German vessel released by Somalian pirates arrives in OmanPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 7:19amA German cargo ship with Russian and Ukrainian crew members onboard that was recently held by Somalian pirates for some six weeks has arrived in the port of Salala, in Oman, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Monday. "The sailors are in a satisfactory condition," the report says. A Ukrainian delegation, including a Ukrainian human rights envoy and officials from the foreign, emergencies and health ministries has arrived in Oman. Full Story
China, Russia sign border agreementPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 7:45amChina and Russia on Monday signed an agreement that ended a decades-long territorial dispute, in the latest sign of warming ties. The protocol, signed by the two countries' foreign ministers in Beijing, adds to an existing agreement on their 4,300-kilometre (2,700-mile) boundary. Full Story
Two dead in Chinese bus blastsPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 7:50amTwo explosions on buses in the south-western Chinese city of Kunming have left at least two people dead and 14 injured, according to reports. The blasts happened within about an hour during the morning rush hour in Yunnan's state capital. Full Story
Two Turks freed in Afghanistan, returning homePosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 7:52amTwo Turkish engineers kidnapped in western Afghanistan last week have been set free and are returning home, authorities said on Monday. "They are safe and now are flying to Turkey with a private aircraft," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official, who declined to be named, told Reuters. The pair would shortly arrive in Ankara. Full Story
Sri Lanka Military Says 5,000 Rebels Killed This Year So FarPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:01amMore than 5,000 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed by Sri Lanka's military since the beginning of the year, the Defense Ministry said Sunday. The ministry said its latest figures showed 5,036 rebels and 446 of its own soldiers had died in fighting in the period beginning in January and ended Friday night. Full Story
38 killed as Pakistani forces clamp down on rebels in BalochistanPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:02amClashes between paramilitary troops and militants left at least 38 people dead and dozens injured in Pakistan's insurgency-hit south-western province of Balochistan, media reports said Monday. Fighting broke out in the Uch area of the Dera Bugti district in Balochistan Saturday when security forces launched a search operation to arrest rebels, who had attacked a gas field and killed an engineer of the state-managed exploration company. Full Story
UK tourist drowns in PhilippinesPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:03amPhilippine police say a British tourist has drowned after being swept away by a strong current at a popular waterfall west of Manila. Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan said that 56-year-old Richard Kidd, from Gateshead in England, drowned while swimming alone in Bataan's Dunsulan Falls. Full Story
Sarkozy on EU mission to DublinPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:12amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy is starting an official visit to Ireland to discuss how to proceed after the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. He will meet Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen during the trip, which is expected to last less than six hours. Earlier this month, Mr Sarkozy said the Republic of Ireland would have to hold a second referendum on the EU treaty. Full Story
Singapore offers $740,000 bounty for escaped militantPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:13amSingapore on Monday offered a reward of one million dollars (740,000 US) for information leading to the recapture of an alleged extremist leader whose escape in February stunned the city-state. Full Story
India, Pakistan begin new round of peace talksPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:14amIndia and Pakistan on Monday started fresh peace talks despite a bomb attack on India's embassy in Kabul which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan's spy service. Full Story
Facebook Challenges German RivalPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:17amThe German company that is the subject of an intellectual property lawsuit from social networking firm Facebook has said the case is without merit. Facebook's complaint, filed in a California federal court, accuses Studivz of copying the look, feel, features and services of Facebook. Full Story
Brown Issues Iran Nuclear WarningPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:28amBritain is determined to prevent Iran developing nuclear arms, Gordon Brown has warned in an address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. He said that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call for Israel "to be wiped off the map" was abhorrent. Tehran must abandon its nuclear programme or face "growing isolation". Full Story
RIR troops hurt in Taleban attackPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:29amSix Royal Irish Regiment soldiers have been injured in an attack by the Taleban in Afghanistan. An Army spokesperson said the soldiers were in Helmand province at the time of the incident. Full Story
Man hurt in city 'flash' attackPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 8:31amA man in his 30s has been injured in an attack in west Belfast. The victim said he was walking along the Springfield Road at about 2000 BST on Sunday when he saw a flash before receiving an injury to the shoulder. Full Story
British PM: 'Hostage video adds to families' anguish'Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:04amA videotaped statement claiming one of five British hostages captured in Iraq last year has committed suicide is an "abhorrent film" that will only increase the anguish suffered by their families, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Sunday. The video also reportedly shows another British hostage, identified as "Alan". Full Story
Iraqi panel proposes delay in key electionPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:13amIraq's election authority proposed Sunday to delay important provincial balloting in an apparent sign of frustration over a political impasse that has stalled preparations for voting planned for this fall. Full Story
Al-Qaida may be easing effort in IraqPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:13amAfter intense U.S. assaults, al-Qaida may be considering shifting focus to its original home base in Afghanistan, where American casualties are running higher than in Iraq, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said Saturday. Full Story
UK 'Must Check' US Torture DenialPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:37amThe British government should not rely on US assurances that it does not use torture, a report by MPs says. The foreign affairs select committee said the UK and US differ on their definitions of what constitutes torture and it urged the UK to check US claims. It recommended the government carry out an "exhaustive analysis of current US interrogation techniques." Full Story
Sunni Bloc Rejoins Iraqi Government, Amid Reconciliation HopesPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:49amIraq's largest Sunni political bloc rejoined the government Saturday after a nearly year-long boycott, a move that could help bridge the country's sectarian divide. Full Story
Fear Over Pandemic Disease EffortPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:49amMore needs to be done to protect against outbreaks of infectious diseases, a Lords report says. The House of Lords Intergovernmental Organisations Committee said there was poor coordination between international organisations and governments. It said improvements in surveillance and response systems had to be made to. Full Story
3 killed in Lebanon refugee camp brawlPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 9:49amThree Palestinians have been killed after an argument between rival factions in a refugee camp in south Lebanon turned violent, a Palestinian official said yesterday. The fighting broke out late on Saturday in Ain El-Helweh camp, the largest in Lebanon, between Islamist group Jund Al-Sham and a joint force of Palestinian factions which polices the camp. Full Story
Sri Lankan troops kill 42 rebels: militaryPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 10:41amSri Lankan troops have killed dozens of Tamil Tiger rebels during ground battles across the war-torn island's northern district, the defence ministry said Monday. Full Story
Top Indian diplomat blames Pakistan in bombing of Indian embassy in KabulPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 10:43amA top Indian diplomat blamed Pakistan on Monday for the bombing of India's embassy in Afghanistan, saying the attack had put the rivals' peace process "under stress." Full Story
France's Sarkozy Faces Protests at EU Crisis TalksPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 10:51amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy faced protests Monday as he arrived in Dublin to discuss the way forward after Ireland's shock rejection of a key European Union treaty. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside government offices where Sarkozy -- whose country took over the EU's six-month rotating presidency this month -- was to hold talks with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen. The French leader sparked outrage last week by reportedly suggesting that Ireland should vote again after its crushing rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in a June 12 referendum. Full Story
Madeleine police inquiry shelvedPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 1:31pmThe police investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been shelved due to lack of evidence, Portugal's attorney general has said. The child's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and a third British national, Robert Murat, are no longer formal suspects, he also confirmed. Full Story
Aid workers seized in AfghanistanPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 1:33pmTwo French aid workers have been abducted in central Afghanistan, the French aid organisation Action Against Hunger has announced. The pair, who have not been named, were seized at gunpoint in the early hours of Friday from their house in Daykundi province, the Paris-based group said. Full Story
Sarkozy visits Ireland to revive EU treatyPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 1:38pmPromising to listen rather than lecture, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France arrived here on Monday, seeking to revive a European Union reform treaty Ireland's voters rejected last month. The Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline European Union institutions, must be approved by all 27 nations in the bloc. Alone among the member states, Ireland put the matter to a referendum, as its Constitution required. But when 53 percent of voters rejected the measure on June 12, Ireland, a country of 4 million, derailed plans for a pact that would have covered almost 500 million people. Full Story
Ex-Marine, daughter abducted near ManilaPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 2:54pmGunmen kidnapped a retired U.S. Marine and his daughter from their Philippine home, but released the former serviceman three hours later after demanding a ransom for his daughter, police said Monday. Full Story
Top war crimes suspect arrested in SerbiaPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 5:47pmFormer Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, a war crimes fugitive and one of the world's most wanted men, was arrested on Monday evening in a sweep by Serbian security forces, the country's president said. Full Story
Al-Qaida senior leader grants rare TV interviewPosted on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 6:16pmIn a rare move, one of al-Qaida's highest-ranking leaders has conducted an on-camera interview with a journalist and, in the process, called for the destruction of Pakistan's government. It was the first time since 2002 that any top al-Qaida official has taken the security risk of sitting down for an interview with a bonafide journalist. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 07/18
Four Madrid bomb convicts clearedPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 7:30amSpain's Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of four people found guilty of involvement in the Madrid train bombings in 2004. The four were among 21 people convicted last year over the attacks, which killed 191 people. The court also upheld the acquittal of an Egyptian suspected of masterminding the attacks, because he had already been convicted of the offence in Italy. Full Story
Thai rebels agree "ceasefire", analysts skepticalPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 8:59amA group claiming to be the leaders of a four-year-old separatist insurgency in Thailand's Muslim south said on Thursday they had agreed to a ceasefire, but analysts were very skeptical. Full Story
Argentinian Senate rejects farm votePosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:01amArgentina's Senate narrowly rejected a grain-export tax package early Thursday, a government-backed proposal that has led to nationwide farm strikes and regional food shortages. Lawmakers rejected the bill by 37 votes to 36 after 17 hours of debate. Full Story
Mexico seizes drug submarine in PacificPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:03amMexico's navy seized a homemade submarine carrying a drug shipment off the Pacific coast on Wednesday and arrested its four-man crew. Similar vessels carrying cocaine have been discovered off Colombia and Central America, but navy spokesman Capt. Benjamin Mar said the seizure is a first for Mexico. Full Story
Angry investors storm Karachi exchangePosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:05amHundreds of angry investors, upset by plunging Pakistani share prices, smashed windows of Karachi Stock Exchange and scuffles broke out during a protest on Thursday to demand a temporary closure of the market. Full Story
New kidnapping in southern PhilippinesPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:08amSuspected Muslim extremists abducted two telecom servicemen in the southern Philippines in the latest in a rash of such kidnappings in the area, police said Thursday. Full Story
UK ratifies the EU Lisbon TreatyPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:28amThe UK has officially ratified the European Union's Lisbon Treaty. The documents were deposited with the Italian foreign affairs ministry in Rome on Wednesday. The move came despite doubts over its future after the "no" vote in the Irish referendum. All EU states must ratify the treaty for it to come into force. Full Story
Jihadist Agreement In Pakistan Leads To Surge Of Violence In AfghanistanPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:31amAP reported this week that rival jihadist groups in Pakistan have agreed to work together to fight against NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The meeting of some 300 jihadist fighters took place in early June in Rawalpindi -- a military garrison city where the headquarters of the Pakistani army is based. Full Story
Afghanistan troop build-up alarms Pakistan tribalsPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:43amPakistani tribal elders yesterday raised the alarm over a build-up of hundreds of NATO-led troops on the Afghan side of the border, but the military downplayed fears of any intrusion. Full Story
Indonesian man dies of bird fluPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:47amAn Indonesian cargo worker died of bird flu, relatives confirmed Thursday, raising the unofficial toll in the world's hardest hit nation to 111 in three years. Full Story
Recorded crime figures show fallPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:50amPolice-recorded crime in England and Wales fell 9% in the 12 months to March, latest figures suggest. The first reliable figures for knife crime showed there were 22,000 offences last year. The statistics also show that while the risk of being a
victim is at its lowest ever level, people still think that the rate is going up. Full Story
NATO claims Taliban commander killedPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:05amNATO reported Thursday that a senior Taliban commander has been killed and Afghan officials said an airstrike left at least 10 insurgents dead and four civilians wounded. Full Story
Nigerian activists reject UK planPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:17amHuman rights activists in Nigeria's Delta have condemned an offer from the UK government to provide military training to secure oil supplies. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered military training to Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua to help fight militants and oil smugglers. Full Story
Police 'to be freed from targets'Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:27amPolice are to be given greater freedom from red tape and targets under a government "new deal" launched by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. All but one of the national targets imposed on forces will be scrapped under the Green Paper reforms, allowing officers more time to tackle crime. Ms Smith said removing "top down" targets was "a significant mark" of her trust in senior police chiefs. Full Story
Serbia may reinstate withdrawn ambassadorPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:27amSerbia's government may reinstate ambassadors it recalled from countries that recognized an independent Kosovo, a policy shift that senior Serbian officials said Belgrade was considering to show its firm commitment to the West. Full Story
Suspect wins libel case over missing British girlPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:29amA British suspect in the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann in Portugal last year won 600,000 pounds ($1.2 million) in libel damages on Thursday for "the utter destruction" of his life. The 10 British newspapers involved in the case had accused Robert Murat, who lived in the resort where McCann vanished last May, of being involved in the girl's disappearance. Full Story
Turkish court adviser backs AKPPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:34amAn adviser to Turkey's Constitutional Court has recommended that it should not shut down the ruling AK Party for anti-secular activities, officials say. In a non-binding report, Osman Can said the AKP's decision to lift a ban on Islamic headscarves had only been intended to expand freedoms, they add. Full Story
Turkey's steps reciprocated by Armenia, says BabacanPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:40amForeign Minister Ali Babacan said yesterday that Turkey has taken unilateral steps to normalize bilateral ties with neighboring Armenia and the recent offer by Yerevan to the Turkish president to watch a football match was a result of Ankara's efforts. Full Story
German FM Pushes Abkhazia Peace Plan During VisitPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:42amGerman Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is in Tbilisi at the start of a three-day trip intended to jump-start the peace process in breakaway Abkhazia. Steinmeier is acting as the coordinator for the five-member UN Friends Group, a grouping of Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States that is trying to resolve the conflict. Full Story
Spain's supreme court clears four convicted Madrid bombersPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:04pmSpain's supreme court Thursday overturned the guilty verdicts on four of the 21 people convicted over the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people in 2004. It also upheld a lower court's decision to acquit one of the alleged masterminds of the Al Qaeda-inspired attacks, Rabei Ousmane Sayed Ahmed, known as "Mohammed the Egyptian". Full Story
Greek police station attacked with firebombs; no injuriesPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:06pmA police station west of Athens came under firebomb attack early Thursday, police said, leaving several vehicles damaged but causing no injuries. A group of youths drove past the police station in the Perama district, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the Greek capital, throwing several firebombs at the building, police said. Full Story
Council workers' strike continuesPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:08pmCouncil workers are staging the second day of a 48-hour strike, hitting services such as schools, libraries and rubbish collections. The Unison and Unite unions expect more than 500,000 staff to walk out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The unions say rising prices make the employers' pay offer of 2.45% effectively a wage cut, and want 6%. Full Story
Car bomb kills 12 in northern IraqPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:50pmA car bomb exploded in a market in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar on Wednesday, killing 12 people and wounding 30, a police officer and a medic told AFP. Full Story
Three documents of security agreement with USPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:51pmNext few hours seem decisive for many local issues, because its political developments, as PM Noori Almaliki provides his candidates to fill vacant ministries to Parliament today while the political council of national security will hold emergency session tomorrow to discuss three important documents about the security agreement. Full Story
Iraq's al-Qaida fighters now `furtive terrorists'Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:52pmIt's quiet around here in farm country, south of Baghdad where al-Qaida once held sway. Just months ago U.S. foot patrols through the wheat fields nearby would regularly draw fire if the soldiers managed first to elude al-Qaida-planted roadside bombs. Full Story
Sleiman presides over inaugural meeting of new Cabinet, urges unityPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:53pmPresident Michel Sleiman said on Wednesday that the new government's ministerial statement would be based on six main pillars. These include the Taif Accord, international resolutions, Arab foreign ministers' decisions made in January 2008, Lebanese national dialogue decisions in 2006, the Doha agreement, and the president's inaugural speech on the day of his election. Full Story
Six wounded as gunman attacks bus in JordanPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:53pmA teenaged Palestinian gunman overnight raked a bus with gunfire in Amman, injuring six people, before turning the gun on himself as police tried to subdue him, officials said Thursday. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thai rebels agree "ceasefire", analysts skepticalPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 8:59amA group claiming to be the leaders of a four-year-old separatist insurgency in Thailand's Muslim south said on Thursday they had agreed to a ceasefire, but analysts were very skeptical. Full Story
Argentinian Senate rejects farm votePosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:01amArgentina's Senate narrowly rejected a grain-export tax package early Thursday, a government-backed proposal that has led to nationwide farm strikes and regional food shortages. Lawmakers rejected the bill by 37 votes to 36 after 17 hours of debate. Full Story
Mexico seizes drug submarine in PacificPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:03amMexico's navy seized a homemade submarine carrying a drug shipment off the Pacific coast on Wednesday and arrested its four-man crew. Similar vessels carrying cocaine have been discovered off Colombia and Central America, but navy spokesman Capt. Benjamin Mar said the seizure is a first for Mexico. Full Story
Angry investors storm Karachi exchangePosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:05amHundreds of angry investors, upset by plunging Pakistani share prices, smashed windows of Karachi Stock Exchange and scuffles broke out during a protest on Thursday to demand a temporary closure of the market. Full Story
New kidnapping in southern PhilippinesPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:08amSuspected Muslim extremists abducted two telecom servicemen in the southern Philippines in the latest in a rash of such kidnappings in the area, police said Thursday. Full Story
UK ratifies the EU Lisbon TreatyPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:28amThe UK has officially ratified the European Union's Lisbon Treaty. The documents were deposited with the Italian foreign affairs ministry in Rome on Wednesday. The move came despite doubts over its future after the "no" vote in the Irish referendum. All EU states must ratify the treaty for it to come into force. Full Story
Jihadist Agreement In Pakistan Leads To Surge Of Violence In AfghanistanPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:31amAP reported this week that rival jihadist groups in Pakistan have agreed to work together to fight against NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The meeting of some 300 jihadist fighters took place in early June in Rawalpindi -- a military garrison city where the headquarters of the Pakistani army is based. Full Story
Afghanistan troop build-up alarms Pakistan tribalsPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:43amPakistani tribal elders yesterday raised the alarm over a build-up of hundreds of NATO-led troops on the Afghan side of the border, but the military downplayed fears of any intrusion. Full Story
Indonesian man dies of bird fluPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:47amAn Indonesian cargo worker died of bird flu, relatives confirmed Thursday, raising the unofficial toll in the world's hardest hit nation to 111 in three years. Full Story
Recorded crime figures show fallPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:50amPolice-recorded crime in England and Wales fell 9% in the 12 months to March, latest figures suggest. The first reliable figures for knife crime showed there were 22,000 offences last year. The statistics also show that while the risk of being a
victim is at its lowest ever level, people still think that the rate is going up. Full Story
NATO claims Taliban commander killedPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:05amNATO reported Thursday that a senior Taliban commander has been killed and Afghan officials said an airstrike left at least 10 insurgents dead and four civilians wounded. Full Story
Nigerian activists reject UK planPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:17amHuman rights activists in Nigeria's Delta have condemned an offer from the UK government to provide military training to secure oil supplies. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered military training to Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua to help fight militants and oil smugglers. Full Story
Police 'to be freed from targets'Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:27amPolice are to be given greater freedom from red tape and targets under a government "new deal" launched by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. All but one of the national targets imposed on forces will be scrapped under the Green Paper reforms, allowing officers more time to tackle crime. Ms Smith said removing "top down" targets was "a significant mark" of her trust in senior police chiefs. Full Story
Serbia may reinstate withdrawn ambassadorPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:27amSerbia's government may reinstate ambassadors it recalled from countries that recognized an independent Kosovo, a policy shift that senior Serbian officials said Belgrade was considering to show its firm commitment to the West. Full Story
Suspect wins libel case over missing British girlPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:29amA British suspect in the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann in Portugal last year won 600,000 pounds ($1.2 million) in libel damages on Thursday for "the utter destruction" of his life. The 10 British newspapers involved in the case had accused Robert Murat, who lived in the resort where McCann vanished last May, of being involved in the girl's disappearance. Full Story
Turkish court adviser backs AKPPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:34amAn adviser to Turkey's Constitutional Court has recommended that it should not shut down the ruling AK Party for anti-secular activities, officials say. In a non-binding report, Osman Can said the AKP's decision to lift a ban on Islamic headscarves had only been intended to expand freedoms, they add. Full Story
Turkey's steps reciprocated by Armenia, says BabacanPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:40amForeign Minister Ali Babacan said yesterday that Turkey has taken unilateral steps to normalize bilateral ties with neighboring Armenia and the recent offer by Yerevan to the Turkish president to watch a football match was a result of Ankara's efforts. Full Story
German FM Pushes Abkhazia Peace Plan During VisitPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 11:42amGerman Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is in Tbilisi at the start of a three-day trip intended to jump-start the peace process in breakaway Abkhazia. Steinmeier is acting as the coordinator for the five-member UN Friends Group, a grouping of Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States that is trying to resolve the conflict. Full Story
Spain's supreme court clears four convicted Madrid bombersPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:04pmSpain's supreme court Thursday overturned the guilty verdicts on four of the 21 people convicted over the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people in 2004. It also upheld a lower court's decision to acquit one of the alleged masterminds of the Al Qaeda-inspired attacks, Rabei Ousmane Sayed Ahmed, known as "Mohammed the Egyptian". Full Story
Greek police station attacked with firebombs; no injuriesPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:06pmA police station west of Athens came under firebomb attack early Thursday, police said, leaving several vehicles damaged but causing no injuries. A group of youths drove past the police station in the Perama district, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the Greek capital, throwing several firebombs at the building, police said. Full Story
Council workers' strike continuesPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:08pmCouncil workers are staging the second day of a 48-hour strike, hitting services such as schools, libraries and rubbish collections. The Unison and Unite unions expect more than 500,000 staff to walk out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The unions say rising prices make the employers' pay offer of 2.45% effectively a wage cut, and want 6%. Full Story
Car bomb kills 12 in northern IraqPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:50pmA car bomb exploded in a market in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar on Wednesday, killing 12 people and wounding 30, a police officer and a medic told AFP. Full Story
Three documents of security agreement with USPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:51pmNext few hours seem decisive for many local issues, because its political developments, as PM Noori Almaliki provides his candidates to fill vacant ministries to Parliament today while the political council of national security will hold emergency session tomorrow to discuss three important documents about the security agreement. Full Story
Iraq's al-Qaida fighters now `furtive terrorists'Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:52pmIt's quiet around here in farm country, south of Baghdad where al-Qaida once held sway. Just months ago U.S. foot patrols through the wheat fields nearby would regularly draw fire if the soldiers managed first to elude al-Qaida-planted roadside bombs. Full Story
Sleiman presides over inaugural meeting of new Cabinet, urges unityPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:53pmPresident Michel Sleiman said on Wednesday that the new government's ministerial statement would be based on six main pillars. These include the Taif Accord, international resolutions, Arab foreign ministers' decisions made in January 2008, Lebanese national dialogue decisions in 2006, the Doha agreement, and the president's inaugural speech on the day of his election. Full Story
Six wounded as gunman attacks bus in JordanPosted on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:53pmA teenaged Palestinian gunman overnight raked a bus with gunfire in Amman, injuring six people, before turning the gun on himself as police tried to subdue him, officials said Thursday. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 07/17
Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim arrestedPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:02amMalaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been arrested over allegations of sodomy, police and his lawyer say. Armed police surrounded his car early on Wednesday and took him into custody, his lawyer said. Full Story
U.S. troops abandon Afghan outpost following attackPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:12amU.S. troops have pulled out of a remote outpost in northeastern Afghanistan, NATO-led security force said on Wednesday, three days after Taliban militants tried to overrun the base and killed nine U.S. soldiers. Full Story
Thailand uses 're-education' to fight Muslim separatistsPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:22amThailand's army is increasingly using controversial "re-education" camps to indoctrinate young Muslim men in the hope of stopping them from joining a bloody insurgency, officials and activists say. Full Story
Sri Lanka military captures key northern town-govtPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:27amSri Lankan troops have captured a strategically important coastal town from the Tamil Tigers, the defence ministry said on Wednesday, as government forces continue their push against the rebels' northern stronghold. Full Story
Karzai ousts presidential rivalPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:29amPresident Hamid Karzai ousted Afghanistan's top prosecutor on Wednesday, a day after the official announced he would run in next year's presidential election. Karzai's office said Attorney General Abdul Jabar Sabet's plan to contest the election amounted to a resignation. Full Story
Rallies split Argentina before tax votePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:38amTens of thousands of Argentine farmers and government supporters staged dueling protests Tuesday ahead of a Senate vote on a package of grain-export taxes that generated months of bitter farm strikes. The strikes and road blockades by farmers led to food shortages, cut grain exports and have eroded President Cristina Fernandez's popularity. Full Story
Bicycle bomb wounds 11 in southwest PakistanPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:39amA bomb planted on a bicycle wounded 11 people, including five paramilitary soldiers, in a southwest Pakistani town where separatist rebels have long been active. Full Story
Mexico sends 1,260 troops Sinaloa statePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:39amMexico has deployed 1,260 more federal police to a gang-plagued northern state where shooting sprees have killed at least 19 people in the past week. The Public Safety Department said Tuesday the deployment brings the number of federal agents in Sinaloa to 2,000. Full Story
Haiti cops tear gas unruly march for AristidePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:41amHaitian police fired tear gas to disperse protesters who had stormed past barricades near the National Palace during a rally marking the 55th birthday of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Police had erected barricades at the Champs de Mars, the central plaza of Port-au-Prince, to prevent demonstrators from reaching the National Palace about two blocks away. Full Story
Irish unfazed over 'second vote'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:51amThe Irish government has reacted coolly to the French president's remark that the Republic of Ireland should hold a new referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Prime Minister Brian Cowen said there were "many views across Europe about the problems we face" after the Irish rejection of the EU treaty on 12 June. But some Irish politicians sharply criticised President Nicolas Sarkozy. Full Story
French minister denounces burqaPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:06amA Muslim member of the French government has backed a court's decision to deny citizenship to a Moroccan woman who wears the burqa. Urban Affairs Minister Fadela Amara said she hoped last month's ruling would "dissuade certain fanatics from imposing the burqa on their wives". Full Story
Bid to rescue Belgian governmentPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:08amBelgium's King Albert II is holding emergency discussions with lawmakers following the resignation of the country's prime minister. The king has not yet formally accepted Yves Leterme's resignation, so he remains a caretaker prime minister. Full Story
Spanish Senate adopts EU treatyPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:10amSpain's Senate has voted overwhelmingly to adopt the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, one month after it was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum. King Juan Carlos must still sign the treaty, at which point Spain will become the 23rd EU state to ratify it. Full Story
Brown defends fuel duty decisionPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:36amGordon Brown has defended a decision to postpone a 2p rise in fuel duty after David Cameron suggested it was timed to coincide with next week's by-election. The prime minister said the move, which comes as oil prices continue to hit new peaks, would help people facing high food and fuel bills. Full Story
Risk of measles rises in many European countriesPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:44amHoliday makers should not underestimate the risk of contracting measles during the summer travel season. Doctors report that the highly infectious virus is spreading through certain European countries, namely Switzerland, Austria, Ireland and England, and now also Italy, warned Germany's professional association for paediatricians in Cologne. Full Story
Jailed Yukos boss in release pleaPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:46amLawyers acting for former Yukos chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky have requested his early release. Mr Khodorkovsky, Russia's richest man when arrested in 2003, was found guilty of tax evasion in 2005. Full Story
Turkish operation 'kills 22 PKK'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:51amTurkish troops have killed 22 Kurdish guerrillas over the last five days in an operation in south-east Turkey, the Turkish military says. There has been no confirmation from the PKK guerrilla group. On Monday the military said two Turkish troops and three PKK fighters were killed in clashes in the same Sirnak province, near the Iraqi border. Full Story
Turkey charges 86 for 'coup plot'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:56amA top Turkish prosecutor has brought charges against 86 people allegedly involved in a coup plot. Aykut Cengiz Engin said those charged included leading figures from the army, business and the secular press. The charges follow speculation about a shadowy group of hardline nationalists determined to act in what they see as defence of Turkey's secular values. Full Story
Russia vows to react to U.S. missile shieldPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:03amPresident Dmitri Medvedev of Russia echoed his predecessor, Vladimir Putin, in a gritty foreign policy speech Tuesday, vowing to respond if Washington places missiles in Central Europe. He also promoted an idea he already has made a hallmark of his two-month-old presidency: calling for a new European security treaty he claims would remove the divisions Russia says that NATO has created. Full Story
Russia denies that politics lie behind halted oil deliveriesPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:06amRussia has denied that political motives are behind a sudden reduction in oil deliveries to the Czech Republic that began a day after Prague annoyed the Kremlin by signing a missile-shield agreement with the United States. Although they mentioned "technical reasons" for the cut, Russian diplomats in Prague did not say when full supplies would be resumed, Czech officials said Monday. Full Story
Indictment says gang older than the RepublicPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:11amAs the country grapples with the fact that senior generals, politicians and businessmen can be jailed on suspicions of planning of a coup and face terrorism charges, leaks in the indictment show there is more shock in store for Turkey with Ergenekon's ties to a mythical secret group among the many surprises. Full Story
PKK rivalry behind kidnapping of GermansPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:15amAn ongoing internal power struggle within the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) appears to be the cause of the kidnapping of three German mountaineers in eastern Turkey, according to Turkish security sources.
Three Germans in a group of 13 mountaineers -- Helmut H. (65), Martin S. (47) and Lars R. (33) -- were kidnapped by the PKK last Tuesday on Mt. Ağrı (Ararat), and PKK members said they would not be released until Germany changes its "hostile" policies toward the group, designated as terrorist by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The remaining 10 mountaineers returned to Germany over the weekend. Full Story
UK jobless level increases againPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:20amUnemployment in the UK rose by 12,000 to 1.62 million in the three months to May, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said. The rate of unemployment was 5.2%, unchanged on the previous quarter. The number claiming unemployment benefit rose by 15,500 in June to 840,100 - the biggest jump since December 1992. Full Story
Convenient 'Suicide' Removes Key Witness In Kazakh ScandalPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:23amGeneral Zhomart Mazhrenov spent more than 25 years in the service of the Soviet KGB, then Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB). But on July 8, after a few weeks in a prison cell, the general decided to end it all -- and hang himself. Mazhrenov, it seems, had become ensnared in a power struggle between Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev and his disgraced former son-in-law, Rakhat Aliev. Full Story
Belarusian Police Disperse Protest Over DetentionsPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:27amPolice in Belarus dispersed a protest by dozens of opposition activists denouncing what they said was the detention of comrades after a bomb blast at a concert attended by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Riot police moved into the capital, Minsk's, main October Square on July 14 and pushed out about 30 demonstrators carrying portraits of opposition figures they said were being held after the July 4 explosion, which wounded more than 50 people. Full Story
Immigration 'harming communities'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:36amRapid immigration has damaged community relations in parts of England, a report by the Commons communities and local government committee says. In three areas with high immigration - Peterborough, Burnley, and Barking and Dagenham - community cohesion is among the lowest in the country, the MPs say. Full Story
British government workers start two-day strikePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:21pmThousands of British local government employees began a two-day strike over pay on Wednesday. Unions said they expected more than half a million workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to join the walkout that began at a minute past midnight (2301GMT Tuesday), closing museums, libraries, civic offices and some schools. Full Story
Belgium in crisis again as prime minister offers to quitPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:24pmAfter an interlude of just four months, the crisis that prompted fears that Belgium would split returned with a vengeance Tuesday when the prime minister offered to quit after failing to broker a deal between the country's two main linguistic groups. Yves Leterme, a Flemish Christian Democrat, took office in March after the country had been without a permanent prime minister for nine months. Full Story
Irish reaction mixed on treaty commentPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:30pmA call by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a second Lisbon Treaty referendum was met with mixed reactions Wednesday in Ireland. The country was the only one of the 27-member European Union to have a public vote to ratify the proposed treaty, which would streamline the EU's governance structures to accommodate its expansion. Irish voters defeated it last month and Sarkozy commented Tuesday that they would "have to vote again," the BBC reported. Full Story
Croatia clings to optimism about EU accessionPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:32pmCroatian leaders, including president Stjepan Mesic and foreign minister Gordan Jandrokovic, are insisting that the country will be ready in 2009 to join the European Union in spite of the institutional crisis in the wake of Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. This emerges from interviews in recent days, including statements by Mesic to French daily Le Figaro published on July 15 and by Jandrokovic to Financial Times Deutschland on July 11. Full Story
President Nicolas Sarkozy 'turning France into monocracy'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:39pmPresident Nicolas Sarkozy of France has been accused of wanting to turn the country into a "monocracy" as he scrambles to win last-minute backing for a constitutional reform bill, which he argues will strengthen parliament. The opposition Socialist party is calling for a No vote on the bill, which has split the ruling UMP party, and it is uncertain whether Mr Sarkozy can secure the required three-fifths majority in the upper and lower houses of parliament to push it through. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
U.S. troops abandon Afghan outpost following attackPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:12amU.S. troops have pulled out of a remote outpost in northeastern Afghanistan, NATO-led security force said on Wednesday, three days after Taliban militants tried to overrun the base and killed nine U.S. soldiers. Full Story
Thailand uses 're-education' to fight Muslim separatistsPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:22amThailand's army is increasingly using controversial "re-education" camps to indoctrinate young Muslim men in the hope of stopping them from joining a bloody insurgency, officials and activists say. Full Story
Sri Lanka military captures key northern town-govtPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:27amSri Lankan troops have captured a strategically important coastal town from the Tamil Tigers, the defence ministry said on Wednesday, as government forces continue their push against the rebels' northern stronghold. Full Story
Karzai ousts presidential rivalPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:29amPresident Hamid Karzai ousted Afghanistan's top prosecutor on Wednesday, a day after the official announced he would run in next year's presidential election. Karzai's office said Attorney General Abdul Jabar Sabet's plan to contest the election amounted to a resignation. Full Story
Rallies split Argentina before tax votePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:38amTens of thousands of Argentine farmers and government supporters staged dueling protests Tuesday ahead of a Senate vote on a package of grain-export taxes that generated months of bitter farm strikes. The strikes and road blockades by farmers led to food shortages, cut grain exports and have eroded President Cristina Fernandez's popularity. Full Story
Bicycle bomb wounds 11 in southwest PakistanPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:39amA bomb planted on a bicycle wounded 11 people, including five paramilitary soldiers, in a southwest Pakistani town where separatist rebels have long been active. Full Story
Mexico sends 1,260 troops Sinaloa statePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:39amMexico has deployed 1,260 more federal police to a gang-plagued northern state where shooting sprees have killed at least 19 people in the past week. The Public Safety Department said Tuesday the deployment brings the number of federal agents in Sinaloa to 2,000. Full Story
Haiti cops tear gas unruly march for AristidePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:41amHaitian police fired tear gas to disperse protesters who had stormed past barricades near the National Palace during a rally marking the 55th birthday of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Police had erected barricades at the Champs de Mars, the central plaza of Port-au-Prince, to prevent demonstrators from reaching the National Palace about two blocks away. Full Story
Irish unfazed over 'second vote'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:51amThe Irish government has reacted coolly to the French president's remark that the Republic of Ireland should hold a new referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Prime Minister Brian Cowen said there were "many views across Europe about the problems we face" after the Irish rejection of the EU treaty on 12 June. But some Irish politicians sharply criticised President Nicolas Sarkozy. Full Story
French minister denounces burqaPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:06amA Muslim member of the French government has backed a court's decision to deny citizenship to a Moroccan woman who wears the burqa. Urban Affairs Minister Fadela Amara said she hoped last month's ruling would "dissuade certain fanatics from imposing the burqa on their wives". Full Story
Bid to rescue Belgian governmentPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:08amBelgium's King Albert II is holding emergency discussions with lawmakers following the resignation of the country's prime minister. The king has not yet formally accepted Yves Leterme's resignation, so he remains a caretaker prime minister. Full Story
Spanish Senate adopts EU treatyPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:10amSpain's Senate has voted overwhelmingly to adopt the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, one month after it was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum. King Juan Carlos must still sign the treaty, at which point Spain will become the 23rd EU state to ratify it. Full Story
Brown defends fuel duty decisionPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:36amGordon Brown has defended a decision to postpone a 2p rise in fuel duty after David Cameron suggested it was timed to coincide with next week's by-election. The prime minister said the move, which comes as oil prices continue to hit new peaks, would help people facing high food and fuel bills. Full Story
Risk of measles rises in many European countriesPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:44amHoliday makers should not underestimate the risk of contracting measles during the summer travel season. Doctors report that the highly infectious virus is spreading through certain European countries, namely Switzerland, Austria, Ireland and England, and now also Italy, warned Germany's professional association for paediatricians in Cologne. Full Story
Jailed Yukos boss in release pleaPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:46amLawyers acting for former Yukos chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky have requested his early release. Mr Khodorkovsky, Russia's richest man when arrested in 2003, was found guilty of tax evasion in 2005. Full Story
Turkish operation 'kills 22 PKK'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:51amTurkish troops have killed 22 Kurdish guerrillas over the last five days in an operation in south-east Turkey, the Turkish military says. There has been no confirmation from the PKK guerrilla group. On Monday the military said two Turkish troops and three PKK fighters were killed in clashes in the same Sirnak province, near the Iraqi border. Full Story
Turkey charges 86 for 'coup plot'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 9:56amA top Turkish prosecutor has brought charges against 86 people allegedly involved in a coup plot. Aykut Cengiz Engin said those charged included leading figures from the army, business and the secular press. The charges follow speculation about a shadowy group of hardline nationalists determined to act in what they see as defence of Turkey's secular values. Full Story
Russia vows to react to U.S. missile shieldPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:03amPresident Dmitri Medvedev of Russia echoed his predecessor, Vladimir Putin, in a gritty foreign policy speech Tuesday, vowing to respond if Washington places missiles in Central Europe. He also promoted an idea he already has made a hallmark of his two-month-old presidency: calling for a new European security treaty he claims would remove the divisions Russia says that NATO has created. Full Story
Russia denies that politics lie behind halted oil deliveriesPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:06amRussia has denied that political motives are behind a sudden reduction in oil deliveries to the Czech Republic that began a day after Prague annoyed the Kremlin by signing a missile-shield agreement with the United States. Although they mentioned "technical reasons" for the cut, Russian diplomats in Prague did not say when full supplies would be resumed, Czech officials said Monday. Full Story
Indictment says gang older than the RepublicPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:11amAs the country grapples with the fact that senior generals, politicians and businessmen can be jailed on suspicions of planning of a coup and face terrorism charges, leaks in the indictment show there is more shock in store for Turkey with Ergenekon's ties to a mythical secret group among the many surprises. Full Story
PKK rivalry behind kidnapping of GermansPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:15amAn ongoing internal power struggle within the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) appears to be the cause of the kidnapping of three German mountaineers in eastern Turkey, according to Turkish security sources.
Three Germans in a group of 13 mountaineers -- Helmut H. (65), Martin S. (47) and Lars R. (33) -- were kidnapped by the PKK last Tuesday on Mt. Ağrı (Ararat), and PKK members said they would not be released until Germany changes its "hostile" policies toward the group, designated as terrorist by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The remaining 10 mountaineers returned to Germany over the weekend. Full Story
UK jobless level increases againPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:20amUnemployment in the UK rose by 12,000 to 1.62 million in the three months to May, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said. The rate of unemployment was 5.2%, unchanged on the previous quarter. The number claiming unemployment benefit rose by 15,500 in June to 840,100 - the biggest jump since December 1992. Full Story
Convenient 'Suicide' Removes Key Witness In Kazakh ScandalPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:23amGeneral Zhomart Mazhrenov spent more than 25 years in the service of the Soviet KGB, then Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB). But on July 8, after a few weeks in a prison cell, the general decided to end it all -- and hang himself. Mazhrenov, it seems, had become ensnared in a power struggle between Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev and his disgraced former son-in-law, Rakhat Aliev. Full Story
Belarusian Police Disperse Protest Over DetentionsPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:27amPolice in Belarus dispersed a protest by dozens of opposition activists denouncing what they said was the detention of comrades after a bomb blast at a concert attended by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Riot police moved into the capital, Minsk's, main October Square on July 14 and pushed out about 30 demonstrators carrying portraits of opposition figures they said were being held after the July 4 explosion, which wounded more than 50 people. Full Story
Immigration 'harming communities'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:36amRapid immigration has damaged community relations in parts of England, a report by the Commons communities and local government committee says. In three areas with high immigration - Peterborough, Burnley, and Barking and Dagenham - community cohesion is among the lowest in the country, the MPs say. Full Story
British government workers start two-day strikePosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:21pmThousands of British local government employees began a two-day strike over pay on Wednesday. Unions said they expected more than half a million workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to join the walkout that began at a minute past midnight (2301GMT Tuesday), closing museums, libraries, civic offices and some schools. Full Story
Belgium in crisis again as prime minister offers to quitPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:24pmAfter an interlude of just four months, the crisis that prompted fears that Belgium would split returned with a vengeance Tuesday when the prime minister offered to quit after failing to broker a deal between the country's two main linguistic groups. Yves Leterme, a Flemish Christian Democrat, took office in March after the country had been without a permanent prime minister for nine months. Full Story
Irish reaction mixed on treaty commentPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:30pmA call by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a second Lisbon Treaty referendum was met with mixed reactions Wednesday in Ireland. The country was the only one of the 27-member European Union to have a public vote to ratify the proposed treaty, which would streamline the EU's governance structures to accommodate its expansion. Irish voters defeated it last month and Sarkozy commented Tuesday that they would "have to vote again," the BBC reported. Full Story
Croatia clings to optimism about EU accessionPosted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:32pmCroatian leaders, including president Stjepan Mesic and foreign minister Gordan Jandrokovic, are insisting that the country will be ready in 2009 to join the European Union in spite of the institutional crisis in the wake of Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. This emerges from interviews in recent days, including statements by Mesic to French daily Le Figaro published on July 15 and by Jandrokovic to Financial Times Deutschland on July 11. Full Story
President Nicolas Sarkozy 'turning France into monocracy'Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 1:39pmPresident Nicolas Sarkozy of France has been accused of wanting to turn the country into a "monocracy" as he scrambles to win last-minute backing for a constitutional reform bill, which he argues will strengthen parliament. The opposition Socialist party is calling for a No vote on the bill, which has split the ruling UMP party, and it is uncertain whether Mr Sarkozy can secure the required three-fifths majority in the upper and lower houses of parliament to push it through. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 07/13
Thailand foreign minister quitsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:52amThai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has resigned after a top court ruled he had violated the constitution by signing a deal over a disputed temple. Cambodia had been petitioning to have the temple on the Thai-Cambodian border listed as a World Heritage site. Full Story
Malaysia's PM meets party amid handover speculationPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:55amMalaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi met with leaders of his ruling party Thursday amid speculation he will announce a plan to step down in June 2010. Abdullah has faced calls to quit since March elections that handed the opposition unprecedented gains, and a fuel price hike that has triggered public outrage and a series of protests. Full Story
India vote turns spotlight on small playersPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:58amThe fate of India's ruling coalition may be in the hands of small parties and independent lawmakers after the withdrawal of its communist allies and signs of revolt amongst its newest supporters. Full Story
2 Taliban killed by group of Afghan villagersPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 8:04amA group of villagers in northwestern Afghanistan used a machine gun, sticks and stones to kill two Taliban militants and chase 10 others away, a provincial police chief said Thursday. Full Story
Sarkozy warns EU on treaty debatePosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 8:18amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy has warned the European Parliament that the EU must not waste time on more negotiations over the Lisbon Treaty. In a speech to MEPs in Strasbourg, Mr Sarkozy said Europe "must not be condemned to inaction". Full Story
'Alarming rise' in Ukraine racismPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 9:03amThere has been an "alarming rise" in the number of racially motivated attacks in Ukraine, according to a new Amnesty International study. The group says more than 60 people were targeted in racial attacks last year. Four people have died this year alone. Full Story
Starving migrants found off SpainPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 9:04amMore than 30 African migrants, weak from hunger and thirst, have been rescued off the coast of Spain - but another 15 died, Spanish police say. Most of the dead were young children, whose bodies were thrown overboard. Full Story
Turkey investigates al-Qaeda linkPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 9:06amPolice in Istanbul are investigating the possibility that one of the four gunmen involved in an attack on the US consulate had links to al-Qaeda. Three policemen and three of the attackers were killed during a gun battle in the city on Wednesday. A Turkish government official said one of the attackers was known to have traveled to Afghanistan, AP reports. Full Story
Pakistan is said to be attracting insurgentsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 10:55amAmerican military and intelligence officials say there has been an increase in recent months in the number of foreign fighters who have traveled to Pakistan's tribal areas to join with militants there. Full Story
Government forecast shows decade-long drought worsening in Australia's parched food beltPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 10:57amA decade-long drought in Australia's most important crop-growing region is worsening and there is little hope for relief from either saving rains or a new government conservation plan, officials said Thursday. Full Story
Doctors' strike spreads in NepalPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 11:05amA strike by doctors in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, has spread to clinics and hospitals across the country, medics say. Medical staff began the industrial action on Wednesday, demanding improved security at work. Full Story
Investigators look for motive in deadly attack on U.S. Consulate in TurkeyPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 11:24amU.S. and Turkish investigators worked urgently Wednesday to determine the motive and affiliation of gunmen whose shootout at the U.S. Consulate here left three Turkish police officers and three assailants dead. Turkish news reports cited police sources as saying Al Qaeda was suspected in the attack, the most serious assault on a foreign diplomatic mission in Turkey in five years. But there was no immediate confirmation of the report or claim of responsibility. Full Story
Pakistan: Police nab a Taliban leadPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 2:45pmPolice arrested a senior militant who served as a deputy to the top Taliban commander in Pakistan, Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said Thursday. Full Story
U.S. unites with Europe, Australia on drug inspectionsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 4:59pmFaced with the globalization of drug production, the United States is joining with Europe and Australia to inspect factories in countries such as China and India that make an increasing share of the active ingredients in medications. Bush administration officials said Wednesday that the agreement would allow regulators to coordinate their inspections and share information, thereby covering a wider territory and more foreign facilities. Full Story
PKK sets German hostage demandsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 5:04pmA Kurdish rebel group has vowed not to release three German tourists it has kidnapped unless Germany renounces its crackdown on the PKK. The three climbers were seized from their camp on Mount Ararat in Turkey's eastern Agri province on Wednesday. Full Story
Brown urges Zimbabwe 'isolation'Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 5:26pmGordon Brown has urged the UN to use the "full weight of the international community" to isolate the "illegitimate" state of Zimbabwe. In a statement to MPs on this week's G8 summit, he said there was a "growing international coalition for change". Full Story
Courtesy the Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Malaysia's PM meets party amid handover speculationPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:55amMalaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi met with leaders of his ruling party Thursday amid speculation he will announce a plan to step down in June 2010. Abdullah has faced calls to quit since March elections that handed the opposition unprecedented gains, and a fuel price hike that has triggered public outrage and a series of protests. Full Story
India vote turns spotlight on small playersPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:58amThe fate of India's ruling coalition may be in the hands of small parties and independent lawmakers after the withdrawal of its communist allies and signs of revolt amongst its newest supporters. Full Story
2 Taliban killed by group of Afghan villagersPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 8:04amA group of villagers in northwestern Afghanistan used a machine gun, sticks and stones to kill two Taliban militants and chase 10 others away, a provincial police chief said Thursday. Full Story
Sarkozy warns EU on treaty debatePosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 8:18amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy has warned the European Parliament that the EU must not waste time on more negotiations over the Lisbon Treaty. In a speech to MEPs in Strasbourg, Mr Sarkozy said Europe "must not be condemned to inaction". Full Story
'Alarming rise' in Ukraine racismPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 9:03amThere has been an "alarming rise" in the number of racially motivated attacks in Ukraine, according to a new Amnesty International study. The group says more than 60 people were targeted in racial attacks last year. Four people have died this year alone. Full Story
Starving migrants found off SpainPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 9:04amMore than 30 African migrants, weak from hunger and thirst, have been rescued off the coast of Spain - but another 15 died, Spanish police say. Most of the dead were young children, whose bodies were thrown overboard. Full Story
Turkey investigates al-Qaeda linkPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 9:06amPolice in Istanbul are investigating the possibility that one of the four gunmen involved in an attack on the US consulate had links to al-Qaeda. Three policemen and three of the attackers were killed during a gun battle in the city on Wednesday. A Turkish government official said one of the attackers was known to have traveled to Afghanistan, AP reports. Full Story
Pakistan is said to be attracting insurgentsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 10:55amAmerican military and intelligence officials say there has been an increase in recent months in the number of foreign fighters who have traveled to Pakistan's tribal areas to join with militants there. Full Story
Government forecast shows decade-long drought worsening in Australia's parched food beltPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 10:57amA decade-long drought in Australia's most important crop-growing region is worsening and there is little hope for relief from either saving rains or a new government conservation plan, officials said Thursday. Full Story
Doctors' strike spreads in NepalPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 11:05amA strike by doctors in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, has spread to clinics and hospitals across the country, medics say. Medical staff began the industrial action on Wednesday, demanding improved security at work. Full Story
Investigators look for motive in deadly attack on U.S. Consulate in TurkeyPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 11:24amU.S. and Turkish investigators worked urgently Wednesday to determine the motive and affiliation of gunmen whose shootout at the U.S. Consulate here left three Turkish police officers and three assailants dead. Turkish news reports cited police sources as saying Al Qaeda was suspected in the attack, the most serious assault on a foreign diplomatic mission in Turkey in five years. But there was no immediate confirmation of the report or claim of responsibility. Full Story
Pakistan: Police nab a Taliban leadPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 2:45pmPolice arrested a senior militant who served as a deputy to the top Taliban commander in Pakistan, Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said Thursday. Full Story
U.S. unites with Europe, Australia on drug inspectionsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 4:59pmFaced with the globalization of drug production, the United States is joining with Europe and Australia to inspect factories in countries such as China and India that make an increasing share of the active ingredients in medications. Bush administration officials said Wednesday that the agreement would allow regulators to coordinate their inspections and share information, thereby covering a wider territory and more foreign facilities. Full Story
PKK sets German hostage demandsPosted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 5:04pmA Kurdish rebel group has vowed not to release three German tourists it has kidnapped unless Germany renounces its crackdown on the PKK. The three climbers were seized from their camp on Mount Ararat in Turkey's eastern Agri province on Wednesday. Full Story
Brown urges Zimbabwe 'isolation'Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 5:26pmGordon Brown has urged the UN to use the "full weight of the international community" to isolate the "illegitimate" state of Zimbabwe. In a statement to MPs on this week's G8 summit, he said there was a "growing international coalition for change". Full Story
Courtesy the Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 07/10
3 Police and 3 Gunmen Die in Attack on U.S. Post in TurkeyPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 7:21amGunmen opened fire on Turkish security guards outside the United States Consulate in Istanbul, and at least three officers were killed, a governor said.Full Story
Somali Pirates Release German Ship after Ransom PaidPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 7:23amSomali pirates have released a German-owned ship and its 15-man crew after a receiving a hefty ransom payment. "The information we have is that the MV Lehmann Timber was released on Tuesday when a ransom of $750,000 (478,000 euros) was paid," Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Program told DPA news agency on Wednesday, July 9. Full Story
Report urges EU security network to pool intelligencePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 7:27amThe EU should set up a network of anti-terrorism centres across the Union to share intelligence gathered by secret service agencies to tackle terrorism, writes Jamie Smyth in Cannes. It also needs to beef up security measures to protect citizens from the threat of a biological or nuclear attack from terrorists by screening more freight arriving at ports and conducting background checks on transport employees. Full Story
Security top priority for successful Olympics, says China VPPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 8:32amSecurity is the single most important factor in hosting a successful Olympics, China's Vice President Xi Jinping told a "mobilisation" rally on Wednesday, 30 days before the Beijing Games open. Full Story
Attack at US Istanbul consulatePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 8:51amThree policemen and three gunmen have been killed in an armed attack near the US consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, its governor has said. The identity of the attackers is still unclear, but they began shooting at 1100 (0800 GMT). The police are looking for a fourth man seen with them. Full Story
S Korea opposition to end boycottPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:06amMore than a month of paralysis in South Korea's National Assembly will finally lift this week, after the opposition party agreed to end its boycott. Deputies from the Democratic Party had refused to attend legislative sessions in protest at the government's decision to scrap a ban on US beef imports. Full Story
Cautious optimism ahead of North Korea nuke talksPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:08amSix-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear activities were to resume in Beijing on Thursday amid cautious optimism they would move a step closer to securing complete disarmament. The talks have not been held for nine months amid delays in securing from the reclusive North Korean regime a declaration of its nuclear activities, as agreed in a landmark six-nation accord reached last year. Full Story
Pro- and anti-government factions battle in Lebanon's north, leaving 3 dead and 32 woundedPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:14amHeavy fighting erupted again Wednesday between pro- and anti-government supporters in northern Lebanon, killing at least three people and wounding 32 others and shattering a fragile truce that lasted just two weeks, security officials said. Full Story
Sri Lanka state employees to strike for pay risePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:15amSri Lankan public sector unions on Wednesday threatened to cripple all state services in a July 10 general strike for a pay increase, but the government said it could not meet their demands without hurting its war effort. Full Story
U.S. Agrees to Lift Immunity for Contractors in IraqPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:20amIraqs foreign minister said Tuesday that the United States had agreed to lift immunity for foreign security contractors operating in Iraq, making them subject to prosecution under Iraqi law, according to Iraqi politicians. Full Story
Iran test-fires missiles in Persian GulfPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:21amIran test-fired nine long- and medium-range missiles Wednesday during war games that officials said aimed to show the country can retaliate against any U.S. and Israeli attack, state television reported. Full Story
Marines say killed 400 militants in Afghan operationPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:22amMore than 400 militants have been killed in a 10-week-old operation led by US Marines in a remote district of southern Afghanistan but fighters remain in the area, a commander said Wednesday. Full Story
Five dead in western Iraq bombingPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:23amA bomb has exploded in the western Iraqi city of Falluja, killing four policemen and a civilian, police say. Full Story
Iraq says Jordan's king postpones Baghdad visitPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:27amIraq's government says Jordan's king has postponed a visit to Baghdad until further notice. Full Story
Israel raids Nablus 'Hamas' sitesPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:32amIsraeli troops have carried out new raids in the West Bank city of Nablus, entering the city hall and a number of mosques alleged to have links to Hamas. Full Story
Embassy attack hardens Afghan mistrust of PakistanPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:39amOrdinary Afghans' mistrust of the Pakistani military and its spies deepened yesterday in the wake of a suicide car bomb attack outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul which killed 41 people and wounded 139. Full Story
Indonesia raises alert for terrorism attacksPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:41amDespite a string of successes against allies of Al Qaeda, Indonesia is on alert for fresh attacks as it hunts an escaped extremist and braces for possible retaliation if it carries out the execution of three men convicted in a 2002 bombing. Full Story
Philippines, rebels talk to defuse rising violencePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:48amPhilippine troops held talks with Muslim secessionist rebels in an emergency meeting on Wednesday in an attempt to defuse rising tensions that could further derail negotiations to end nearly 40 years of conflict, both sides said. Full Story
Attack outside US consulate in Turkey, 6 deadPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 10:25amMen armed with pistols and shotguns attacked a police guard post outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, sparking a gunbattle that left three attackers and three officers dead. Turkish and U.S. officials called the shooting a terrorist attack. The U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Turkey's foreign ministry said security around all American diplomatic missions in Turkey had been increased. Full Story
'Three Germans seized' in TurkeyPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 10:27amThree Germans have been kidnapped by Kurdish guerrillas while on a climbing expedition in eastern Turkey, a local Turkish governor says. He said the tourists were seized by five PKK militants while climbing Mount Ararat, in Agri province. Full Story
Naples police arrest 44 in crackdown on organized crime, drug traffickingPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 11:56amPolice in Naples say they have arrested 44 suspected mobsters in a crackdown on drug trafficking. Police say the sweep on Wednesday followed the capture earlier this year of a convicted boss in the Camorra crime syndicate. Full Story
G8 'revulsion' at Zimbabwe crisisPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 12:45pmGordon Brown has said the G8 summit has made clear the world's "revulsion" at the situation in Zimbabwe and urged countries to support an arms embargo. He said the crisis following Robert Mugabe's re-election had been at the centre of talks and all G8 members recognised the regime was illegitimate. Full Story
Omagh judge remarks 'speculation'Posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 2:47pmA report for the Policing Board has accused the Omagh trial judge of indulging in speculation in criticisms of some of the prosecution case. Mr Justice Weir was critical of police evidence and said they were guilty of a "deliberate and calculated deception". Full Story
Brown has 'true grit' says HarmanPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 3:21pmPrime Minister Gordon Brown "is a man of true grit and determination" who should not be under-estimated, Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman has said. She spoke out after shadow foreign secretary William Hague wished her well in her "campaign to be rid of" the PM, saying the country was "sick of him". Full Story
Left-wing parties storm out of Indian coalitionPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 6:50amA bloc of Indian left-wing and communist parties announced Tuesday they were pulling out of the country's coalition government in protest against a nuclear energy deal with the United States. Full Story
3 Russian police killed in CaucasusPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 6:51amPolice say gunmen in a southern Russian province fired at a police car and killed three officers. The Interior Ministry of Kabardino-Balkaria province says unidentified gunmen riddled the police car with bullets in the village of Baksan. Full Story
Iran to "hit Tel Aviv, U.S. ships" if attackedPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:22amIran will hit Tel Aviv, U.S. shipping in the Gulf and American interests around the world if it is attacked over its disputed nuclear activities, an aide to Iran's Supreme Leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday. Full Story
Afghan official suggests Pakistan linked to bombPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:24amAfghan officials have evidence that foreigners were behind a massive suicide bombing against India's embassy in Kabul, President Hamid Karzai's spokesman said Tuesday, implying that Pakistan orchestrated the attack. Full Story
20 dead in Sri Lanka clashesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:25amAt least 19 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier were killed in sporadic clashes across Sri Lanka's north, the defence ministry said Tuesday. Full Story
Berlusconi rivals rally support against new lawPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:40amItalian opposition parties are planning to demonstrate Tuesday against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's attempt to pass legislation that critics say would protect him in an ongoing court case. Berlusconi is currently on trial in Milan, accused of paying $600,000 to British lawyer David Mills to give false testimony in his favor during trials in the 1990s. Full Story
Earthquake jolts southern JapanPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:07amA strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook southern Japan on Tuesday, the country's meteorological agency said, but there was no risk of a tsunami and no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Full Story
North Korea talks to start ThursdayPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:14amThe next round of six-country talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme will begin on Thursday in Beijing, South Korea's envoy to the discussions told local reporters on Tuesday. Full Story
Thaksin goes on trial in ThailandPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:30amThe corruption trial of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has begun in Bangkok, almost two years after he was overthrown in a coup. Mr Thaksin and his wife face charges related to a Bangkok real estate deal. Full Story
Iranian president says no war with US, IsraelPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:32amIranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that he sees no possibility of a war between his country and the United States or Israel. He also predicted Israel would collapse without Iranian action. Full Story
NATO soldier killed in Afghan blastPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:44amA roadside bomb struck a NATO-led military convoy in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing an international soldier and wounding four others, the force said. The blast struck a vehicle of the International Security Assistance Force in the eastern province of Kunar, ISAF officials in the province and in Kabul said. Full Story
Taliban set up parallel courts in PakistanPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:55amThe Pakistani Taliban has set up several shariat or Islamic law courts in the restive northwestern Bajaur tribal region which are apparently becoming more popular than the courts run by local administration. Full Story
Two killed in Thai school bus ambushPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:56amSuspected Islamic insurgents opened fire on a school bus in Thailand's restive south Monday, killing two paramilitary rangers and wounding three teenage students, police said. The bus was taking 10 students -- aged from 13 to 18 -- home from a school in Pattani province's Nong Chik district when an unknown number of assailants opened fire from a hiding place on the roadside, said police Maj. Gen. Kririn Inn-kaew. Full Story
Indonesia facing fresh religious unrestPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:59amINDONESIA is at risk of fresh religious unrest as hardline Islamic groups gain increasing influence over the government, a new report warns. Brussels-based think-tank, the International Crisis Group (ICG), says radical Islamic groups are waging intensive campaigns to influence Indonesian government policy. Full Story
British spy points to Russia in Litvinenko deathPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:06amA British security services agent says the Russian government may have been involved in the 2006 murder of former security agent and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London, according to the BBC's Newsnight program aired Monday night. The unnamed security officer told Newsnight there were strong indications the government of former Russian President Vladimir Putin was involved in Litvinenko's murder, according to the report. Putin is now Russia's prime minister. Full Story
US and Czechs sign defence dealPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:17amUS Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has signed a deal to base part of Washington's controversial missile defence system in the Czech Republic. The treaty, signed in Prague, paves the way for a tracking radar system to be set up near the city. Full Story
Austria faces snap September elections after government collapsePosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:19amAustria's governing coalition of social democrats and conservatives has collapsed following wrangling over EU policy and health care issues. The 18-month coalition fell on Monday (7 July) after the centre-right People's Party pulled out of the government saying it could no longer work with the social democrat chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer. Full Story
Youth violence churns Paris districtPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:22amWhen a 17-year-old Jewish boy was beaten unconscious by a gang of black and Arab youths during a balmy June evening on Rue Petit in Paris, residents weren't surprised. "I could feel things were heating up," says Jean-Jacques Giannesini, a City Council member for the 19th Arrondissement, home to France's largest Orthodox Jewish community and the site of the attack. Just weeks before the incident, he had written to the police with an urgent plea for help, fearing clashes. Full Story
Sarkozy asks Italy to pardon militant from radical Red BrigadesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:29amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy says he has asked Italy to pardon a former member of Italy's Red Brigades left-wing terrorist group who lived in France for several years. Sarkozy says he asked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to request a presidential pardon for Marina Petrella, because her convictions for murder and kidnapping were so long ago and because of her health. Full Story
A U.S. attack on Iran? Not coming soonPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:30amA preemptive US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities may be unlikely anytime soon. But that does not mean it is off the table forever. And Israel worried about the possibility of a hostile, nuclear-armed regional neighbor may have its own timetable for possible military action. Full Story
PM 'right man' to steer economyPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:37amGordon Brown has said he is the right person to take the British economy through "difficult times" - and that it is "more resilient than most". The prime minister, who is at the G8 summit, said his experience on economic matters and negotiating deals with world leaders was very important. Full Story
Loyalist Haddock seeks media banPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:47amA loyalist at the centre of allegations of police collusion has begun a High Court attempt to ban the media from reporting his whereabouts. Mark Haddock is serving a 10-year term for an attack on a nightclub doorman but is due to be released next year. Full Story
Iraqi PM weighs U.S. exit timelinePosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:48amIraq's prime minister said for the first time that he would consider setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals from his country, a move that could prompt a diplomatic battle with the Bush administration in the months ahead. Full Story
Following Egypt request, Israel re-opens Gaza Strip crossingsPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:18amIsrael said it would reopen its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in response to an Egyptian request, reversing an earlier decision to close them after a Palestinian mortar attack. Full Story
EU includes aviation in CO2 curbsPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:27amThe European Parliament has backed a law to include aviation in Europe's CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for cutting greenhouse gases. MEPs voted 640 to 30 for aviation to be included in the scheme from 2012. It includes both EU and non-EU airlines. Full Story
Recession 'looming' for UK firmsPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:29amThe UK is facing a serious risk of recession within months, the findings of a survey of almost 5,000 small, medium and large businesses suggest. The British Chambers of Commerce's (BCC) quarterly report found the credit crunch and rising costs had dented the most important sectors of the economy. Full Story
Two Hamas men killed in explosionPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:33amTwo Palestinian fighters were killed and two others were hurt on Tuesday in a blast that ripped through a Hamas training camp in the central Gaza Strip, Hamas and medical officials said. Full Story
Tiff over term could hurt Palestinian presidentPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:35amA debate over when Mahmoud Abbas' term expires is threatening the Palestinian president's ability to head off a permanent split between Gaza and the West Bank and Washington's goal of forging some sort of Mideast peace deal by year's end. Full Story
Al Qaida groups 'leaving Iraq for Sudan, Somalia'Posted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:46amSome groups of Al Qaida terror network in Iraq have started leaving the country towards other hot spots in Africa like Sudan and Somalia, security sources tell Gulf News. Full Story
Spain's regional languages trouble tourists: lobbyistPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 11:08amThe increasing use of regional languages such as Catalan and Basque in parts of Spain instead of Spanish is making life difficult for tourists, the head of a Spanish tourism lobby group said Tuesday. Juan Andres Melian, the director of the Tourism Panel which groups about 30 major Spanish tourism-related companies, said that in some regions local languages had totally replaced Spanish on signs at airports and on roads. Full Story
Uranium liquid leak in southern FrancePosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 1:49pmLiquid containing traces of uranium leaked Tuesday at a nuclear site in southern France, and some of the solution ran into two rivers, France's nuclear safety agency said. Authorities banned the consumption of well water in three nearby towns and the watering of crops from the two rivers. Also banned were swimming, water sports and fishing. Full Story
Activists in Rome urge ban on horse-drawn carriagesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 3:19pmTourists love to view the Colosseum and other famous landmarks in Rome from the back of a horse-drawn carriage but animal rights activists said Tuesday it's time to ban the practice. Traffic, pollution, heat and heavy carriages expose the horses to health risks, the activists said, adding that the animals rest in dark and humid stables. Full Story
Former spy chief opposes government terror plansPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 3:26pmControversial government plans to increase pre-charge detention limits for suspected extremists are unworkable, the former head of the domestic security service MI5 told parliament Tuesday. Elizabeth Manningham-Buller said in a debate on the subject in the upper House of Lords chamber that she did not think "on a practical basis, as well as a principled one, that these proposals are in any way workable. Full Story
Thousands in Rome protest Berlusconi's policiesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:03pmThousands of protesters gathered Tuesday in a historic Rome square to denounce the policies of Premier Silvio Berlusconi in the first major opposition demonstration since the conservative leader won April elections. The protest in downtown Piazza Navona was called amid accusations by the center-left opposition that Berlusconi is using public office to pass measures that would help him in his judicial battles. Full Story
Thousands protest against Thai policePosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:23amThousands of protesters gathered in front of Thailand's national police headquarters Monday to demand action on long-pending legal cases against toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Full Story
40 dead in Indian embassy blast in Afghan capitalPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:24amA car bomb ripped through the front wall of the Indian Embassy in central Kabul on Monday, killing 40 people in what appeared to be the deadliest attack in Afghanistan's capital since the fall of the Taliban, officials said. Full Story
South Korean president fires 3 cabinet ministersPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:00amPresident Lee Myung-bak of South Korea dismissed three ministers on Monday in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at restoring public trust in his four-month-old government which has been shaken by weeks of protests against American beef imports. Full Story
E Timor police move on studentsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:11amPolice in East Timor's capital, Dili, have fired tear gas into the grounds of the national university and arrested several students, reports say. The students were demonstrating against plans by the parliament to spend $1m (#500,000) on new cars for MPs. Full Story
Thailand stages tsunami drill in PhuketPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:13amSirens blared Monday across the resort isle of Phuket as Thailand tested its new tsunami warning system meant to prevent a repeat of the 2004 Indian Ocean tragedy. Sirens on 79 towers across Phuket and in five neighbouring provinces rang out at 9:45 am (0245 GMT), as more than 1,000 tourists, students and emergency workers joined a brief evacuation of Thailand's world-famous beaches. Full Story
Sri Lanka warns of rebel attacks in ColomboPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:17amSri Lanka beefed up security on Monday and warned of possible rebel attacks around the capital Colombo as the island's Tamil Tiger rebels marked the 21st anniversary of their first rebel suicide attack. Full Story
Indian PM set to meet Bush over nuke deal at G8Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:24amIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left Monday for the G8 summit, where he is expected to tell US President George W. Bush that he will move ahead on a stalled bilateral nuclear energy deal. Full Story
Second arrest over student deathsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:28amA second man has been arrested by police hunting the killer of two French students. Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, were killed in a frenzied attack at a rented bedsit in New Cross, south-east London, on 29 June. Full Story
Betancourt: 'I suffered terribly'Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:39amIngrid Betancourt has reiterated that she does not believe her freedom or that of 14 other hostages was bought with a ransom to their Colombian rebel captors. But she suffered so much, she said, that had a ransom been paid, "why not?" Three days after her dramatic rescue, the 46-year-old French-Colombian underwent a battery of medical tests Saturday, saying later that doctors "filled me with joy," suggesting that her health has not been permanently compromised from six years of jungle captivity. Full Story
Ceremony remembers victims of 7/7Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:52amHundreds of people crowded into King's Cross station to remember the 52 people killed in the 7/7 suicide bombings in London three years ago. Minister for London Tessa Jowell and London Mayor Boris Johnson laid flowers there at 0850 BST, the time the first three bombs exploded. Full Story
'Stop wasting food', urges BrownPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:53amBritons must stop wasting food in an effort to help combat rising living costs, Gordon Brown has said as world leaders discuss rising prices. The PM said "unnecessary" purchases were contributing to price rises, and urged people to plan meals in advance and store food properly. Full Story
Brown warns unions of 'no return'Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:59amGordon Brown has warned trade unions there will be "no return" to past laws and no pay deals as political parties prepare to submit annual accounts. Mr Brown was speaking to journalists on his way to the G8 summit in Japan. Full Story
Strike action hits German flightsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:02amMore than 200 flights in Germany and Europe have been cancelled by strike action at Lufthansa's regional carriers CityLine and Eurowings. Members of the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots' union walked out at 2200 GMT on Sunday in a 24-hour strike over pay. Full Story
Police agree to release Madeleine evidencePosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:04amPolice on Monday agreed to hand over evidence about the case of missing girl Madeleine McCann to her parents to allow private investigators working for the family to examine it. In return, Kate and Gerry McCann dropped a bid in the British courts to force disclosure of the information held by Leicestershire Police in central England where they live. Full Story
Thirteen hurt on first day of Spanish bull runPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:06amThirteen people were taken to hospital, one of them seriously injured, on the first day of the annual bull running festival in the northern Spanish town of Pamplona on Monday, organizers said. A 37-year-old man suffered a collapsed lung, ruptured spleen and broken ribs, while two people were concussed and 10 others were treated mainly for cuts and bruises. Full Story
New Serb government to focus on EU, economy and KosovoPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:08amSerbia's new government will focus on quick entry into the European Union, strengthening the country's economy and keeping Kosovo as a part of Serbia, Prime Minister designate Mirko Cvetkovic said on Monday. In his address to parliament before the vote that will confirm him as head of a pro-Western coalition, Cvetkovic said the government aimed at 7 percent GDP growth annually, and would pursue economic ties with both East and West. Full Story
France: EU needs stronger defense capabilitiesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:10amFrance says Europe needs stronger defense capabilities, with more helicopters, transport aircraft and space-based surveillance. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says that over the next decade, the EU must become strong enough to run two long-term peacekeeping missions at the same time along with other, smaller missions. Full Story
Austria party leader wants new electionPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:14amAustria's vice chancellor and leader of the conservative People's Party said Monday that he will recommend an early election, indicating that the days of the country's "grand coalition" government are over. Wilhelm Molterer, who also is Austria's finance minister, said at a hastily called news conference that he would make the suggestion to senior party officials at a meeting Tuesday. Full Story
Truckers clog up Vienna autobahns to protest high gas prices, taxesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:18amAt least 1,400 truckers are clogging up the main autobahns around the Austrian capital to protest skyrocketing gas prices and high taxes and tolls. The trucks are crawling along the main arteries into Vienna at a snail's pace, causing delays for commuters. About a dozen trucks are also expected to tour Vienna's famous downtown ring promenade later Monday morning to draw attention to their cause. Full Story
Nationalist protesters disrupt gay march in BudapestPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:21amDozens of protesters clashed with police officers escorting a march by gays and lesbians through the center of Budapest. At least 45 protesters were detained and two police officers injured in the clashes on Saturday, said Eva Tafferner, a police spokeswoman. The protesters pelted the marchers with eggs, bottles and rocks, and threw cobblestones and gasoline bombs at the police, setting fire to a police van. Full Story
Strike in Italy idles trains, buses and tramsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:22amTransport workers in Italy have gone on strike, forcing the cancellation of thousands of bus, tram and subway lines and snarling traffic across the country. Railway workers have been on a 24-hour strike since 9 p.m. Sunday. Local transport workers went on strike at 8:30 a.m. in Rome and 15 minutes later in Milan. Full Story
Lufthansa Drops 559 Flights as Regional Pilots StrikePosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:24amDeutsche Lufthansa AG, Europe's second-biggest airline, canceled almost one-third of its daily flights in the biggest fallout from a labor dispute in seven years as pilots at two regional units staged a pay strike. "All German stations, particularly Frankfurt and Munich, are affected'' by striking pilots at Lufthansa's Cityline and Eurowings carriers, the company said today on its Web site. The airline canceled 559 flights from an average 1,800 daily departures, said Amelie Lorenz, a spokeswoman in Frankfurt. Munich was hardest hit with 98 cancellations, she said. Full Story
U.S. and Czech Republic to sign missile shield accordPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:29amThe Czech Republic will sign a treaty Tuesday to build a U.S. missile defense radar system on Czech soil despite opposition at home and in Russia. Washington wants to build the radar southwest of Prague and put 10 interceptor rockets in Poland as a part of a defense shield that it says will protect the United States and European allies from "rogue states" such as Iran. Full Story
Londoners mark 3rd anniversary of bombings that killed 52Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:37amLondoners on Monday marked the third anniversary of the July 7 suicide bombings that killed 52 commuters during a rush-hour attack. Hundreds of commuters and survivors stood silently as Mayor Boris Johnson and others laid flowers outside King's Cross train and subway station at 8:50 a.m. (0750GMT), three years after the attacks in 2005. Full Story
Iraq's al-Maliki wants short-term US agreementPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:06amIraq has proposed a short-term memorandum of understanding with the United States rather than trying to hammer through a formal agreement on the presence of U.S. forces, the country's prime minister said Monday. Full Story
UAE cancels Iraq debt, names new ambassadorPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:10amThe United Arab Emirates canceled billions of dollars of Iraqi debt Sunday and moved to restore a full diplomatic mission in Baghdad, evidence of Iraq's improved security and growing acceptance of its Shiite-led government. Full Story
Israel to receive report on long-missing airmanPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:13amAn Israeli negotiator was in Europe on Monday to pick up a report compiled by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas on a long-missing Israeli airman, part of a prisoner-swap deal between the two sides, defense officials said. Full Story
Israel shuts down Hamas-linked facilitiesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:14amIsraeli troops in jeeps swooped down on the West Bank town of Nablus early Monday, shutting down a girls' school, a medical center and two other facilities of a Hamas-affiliated charity, witnesses said. Full Story
Berlin mulling measures to attract skilled foreign workersPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:55amGermany plans soon to adopt measures aimed at relieving a shortage of qualified workers in certain sectors by attracting foreign candidates, an official spokesman said Monday. Although the ministry spokesman did not provide details, the confirmation came after a newspaper said Saturday that authorities were mulling an "index of worker needs." Full Story
UK to slow expansion of biofuelsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:24pmThe UK is to slow its adoption of biofuels amid fears they raise food prices and harm the environment, the transport secretary has said. Ruth Kelly said biofuels had potential to cut carbon emissions but there were "increasing questions" about them. Full Story
Russian blogger sentenced for "extremist" postPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:29pmA Russian man who described local police as "scum" in an Internet posting was given a suspended jail sentence on Monday for extremism, prompting bloggers to warn of a crackdown on free speech online. Savva Terentiev, a 28-year-old musician from Syktyvkar, 1,515 kilometres (940 miles) north of Moscow, wrote in a blog last year that the police force should be cleaned up by ceremonially burning officers twice a day in a town square. Full Story
Mercenary jailed for coup plotPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:19pmBritish mercenary Simon Mann has been jailed for 34 years for his part in plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea. Simon Mann was arrested after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in Zimbabwe. The goal of the plot was to install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto who is currently in Spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking, and to gain access to the former Spanish colony's oil wealth. Full Story
Iraq talks 'possibly in Ireland'Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:43pmNorthern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said a future round of Iraqi peace talks could be held in Ireland. Back from Iraq on Monday, together with the former Assembly Speaker Lord Alderdice, he said Iraqis wanted peace as much as people in Belfast. Full Story
EU green-lights new immigration guidelinesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:46pmEuropean Union nations unanimously welcomed Monday sweeping new guidelines for controlling immigration and are on track to sign the pact in October, the EU's French presidency said. At informal talks in the Riveria resort city of Cannes, EU interior ministers threw their weight behind the "European Pact on Immigration and Asylum" after France softened the text in the face of Spanish opposition. Full Story
PM in 'frank' talks with RussiaPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:59pmUK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has held his first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the G8 summit in Toyako, Japan. It follows a row over Moscow's refusal to extradite a man accused of killing ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Somali Pirates Release German Ship after Ransom PaidPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 7:23amSomali pirates have released a German-owned ship and its 15-man crew after a receiving a hefty ransom payment. "The information we have is that the MV Lehmann Timber was released on Tuesday when a ransom of $750,000 (478,000 euros) was paid," Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Program told DPA news agency on Wednesday, July 9. Full Story
Report urges EU security network to pool intelligencePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 7:27amThe EU should set up a network of anti-terrorism centres across the Union to share intelligence gathered by secret service agencies to tackle terrorism, writes Jamie Smyth in Cannes. It also needs to beef up security measures to protect citizens from the threat of a biological or nuclear attack from terrorists by screening more freight arriving at ports and conducting background checks on transport employees. Full Story
Security top priority for successful Olympics, says China VPPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 8:32amSecurity is the single most important factor in hosting a successful Olympics, China's Vice President Xi Jinping told a "mobilisation" rally on Wednesday, 30 days before the Beijing Games open. Full Story
Attack at US Istanbul consulatePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 8:51amThree policemen and three gunmen have been killed in an armed attack near the US consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, its governor has said. The identity of the attackers is still unclear, but they began shooting at 1100 (0800 GMT). The police are looking for a fourth man seen with them. Full Story
S Korea opposition to end boycottPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:06amMore than a month of paralysis in South Korea's National Assembly will finally lift this week, after the opposition party agreed to end its boycott. Deputies from the Democratic Party had refused to attend legislative sessions in protest at the government's decision to scrap a ban on US beef imports. Full Story
Cautious optimism ahead of North Korea nuke talksPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:08amSix-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear activities were to resume in Beijing on Thursday amid cautious optimism they would move a step closer to securing complete disarmament. The talks have not been held for nine months amid delays in securing from the reclusive North Korean regime a declaration of its nuclear activities, as agreed in a landmark six-nation accord reached last year. Full Story
Pro- and anti-government factions battle in Lebanon's north, leaving 3 dead and 32 woundedPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:14amHeavy fighting erupted again Wednesday between pro- and anti-government supporters in northern Lebanon, killing at least three people and wounding 32 others and shattering a fragile truce that lasted just two weeks, security officials said. Full Story
Sri Lanka state employees to strike for pay risePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:15amSri Lankan public sector unions on Wednesday threatened to cripple all state services in a July 10 general strike for a pay increase, but the government said it could not meet their demands without hurting its war effort. Full Story
U.S. Agrees to Lift Immunity for Contractors in IraqPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:20amIraqs foreign minister said Tuesday that the United States had agreed to lift immunity for foreign security contractors operating in Iraq, making them subject to prosecution under Iraqi law, according to Iraqi politicians. Full Story
Iran test-fires missiles in Persian GulfPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:21amIran test-fired nine long- and medium-range missiles Wednesday during war games that officials said aimed to show the country can retaliate against any U.S. and Israeli attack, state television reported. Full Story
Marines say killed 400 militants in Afghan operationPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:22amMore than 400 militants have been killed in a 10-week-old operation led by US Marines in a remote district of southern Afghanistan but fighters remain in the area, a commander said Wednesday. Full Story
Five dead in western Iraq bombingPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:23amA bomb has exploded in the western Iraqi city of Falluja, killing four policemen and a civilian, police say. Full Story
Iraq says Jordan's king postpones Baghdad visitPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:27amIraq's government says Jordan's king has postponed a visit to Baghdad until further notice. Full Story
Israel raids Nablus 'Hamas' sitesPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:32amIsraeli troops have carried out new raids in the West Bank city of Nablus, entering the city hall and a number of mosques alleged to have links to Hamas. Full Story
Embassy attack hardens Afghan mistrust of PakistanPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:39amOrdinary Afghans' mistrust of the Pakistani military and its spies deepened yesterday in the wake of a suicide car bomb attack outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul which killed 41 people and wounded 139. Full Story
Indonesia raises alert for terrorism attacksPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:41amDespite a string of successes against allies of Al Qaeda, Indonesia is on alert for fresh attacks as it hunts an escaped extremist and braces for possible retaliation if it carries out the execution of three men convicted in a 2002 bombing. Full Story
Philippines, rebels talk to defuse rising violencePosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:48amPhilippine troops held talks with Muslim secessionist rebels in an emergency meeting on Wednesday in an attempt to defuse rising tensions that could further derail negotiations to end nearly 40 years of conflict, both sides said. Full Story
Attack outside US consulate in Turkey, 6 deadPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 10:25amMen armed with pistols and shotguns attacked a police guard post outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, sparking a gunbattle that left three attackers and three officers dead. Turkish and U.S. officials called the shooting a terrorist attack. The U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Turkey's foreign ministry said security around all American diplomatic missions in Turkey had been increased. Full Story
'Three Germans seized' in TurkeyPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 10:27amThree Germans have been kidnapped by Kurdish guerrillas while on a climbing expedition in eastern Turkey, a local Turkish governor says. He said the tourists were seized by five PKK militants while climbing Mount Ararat, in Agri province. Full Story
Naples police arrest 44 in crackdown on organized crime, drug traffickingPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 11:56amPolice in Naples say they have arrested 44 suspected mobsters in a crackdown on drug trafficking. Police say the sweep on Wednesday followed the capture earlier this year of a convicted boss in the Camorra crime syndicate. Full Story
G8 'revulsion' at Zimbabwe crisisPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 12:45pmGordon Brown has said the G8 summit has made clear the world's "revulsion" at the situation in Zimbabwe and urged countries to support an arms embargo. He said the crisis following Robert Mugabe's re-election had been at the centre of talks and all G8 members recognised the regime was illegitimate. Full Story
Omagh judge remarks 'speculation'Posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 2:47pmA report for the Policing Board has accused the Omagh trial judge of indulging in speculation in criticisms of some of the prosecution case. Mr Justice Weir was critical of police evidence and said they were guilty of a "deliberate and calculated deception". Full Story
Brown has 'true grit' says HarmanPosted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 3:21pmPrime Minister Gordon Brown "is a man of true grit and determination" who should not be under-estimated, Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman has said. She spoke out after shadow foreign secretary William Hague wished her well in her "campaign to be rid of" the PM, saying the country was "sick of him". Full Story
Left-wing parties storm out of Indian coalitionPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 6:50amA bloc of Indian left-wing and communist parties announced Tuesday they were pulling out of the country's coalition government in protest against a nuclear energy deal with the United States. Full Story
3 Russian police killed in CaucasusPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 6:51amPolice say gunmen in a southern Russian province fired at a police car and killed three officers. The Interior Ministry of Kabardino-Balkaria province says unidentified gunmen riddled the police car with bullets in the village of Baksan. Full Story
Iran to "hit Tel Aviv, U.S. ships" if attackedPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:22amIran will hit Tel Aviv, U.S. shipping in the Gulf and American interests around the world if it is attacked over its disputed nuclear activities, an aide to Iran's Supreme Leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday. Full Story
Afghan official suggests Pakistan linked to bombPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:24amAfghan officials have evidence that foreigners were behind a massive suicide bombing against India's embassy in Kabul, President Hamid Karzai's spokesman said Tuesday, implying that Pakistan orchestrated the attack. Full Story
20 dead in Sri Lanka clashesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:25amAt least 19 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier were killed in sporadic clashes across Sri Lanka's north, the defence ministry said Tuesday. Full Story
Berlusconi rivals rally support against new lawPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 7:40amItalian opposition parties are planning to demonstrate Tuesday against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's attempt to pass legislation that critics say would protect him in an ongoing court case. Berlusconi is currently on trial in Milan, accused of paying $600,000 to British lawyer David Mills to give false testimony in his favor during trials in the 1990s. Full Story
Earthquake jolts southern JapanPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:07amA strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook southern Japan on Tuesday, the country's meteorological agency said, but there was no risk of a tsunami and no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Full Story
North Korea talks to start ThursdayPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:14amThe next round of six-country talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme will begin on Thursday in Beijing, South Korea's envoy to the discussions told local reporters on Tuesday. Full Story
Thaksin goes on trial in ThailandPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:30amThe corruption trial of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has begun in Bangkok, almost two years after he was overthrown in a coup. Mr Thaksin and his wife face charges related to a Bangkok real estate deal. Full Story
Iranian president says no war with US, IsraelPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:32amIranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that he sees no possibility of a war between his country and the United States or Israel. He also predicted Israel would collapse without Iranian action. Full Story
NATO soldier killed in Afghan blastPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:44amA roadside bomb struck a NATO-led military convoy in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing an international soldier and wounding four others, the force said. The blast struck a vehicle of the International Security Assistance Force in the eastern province of Kunar, ISAF officials in the province and in Kabul said. Full Story
Taliban set up parallel courts in PakistanPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:55amThe Pakistani Taliban has set up several shariat or Islamic law courts in the restive northwestern Bajaur tribal region which are apparently becoming more popular than the courts run by local administration. Full Story
Two killed in Thai school bus ambushPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:56amSuspected Islamic insurgents opened fire on a school bus in Thailand's restive south Monday, killing two paramilitary rangers and wounding three teenage students, police said. The bus was taking 10 students -- aged from 13 to 18 -- home from a school in Pattani province's Nong Chik district when an unknown number of assailants opened fire from a hiding place on the roadside, said police Maj. Gen. Kririn Inn-kaew. Full Story
Indonesia facing fresh religious unrestPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:59amINDONESIA is at risk of fresh religious unrest as hardline Islamic groups gain increasing influence over the government, a new report warns. Brussels-based think-tank, the International Crisis Group (ICG), says radical Islamic groups are waging intensive campaigns to influence Indonesian government policy. Full Story
British spy points to Russia in Litvinenko deathPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:06amA British security services agent says the Russian government may have been involved in the 2006 murder of former security agent and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London, according to the BBC's Newsnight program aired Monday night. The unnamed security officer told Newsnight there were strong indications the government of former Russian President Vladimir Putin was involved in Litvinenko's murder, according to the report. Putin is now Russia's prime minister. Full Story
US and Czechs sign defence dealPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:17amUS Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has signed a deal to base part of Washington's controversial missile defence system in the Czech Republic. The treaty, signed in Prague, paves the way for a tracking radar system to be set up near the city. Full Story
Austria faces snap September elections after government collapsePosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:19amAustria's governing coalition of social democrats and conservatives has collapsed following wrangling over EU policy and health care issues. The 18-month coalition fell on Monday (7 July) after the centre-right People's Party pulled out of the government saying it could no longer work with the social democrat chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer. Full Story
Youth violence churns Paris districtPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:22amWhen a 17-year-old Jewish boy was beaten unconscious by a gang of black and Arab youths during a balmy June evening on Rue Petit in Paris, residents weren't surprised. "I could feel things were heating up," says Jean-Jacques Giannesini, a City Council member for the 19th Arrondissement, home to France's largest Orthodox Jewish community and the site of the attack. Just weeks before the incident, he had written to the police with an urgent plea for help, fearing clashes. Full Story
Sarkozy asks Italy to pardon militant from radical Red BrigadesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:29amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy says he has asked Italy to pardon a former member of Italy's Red Brigades left-wing terrorist group who lived in France for several years. Sarkozy says he asked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to request a presidential pardon for Marina Petrella, because her convictions for murder and kidnapping were so long ago and because of her health. Full Story
A U.S. attack on Iran? Not coming soonPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:30amA preemptive US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities may be unlikely anytime soon. But that does not mean it is off the table forever. And Israel worried about the possibility of a hostile, nuclear-armed regional neighbor may have its own timetable for possible military action. Full Story
PM 'right man' to steer economyPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:37amGordon Brown has said he is the right person to take the British economy through "difficult times" - and that it is "more resilient than most". The prime minister, who is at the G8 summit, said his experience on economic matters and negotiating deals with world leaders was very important. Full Story
Loyalist Haddock seeks media banPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:47amA loyalist at the centre of allegations of police collusion has begun a High Court attempt to ban the media from reporting his whereabouts. Mark Haddock is serving a 10-year term for an attack on a nightclub doorman but is due to be released next year. Full Story
Iraqi PM weighs U.S. exit timelinePosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 9:48amIraq's prime minister said for the first time that he would consider setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals from his country, a move that could prompt a diplomatic battle with the Bush administration in the months ahead. Full Story
Following Egypt request, Israel re-opens Gaza Strip crossingsPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:18amIsrael said it would reopen its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in response to an Egyptian request, reversing an earlier decision to close them after a Palestinian mortar attack. Full Story
EU includes aviation in CO2 curbsPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:27amThe European Parliament has backed a law to include aviation in Europe's CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for cutting greenhouse gases. MEPs voted 640 to 30 for aviation to be included in the scheme from 2012. It includes both EU and non-EU airlines. Full Story
Recession 'looming' for UK firmsPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:29amThe UK is facing a serious risk of recession within months, the findings of a survey of almost 5,000 small, medium and large businesses suggest. The British Chambers of Commerce's (BCC) quarterly report found the credit crunch and rising costs had dented the most important sectors of the economy. Full Story
Two Hamas men killed in explosionPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:33amTwo Palestinian fighters were killed and two others were hurt on Tuesday in a blast that ripped through a Hamas training camp in the central Gaza Strip, Hamas and medical officials said. Full Story
Tiff over term could hurt Palestinian presidentPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:35amA debate over when Mahmoud Abbas' term expires is threatening the Palestinian president's ability to head off a permanent split between Gaza and the West Bank and Washington's goal of forging some sort of Mideast peace deal by year's end. Full Story
Al Qaida groups 'leaving Iraq for Sudan, Somalia'Posted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 10:46amSome groups of Al Qaida terror network in Iraq have started leaving the country towards other hot spots in Africa like Sudan and Somalia, security sources tell Gulf News. Full Story
Spain's regional languages trouble tourists: lobbyistPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 11:08amThe increasing use of regional languages such as Catalan and Basque in parts of Spain instead of Spanish is making life difficult for tourists, the head of a Spanish tourism lobby group said Tuesday. Juan Andres Melian, the director of the Tourism Panel which groups about 30 major Spanish tourism-related companies, said that in some regions local languages had totally replaced Spanish on signs at airports and on roads. Full Story
Uranium liquid leak in southern FrancePosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 1:49pmLiquid containing traces of uranium leaked Tuesday at a nuclear site in southern France, and some of the solution ran into two rivers, France's nuclear safety agency said. Authorities banned the consumption of well water in three nearby towns and the watering of crops from the two rivers. Also banned were swimming, water sports and fishing. Full Story
Activists in Rome urge ban on horse-drawn carriagesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 3:19pmTourists love to view the Colosseum and other famous landmarks in Rome from the back of a horse-drawn carriage but animal rights activists said Tuesday it's time to ban the practice. Traffic, pollution, heat and heavy carriages expose the horses to health risks, the activists said, adding that the animals rest in dark and humid stables. Full Story
Former spy chief opposes government terror plansPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 3:26pmControversial government plans to increase pre-charge detention limits for suspected extremists are unworkable, the former head of the domestic security service MI5 told parliament Tuesday. Elizabeth Manningham-Buller said in a debate on the subject in the upper House of Lords chamber that she did not think "on a practical basis, as well as a principled one, that these proposals are in any way workable. Full Story
Thousands in Rome protest Berlusconi's policiesPosted on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:03pmThousands of protesters gathered Tuesday in a historic Rome square to denounce the policies of Premier Silvio Berlusconi in the first major opposition demonstration since the conservative leader won April elections. The protest in downtown Piazza Navona was called amid accusations by the center-left opposition that Berlusconi is using public office to pass measures that would help him in his judicial battles. Full Story
Thousands protest against Thai policePosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:23amThousands of protesters gathered in front of Thailand's national police headquarters Monday to demand action on long-pending legal cases against toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Full Story
40 dead in Indian embassy blast in Afghan capitalPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:24amA car bomb ripped through the front wall of the Indian Embassy in central Kabul on Monday, killing 40 people in what appeared to be the deadliest attack in Afghanistan's capital since the fall of the Taliban, officials said. Full Story
South Korean president fires 3 cabinet ministersPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:00amPresident Lee Myung-bak of South Korea dismissed three ministers on Monday in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at restoring public trust in his four-month-old government which has been shaken by weeks of protests against American beef imports. Full Story
E Timor police move on studentsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:11amPolice in East Timor's capital, Dili, have fired tear gas into the grounds of the national university and arrested several students, reports say. The students were demonstrating against plans by the parliament to spend $1m (#500,000) on new cars for MPs. Full Story
Thailand stages tsunami drill in PhuketPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:13amSirens blared Monday across the resort isle of Phuket as Thailand tested its new tsunami warning system meant to prevent a repeat of the 2004 Indian Ocean tragedy. Sirens on 79 towers across Phuket and in five neighbouring provinces rang out at 9:45 am (0245 GMT), as more than 1,000 tourists, students and emergency workers joined a brief evacuation of Thailand's world-famous beaches. Full Story
Sri Lanka warns of rebel attacks in ColomboPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:17amSri Lanka beefed up security on Monday and warned of possible rebel attacks around the capital Colombo as the island's Tamil Tiger rebels marked the 21st anniversary of their first rebel suicide attack. Full Story
Indian PM set to meet Bush over nuke deal at G8Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:24amIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left Monday for the G8 summit, where he is expected to tell US President George W. Bush that he will move ahead on a stalled bilateral nuclear energy deal. Full Story
Second arrest over student deathsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:28amA second man has been arrested by police hunting the killer of two French students. Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, were killed in a frenzied attack at a rented bedsit in New Cross, south-east London, on 29 June. Full Story
Betancourt: 'I suffered terribly'Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:39amIngrid Betancourt has reiterated that she does not believe her freedom or that of 14 other hostages was bought with a ransom to their Colombian rebel captors. But she suffered so much, she said, that had a ransom been paid, "why not?" Three days after her dramatic rescue, the 46-year-old French-Colombian underwent a battery of medical tests Saturday, saying later that doctors "filled me with joy," suggesting that her health has not been permanently compromised from six years of jungle captivity. Full Story
Ceremony remembers victims of 7/7Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:52amHundreds of people crowded into King's Cross station to remember the 52 people killed in the 7/7 suicide bombings in London three years ago. Minister for London Tessa Jowell and London Mayor Boris Johnson laid flowers there at 0850 BST, the time the first three bombs exploded. Full Story
'Stop wasting food', urges BrownPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:53amBritons must stop wasting food in an effort to help combat rising living costs, Gordon Brown has said as world leaders discuss rising prices. The PM said "unnecessary" purchases were contributing to price rises, and urged people to plan meals in advance and store food properly. Full Story
Brown warns unions of 'no return'Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 8:59amGordon Brown has warned trade unions there will be "no return" to past laws and no pay deals as political parties prepare to submit annual accounts. Mr Brown was speaking to journalists on his way to the G8 summit in Japan. Full Story
Strike action hits German flightsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:02amMore than 200 flights in Germany and Europe have been cancelled by strike action at Lufthansa's regional carriers CityLine and Eurowings. Members of the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots' union walked out at 2200 GMT on Sunday in a 24-hour strike over pay. Full Story
Police agree to release Madeleine evidencePosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:04amPolice on Monday agreed to hand over evidence about the case of missing girl Madeleine McCann to her parents to allow private investigators working for the family to examine it. In return, Kate and Gerry McCann dropped a bid in the British courts to force disclosure of the information held by Leicestershire Police in central England where they live. Full Story
Thirteen hurt on first day of Spanish bull runPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:06amThirteen people were taken to hospital, one of them seriously injured, on the first day of the annual bull running festival in the northern Spanish town of Pamplona on Monday, organizers said. A 37-year-old man suffered a collapsed lung, ruptured spleen and broken ribs, while two people were concussed and 10 others were treated mainly for cuts and bruises. Full Story
New Serb government to focus on EU, economy and KosovoPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:08amSerbia's new government will focus on quick entry into the European Union, strengthening the country's economy and keeping Kosovo as a part of Serbia, Prime Minister designate Mirko Cvetkovic said on Monday. In his address to parliament before the vote that will confirm him as head of a pro-Western coalition, Cvetkovic said the government aimed at 7 percent GDP growth annually, and would pursue economic ties with both East and West. Full Story
France: EU needs stronger defense capabilitiesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:10amFrance says Europe needs stronger defense capabilities, with more helicopters, transport aircraft and space-based surveillance. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says that over the next decade, the EU must become strong enough to run two long-term peacekeeping missions at the same time along with other, smaller missions. Full Story
Austria party leader wants new electionPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:14amAustria's vice chancellor and leader of the conservative People's Party said Monday that he will recommend an early election, indicating that the days of the country's "grand coalition" government are over. Wilhelm Molterer, who also is Austria's finance minister, said at a hastily called news conference that he would make the suggestion to senior party officials at a meeting Tuesday. Full Story
Truckers clog up Vienna autobahns to protest high gas prices, taxesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:18amAt least 1,400 truckers are clogging up the main autobahns around the Austrian capital to protest skyrocketing gas prices and high taxes and tolls. The trucks are crawling along the main arteries into Vienna at a snail's pace, causing delays for commuters. About a dozen trucks are also expected to tour Vienna's famous downtown ring promenade later Monday morning to draw attention to their cause. Full Story
Nationalist protesters disrupt gay march in BudapestPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:21amDozens of protesters clashed with police officers escorting a march by gays and lesbians through the center of Budapest. At least 45 protesters were detained and two police officers injured in the clashes on Saturday, said Eva Tafferner, a police spokeswoman. The protesters pelted the marchers with eggs, bottles and rocks, and threw cobblestones and gasoline bombs at the police, setting fire to a police van. Full Story
Strike in Italy idles trains, buses and tramsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:22amTransport workers in Italy have gone on strike, forcing the cancellation of thousands of bus, tram and subway lines and snarling traffic across the country. Railway workers have been on a 24-hour strike since 9 p.m. Sunday. Local transport workers went on strike at 8:30 a.m. in Rome and 15 minutes later in Milan. Full Story
Lufthansa Drops 559 Flights as Regional Pilots StrikePosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:24amDeutsche Lufthansa AG, Europe's second-biggest airline, canceled almost one-third of its daily flights in the biggest fallout from a labor dispute in seven years as pilots at two regional units staged a pay strike. "All German stations, particularly Frankfurt and Munich, are affected'' by striking pilots at Lufthansa's Cityline and Eurowings carriers, the company said today on its Web site. The airline canceled 559 flights from an average 1,800 daily departures, said Amelie Lorenz, a spokeswoman in Frankfurt. Munich was hardest hit with 98 cancellations, she said. Full Story
U.S. and Czech Republic to sign missile shield accordPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:29amThe Czech Republic will sign a treaty Tuesday to build a U.S. missile defense radar system on Czech soil despite opposition at home and in Russia. Washington wants to build the radar southwest of Prague and put 10 interceptor rockets in Poland as a part of a defense shield that it says will protect the United States and European allies from "rogue states" such as Iran. Full Story
Londoners mark 3rd anniversary of bombings that killed 52Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 9:37amLondoners on Monday marked the third anniversary of the July 7 suicide bombings that killed 52 commuters during a rush-hour attack. Hundreds of commuters and survivors stood silently as Mayor Boris Johnson and others laid flowers outside King's Cross train and subway station at 8:50 a.m. (0750GMT), three years after the attacks in 2005. Full Story
Iraq's al-Maliki wants short-term US agreementPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:06amIraq has proposed a short-term memorandum of understanding with the United States rather than trying to hammer through a formal agreement on the presence of U.S. forces, the country's prime minister said Monday. Full Story
UAE cancels Iraq debt, names new ambassadorPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:10amThe United Arab Emirates canceled billions of dollars of Iraqi debt Sunday and moved to restore a full diplomatic mission in Baghdad, evidence of Iraq's improved security and growing acceptance of its Shiite-led government. Full Story
Israel to receive report on long-missing airmanPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:13amAn Israeli negotiator was in Europe on Monday to pick up a report compiled by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas on a long-missing Israeli airman, part of a prisoner-swap deal between the two sides, defense officials said. Full Story
Israel shuts down Hamas-linked facilitiesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:14amIsraeli troops in jeeps swooped down on the West Bank town of Nablus early Monday, shutting down a girls' school, a medical center and two other facilities of a Hamas-affiliated charity, witnesses said. Full Story
Berlin mulling measures to attract skilled foreign workersPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:55amGermany plans soon to adopt measures aimed at relieving a shortage of qualified workers in certain sectors by attracting foreign candidates, an official spokesman said Monday. Although the ministry spokesman did not provide details, the confirmation came after a newspaper said Saturday that authorities were mulling an "index of worker needs." Full Story
UK to slow expansion of biofuelsPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:24pmThe UK is to slow its adoption of biofuels amid fears they raise food prices and harm the environment, the transport secretary has said. Ruth Kelly said biofuels had potential to cut carbon emissions but there were "increasing questions" about them. Full Story
Russian blogger sentenced for "extremist" postPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 2:29pmA Russian man who described local police as "scum" in an Internet posting was given a suspended jail sentence on Monday for extremism, prompting bloggers to warn of a crackdown on free speech online. Savva Terentiev, a 28-year-old musician from Syktyvkar, 1,515 kilometres (940 miles) north of Moscow, wrote in a blog last year that the police force should be cleaned up by ceremonially burning officers twice a day in a town square. Full Story
Mercenary jailed for coup plotPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:19pmBritish mercenary Simon Mann has been jailed for 34 years for his part in plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea. Simon Mann was arrested after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in Zimbabwe. The goal of the plot was to install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto who is currently in Spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking, and to gain access to the former Spanish colony's oil wealth. Full Story
Iraq talks 'possibly in Ireland'Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:43pmNorthern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said a future round of Iraqi peace talks could be held in Ireland. Back from Iraq on Monday, together with the former Assembly Speaker Lord Alderdice, he said Iraqis wanted peace as much as people in Belfast. Full Story
EU green-lights new immigration guidelinesPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:46pmEuropean Union nations unanimously welcomed Monday sweeping new guidelines for controlling immigration and are on track to sign the pact in October, the EU's French presidency said. At informal talks in the Riveria resort city of Cannes, EU interior ministers threw their weight behind the "European Pact on Immigration and Asylum" after France softened the text in the face of Spanish opposition. Full Story
PM in 'frank' talks with RussiaPosted on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 3:59pmUK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has held his first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the G8 summit in Toyako, Japan. It follows a row over Moscow's refusal to extradite a man accused of killing ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 06/26
Tokyo eases North Korea policyPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 7:54amJapan indicated on Tuesday it was resigned to the US removing North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, considerably softening what had been staunch opposition to the move. Nobutaka Machimura, chief cabinet secretary, said Tokyo understood the high possibility that Washington would begin the process of delisting North Korea if, as hoped, Pyongyang declared its nuclear programmes on Thursday. Full Story
Rushdie receives knighthoodPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 7:58amQueen Elizabeth II on Wednesday knighted the controversial author Salman Rushdie, an award which caused protests by Muslims around the world when it was announced last year. Rushdie was knighted for his services to literature. Full Story
China announces Olympics drugs crackdownPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 8:00amChina plans to crack down on illegal drugs in Beijing and other cities that will host Olympic events, a top police official said Wednesday. Authorities will target drug use at nightclubs and other entertainment venues, as well as smugglers supplying major cities, said Yang Fengrui, director of the Bureau of Narcotics Control under the Public Security Ministry. Full Story
Brown calls for Zimbabwe cricket banPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 8:06amPrime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday he wanted the Zimbabwe cricket team to be banned from touring England next year and from the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, which England are due to host. "The Secretary for Culture is working with the English Cricket Board," Brown told
Rushdie receives knighthoodPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 7:58amQueen Elizabeth II on Wednesday knighted the controversial author Salman Rushdie, an award which caused protests by Muslims around the world when it was announced last year. Rushdie was knighted for his services to literature. Full Story
China announces Olympics drugs crackdownPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 8:00amChina plans to crack down on illegal drugs in Beijing and other cities that will host Olympic events, a top police official said Wednesday. Authorities will target drug use at nightclubs and other entertainment venues, as well as smugglers supplying major cities, said Yang Fengrui, director of the Bureau of Narcotics Control under the Public Security Ministry. Full Story
Brown calls for Zimbabwe cricket banPosted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 8:06amPrime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday he wanted the Zimbabwe cricket team to be banned from touring England next year and from the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, which England are due to host. "The Secretary for Culture is working with the English Cricket Board," Brown told