 'contagion'

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:50 PM PDT

The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned that Greece's debt crisis could spread and threaten the economies of other countries.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn made the comments in Berlin on Wednesday as he tried to persuade Germany, Europe's biggest economy, to back the terms of a multi-billion dollar rescue package.

Oklahoma Passes Bill Outlawing Militia Recruitment

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:37 PM PDT

kurt nimmo Last week the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a bill that equates recruiting militia members to recruiting gang members.

"Recruiting membership in an unauthorized militia or the Ku Klux Klan would be a crime if legislation approved Thursday by the House of Representatives becomes law. 'This is making unauthorized militias illegal,' said Rep. Mike Shelton, the amendment's author," News OK reported on Thursday.

'Iran, Turkey stand together'

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:28 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran and Turkey have common interests and stand together in the international arena to carry out "constructive missions."

"Safeguarding the security of the region and making joint efforts to affect the world order in a positive way are the main responsibilities of the two countries," Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday during a meeting with the new Turkish ambassador to Iran, Umit Yardim.

Funeral held for S Korean sailors

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:24 PM PDT

A military funeral has been held to honour the 46 South Korean sailors that died when unexplained explosion destroyed their warship on March 26.

Flags flew at half-mast across the county, residents observed a moment of silence and a siren sounded as a mass funeral began at 10am (0100 GMT) on Thursday for the victims of one of the country's worst naval disasters.

Greek debt causes eurozone jitters

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:10 PM PDT

Financial markets continue to take hits over concerns that the debt crisis in Greece may spread to other eurozone countries.

European stocks and the euro fell sharply on Wednesday amid speculation over the future of the Greek economy.

Canadian Government Labels Galloway a Terrorist for Aiding Palestinians

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 07:49 PM PDT

The decision to ban a controversial British MP from Canada was an "exercise in taunting" by senior government officials who disagreed with George Galloway's views on Afghanistan, lawyers argued during a judicial review Wednesday.

Lawyer Barbara Jackman said the Canadian government falsely and unfairly labelled Galloway a terrorist because it didn't like his views.

US inches towards financial reform

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 07:39 PM PDT

US senators have agreed to debate a bill after days of blocking manoeuvres by opposition Republicans, moving the country closer to financial reforms that the president says are necessary to avoid a repeat of the crisis that plunged the country into recession.

Barack Obama welcomed Wednesday's vote that ended three days of deadlock.

Riot Police Sent to Intimidate Tea Party During Obama Event

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 07:34 PM PDT

Obama trekked to Quincy, Illinois, today to pitch his Wall Street shell game. Obama's pitch is designed to coincide with the Goldman Sachs dog and pony show now dominating the corporate media.

The local Tea Party decided to greet the president but the local constabulary was having nothing to do with it — they sent out riot cops to intimidate the Tea Party protesters. It seems they were in cahoots with the Secret Service.

The Enemy Of My Enemy Is Not Necessarily My Friend!

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 07:23 PM PDT

Recently the proprietor of this blog wrote…

Traditionally, the United States has always had good relations with the Islamic world.

In fact this isn't true in any meaningful way, though I've noticed that those who focus on the JQ almost invariably end up taking some variation of this position, Pat Buchanan has, and much more recently Richard Hoste.

2 Palestinian kids killed by Israeli jeep

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 07:00 PM PDT

Two Palestinian children have been killed in a collision between an Israeli army jeep and a tractor.

In the incident, an Israeli army jeep hit the trailer of a tractor in the Jordan Valley of the occupied West Bank.

Ahmadinejad plans NY trip, US says

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 06:24 PM PDT

The US State Department says Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has applied to visit the US to attend a nuclear non-proliferation conference in New York.

US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley confirmed that the applications for Ahmadinejad and his delegation had been submitted in Bern, Switzerland, and he indicated they were likely to be approved.

How India-Israel created Bangladesh

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 06:13 PM PDT

Former head of counter-terrorism branch of India's intelligence Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), B. Raman, in his book 'The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane' documents the major part played by India-Israel intelligence agencies in the dismemberment of Pakistan and creation of Bangladesh in the Eastern part of Pakistan in 1971. The book give most credit to the first Chief of RAW, Rameshwar Nath Kao (died 2002) from 1969 to 1977, whose photo adorns the front-cover of the book. According to the book the breakup of East Pakistan was carried out by Indira Gandhi government in two phases. Phase one was coordinated by RN. Kao and phase two by Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (a Parsi, died 2008) – both reporting directly to Indira Gandhi (died 1984).

Iran books go to Munich Intl. library

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 04:27 PM PDT

Four children's books by Iranian authors have been included on the 2010 selected book list of the Munich International Youth Library.

Farideh Khalatbari's Iron Shoes illustrated by Farshid Shafiei, Fereidoun Amouzadeh-Khalili's Crows Don't Catch Bird Flu illustrated by Neda Azimi, Atousa Saleh's I Miss You illustrated by Hoda Haddadi and Mohammad-Reza Shams' Lazy Hero illustrated by Mahmoud Mokhtari made it onto the list this year.

Americans losing faith in healthcare

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 04:19 PM PDT

Despite the passage of a sprawling healthcare bill, the American public is steadily losing confidence in receiving healthcare, survey suggests.

The Thomson Reuters Consumer Healthcare Sentiment Index revealed on Wednesday that confidence lost three percentage points from a baseline of 100 in December to 97 in March.

Iran congratulates Bashir on re-election

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 04:18 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has congratulated his Sudanese counterpart Umar Hassan al-Bashir on winning the country's presidential vote.

President Ahmadinejad sent a congratulatory message to the Sudanese president on Wednesday and expressed hope that his re-election would open a new chapter in bilateral relations between Iran and Sudan.

Israeli troops kill Gazan protester

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 04:04 PM PDT

Israeli soldiers have shot and killed a 20-year old Palestinian during a protest in the besieged Gaza Strip, along the heavily-guarded border with Israel.

Ahmed Salim was shot on Wednesday morning as dozens of Palestinians held a peaceful demonstration against a decision by Israel to build a buffer zone in the area.

Bears in a Honey Trap

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 04:02 PM PDT

The phone call came in the middle of the night. The tape, the caller said, was already online. It was past two, but Viktor Shenderovich, Russia's pre-eminent political satirist, knew he had to move, to get his side of the story out before Moscow awoke to watch video of him, naked, hairy, and vulnerable, having sex with a young woman named Katya, already infamous for luring a who's-who of the Russian opposition to her bugged apartment for kinky sex and drugs. Shenderovich had been anticipating this moment and now it had arrived, two days before his daughter's wedding day.

Shenderovich, who says he is happily married, fessed up.

House arrest awaits Iran reporter

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 03:59 PM PDT

After more than a month in Italian custody, accredited Iranian journalist Hamid Masouminejad will be moved from jail to house arrest pending his appeal.

Majid Jafarzadeh, a senior aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Wednesday that Italian officials had agreed to release Masouminejad on bail and place him under house arrest pending his trial.

Iraq recovers ancient Ur clay tablets

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 03:51 PM PDT

Iraqi archeologists have recovered a collection of ancient clay tablets, which had been illegally dug out by a man in the country's southern province of Dhiqar.

The cache included 13 tablets bearing Sumerian cuneiform, dating back to the Third Dynasty of Ur, which ruled southern Iraq more than 4,000 years ago.

Tehran to host 980 Intl. publishers

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 03:42 PM PDT

More than 900 international publishers are set to participate in the 23rd Tehran International Book Fair, which is held annually in the Iranian capital.

"Some 25,000 square meters of the fair is allocated to foreign publishers, from which China has reserved the maximum space of 100 square meters," Tehran Times quoted head of the event's international section Mohammad-Reza Vasfi as saying.

Career Ruined? Adopt a Negro!

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 03:32 PM PDT

I love you! You got me a PEOPLE cover! Recently, I speculated what Sandra Bullock would do to rebut the inevitable accusations of racism following Jesse James's swastika scandal. Well, now we know.

Mrs. Bullock is going to imitate her on screen alter ego by adopting a Negro child, the ultimate status symbol for the Hollywood elite. Supposedly, she and James adopted this child before the Oscars and the secret was kept until now because of all the controversy. I suppose that's true, but suffice to say I would not be horribly shocked if it's not.

Grapes cut heart disease risk

Posted: 28 Apr 2010 03:07 PM PDT

A grape-enriched diet can lower blood pressure and improve heart function, reducing the risk of developing heart disease, a new study says.

According to the study presented at the 2010 Experimental Biology meeting in Anaheim, Calif., grapes can lower blood pressure, improve glucose tolerance and reduce triglycerides levels.

You are subscribed to email updates from Rebel Newsflash To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)