Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Smallpox vaccine fights HIV spread

Smallpox vaccine fights HIV spread (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Smallpox vaccine fights HIV spread

Posted: 19 May 2010 09:20 PM PDT

The fact that the smallpox vaccine is no longer in use has inadvertently helped the spread of HIV infection, explaining recent rises in the prevalence of the disease.

Smallpox immunization was gradually withdrawn following the worldwide eradication of smallpox in the mid-20th century.

Bangkok burns amid army crackdown

Posted: 19 May 2010 09:12 PM PDT

Riots have broken out in parts of Bangkok following the military's capture of the fortified opposition encampments in the Thai capital's main business district.

Media reports say that several major buildings in the capital were set ablaze on Wednesday. Fire is burning at least 20 buildings including those of the stock exchange, banks, a shopping mall and a TV station.

Times Sq. suspect enters no 'guilty plea'

Posted: 19 May 2010 08:34 PM PDT

The alleged New York Times Square bomber, in his first court appearance, has refused to plead guilty to any of the charges brought against him.

Faisal Shahzad, who has reportedly been cooperating with the US authorities, showed little emotion in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday.

Baby blues can affect new dads too

Posted: 19 May 2010 08:03 PM PDT

While postpartum depression had long been reported among new moms, a recent study suggests that the condition can also affect new fathers.

Postpartum depression, a transient feeling of sadness, loss of interest, sleep problems, and low energy, affects 10 to 30 percent of new mothers in the first few weeks after delivery. The condition is linked to hormonal changes that commonly occur after labour.

45 US-led forces killed in Bagram

Posted: 19 May 2010 06:17 PM PDT

At least 45 US-led forces have been killed during an attack by Taliban militants on the US-run Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, the group claims.

A Press TV correspondent quoted a Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying that 45 US-led soldiers including several army generals have been killed during the attack.

New findings on Polish plane tragedy

Posted: 19 May 2010 06:07 PM PDT

A probe into the late Polish president's plane crash in April shows the presence of non-crew members in the cockpit as new information surfaces about the fatal crash.

"It has been established that in the cockpit there were individuals who were not members of the crew," AFP quoted Tatyana Anodina, an official for the Russian Inter-state Aviation Committee, as saying.

2 US-led forces killed in Afghanistan

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:58 PM PDT

At least two foreign soldiers have been killed in a roadside bomb blast in the south of Afghanistan amid an upsurge in attacks against US-led forces.

According to a Press TV correspondent, the US-led forces confirmed in a statement that the two soldiers were killed on Tuesday but did not disclose their nationalities or the exact location of the incident.

Iranian man slams state of French jails

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:26 PM PDT

An Iranian man released by French authorities after spending 16 years in a Paris jail has harshly criticized the conditions under which prisoners are held in France.

Ali Vakili-Rad, who returned back to Tehran late Tuesday, told a Press TV correspondent at the airport that he believed the West failed to practice what it preached.

Brazil wants Iran sanctions dropped

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:24 PM PDT

After Iran issued a declaration seeking to end the country's nuclear dispute, Brazil says slapping a new round of UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran would jeopardize a peaceful solution to case.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, whose country is a non-permanent member at the UNSC, warned against the approval of any draft resolution on Iran, saying the move would provoke a chain of reactions.

China mine blast claims 10 lives

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:02 PM PDT

At least 10 workers have been killed and one remains trapped underground after a gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in northern China.

The blast took place late Tuesday at China's Shanxi province, the country's coal-producing heartland.

Pakistan, US try to settle visa row

Posted: 19 May 2010 03:37 PM PDT

Pakistan and the US have reportedly agreed to resolve issues concerning a year-long interruption in visa issuance to each other's diplomats, officials say.

The news comes after unconfirmed reports that the Pakistani Foreign Office summoned the officials of the US Embassy in Islamabad, including political secretary Brian D Hunt and Head of Visa Section Chris Richard.

Rand Paul Savages Obama's Catastrophic "Green Economy"

Posted: 19 May 2010 03:27 PM PDT

After trouncing his neo-con opponent comprehensively in the Kentucky Senate primary, Rand Paul savaged the man-made global warming scam for what it truly represents – an attack on the middle class and the industrialized world, as he warned President Obama and his sycophants, "we've come to take our government back".

"I have a message, a message from the Tea Party – a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words – we've come to take our government back," stated Paul to rapturous applause, adding that he would take on the special interests in Washington who treat the federal government as their own personal ATM.

Thai protest movement surrenders

Posted: 19 May 2010 03:15 PM PDT

Leaders of Thailand's anti-government protest movement have decided to surrender amid fears that escalating violence would claim more lives in the country.

At least four Red Shirt leaders turned themselves in on Wednesday, shortly after the military staged a crackdown on the protesters, AFP reported.

PA Willing To Have NATO Forces In Future State

Posted: 19 May 2010 03:13 PM PDT

London based Al-Quds al-Arabi are reporting that Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, is willing to have NATO forces stationed in a future Palestinian state, and intends on informing Special US envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, of this in their Wednesday afternoon meeting in Ramallah.

The report states that Abbas is willing to accept NATO forces in a demilitarized Palestinian state to curb arms smuggling and would expect those forces to protect the Palestinian state from any potential attacks from Israel.

Rigi: US, Israel paid for assassination

Posted: 19 May 2010 03:01 PM PDT

Captured Jundullah leader Abdolmalek Rigi has said that while in Morocco, what he believed were Israeli or US agents had given him a list of people to assassinate in Tehran.

In a recent interview, Rigi told Press TV that before his arrest Jundullah had held a series of meetings in Casablanca with a group who had claimed to be NATO contacts.

US draft pushes new bans on Iran

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:52 PM PDT

One day after the US said an agreement was reached on draft sanctions against Iran over its nuclear work, the details of the proposed resolution is made public.

According to a Wednesday report by the Associated Press, the new US-prepared draft resolution calls on Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities or face further UN Security Council sanctions.

Euro slides to new four-year low

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:43 PM PDT

There seems to be no end in sight to the financial woes in Europe, as the euro slumps to a new four-year low against the US dollar in currency markets.

The eurozone's single currency dropped more than 1.7% in New York trade to stand at a rate of USD 1.216 per euro on Tuesday.

Tea Party Paul scores Kentucky win

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:43 PM PDT

Tea Party activist Rand Paul has secured the Republican nomination for the US state of Kentucky in a closely watched Senate primary poll race.

The first-time political candidate defeated Republican establishment favorite Trey Grayson with 60% of the votes compared to 36%, partial results showed on Tuesday.

Strong tremor hits northern Peru

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:25 PM PDT

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale has rattled southern Peru, with no immediate reports of injuries or major damages.

The United States Geological Survey said the tremor hit 81 miles (130 km) north-northwest of Moyobamba and 480 miles (775 km) north of the capital Lima at 0415 GMT on Wednesday.

Silicon Valley Science Prize Awarded to Palestinian School Girls From Nablus

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:48 PM PDT

Photo courtesy of United Nations Development Programme

Three school girls from Nablus have been awarded first prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Silicon Valley, California. Their winning entry was a walking cane for the blind, inspired by their relatives struggles with the changing terrain in Aksa Refugee Camp.

Aseel Abu Aleil, Aseel Alshaar and Noor Alarada, all 14 and educated at an UNRWA school in Aksa Camp, Nablus, were amongst 1,500 finalists for the coveted prize; reputed to be the largest pre-university science fair in the world.

UN calls for biodiversity preservation

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:27 PM PDT

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has warned of the rapid deterioration of natural resources while calling for respecting the true value of species and habitats.

"Let us adjust policies and mindsets to reflect the true value of species and habitats," Ban said in a message on the occasion of the International Day of Biological Diversity on May 22.

Afghan militants attack US base

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:12 PM PDT

Militants in Afghanistan have launched an assault against the US-run Bagram air north of Kabul using rockets, small arms and grenades.

According to a US statement, five service members were wounded during the pre-dawn assault on Wednesday against the US airbase, 50 kilometers north of Kabul.

Italian journalist killed in Bangkok

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:59 PM PDT

An Italian journalist has been killed in a gun battle between Thai military forces and anti-government "Red Shirt" protestors in Thailand's volatile capital of Bangkok.

"An Italian man was shot and died before arriving at the hospital," Police Hospital Director Jongjet Aoajenpong told AFP on Wednesday.

Israeli Troops Detain Women And Children In Northern West Bank

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:40 PM PDT

Jenin - Six women and their children from the village of Araba, northern West Bank, were detained by Israeli troops on Tuesday evening.

The women and their children were collecting grab leaves from their lands close to the Mabo Do Than settlement built on villagers' lands. Troops detained them then moved them to a military site inside the settlement and kept them there until Wednesday at dawn.

Pak officer arrested over NY bomb plot

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:33 PM PDT

The failed bombing attempt in New York takes another twist as authorities arrest a Pakistani army major suspected of having links with the prime suspect of the case.

While the unnamed army major's ties with bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad remains unclear, Pakistani law enforcement sources maintain that the two had met in Islamabad and were in mobile contact.

2 killed in Bangkok gun battle

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:22 PM PDT

Four people have been killed in clashes between Thai troops and anti-government protesters in Bangkok, where the latest confrontations continue on a sixth consecutive day.

Amid contrasting reports of casualties, Reuters quoted witnesses as saying two protesters were killed on Wednesday, after the state-run Thai television said four people were injured in the latest clashes.

4 killed in Bangkok gun battle

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:22 PM PDT

At least four people have died in clashes between Thai troops and anti-government protesters in Bangkok, where the latest confrontations continue on a sixth consecutive day.

Four people died and many were wounded on Wednesday after after troops backed by armored vehicles advanced on the protesters' encampment in central Bangkok and smashed through their barricades, AFP quoted police and hospital sources as saying.

Israeli Tanks Invade Northern Gaza Strip Farm Lands

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:17 PM PDT

Israeli tanks and bulldozers invaded on Wednesday morning farm lands that belong to farmers form Beit Lahiya town in the northern part of the Gaza strip.

While bulldozers uprooted trees and destroyed crops tanks opened fire at nearby residents homes and those who were working on their lands. Local sources reported damage to homes but no injuries among residents.

Iraq warns of US 'terror factories'

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:07 PM PDT

An Iraqi official says US-run detention facilities in the country, denounced as "factories for terrorists," have brought about more crime than correction.

"The majority of the detainees who used to be inside US prisons went back to work in crimes and terrorism at a high level after they were released," a spokesman for the security forces in Baghdad, Major General Qassim Atta, was quoted by AFP as saying on Tuesday.

'Israel is the West's tool'

Posted: 19 May 2010 10:44 AM PDT

Israel has been planted in the Middle East to serve the policies of the Western powers, an official of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says.

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Israel is being used to establish hegemony over the region, the Press TV correspondent in Beirut, Ali Rizk, reported on Tuesday.

We won't cuts ties with Iran: Assad

Posted: 19 May 2010 10:28 AM PDT

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says Israel has offered to engage in direct peace talks with Damascus if it cuts ties with Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Israeli President Shimon Peres conveyed the proposal via his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, Assad told the Lebanese Daily Al-Safir on Tuesday.

We won't cut ties with Iran: Assad

Posted: 19 May 2010 10:28 AM PDT

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says Israel has offered to engage in direct peace talks with Damascus if it cuts ties with Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Israeli President Shimon Peres conveyed the proposal via his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, Assad told the Lebanese Daily Al-Safir on Tuesday.

'World should focus on Israel's nukes'

Posted: 19 May 2010 10:19 AM PDT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the dispute over Iran's nuclear program has been resolved and the international community should focus on Israel now.

"In fact, there is no nuclear weapon in Iran now but Israel, which is also located in our region, possesses nuclear arms. Turkey is the same distance from both of them," Turkey's Star newspaper quoted Erdogan as saying on Tuesday.

WHO issues anti-Israeli resolution

Posted: 19 May 2010 10:11 AM PDT

The World Health Organization (WHO), with the approval of the majority, has issued a resolution urging Israel to end the siege of Gaza.

Earning the approval of 63 member states, the resolution demanded "that Israel... immediately put an end to the closure of the occupied Palestinian territory," AFP reported on Tuesday.

'North Korea behind' ship attack

Posted: 19 May 2010 08:26 AM PDT

South Korea will formally blame North Korea for sinking one of its navy vessels in March based on investigations of the wreckage, media reports citing sources familiar with a probe into the incident have said.

The Washington Post in its online edition said Seoul concluded North Korea was responsible for the torpedo attack after investigators from Australia, Britain, Sweden and the United States pieced together portions of the ship.

Thai army enters protest camp

Posted: 19 May 2010 08:24 AM PDT

Thai soldiers and armoured carriers have punched through barricades and moved into the main encampment of anti-government protesters in Bangkok.

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from inside the breached protest site on Wednesday, said the well organised and well armed troops moved quickly through the first kilometre of the protest site, towards the main stage where the leaders of the so-called red shirts were believed to be.

Al-Shabab attacks World Vision offices

Posted: 19 May 2010 08:18 AM PDT

Al-Shabab fighters have attacked the offices of a relief agency in southern Somalia and ordered the NGO to cease operations in the area.

Officials of the World Vision center in Baidabo said that their offices in the Wajid, Tiyaglo, and Baidabo districts were attacked on Tuesday.

Taliban attacks Afghan air base

Posted: 19 May 2010 08:01 AM PDT

At least seven Taliban fighters have been killed and five Nato troops wounded in an ongoing assault on Bagram air base in Afghanistan, Nato says.

Nato's International Security Assistance Force, or Isaf, said on Wednesday: "Seven insugents have been killed during an ongoing attack on Bagram that included rockets, small arms and grenades. Five service members were wounded."

US introduces new sanctions resolution

Posted: 19 May 2010 07:55 AM PDT

The US has introduced a draft sanctions resolution that targets Iran's military, financial, and shipping activities.

The US ambassador to the United Nations said the resolution would give "greater teeth" to existing sanctions to intensify pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.

ElBaradei welcomes Iran's declaration

Posted: 19 May 2010 07:12 AM PDT

The former head of the UN nuclear watchdog says Iran's decision to send its enriched uranium to Turkey could pave the way for broader negotiations.

Iran, Brazil, and Turkey issued a nuclear declaration in Tehran on Monday that names Turkey as the site of a nuclear fuel swap where Tehran would exchange its low-enriched uranium for reactor fuel.

'World should support Iran declaration'

Posted: 19 May 2010 06:48 AM PDT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the international community to support the nuclear declaration Iran signed with Turkey and Brazil.

"There is a unique chance before us and I believe that we should take this chance," AFP quoted Erdogan as saying at a press conference in Madrid on Tuesday.

Fears oil spill may reach Florida

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:49 AM PDT

The discovery of tar balls washed up on beaches in Florida has raised fears that the reach of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has expanded dramatically.

Rangers at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park found about 20 tar balls scattered along the shoreline, leading to speculation that the spilled oil may have entered the powerful Loop Current around the Florida Peninsula.

Israel: Chomsky ban 'big mistake'

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:49 AM PDT

The Israeli government has said it made a "big mistake'' by barring Noam Chomsky, an American academic and political activist, from entering the occupied West Bank earlier this week.

The interior ministry said on Tuesday that a low-level border clerk had wrongfully denied him entry, and that he was now free to enter.

Italy seeking Afghan war exit strategy

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:29 AM PDT

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he wants his country's troops to withdraw from Afghanistan soon, but has given no timetable.

He made the remarks on Tuesday, the same day that Italian troops held an emotional tribute for two Italian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Thai troops move on protest camp

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:07 AM PDT

The Thai military has mounted an offensive against anti-government protesters in Bangkok, with soldiers firing live rounds and using armoured vehicles to batter barricades at the so-called red shirts' main encampment.

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from the southern end of the protest site, said armoured personnel carriers repeatedly rammed a barricade made up largely of tyres, sharpened bamboo poles and razor wire until it was mostly flattened on Wednesday.

New module attached to space station

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:44 AM PDT

NASA astronauts have attached a Russian docking compartment and a small science laboratory onto the $100 billion International Space Station (ISS.)

The parts were delivered by the shuttle Atlantis, which set off on its final ISS journey on May 14, 2010.

ALIPAC Dances To OPP Tune

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:29 AM PDT

I've long despised William Gheen of ALIPAC. For several years now, I have considered ALIPAC a cancer on the body of the immigration reform movement, a pathetic attempt to neutralize the immigration issue by making it solely about the paperwork of immigrants. These people don't care if America is buried under a Third World tidal wave so long as it happens legally. If George W. Bush and Ted Kennedy had gotten their way back in 2006, William Gheen would have nothing to complain about, as all the "illegal aliens" would be American citizens and legal immigrants.

Pakistan had most IDPs in world in 2009

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:19 AM PDT

The UN says Pakistan had the highest number of internally displaced people in the world in 2009.

According to a recent study by the United Nations, over three million Pakistanis are homeless, mainly due to attacks by militants and Islamabad's large-scale military operations that are being carried out to put down the insurgency.

Thai troops mass near protest site

Posted: 19 May 2010 03:22 AM PDT

Thai troops and armoured vehicles have gathered near the main encampment of anti-government protesters in Bangkok, with soldiers firing warning shots and telling the so-called red shirts to leave.

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from near the protest site, said machine gun mounted armoured personnel carriers were just metres away from the barricades at the protesters' Rachaprasong protest site at Bangkok's high-end shopping, hotel and diplomatic district, early on Wednesday.

Vacaville Police Train with DHS in "Crowd Management" Exercise

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:44 AM PDT

In California, it looks like the Department of Homeland Security is getting local cops and first responders ready for the coming IMF riots. A press release sent out by the Vacaville Police Department announces a training session to be held on May 19 and 20 on the campus of Solano Community College in Vacaville, California (see press release below).

"Solano County Mutual Aid Field Force is comprised of officers from law enforcement agencies throughout Solano County," states the press release. "The primary mission of the Solano County Mutual Aid Field Force is to respond to incidents of crowd management, civil or criminal disasters, and other incidents at the direction of the Solano County Office of Emergency Services."

Erdogan questions UNSC 'credibility'

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:27 AM PDT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the UN Security Council lacks the "credibility" to deal with Iran's nuclear issue.

Erdogan criticized the permanent members of the Security Council for maintaining their nuclear capability while calling on other countries to abandon their weapons.

Israel 'mulling reoccupation of Gaza'

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:24 AM PDT

With the settlement row still rumbling on, the Israeli army has reportedly prepared several scenarios for a possible reoccupation of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli military officials held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss a possible full occupation of Gaza, Israel's Maariv daily said on its website.

Tokyo not ready to resolve US base row

Posted: 19 May 2010 02:11 AM PDT

Amid stiff opposition against a controversial US airbase in Japan, Tokyo says it is not ready to resolve the row when the US secretary of state visits the country.

Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said on Tuesday that Tokyo would not work toward an agreement with Washington to relocate the controversial facility out of Okinawa Island when Hillary Clinton visits Japan later this week.

Polio outbreak reported in Tajikistan

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:39 AM PDT

The increasing number of polio cases in Tajikistan has resulted in the first outbreak of the disease in the polio-free zone based on the World Health Organization (WHO) data.

Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease that attacks the nervous system, preferentially infecting and destroying motor neurons.

FIFA terror plot targeted Danes, Dutch

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:36 AM PDT

A detained Saudi national, accused of planning an attack during the upcoming FIFA World Cup has revealed that Danish and Dutch teams were targets of his planned assaults.

The European teams were selected as certain artists in both countries had previously insulted the Prophet Muhammad, Abdullah al-Qahtani told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Lebanon hails Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:35 AM PDT

Lebanon has welcomed Iran's nuclear declaration and reaffirmed Beirut's support for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.

"Lebanon has always called for a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program," Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said in a statement issued by his press office on Tuesday.

7 die in North Caucasus clashes

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:19 AM PDT

At least seven people have been killed and three more wounded after clashes erupted between troops and militants in the North Caucasus region of Russia.

Three Russian soldiers died after they were targeted in their cars in the Russian restive Republic of Chechnya, the Russian Interfax news agency quoted the Russian Interior Ministry as saying on Tuesday.

NYC bomb suspect denied bail

Posted: 19 May 2010 01:01 AM PDT

A US judge has ordered a Pakistani-American man accused of driving a homemade car bomb into New York's Times Square to remain held without bail.

Magistrate Judge James Francis remanded Faisal Shahzad in custody on Tuesday after his court-appointed defence attorney, Julia Gatto, opted not to challenge the prosecutors' request that he remain jailed pending trial.

Nuts can 'cut' heart disease risk

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:43 AM PDT

Eating nuts on a regular basis may help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of developing coronary heart diseases, a new study suggests.

"Increasing consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favorably affect blood lipid levels (at least in the short term), and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk," said lead researcher Joan Sabate.

Iran ensemble to perform at World Expo

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:37 AM PDT

Iran's Lian ensemble, led by Mohsen Sharifian, has been invited to perform regional music during the 2010 World Expo in the Chinese city of Shanghai.

"We were invited following our performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics," Sharifian told Fars News Agency.

UN discusses Iran sanctions deal

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:28 AM PDT

Members of the UN security council have agreed on a package of strong new sanctions to impose on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, announced.

The draft resolution was passed to all 15 members of the UN security council by the permanent five on Tuesday.

Clinton: Deal made on Iran sanctions

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:21 AM PDT

The US claims to have made an agreement with all veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council on a draft sanctions resolution against Iran.

"We have reached agreement on a strong draft with the cooperation of Russia and China," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, referring to talks with permanent members of the UN Security Council Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.

Poland to unveil US Patriots on May 26

Posted: 19 May 2010 12:06 AM PDT

Poland is going to unveil the first US Patriot-type missile battery deployed on its soil in accordance with a Washington revamped missile defense system in eastern Europe.

The missile site developed at a military base in the Polish northern town of Morag is going to be unveiled on May 26 in an official ceremony, AFP quoted Defense Ministry spokesman Janusz Sejmej as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

S Korea: North's torpedo sank ship

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:48 PM PDT

Months after a warship belonging to South Korea sank near a disputed sea border, South Korean investigators say there is evidence that a North Korean torpedo caused the incident.

Military experts told Seoul-based Yonhap news agency on Tuesday that chemical traces found on the ship's wreckage were similar to substances used in North Korean torpedoes.

S Korea says North's torpedo sank ship

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:48 PM PDT

Months after a warship belonging to South Korea sank near a disputed sea border, South Korean investigators say there is evidence that a North Korean torpedo caused the incident.

Military experts told Seoul-based Yonhap news agency on Tuesday that chemical traces found on the ship's wreckage were similar to substances used in North Korean torpedoes.

Brazil, Turkey to join Iran nuclear talks

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:46 PM PDT

Brazil and Turkey seek to join the Group of Six world powers' talks on Iran's nuclear program, an adviser to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said.

The call comes one day after Iran announced that it had agreed to send some 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg of 20 percent uranium.

Iran commemorates Omar Khayyam

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:22 PM PDT

Iran's National Museum has held a conference to commemorate the renowned Persian poet and polymath Omar Khayyam in the capital city of Tehran.

The event, held on Tuesday, was attended by prominent Iranian and Georgian scholars, who delivered lectures on Khayyam's popularity in Georgia and the existing literary relations between the two countries, IRNA reported.

Hariri meets Assad in Damascus

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:11 PM PDT

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss the latest developments in the region.

The two officials held talks on Tuesday, Syria's official news agency reported.

Israel calls meeting on Iran declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:01 PM PDT

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss Iran's nuclear declaration, one day after the agreement was made public.

"The forum of seven (ministers) met this morning at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem," an unnamed Israeli official told AFP, as the meeting quietly wrapped up without any announcements.

Israeli goods boycott gains momentum

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:44 PM PDT

One month after the Palestinian Authority moved to boycott goods produced in Israeli settlements, hundreds of volunteers launch a similar campaign in the West Bank.

University students on Tuesday began to distribute a list of 500 goods produced by Israelis living in the occupied territories, calling on Palestinian consumers to boycott them.

Thai gov't rejects ceasefire talks

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:31 PM PDT

Tensions further mount in Thailand's capital of Bangkok as senior government officials reject a call for ceasefire by the opposition protesters as 'nonsense'.

Thai Cabinet officials announced on Tuesday that the country's protesters, known as Red Shirts, must first disperse from a shopping center in the heart of Bangkok, AFP reported.

Pesticides may cause ADHD in kids

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:26 PM PDT

Children exposed to even low concentrations of pesticides known as organophosphates are at a greater risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Previous studies had reported that organophosphates pesticides such as malathion are a well-known toxic for the nervous system.

Iran cartoonist to judge Turkey contest

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:23 PM PDT

Iranian artist Masoud Shojaei-Tabatabaei has been selected to serve on the jury of Turkey's 5th edition of Don Quixote Cartoon Contest.

Shojaei-Tabatabaei will join Nezih Danyal, Suat Yalaz, Eray Ozbek, Behic Ak, Piyale Madra, Sevket Yalaz, Erdogan Karayel, Valeriu Curtu and Ares.

Tehran to reopen Sa'ad Abad museum

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:03 PM PDT

The Sa'ad Abad Cultural and Historical Complex will reopen its Arts of the Nations Museum in the capital city of Tehran to mark the International Museum Day.

The Arts of the Nations Museum belonged to the wife of former Iranian monarch Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi's and houses objects purchased in or gifted by different countries.

Who Wants This American Dead?

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:00 PM PDT

In March 2001, Indonesian Intelligence Chief Arie Kumaat asked American James M. ("Mel") Rockefeller to assess the Taliban's destruction of the two ancient Buddhas of Bamyan carved into a sandstone cliff in central Afghanistan 140 miles northwest of Kabul.

Familiar with psychological operations (psy-ops) that involve lengthy pre-staging, Kumaat inquired of Rockefeller in Jakarta why that incident occurred at that time and place.

Greg Johnson on Christianity

Posted: 18 May 2010 09:42 PM PDT

Greg Johnson knocks this one out of the ball park.

This article eloquently sums up my own view of Christianity and its relationship to White Nationalism. The idea that there is "No Way Out But Through the Christians" is retarded. The Church is a reed that has always blown with the political wind. If Hitler had won the Second World War, the Pope wouldn't be talking about "human rights" and "migrants" today. Here in the South, the Southern Baptists suddenly realized they were against "racism" in 1998.

Unrest disrupts Greek, Thai tourism

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:38 PM PDT

The tourism industry has been hit hard in Thailand and Greece as the capitals of both countries descend further into violence after weeks of paralyzing riots.

According to the Seattle Times, Athens suffered nearly 20,000 hotel booking cancellations as dozens of countries were reported to have warned their citizens against traveling to Bangkok.

David Icke On The Polish Government Plane Crash and Haiti Quake

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:37 PM PDT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asWVvyTF-SM

'Mourinho to replace Pellegrini at Real'

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:30 PM PDT

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is set to replace current manger Manuel Pellegrini with Inter Milan's Jose Mourinho, according to Spanish newspapers.

"Pellegrini is counting down the hours," Spanish daily El Pais claimed on Tuesday.

US: Deal reached on Iran sanctions

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:19 PM PDT

Members of the UN security council have agreed on a package of strong new sanctions to impose on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, announced.

Clinton told a US Senate committee that the permanent members of the security council along with Germany would send a new draft resolution to the entire council on Tuesday.

Vatican denies authority over bishops

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:33 PM PDT

The Vatican has insisted it is not responsible for clerical sex abuse cases in the United States because the bishops are not technically its employees.

The claim was made in response to court cases in the US state of Kentucky, in which bishops allegedly conspired to conceal sex abuse charges against pedophile priests.

Thai government rejects talks offer

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:19 PM PDT

The Thai government has rejected holding peace talks with opposition "red-shirt" protesters until they abandon their Bangkok rally site, where five days of clashes have left 38 people dead.

Satit Wonghnongtaey, a government minister, said on Tuesday that the prime minister had welcomed negotiations but insisted that "talks will happen only after the protest has ended".

UK flights still grounded

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:17 PM PDT

British airlines are outraged at a decision by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to impose more bans on UK flights because of the persistence of Iceland's volcanic ash cloud.

The companies are blaming the CAA for being "overly restrictive" and "not justified" in their regulations on the industry. The measures are currently affecting numerous airports in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle, Doncaster, Humberside and East Midlands.

Thai government rejects talks

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:07 PM PDT

The Thai government has rejected holding peace talks with opposition "red-shirt" protesters until they abandon their Bangkok rally site, where five days of clashes have left 38 people dead.

Satit Wonghnongtaey, a government minister, said on Tuesday that the prime minister had welcomed negotiations but insisted that "talks will happen only after the protest has ended".

Woody Allen Says Obama Should Become a Dictator

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:07 PM PDT

It is another example of the mindset of the Hollywood lib elite. Film director Woody Allen — who demonstrated his warped ethos a few years ago by marrying his adopted daughter — believes Obama would get more done if he declared himself dictator.

"I am pleased with Obama. I think he's brilliant. The Republican Party should get out of his way and stop trying to hurt him," Allen said in an interview published by Spanish language monarchist newspaper La Vanguardia. "It would good… if he could be a dictator for a few years because he could do a lot of good things quickly."

Two PJAK terrorists killed in Iran

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:04 PM PDT

Two members of the terrorist Party for Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) organization have been killed in clashes with security forces near Iran's western borders.

Acting commander of Iran's Border Guards Major-General Rahim Khorshidvand said the terrorists had been tracked down through the efforts of the Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

EU ministers to curb hedge funds

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:38 PM PDT

European Union finance ministers have agreed to tighten rules for hedge funds in a a move that some fear will block US funds from the region and cause the industry to flee London where 80 per cent of European funds are located.

The ministers, meeting in Brussels, also pledged new taxes on banks and to defend the integrity of the eurozone as a viable economic union.

Iran Majlis backs nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:31 PM PDT

The Iranian Parliament (Majlis) has issued a statement voicing its full support of an agreement between Iran and Turkey on nuclear fuel swap.

Iran on Monday agreed to send some 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg of 20 percent uranium.

The Israeli Military Arrests Six Civilians During Morning Invasions

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:30 PM PDT

Six Palestinian civilians were arrested by Israeli troops on Tuesday during morning invasions targeting West Bank communities.

Israeli soldiers raided homes at the village of Hussan near Bethlehem, southern West Bank, and detained three men and left.

Chavez praises Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:07 PM PDT

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says trilateral nuclear meeting between Iran, Brazil and Turkey was a big blow to imperialism and hegemony.

Chavez made the remark in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday.

China welcomes Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:02 PM PDT

China welcomes a nuclear fuel declaration Iran released in talks with Brazil and Turkey, signaling that it may oppose a US-led drive to impose sanctions on Tehran.

The presidents of Iran and Brazil and the Turkish prime minister issued a landmark nuclear declaration in the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday.

Palestinian Fighters Clashes With Israeli Forces In Gaza

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:53 PM PDT

A group of Palestinian fighters clashed on Tuesday with an invading Israeli force in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Salah Al Deen Brigades said in a press statement that a group of its fighters spotted an undercover Israeli military force while trying to infiltrate the evacuated settlement of Doghit near the northern Gaza Strip borders with Israel.

Palestinian fighter managed to detonate two homemade bombs near the invading forces and clashed with them for about 10 minutes before the Israeli soldiers retreated, a number of Israeli soldiers were injured in the clashes, Salah Al Deen Brigades said in its press statement.

Challenging Canada's myths about its role in Palestine

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:49 PM PDT

At the end of March, the Liberal Party of Canada staged a conference exploring the challenges Canada will face in 2017, the state's 150th birthday. Robert Fowler, Canada's longest-serving ambassador to the United Nations and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's former special envoy to Niger, caused a fervor on the final day of the conference by contending that Canada's reputation and foreign policy effectiveness in the Middle East have been diminished as a result of domestic pandering to Jewish voters -- because foreign policy has been put in the service of domestic electoral concerns.

Russian ex-tycoon on hunger strike

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:44 PM PDT

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a Russian former oil tycoon, has gone on hunger strike over what he claims is an illegal extension of his prison sentence.

Khodorkovsky has been in prison in Moscow since 2003, serving an eight-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion, and a court ruled earlier this month that his detention will be extended ahead of a new trial.

Elvis Costello Boycotts Israel

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:41 PM PDT

World singer, Elvis Costello, have canceled his concert in Israel due to its occupation to the Palestinians and they way its army treats them.

Costello was going to perform a number of concerts in Israel in late June, this comes as part of a boycott campaign by world artists such as Jill Scot and Carlos Santana.

Jalili reports to MPs on N-declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:35 PM PDT

Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council reports to the country's lawmakers about a new nuclear declaration on a fuel swap with the West.

Saeed Jalili on Tuesday attended the parliament (Majlis) session, where he gave a report and answered questions on the latest developments regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, including the recent declaration.

Syria, Kuwait discuss regional peace

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:33 PM PDT

The emir of Kuwait has wrapped up his two-day visit to Damascus, a move seen as a major step toward reconciliation between Syria and Egypt.

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, discussing ways to promote solidarity among nation to help tackle the challenged the Arab world is faced with.

NATO alarmed by Afghanistan losses

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:30 PM PDT

A top NATO commander has expressed concern over the rising number of foreign casualties in Afghanistan, amid an upsurge of attacks against the US-led forces.

The war in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of about 1,100 US troops and over 600 coalition soldiers since 2001, Admiral James Stavridis said.

EU aims to restore euro confidence

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:16 PM PDT

Finance ministers from all 27 European Union members have pledged new taxes on banks, along with tighter rules for hedge funds while defending the integrity of the Eurozone as a viable economic union.

The proposals were discussed during an EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday.

Despite Poll Numbers, Rand Paul's Opponent Confident He Will Win in Kentucky

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:14 PM PDT

In Kentucky, the entrenched political class is seriously worried about Rand Paul, the son of Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul, winning the state's U.S. Senate seat. Paul is ahead of his contender, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, in the polls.

The Public Policy Polling survey conducted May 15-16 shows Mr. Paul leading Mr. Grayson by 52 percent to 34 percent with three other candidates splitting 7 percent and 7 percent undecided.

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