Thursday, May 27, 2010

US soldier killed 'in action' in Iraq

US soldier killed 'in action' in Iraq (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

US soldier killed 'in action' in Iraq

Posted: 24 May 2010 10:14 PM PDT

The US military has announced that an American soldier has been killed in Iraq as the number of US casualties in the country reaches 30 this year.

The soldier was killed "while conducting operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom," the army said in a statement on Monday, AFP reported.

S Korea warns North of defensive moves

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:59 PM PDT

South Korea's President Lee Myung Bak has threatened strong measures against the North amid heightening tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.

Lee said in a strongly worded televised address on Monday that Seoul was ready to take "self-defense" measures against that he termed as future North Korean Provocations.

Iran slams US reaction to fuel swap

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:50 PM PDT

Iran has denied Western claims that it is buying time with a nuclear declaration based on which Tehran agreed to send its low-enriched uranium to Turkey.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Monday that Tehran's nuclear declaration offered "a great opportunity for constructive interaction."

Iran's enemies will suffer defeat: Leader

Posted: 24 May 2010 08:55 PM PDT

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has praised Iran's courageous armed forces in a ceremony held to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the Liberation of Khorramshahr.

"Today, the same parties are confronting the Iranian nation that once backed and supported the enemy of the Iranian nation," said Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday.

GCC hails Tehran Nuclear Declaration

Posted: 24 May 2010 08:21 PM PDT

The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has hailed Tehran's nuclear declaration brokered by Brazil and Turkey as a positive step towards resolving Iran's nuclear issue.

"The ministers praised the efforts of Turkey and Brazil to help reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear program within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency and related UN Security Council resolutions," read a final communique issued by GCC foreign ministers following their meeting in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

Human trafficking climbs in Germany

Posted: 24 May 2010 08:07 PM PDT

A top German law enforcement official has warned of a climbing number of human trafficking cases in the country with an 11-percent rise in the figure.

"Over the course of the last five years, the number of investigations has risen continuously from 317 to 534. This means an increase of 70 percent over five years and 11 percent last year alone. We attach great importance to this form of criminal activity because the human dignity of the victims is violated," said Jorg Ziercke, the Chief Commissioner of the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany, Press TV reported Monday.

Syria: US has no 'influence' in Mideast

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:58 PM PDT

Syria's president says that the Obama administration has failed to make any progress in the Middle East peace process as it has no "influence" in the region.

The United States "has no influence because they don't do anything for peace," President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica published on Monday.

The Special Relationship

Posted: 24 May 2010 06:51 PM PDT

Foreign Policy gathered eight prominent figures in the Jewish community to discuss Peter Beinart's recent essay, and whether the ties that bond American Jews to Israel remain strong.

Thai court to rule on Thaksin charges

Posted: 24 May 2010 06:06 PM PDT

Thailand's criminal court says it will soon rule on whether to issue an arrest warrant against ex-premier Thaksin Shinawat on terrorism charges.

Department of Special Investigations (DSI) chief Tharith Pengdit said the department has evidence of Thaksin's involvement in deadly street protests in the capital, AFP reported.

Scotland to defer budget cuts

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:46 PM PDT

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has defended his decision to avoid public spending cuts for a year as the country continues towards economic recovery.

Salmond argued that it is unreasonable to cut spending that had already been allocated. He told the BBC that "Implementing the cuts this year doesn't protect you from cuts the following year. The difference can be made in not causing chaos to budgets already set in local government, the health service and elsewhere, and, secondly, you won't get lost jobs in Scotland this year."

Iran informs IAEA of N declaration

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:41 PM PDT

Iran has officially notified the International Atomic Energy Agency of its nuclear fuel swap declaration with Turkey and Brazil, signed recently in Tehran.

Iran delivered a letter to the UN nuclear agency on Monday in which it informed the UN body of last week's nuclear fuel swap declaration with Turkey and Brazil.

Iran hands letter to IAEA

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:41 PM PDT

Iran has officially notified the International Atomic Energy Agency of its nuclear fuel swap declaration with Turkey and Brazil, signed recently in Tehran.

Iran delivered a letter to the UN nuclear agency on Monday in which it informed the UN body of last week's nuclear fuel swap declaration with Turkey and Brazil.

In India, crashed plane black box found

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:19 PM PDT

Days after an Indian passenger plane crashed killing 159 people onboard, investigators say they have found the flight recorder in the charred wreckage of the airplane.

The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry said that while the investigators had already found the cockpit voice recorder, the search was still underway for another key piece of evidence -- the flight data recorder.

Bomb attack kills 5 in west Afghanistan

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:55 PM PDT

A bomb explosion has targeted a minibus in Afghanistan's western province of Farah, leaving five civilians killed and wounding eight others.

The incident occurred on Monday when a blast ripped through a Toyota Coaster bus carrying passengers from the district of Pusht Rod in Farah province to Khaki Safed district, AFP quoted the Afghan interior ministry as saying.

Jamaica declares state of emergency

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:35 PM PDT

Jamaica has declared a state of emergency in two parts of its capital of Kingston, after sporadic violence broke out between drug gangs and the police.

Gunshots rang out in large swaths of the city, after masked men torched police stations and blocked a miles-long area in western parts of Kingston.

Burundi local elections kick off

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:35 PM PDT

Around three and a half million eligible voters have gone to the polls in Burundi to pick local councilors, as a test of a national peace deal.

After being delayed twice as a result of problems with the cards and ballots, polling stations opened Monday at 6:00 am (0400 GMT) across the African nation.

China-US summit kicks off in Beijing

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:23 PM PDT

The US and China have launched their annual high-level strategic talks, seeking to put an end to months of disagreement over economic and regional issues.

Some 200 US officials led by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner arrived in Beijing on Monday for the two-day Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

Iran's biggest water project launched

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:13 PM PDT

Phase one of Iran's largest water project comes on line in the southern Khuzestan province in a ceremony attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

When fully implemented, the project will see potable water pumped to 21 provincial cities and towns as well as 1,200 villiages, says a provincial official.

'Israel awaiting US nod to hit Lebanon'

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:13 PM PDT

Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblatt says Israel is looking for pretexts to launch a new offensive on Lebanon while awaiting the green light from Washington.

"Israel can't survive without expansion and war," Naharnet quoted Jumblatt as telling the Saudi al-Watan newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.

US backs S Korea against North

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:56 PM PDT

The White House says it fully supports plans by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to punish North Korea for sinking one of its warships in March.

"We endorse President Lee's demand that North Korea immediately apologize and punish those responsible for the attack, and, most importantly, stop its belligerent and threatening behavior," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

US threatens BP with legal action

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:47 PM PDT

As oil continues to envelop the Gulf of Mexico the Obama administration has accused British Petroleum of negligence and may file criminal charges against the company.

President Obama announced that the Justice Department will hold a formal inquiry into the spill and has threatened to remove BP from the cleanup operations due to the company's incompetence.

BA cabin crew launches 5-day strike

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:25 PM PDT

British Airways cabin crew members have launched a five-day strike as talks with the airline on restoring staff benefits and wages collapsed over the weekend.

British Airways has cancelled flights following the walk-out of 12,000 employees, starting on Monday, AP reported.

UN hails Iran's war on drugs

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:10 PM PDT

The United Nations has lauded Iran for the positive steps it has taken to fight narcotics and tackle drug-trafficking issues, saying there is room for closer cooperation.

Concluding a two-day official visit to Iran Sunday night, UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Staffan de Mistura also highlilghted Iran's willingness to revitalize the Triangular Initiative (part of UNODC's strategy to counter Afghan illicit drugs), and underscored there is potential for further cooperation.

Palestinian women quit settlement jobs

Posted: 24 May 2010 02:59 PM PDT

The Palestinian Authority's boycott of Israeli settlements enters a new phase as Palestinian women working in settlements are urged to seek alternative employment.

The Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Social Affairs is calling on all Palestinian women currently working in Israeli settlements to consult to apply to Palestinian institutions for alternative employment, Ma'an news agency reported on Sunday.

Jundallah terrorist executed in Iran

Posted: 24 May 2010 02:31 PM PDT

Iran has executed convicted terrorist Abdolhamid Rigi -- the brother of the leader of Jundallah terrorist group -- in the southeastern city of Zahedan.

Abdolhamid was hanged in a central prison in the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province, Zahedan, on Monday after he confessed to playing a role in the assignations of civilians and security forces in the province.

'Khorramshahr hub of divine thoughts'

Posted: 24 May 2010 02:05 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has described Khuzestan Province in south of the country as the hub of 'revolutionary culture' and 'pure divine thoughts'.

He made the remarks in the provincial city of Khorramshahr on Monday, May 24, marking the day, 28 years ago, when the port city was liberated by Iranian forces from Iraqi occupation.

UK army bomb disposal chief resigns

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:45 PM PDT

The British Army's top bomb disposal officer has resigned after expressing concerns about the shortage of new recruits in Afghanistan.

UK Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Colonel Bob Seddon, principal ammunition technical office of the Royal Logistics Corps, would step down in January over concerns about the pressures on his team operating in Afghanistan.

Iran notifies IAEA over atomic deal

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:35 PM PDT

Iran has handed a letter to the United Nation's nuclear watchdog in response to a nuclear fuel swap deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil, local media has reported.

The letter, signed by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's
Atomic Energy Organisation, says Iran sees the offer to send 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey - as a breakthrough, Arabic TV network Al Alam reported on Monday.

Spain to go on with spending cuts

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:03 PM PDT

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has promised to press ahead with spending cuts despite threats of a general strike by the country's labor unions.

"I know there are protests by those who do not share them (government views), like the unions, but we will not change," Zapatero told a meeting of 2,000 socialist mayors in the southeastern Spanish city of Elche on Sunday.

US-run prisons breed terror in Iraq

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:59 PM PDT

Amidst an unrelenting militancy in violence-weary Iraq, Baghdad says key planning for major attacks around the country is mostly done in US-run prisons.

According to Iraqi security officials detainees held in US-run prisons use their time behind bars to appoint new leaders and plot terror attacks.

'Israel offered Nukes to SA apartheid'

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:51 PM PDT

Declassified documents cast new light on Israel's nuclear arsenals, revealing an offer by Tel Aviv to provide South Africa's apartheid regime with nuclear arms.

In an article published on Sunday, UK-based daily The Guardian explained how South African officials asked for nuclear warheads and Tel Aviv promised to sell them to the apartheid regime.

S Korea cuts trade with North

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:31 PM PDT

South Korea has cut its trade ties with the North and called on the UN Security Council to punish Pyongyang for the deliberate sinking of a South Korean warship.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said on Monday that Seoul would cut trade with Pyongyang, pledging an immediate military reaction to any future attacks.

UK defence secretary insults Afghans

Posted: 24 May 2010 11:52 AM PDT

UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox has branded Afghanistan "a broken 13th-century country," sparking fury in a country where thousands of British troops are stationed.

During an interview with The Times which was published on Saturday, Fox made the controversial statement in reference to making a distinction between the British military and humanitarian aims in Afghanistan.

Australia expels Israeli diplomat

Posted: 24 May 2010 11:09 AM PDT

The federal government of Australia says it has ordered the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat over fraudulent use of Australian passports by Israel to assassinate a Hamas official.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said on Monday that investigations had led to concrete evidence that Israeli intelligence services were behind the forgery of four Australian passports used in the murder of senior Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai back in January.

China and US discuss economy

Posted: 24 May 2010 10:34 AM PDT

China has pledged to boost its domestic demand at the start of US-China talks, but avoided specific commitments on whether to allow its currency to appreciate.

The United States, which has called for a stronger Chinese exchange rate, also treaded softly on the subject on Monday as the two sides held their second Strategic and Economic Dialogue, welcoming Beijing's long-standing pledge to reform the yuan.

Dozens Protest Peres' Visit to Shefa-'Amr

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:53 AM PDT

Shfa-Amr Protest - Arabs48.com

Dozens of Arab residents of the northern Israeli city of Shefa-'Amr met Sunday to protest Israeli President Shimon Peres' participation in the city's 100th anniversary celebration.

The protesters carried posters decrying Peres' visit, saying that the President's presence does not honor their city and that its residents do not want him to participate it its 100th anniversary celebration.

UK coalition to adopt fiscal cuts

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:44 AM PDT

UK`s new coalition government will slash public spending by £ 6.0 billion as parts of its scheme to rein in the bloated budget deficit of £ 156.1 billion.

The details of the blueprint by Liberal Democrats and the Conservative coalition will be formally announced on Monday and, according to the Sunday Times newspaper, Britain's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will have to shoulder the hefty burden of the initial cuts, which has been estimated at £900 million.

UN Gaza summer camp vandalized

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:30 AM PDT

Dozens of gunmen have raided a Palestinian children's summer camp in Gaza, setting it afire and destroying the equipment, a UN agency reported.

The camp, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees, said around 30 unknown gunmen attacked the guards on Sunday, vandalizing and setting fire to all the equipment.

5.9-magnitude quake strikes Peru

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:12 AM PDT

A relatively strong earthquake with the magnitude of 5.9 has jolted southern Peru, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck at 5:46 p.m. local time with an epicenter near the city of Ayacucho, some 250 miles south of the capital of Lima.

Cannes winners announced

Posted: 24 May 2010 09:05 AM PDT

Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy has won Juliette Binoche the best actress prize of the 63rd edition of Cannes Film Festival.

The hypnotic Thai film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives has won the festival's top honors.

The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment

Posted: 24 May 2010 08:51 AM PDT

In 2003, several prominent Jewish philanthropists hired Republican pollster Frank Luntz to explain why American Jewish college students were not more vigorously rebutting campus criticism of Israel. In response, he unwittingly produced the most damning indictment of the organized American Jewish community that I have ever seen.

The philanthropists wanted to know what Jewish students thought about Israel. Luntz found that they mostly didn't. "Six times we have brought Jewish youth together as a group to talk about their Jewishness and connection to Israel," he reported. "Six times the topic of Israel did not come up until it was prompted. Six times these Jewish youth used the word 'they' rather than 'us' to describe the situation."

Bangkok reopens for business

Posted: 24 May 2010 08:03 AM PDT

Thai financial markets, government offices, and schools have re-opened after a massive clean-up of the capital Bangkok, following the worst political crisis in the country's modern history.

Thailand's stock exchange and other financial markets resumed full day trading on Monday after being closed on Thursday and Friday following a wave of arson and street battles when the army crack downed on thousands of anti-government protesters.

Farmers hold massive march in Paris

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:39 AM PDT

Swarms of French farmers have poured into the most prestigious avenue in Paris, calling for their government to tackle the brewing crisis in the agricultural sector.

Champs Elysees, Paris's famous neighborhood was covered with plants, flowers and livestock on Sunday as more than 800,000 farmers, whose industry has been battered by falling prices and climbing production costs in recent years, demanded more financial aid and government support.

Settlers protest new Palestinian city

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:22 AM PDT

Illegal Israeli settlers are to set up an outpost on Palestinian land north of Ramallah in the West Bank, where a Palestinian city called al-Rawabi is being built.

Hannibal Alkhas retrospective planned

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:13 AM PDT

A retrospective of the Iranian-Assyrian painter and translator Hannibal Alkhas will be held at Tehran's Artists House from June 11-21.

According to Fars News Agency, a collection of his works will be shown at the house, including tableaux maintained by private collectors.

Homayoun Khorram memoirs released

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:06 AM PDT

A book containing the memoirs of noted Iranian musician Homayoun Khorram will be unveiled in a ceremony to commemorate the artist at Tehran's Arasbaran Cultural House.

According to ISNA, tributes will be paid to the artist in recognition of his six decades of contribution to Persian music.

Clinton to push sanctions in China tour

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:01 AM PDT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Beijing in part to make another attempt to obtain China's backing for a fourth round of UN sanctions against Tehran.

China has expressed serious reservations about imposing new sanctions on Iran, insisting on diplomacy to resolve the issue. Furthermore, China has welcomed the recent Tehran Declaration between Iran, Turkey and Brazil on a potential nuclear fuel swap in Turkey as a positive step towards the resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue.

Obama: Slowly but Surely Stealing our Retirement Savings

Posted: 24 May 2010 07:00 AM PDT

There's an old story variously ascribed to any number of inscrutable Chinese men: how do you get the cat to bite a hot pepper? Zhou En Lai (or Mao, Chiang Kai Chek, or possibly that bloke who taught Grasshopper on the TV) asks his students. Fool 1 (for such stories always require at least two fools to counterpoint the intelligence of the Master) says that you simply force it down his throat.

Ah, no, you cannot use force—so Fool 2 says—mix it in with the cat meat (no, no, the meat meant for cats, not the meat of cats, despite this being a Chinese story) and is told that no, you must not fool the cat either. The answer of course is that you shove the hot chili pepper up the cat's bum and it'll be glad to bite it. And now to move from mythical Chinese sages to the distinctly non-mythical Federal Government.

Gaza Prepares For Freedom Flotilla

Posted: 24 May 2010 06:38 AM PDT

Residents of the Gaza Strip and several humanitarian institutions are preparing to receive the largest convoy of solidarity ships "The Freedom Flotilla" expected to arrive by Friday. Israel is still threatening to intercept it and prevent it, by all means, from reaching Gaza.

Last year, Israel prevented several ships from reaching Gaza, and even boarded some ships and detained activists and media personnel for several days. Israel is still holding two ships, part of the Dignity Campaign, and is still refusing to release them.

Israel told of brewing prison intifada

Posted: 24 May 2010 06:20 AM PDT

Arab members of the Israeli Knesset warn of a third intifada if the newly passed bill against Palestinian prisoners intended to push Hamas into releasing a captive Israeli soldier, is enforced.

The Knesset's Ministerial Committee passed a bill called "Shalit Law" on Sunday to allow Israeli jails to treat Hamas prisoners opposed to the occupation as 'violent and dangerous criminals,' Maan news agency reported.

Review of Invictus

Posted: 24 May 2010 06:03 AM PDT

Clint Eastwood's latest attempt to school America on racial issues takes place at the very moment in history that South Africa went to the dogs. To contrast the struggle between White and Black South Africa, we see a White rugby coach watch Mandela being escorted from imprisonment declare "This is the day our country went to the dogs." Shortly thereafter, we hear a clip of the global media declaring "This is the day the world has been waiting for!"

While the two lines were intended to contrast the two sides of the struggle, to understand this historical event is to understand that the lines don't really contradict one another: the world had been waiting for South Africa to go to the dogs. Every government in the world had submitted to the global imperative of replacing Whites except for one, the "skunk of the world", South Africa.

BP shows Oil Spill Live Feed as slick scale estimates questioned

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:58 AM PDT

Live video feed of the Gulf of Mexico oil leak has been posted online on Thursday. Oil company BP has conceded that more oil is gushing into the Gulf than it had estimated after several scientists watching the video said they believe the leak is higher than official figures.

Russia slams NATO on Afghan drug trade

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:36 AM PDT

Russian officials have again censured NATO`s failure to stamp out Afghanistan's huge opium trade, voicing Moscow's frustration over the alliance's negligence.

Citing lack of cohesion within NATO against the backdrop of dwindling support for combating drug trafficking in Afghanistan, Russia's envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said Russia "is losing 30,000 lives a year to the Afghan drug trade, and a million people are addicts," AP reported.

Russia slams NATO on Afghan drugs

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:36 AM PDT

Russian officials have again censured NATO`s failure to stamp out Afghanistan's huge opium trade, voicing Moscow's frustration over the alliance's negligence.

Citing lack of cohesion within NATO against the backdrop of dwindling support for combating drug trafficking in Afghanistan, Russia's envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said Russia "is losing 30,000 lives a year to the Afghan drug trade, and a million people are addicts," AP reported.

Mark Glenn and Hesham Tillawi: Interview with Antoine Raffoul

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:35 AM PDT

Mark Glenn true to his style, lays out for his listeners, at the very outset, in no uncertain terms, the price in dollars that Americans have been paying for the misdeeds of their "bestest buddy" Israel, for the past 60 years and more. For those who find Mark's commentary harsh, it rings of truth and that is all that matters today.

Scary! Massive waves on huge road bridge send Volgograd drivers asphalt surfing

Posted: 24 May 2010 05:32 AM PDT

Motorists using a bridge in the southern Russian city of Volgograd were given the ride of a lifetime by a powerful gust of wind. The new river crossing started shaking violently and a massive downpour at the same time made conditions worse. Drivers say their cars were literally thrown into the air, many thinking it was an unexpected earthquake. The shaking was so severe it caused vehicles to career into the opposite lane creating chaos. Local authorities claim the shaking of the bridge was possibly caused by an earthquake. Seismologists, however, say this is highly unlikely. Meanwhile, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the bridge's safety and construction history. The bridge across Volga river is 1260 meters long and 32 meters wide. It was opened less than a year ago in October 2009.

Seoul: North will pay for sinking

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:59 AM PDT

South Korea's president has vowed that North Korea will pay the price for sinking a South Korean naval ship in March which left 46 sailors dead.

South Korea released findings of a report last week which concluded that a North Korean submarine fired a torpedothat sank the Cheonan corvette on March 26, and Lee Myung-bak said on Monday that Seoul would invoke its right to defend itself if Pyongyang showed aggression again.

S Korea to seek UN action on North

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:57 AM PDT

South Korea says it will take the case of its sunken naval vessel to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) amid growing tensions on the peninsula.

A government spokesman said President Lee Myung Bak would announce the measures against North Korea in a speech on Monday, DPA reported.

US troubles grow over Gulf oil spill

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:37 AM PDT

Public anger is growing along the US coast of Gulf of Mexico as crude oil leak blackens Louisiana's coastline and attempts to contain the leak runs into yet another delay.

Crews used submarine robots Saturday to position equipment for the "top kill" attempt to plug the leak with heavy mud and then seal it with cement. But BP spokesman John Curry told AFP that it will be at least Tuesday before engineers can shoot mud into the blown-out well at the bottom of the Gulf.

Israel to ambush Palestinian captives

Posted: 24 May 2010 04:10 AM PDT

The Israeli parliament is on the verge of legislating a bill that imposes tougher conditions on thousands of Palestinian prisoners in the regime's captivity.

An 11-member Israeli ministerial committee on Sunday approved "the proposed law that would deny benefits and certain conditions for Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails," AFP reported.

Drivers declare war on 'Big Boss' road bullies

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:56 AM PDT

Moscow drivers are uniting in protest against the special traffic privileges enjoyed by Russia's high officials. Hundreds of vehicles carrying Moscow's VIPs use flashing blue lights to force their way through busy traffic as they speed around the capital. But ordinary road users say the privileged cars violate road regulations, and cause accidents.

Tarpley: Dow down as Euro attack boomerangs

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:54 AM PDT

Stocks plunged again Thursday as more investors woke up to the possibility that economic problems such as Europe's debt crisis might spread around the world and stop the growing recovery in the US. Webster Tarpley says that the International Monetary Fund come into Greece and say that with 18% unemployment Greece is going to have a deflation program where they will have an austerity regime.

VERY Cross CrossTalk: Finkelstein vs Morris

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:47 AM PDT

On this edition of Peter Lavelle's CrossTalk, he asks his guests whether the current "indirect talks" between the Israelis and Palestinians are a waste of time.

'Russian Stealth' New Look: Video of PAK FA T-50 fighter jet 2nd test flight

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:39 AM PDT

The Sukhoi PAK FA is Russia's 5th Generation fighter jet. The T-50 performed its first flight January 29, 2010. Its second flight was on February 6, which is showed in the recently released video. The third one was on February 12. After the first test flight it was given a new look - the jet was painted in the standard clolors of the Russian Air Force.

Brit hacking Pentagon for UFO info stays home - UK govt

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:28 AM PDT

Britain's new government has given a reprieve to Gary McKinnon, the Scottish computer hacker facing extradition to the US McKinnon is accused of breaking into the Pentagon and NASA networks in 2001 and 2002, causing damage that cost the US almost a million dollars to repair. The fourty-four year old hacker has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome - a type of autism disorder. Now, the UK Home Secretary Theresa May has halted the extradition process, which was started by the previous government, and ordered a review of the extradition law.

DNA revolt? Scientists create first synthetic cell

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:26 AM PDT

US scientists have announced that they've produced a living cell powered by man-made DNA. The team said they have succeeded in transplanting synthetic DNA into a host cell. The finding could potentially lead to new fuels, faster vaccine production and more. But some experts have about the ethics of producing synthetic organisms.

Video of fresh flames in Bangkok, Thai troops hunt rioters, Central World in ruins after fire

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:17 AM PDT

The Thai goverment has declared that it has almost quelled 10 weeks of violent protests in the capital. While troops have regained control of the centre of Bangkok, other areas remain volatile. There have been pockets of violence, shooting and arson throughout the day. Since the beginning of the political crisis in mid-march at least 83 people have been killed.

Georgian prez sets $7 million ejection seat on private Bombardier jet

Posted: 24 May 2010 03:10 AM PDT

Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili has reportedly decided to improve his personal security by installing an ejector seat in his private plane. But the country's opposition is enraged by what it sees as the lavish misuse of state funds.

A Modest Proposal for President Obama

Posted: 24 May 2010 02:25 AM PDT

A remarkable thing is happening – a thing of beauty and courage. In the same waters where the air and naval forces of the criminal state of Israel murdered thirty-four US sailors and wounded over 170 more – and nearly 43 years to the date of that fateful attack – nine ships forming what is called "The Freedom Flotilla" are well on their way to heading to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade. Five of the ships have left from Greece, three from Anatalya. These eight will hook up with a ninth vessel, the MV RACHEL CORRIE, which recently left from Ireland.

Iran positive detained Americans spies

Posted: 24 May 2010 02:20 AM PDT

Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi says Tehran is positive that the three US citizens arrested last July near the Iraq border are spies.

Sarah Emily Shourd, 31, Shane Michael Bauer and Joshua Felix Fattal, both 27, were arrested on Iranian soil after crossing the border from northern Iraq in July 2009.

US election ads go nuts: Scapegoats, scandals and X-rated candidates

Posted: 24 May 2010 02:17 AM PDT

Political combat in the US has been in full swing this week with a heated campaign for the country's primaries. The mid-term elections are due in November, but the mood surrounding it has already been dubbed anti-Washington, with much of the advertising is on the extreme side...

Jamaica declares emergency

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:58 AM PDT

Jamaica's government has declared a state of emergency in parts of its capital Kingston after shooting and firebomb attacks on police stations by suspected supporters of an alleged drug lord who faces extradition to the US.

The emergency, which went into effect at 23:00 GMT on Sunday, covers the West Kingston and St Andrew districts of the capital where gunmen fired on two police stations and threw firebombs at another.

Obama's Jewish minefield is Israel's bomb

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:58 AM PDT

In an overtly self-deprecating comment last week during a meeting with Jewish congressmen, U.S. President Barack Obama said he had stepped on a few mines as he took his first steps in the Middle East. The delegation left the White House assuaged, feeling perhaps that a president who has been hurt by mines would be wary of much bigger bombs. It appears that the Obama administration has realized that it will not succeed where its predecessors have failed. If no peace with the Arabs emerges from the president's initiative, why should he fight with the Jews? When Republicans are threatening to take over the House of Representatives in six months, it's not so bad if the Israeli occupation continues for another 43 years.

Syria: Israel seeks to spark wars

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:44 AM PDT

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has called on the West to break its silence on Israel's warmongering actions and hostile behavior.

Assad spoke of "Israel's violations and its attempts to spark wars and conflicts," Ynet reported.

West must change stance on Iran: Syria

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:39 AM PDT

Syria has called on Western powers to change their approach on Iran's nuclear program, as the US intensified efforts to slap tougher UN sanction on Tehran.

In a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed Damascus' support for Tehran's nuclear declaration hailing the initiative as an important step toward a diplomatic solution to the standoff.

BA cabin crew to go on strike

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:24 AM PDT

British Airways cabin crew members are to go on a strike following the collapse of talks; however the Unite union has offered to call off the strikes if staff benefits are restored.

Unite union joint secretary general Tony Woodley made the last minute offer to halt the upcoming strikes and added that the union is willing to continue talks with British Airways directors on Sunday, the BBC reported.

Shadows deceive autistic eyes

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:24 AM PDT

Apart from being different in their social function and behavior, autistic children see shadows in a different way from normal children, a new study says.

Previous studies had reported that autism affects the sensory system and the affected individuals, therefore, are better at recognizing details and finding hidden figures within a larger picture.

Iran urges Russia to defend fuel swap

Posted: 24 May 2010 01:21 AM PDT

The Iranian president has called on Russia to defend Tehran's declaration on a nuclear fuel swap, saying Moscow should be "more careful" in the stances it adopts.

"If I were in the Russian officials' shoes, I would be more careful in making remarks about this great neighbor of theirs [Iran]," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told reporters on Sunday.

Militants heavily damage Kandahar base

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:57 AM PDT

New details have emerged about a rocket attack on a NATO base in southern Afghanistan amid growing assaults on the US-led military instillations in the country.

The militants fired five rockets at the Kandahar base in on Saturday evening, wounding 4 Canadian soldiers along with several NATO civilian staff, a Press TV correspondent reported on Sunday.

Fat injection treats vocal cord paralysis

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:47 AM PDT

Fat injections can help restore normal speech in patients with paralyzed vocal cords, improving the quality of life in these patients, a new study says.

Unilateral vocal cord paralysis is the result of nerve damage on one side of the "voice box", mainly following thyroid removal surgeries. The situation is also reported in certain elderly, even in the absence of neck surgery.

Twelve killed in China forest fire

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:37 AM PDT

A dozen villagers have been killed in a forest fire while trying to help put out the blaze in the southwestern Chinese province Yunnan.

The victims were a group of villagers from Lijiang who had joined efforts to put out the fire that broke out on Saturday.

Rise of the Eurocons

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:36 AM PDT

For the first time since the early 1990s, the map of Europe is overwhelmingly colored true conservative blue. David Cameron's Conservative-led coalition in Britain ensures that right-leaning governments dominate the political landscape. As Cameron meets with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday and with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, it could be tempting to think that the right has never had it so good.

Anger mounts over US oil spill

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:32 AM PDT

Anger is mounting along the Gulf Coast of the United States as a massive oil slick washes into fragile wetlands in the southern state of Louisiana.

The US government has blamed the spill on energy giant BP, warning on Sunday that it will push the company out of the operation to contain the leak if it decides the firm is not responding well enough.

Iran renews offer to help on US oil spill

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:16 AM PDT

The National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) has renewed its offer to assist the US in reining in an ecologically disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mehran Alinejad, the head of special drilling operations at NIDC, pointed to the experience gained by Iranian experts in containing huge oil leaks during the eight-year Iraqi-imposed war in the 1980s, and said, "Iranian technical teams have had major achievements in oil well capping and the Gulf of Mexico oil rig is not a great feat in comparison."

Pakistani soldier killed in Kashmir

Posted: 24 May 2010 12:03 AM PDT

Indian soldiers have opened fire in the disputed region of Kashmir and mortally wounded a Pakistani solider in the latest flare-up between the two sides.

The Pakistani army said Sunday that Indian troops opened "unprovoked" fire across the line of control, which divides Pakistan- and India-administered Kashmir, killing one Pakistani soldier, Reuters reported.

Iran police chief's term extended

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:59 PM PDT

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has extended the term of the current Iranian police chief for another two years.

Ayatollah Khamenei issued a decree on Sunday extending Esmail Ahmadi-Moqaddam's term as Iran's police chief.

Miss Me Yet? An Interview with George W. Bush

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:51 PM PDT

Getting an interview with the president is virtually impossible. Getting an interview with the president when he's no longer president—and his wife has a book out—and he's writing his memoirs, is simply a matter of calling his agent and setting up a time.

Today, George W. Bush is relaxing at his estate in Dallas and as he put it, "missing my wife." Laura Bush is currently on a book tour promoting Spoken from the Heart, a surprisingly juicy account of her time as First Lady that includes plenty of Pelosi digs and an exciting story about being poisoned in Germany. Bush's own memoir, entitled Decision Points, is set for release in November.

British Airways strike to go ahead

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:45 PM PDT

BA staff are also planning two further five-day strikes starting on May 30 and June 5 [AFP]

British Airways staff are set to strike for five days after a last-ditch attempt to avert the walkout ended in failure.

Thai curfew extended amid concerns

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:39 PM PDT

Thai authorities have extended the night time curfew in the country for another two days in the wake of a successful crackdown on anti-government protests.

The Center for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES) announced on Sunday that the curfew, imposed in Bangkok and 23 other provinces, would be extended by two more days Times Online reported.

Hallelujah, The World Is Against Us!

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:22 PM PDT

uri avnery

A local TV station told us this week about a group of Israelis who adhere to conspiracy theories.

They believe that George W. Bush planned the destruction of the Twin Towers in order to further his wicked aims. They believe that the big pharmaceutical corporations spread the swine flue virus in order to sell their worthless vaccines. They believe that Barack Obama is a secret agent of the military-industrial complex. They believe that fluoride is put into drinking water to sterilize men, in order to reduce mankind by exactly two billion. And so on.

Israeli whistleblower talks nukes

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:20 PM PDT

An Israeli scientist, jailed for 18 years for compromising Israel's nuclear secrets, says it is common knowledge that the regime possesses nuclear arms.

Mordechai Vanunu was imprisoned in 1986 after exposing that the military was active the Dimona nuclear facility.

Oily Obama: Lousy Response To BP Oil Invasion

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:19 PM PDT

Thirty days into the BP oil spill one mile down into the Gulf of Mexico it should be clear to every objective person that President Obama has failed miserably. This oil spill is more than a disaster or crisis; it is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. This environmental catastrophe will quickly morph into a national economic catastrophe as economic doomsday facing the fishing and tourism industries generates countless negative economic ripples throughout the US economy. Unemployment and economic growth will suffer.

Israels Permanent War On Palestine

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:17 PM PDT

steve lendman

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) provides weekly snapshots of Israeli killings, targeted assassinations, arrests, home demolitions, destroyed farmland, assaults on peaceful protesters, community incursions, home invasions, and more besides full-scale attacks at its discretion - a decades-long onslaught against 1.5 million Gazans and over 2.5 million West Bank and East Jerusalem Palestinians.

No radiation in old-age breast cancer

Posted: 23 May 2010 11:16 PM PDT

Despite the general belief, a new study suggests that older women with early stage breast cancer can safely skip radiation and go straight to pills.

Based on current guidelines, tamoxifen is commonly used after radiation treatment in breast cancer victims who have had their tumors removed during lumpectomy. Such a regimen is believed to halve the risk of recurrence in these patients.

Blood Libel on Hamas TV

Posted: 23 May 2010 10:55 PM PDT

Translated by MEMRI, Mossad's free disinterpretation service for Middle-Eastern languages.

Iran sends letter to IAEA on fuel swap

Posted: 23 May 2010 10:22 PM PDT

Iran has officially handed to the IAEA chief a letter setting out the terms for the nuclear fuel swap based on a joint declaration by Iran, Brazil and Turkey.

According to the Islamic Republic New Agency, Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), received the letter at his residence on Sunday.

Poland flood death toll at 12

Posted: 23 May 2010 10:19 PM PDT

Twelve people have been killed in Poland and thousands forced to flee their homes following the 'worst' flooding in the country in 160 years.

The Polish city of Wroclaw, located in the southwestern part of the country and home to 630,000 people, has been partially flooded as the Sleza River, a tributary to the Oder, burst its banks due to torrential rains over the weekend.

Iran marks Liberation of Khorramshahr

Posted: 23 May 2010 10:10 PM PDT

Iran is preparing to mark the anniversary of the Liberation of Khorramshahr -- the strategic southwestern city which Iranian soldiers recaptured from Iraqi forces 22 years ago.

The city of Khorramshahr was liberated from Iraqi occupation on May 24, 1982.

Iran declaration to reveal US intention

Posted: 23 May 2010 10:05 PM PDT

Iran's Judiciary chief says the fuel swap declaration will reveal whether the US is genuinely interested in resolving the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program.

Speaking at a gathering of high-ranking judiciary officials in Tehran on Sunday, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani urged Washington and its allies to abandon nuclear "games" and start diplomacy.

Is the "Times Square Terrorist" an Asset of Organized Crime?

Posted: 23 May 2010 10:05 PM PDT

Faisal Sharzad—AKA The Times Square Fizzler—reportedly was trained by the "Pakistan Taliban" for a deadly deed that went horribly wrong.

Not only did he lock his keys in the car, including his apartment key, his Rube Goldberg contraption of alarm clocks, Walmart propane tanks and firecrackers failed to explode.

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