Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Russia says U.S. blocking nuclear arms reduction talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia accused the United States on Monday of stonewalling negotiations on a new pact on reducing the size of the two powers' nuclear arsenals, the latest sign of deteriorating Russian-U.S. relations. "Negotiations between us and Washington to make sure that after START I treaty expires in December 2009 we have some meaningful strategic arms control regime, these negotiations are not so far heading anywhere," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Reuters.com...
Confusion over hostage release in Egypt
A group of nineteen tourists and guides who had been taken hostage by an armed gang in Egypt have been freed unharmed. The 11 Europeans and eight Egyptians are said to have been rescued in a military operation in which a number of their kidnappers were killed. They were flown to Cairo after their release. It is thought they were being held somewhere in the Egyptian/Sudanese border region. EuroNews...
House Rejects Bailout Package, 228-205; Stocks Plunge
WASHINGTON — In a moment of historic import in the Capitol and on Wall Street, the House of Representatives voted on Monday to reject a $700 billion rescue of the financial industry. The vote came in stunning defiance of President Bush and Congressional leaders of both parties, who said the bailout was needed to prevent a widespread financial collapse. The New York Times...
South Ossetia prepares a low blow for Saakashvili
South Ossetian authorities are planning to put Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili on an international wanted list. The South Ossetian Prosecutor General's Office will complete all necessary procedures next week. "The South Ossetian Prosecutor General's Office is drawing up charges against Saakashvili, who will be declared wanted internationally soon," South Ossetia's Prosecutor General Taimu Russia Today...
From the Rhine River to the Jihad
The arrest of two Muslim extremists at the Cologne-Bonn airport last week shows that German converts continue to volunteer for the jihad. Investigators fear that some are on their way back now that they've received training. It was Friday morning, shortly before 7:00 a.m., and all passengers had boarded KLM flight 1804 at the Cologne-Bonn airport. The small Fokker 50 was ready for takeoff. Spiegel Article...
Israelis for Obama?
An American-Israeli filmmaker is trying to counter prejudices against Barack Obama that would put the Republicans in a more favourable light with the Jewish electorate. According to her short video, many Israelis don't believe the tattle, and support Obama. The clip was created by music-video director Alma Har'el and Hollywood producer Boaz Yakin. It's geared towards Jewish Americans and aims to counteract the "covert Muslim" hearsay and rumours about Obama's programme for the Middle East. The film presents both prominent and ordinary Israelis who explain why Israel would benefit from having Obama as American president. France 24...
U.S. lawmakers reject bailout plan
(CNN) -- U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Monday voted against the biggest proposed government intervention in the U.S. economy since the Great Depression of 1929. Government officials, Treasury chiefs and political leaders from both sides of the political divide thought they had agreed Sunday on the details of a $700 billion rescue plan that would prop up the nation's ailing financial system -- and be supported in the House of Representatives. As it became apparent the vote was lost, the Dow Jones plunged. Cnn Article...
Blast hits Lebanese city of Tripoli
Four Lebanese soldiers and a civilian have been killed after a car bomb exploded in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. Lebanese military officials said 26 soldiers and two civilians were also wounded on Monday in what was the second deadly attack to target the army in two months. Officials said the explosion in the Bahsas region was caused by a parked car, packed with explosives, which was detonated by remote control as a military bus travelling towards the capital Beirut, drove past. Al Jazeera...
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Spain looks to France for help against Basque separatists
Considered by the Spanish government to be the political branch of the terrorist organisation ETA, the Batasuna, Unity in the Basque language, party is in the cross-hairs of Spain's justice system and the government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government. The crackdown against the organisation intensified after June 2006, when the ceasefire agreement between the government and ETA was broken. After the arrests on Wednesday, September 24, of 11 alleged members of Batasuna in the French Basque Country, Zapatero, said yesterday, while in New York for the UN General assembly, that he does "not exclude the possibility of asking France to ban Batasuna". France 24...
Money to money, oil to oil
Russia and Venezuela have discussed the possible creation of a joint bank and an oil and gas consortium between the two countries’ energy giants PDVSA and Gazprom. The statement came during the meeting of presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Hugo Chaves in Russia’s Orenburg. Following the talks, the head of Gazprom Aleksey Miller and Venezuela’s Energy Minister PDVSA president signed a mutually understanding memorandum and a document setting possible areas of co-operation between the countries. Russia Today...
Pirates 'want $35m for tank ship'
Pirates who seized a Ukrainian ship off the coast of Somalia have reportedly demanded a ransom of $35m (£19m) to release the vessel and its crew.The pirates also warned against any attempt to rescue the crew or cargo of the MV Faina, which is carrying 33 T-72 battle tanks destined for Kenya. But the Kenyan government later denied it had been issued with ransom demands.BBC Article...
China takes huge step in space
One huge step for China. That is how the space walk by astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the son of a snack-seller, is being portrayed to the world. As China’s leaders looked on, along with millions watching on state television, the Chinese space programme came of age. Today’s was only a short space walk, just 15 minutes outside the craft. But the aim was not to break records, but to point out that China could do it, on only its third manned trip into spaceEuronews...
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese taikonauts completed the country's first spacewalk Saturday, a feat that immediately became the focus of attention around the world. Vladimir Soloviev, flight control director of the Russian space mission control center and a former cosmonaut who also performed spacewalks, called on Russia and China to enhance cooperation and share their experiences in space exploration. "A spacewalk faces a series of complicated technological difficulties. China's first spacewalk contributes a lot to the country's space technology and is also a great achievement for the whole world," he said. China View...
Several killed in Damascus bombing
At least 17 people have been killed and at least 14 injured in a car bomb attack in the Syrian capital Damascus. The car bomb, which Syrian public television said contained about 200kg of explosives, went off in a southern suburb of the capital at about 8am [0500 GMT] on Saturday. All of the victims are believed to be civilians. The bombing occurred at an intersection leading to Saydah Zeinab, a holy shrine for Shia Muslims that is visited by Iranian and Iraqi pilgrims. Al Jazeera...
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