Indonesia: Asian militants sought al-Qaida fundsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 6:23amTwo alleged Indonesian terror leaders were headed to Iraq to seek help from al-Qaida, according to a seized laptop that indicates regional militants are cash-strapped but determined to rebuild international links, security officials say. Full Story
China 'spying on Olympic hotel guests'Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 6:24amChina has installed internet-spying equipment in all the major hotel chains serving the Olympics, a US senator said overnight. "The Chinese Government has put in place a system to spy on and gather information about every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are staying," Senator Sam Brownback said. Full Story
Mexico's Drug Cartels Take Barbarous Turn: Targeting BystandersPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 6:25amThe three teenagers started their big weekend singing "Happy Birthday" to the parish priest. The next day, they prayed for hours with their church youth group, then went on to a quinceaqera, Mexico's archetypal 15th-birthday celebration. As the party wound down, they talked their parents into letting them go for a late-night cruise down the main drag in Guamuchil, a Saturday night ritual in this sleepy market town, friends and family say. Full Story
C.I.A. Outlines Pakistan Links With MilitantsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 6:26amA top Central Intelligence Agency official traveled secretly to Islamabad this month to confront Pakistans most senior officials with new information about ties between the countrys powerful spy service and militants operating in Pakistans tribal areas, according to American military and intelligence officials. Full Story
Karadzic in UN custody in NetherlandsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:27amFormer Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic sat in a U.N. jail cell Wednesday after being flown to the Netherlands in the dead of night to face charges of genocide against Muslims and Croats during the Balkan wars of the 1990s. His arrival in a white Serbian government jet marked the end of a 13-year effort by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to take custody of its most wanted war criminal. Karadzic is accused or orchestrating the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the sufferings of hundreds of thousands more. Full Story
Italian troops to patrol citiesPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:32amThousands of troops will be deployed in Italian cities from next Monday to help police fight crime, the Italian government has announced. About 2,000 troops will guard "sensitive" sites such as train stations and embassies. Another 1,000 will go on street patrols with police. Full Story
UK hacker loses appeal against US extraditionPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:33amBritain's top court refused Wednesday to stop the extradition to the U.S. of a British hacker accused of breaking into Pentagon and NASA computers something he claims to have done while hunting for information on UFOs. Gary McKinnon, 42, faces charges in the United States for what officials say were a series of cyber attacks that stole passwords, attacked military networks and wrought hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of computer damage. Full Story
Car bombing in Russian republic kills 2 policePosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:35amA car bomb exploded outside the regional police headquarters in the troubled Russian republic of Ingushetia on Wednesday morning, killing at least two police, officials said. The blast took place in the parking lot of Ingushetia's Interior Ministry in Nazran, the republic's principal city. Ministry and emergency officials variously gave the death toll at two or three officers, with at least three others seriously wounded. Full Story
Strike-hit Lufthansa cuts flightsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:37amLufthansa is cutting long-haul flights for the first time since cabin crew and ground staff went on strike on Monday. The German airline plans to cut 78 flights on Wednesday, to destinations including Calcutta, Calgary, Chicago and New York. Full Story
Labour 'in flux', says MandelsonPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:51amPeter Mandelson has waded in to speculation over Gordon Brown's future - after David Miliband raised the spectre of a leadership bid. Ex-cabinet minister Mr Mandelson admitted Labour was "in some flux". Full Story
Strike forces Lufthansa to cancel flightsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:53amLufthansa canceled eight international flights and 70 domestic flights Wednesday, the company said, as a strike by technical and catering workers entered its third day. Lufthansa canceled flights to and from New York's Kennedy airport, Calcutta, Calgary and Chicago, a spokesman said. The total number of canceled flights represents four percent of Lufthansa's daily schedule. Full Story
UN, French troops to stay in ICoast till JanuaryPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:56amThe Security Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a French-drafted resolution extending for six months the mandate of UN and French peacekeepers in Ivory Coast to support the holding of a long-delayed presidential poll. Resolution 1826, which was co-sponsored by Burkina Faso and South Africa, extends until January 31 the mandate of the 8,000-strong UN force known as ONUCI and of the 1,800 French troops backing them in the west African country. Full Story
French court to try 11 Kurds over attacks in FrancePosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:57amFrench prosecutors have sent 11 young Kurds for trial over a series of fire bomb attacks on Turkish targets in France that injured several people, some seriously, sources close to the case said Tuesday. They are all suspected of being sympathisers of the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Full Story
German business plans investment boost in ChinaPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:59amGerman industry is planning to boost its investment in China's booming economy, a survey released on Tuesday said. Around 40 percent of the German companies active in China planned to increase their investment in the Asian powerhouse economy, the survey by the German Chamber of Trade and Industry (DIHK) found. Full Story
Dutch consumer confidence dropsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:04amDutch consumers appear to have lost faith in the economy. The indicator used by Statistics Netherlands to measure consumer confidence dropped from -19 to -31, which means that pessimists now outnumber optimists by 31 percent. The drop is the second largest ever recorded. Full Story
New Delhi races to win nuclear deal approvalPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:13amIndia has gone into diplomatic overdrive to persuade the United Nations nuclear watchdog and nuclear technology exporters to lift a decades-old embargo on New Delhis access to atomic energy technology, despite its refusal to give up its weapons programme. Full Story
Web curbs for Olympic journalistsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:17amJournalists covering the Beijing Olympic Games will not have completely uncensored access to the internet, Chinese and Olympic officials say. Sites related to spiritual group Falun Gong would be blocked, officials said. Journalists also found they could not see some news or human rights websites. Full Story
Militants kill woman "US spy" in NW PakistanPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:18amMilitants shot and killed an Afghan woman accused of being a U.S spy in Pakistan's North Waziristan region, and dumped her body in a sewer, a witness and intelligence officials said on Wednesday. Full Story
Cambodian opposition supporters rally against election resultsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:33amAbout 300 supporters of Cambodia's main opposition party rallied in Phnom Penh to protest the results of the weekend election and to demand a re-run of the poll. Full Story
Pakistan says troops kill 20 Taliban militants in northwestPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:35amPakistani troops on Wednesday killed 20 Taliban militants and imposed a curfew in the northwestern Swat valley to prevent further deterioration of a two-month-old peace deal, officials said. Full Story
Police defuse another bomb in western IndiaPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 8:47amPolice defused another explosive device Wednesday in western India, bringing the total number of unexploded bombs found there in the last two days to 19. Full Story
Turkish police make bomb arrestsPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 1:44pmTurkish police have reportedly detained nine people over the bombings in the city of Istanbul on Sunday that killed 17 people and injured at least 150. The suspects allegedly have links to the bombers, the Anatolia news agency reports without giving details. Full Story
U.S. Headed for 'Heightened Alert' StagePosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 1:45pmGovernment officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts out of a growing concern that al Qaeda or similar organizations might try to capitalize on the spate of extremely high-profile events in the coming months, sources tell ABC News. Full Story
Two Apparent Pipe Bombs Found at Separate Post Offices in OhioPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 1:46pmTwo devices that appeared to be pipe bombs were found at separate post offices Tuesday, authorities said. Both buildings were evacuated and no injuries were reported. Columbus bomb squads, the FBI, a U.S. Postal Service inspector, and local authorities were examining the devices found in Guysville and Stewart, two small towns in southeast Ohio. Full Story
UK Law Lords uphold BAE inquiry decisionPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 1:56pmThe House of Lords ruled Wednesday that Britain's anti-fraud agency acted lawfully when it halted a corruption inquiry into a major jet fighter and arms deal between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia. The ruling was a blow to the anti-corruption lobby groups that challenged the Serious Fraud Office's decision to drop its investigation into whether the arms maker offered sweeteners to Saudi officials in return for lucrative contracts. The agency cited national security concerns when it ended the inquiry. Full Story
Spanish economic growth near zero percent in second quarter: central bankPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 3:11pmSpain's economy, the eurozone's fourth largest, expanded by just 0.1 percent in the second quarter from the previous three months, the Bank of Spain estimated Wednesday. The economy grew by 1.8 percent in the second quarter when compared to the same time last year, it added. Full Story
Berlusconi's Mediaset suing YouTube over copyrightPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 3:18pmMediaset, the media empire founded by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, said Wednesday it was seeking at least 500 million euros ($779 million) in damages against Google Inc.'s YouTube service for allegedly misusing video produced by Mediaset. In a lawsuit filed with Rome civil court, Mediaset said it had identified on YouTube at least 4,643 video clips of Mediaset-owned material that was available on June 10 alone after being posted "without obtaining rights." Full Story
Mexico federal police to escort migrant transfersPosted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 6:01pmMexican federal police will guard all government vehicles transporting detained migrants after gunmen hijacked a bus carrying 33 Cubans, the government said Wednesday. Immigration officers previously could ask police for extra security while transporting illegal migrants to detention centers or back to their home countries. Full Story
More bombs found in Indian cityPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:13amAt least 12 small bombs have been found and defused in the city of Surat in the Indian state of Gujarat, police say. They say the bomb disposal squad is working to defuse two more bombs found in the city, which is the hub of India's textile and diamond trade. Full Story
Turkish PM links PKK to bombingsPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:36amTurkey's prime minister has implied the bombings that killed 17 people in Istanbul on Sunday were the work of the Kurdish separatist PKK group. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attacks were a "cost" of the military campaign against the PKK based in northern Iraq. The PKK has denied having anything to do with the bombings. Full Story
Greece rebuked over migrant carePosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:41amAn aid agency has accused Greece of creating a "humanitarian crisis" for hundreds of illegal migrants detained on the Mediterranean island of Lesbos. Medecins Sans Frontieres says about 800 migrants are living in overcrowded rooms in the detention centre without proper sanitation or medical care. Full Story
EU puts off Serbia bid decisionPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:43amEU ambassadors have put off a decision on establishing closer ties with Serbia until the former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is extradited. Mr Karadzic is expected to be transferred imminently to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, following his arrest a week ago. Full Story
Thousands evacuated in Budapest as WW2 bomb foundPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:47amHungarian police evacuated thousands of people in central Budapest on Tuesday where experts prepared to defuse a huge World War Two bomb found on a construction site. The two-tonne bomb is one of the biggest found in the Hungarian capital, which was heavily bombed by the Allies during World War Two. Earlier this month another part of Budapest was evacuated after a half-tonne bomb was discovered. Full Story
Karadzic appeal late as protesters gather to rallyPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:50amUltranationalists were gathering Tuesday for a rally for Radovan Karadzic amid reports that the ex-Bosnian Serb leader's appeal of his extradition to the U.N. war crimes tribunal had not arrived at a Serbian court. Karadzic's lawyer claimed he sent the appeal to the court by registered mail Friday before the midnight deadline. But the postal service said it doesn't have it and court spokeswoman Ivana Ramic said she didn't, either. Full Story
Militants in Pakistan Kill 3 Intelligence OfficersPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:57amPakistani officials say Taliban militants have shot and killed three army intelligence officers in the northwestern Swat Valley. They say the incident took place Monday near Mingora, the main town in Swat. Full Story
UN slams France's immigration policies, prisonsPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:57amThe UN Human Rights Committee has slammed France's immigration policies and expressed concern about overcrowding and poor conditions in its prisons, according to documents seen Monday by AFP. It also asked France to re-examine a new law under which people deemed a threat to society can be kept in prison - possibly for the rest of their lives - even after they have served out their full sentence. Full Story
Blank British passports stolen in raidPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:59amBritain's Foreign Office says thousands of blank British passports have been stolen in a raid on a delivery van. The ministry says the documents were snatched as they were being delivered from northern England to a Royal Air Force base near London. Full Story
S Korea resumes US beef importsPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 8:11amSouth Korea has received its first shipment of US beef since imports were banned after BSE - or mad cow disease - was detected in the US five years ago. South Korea's decision to end the ban in April sparked huge protests and cost three cabinet ministers their jobs. Full Story
Thailand says troop drawdown may take weeksPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 8:14amThailand said Tuesday that it may be weeks before it can withdraw troops from a disputed border zone with Cambodia, after high-level talks which officials said had eased the military standoff. The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia agreed at talks Monday to ask their governments to redeploy the thousands of troops stationed around a small patch of land near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple. Full Story
India, Pakistan Leaders To Meet As Peace Process Hits SnagPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 8:20amThe leaders of nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan are set to meet in Sri Lanka this week for their highest-level talks in 15 months, and to see if they can hold their shaky peace process together. Full Story
Indian police hunt for bombers in suburbPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 8:43amPolice investigating deadly bombings last weekend in western India focused Tuesday on a suburb of India's financial capital where four cars used in the blasts were stolen and an e-mail claiming responsibility originated. Full Story
Sri Lanka military says kills 34 rebels in fresh fightingPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 8:50amSri Lankan troops killed 34 Tamil Tiger rebels in fresh fighting in the north of the island, the military said on Tuesday, as government forces continue their push against the rebels' northern stronghold. Full Story
NATO seeks extension of Dutch mission in UruzganPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 9:18amThe issue of Dutch deployment as part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan is in the news once again. NATO's outgoing Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, Maurits Jochems, expects the Afghan government and NATO members to ask the Netherlands to extend its mission in Afghanistan beyond 2010. He says the Afghan army will need more time before it can operate without foreign military assistance. Full Story
Dutch MPs demand crackdown on Nigerian gangsPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 9:22amThree parties in the Dutch parliament, the Christian Democrats, the conservative VVD and the populist Freedom Party have called on Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch-Ballin to create a permanent police unit to investigate Nigerian criminal gangs. Full Story
European rights watchdog criticizes Italian immigration crackdownPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 9:48amEurope's top human rights watchdog urged Italy Tuesday to end an immigration crackdown to prevent a surge in racism and xenophobia. The report was written after concerns about Italian government measures including stricter immigration controls and a campaign to fingerprint all Roma in the country. Full Story
MPs warn of energy price impactPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 10:46amRises in gas and electricity bills in the near future will have serious consequences for millions of households, an MPs' committee has said. It also warned that thousands of jobs in manufacturing would be at risk if UK prices stayed higher than those faced by industry in the rest of Europe. Full Story
Small bomb explodes on beach in SpainPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:08amA small bomb exploded on a southern Spanish beach early Tuesday in the resort town of Torremolinos, but officials said there were no injuries. The low-power device went off shortly after midnight close to the Hotel Sol Aloha while hundreds of people were walking along the seafront, the Interior Ministry said. Full Story
BA to merge with Spanish airlinePosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:10amBritish Airways ended months of speculation by announcing it was to merge with long-term Spanish partner Iberia. Although both airlines will retain their identities, the deal - still to be approved by shareholders - will effectively create a giant new European airline. Full Story
Germany to tighten rules against illegal labourPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:11amGermany's cabinet will approve plans this week to clamp down on illegal labour in Europe's biggest economy and save billions of euros in lost taxes, government sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Employees in sectors especially vulnerable to illegal workers will be forced to carry official registration and identity papers with them at all times from January 1, 2009, according to a draft of the new law seen by Reuters. Full Story
Greece: Police prevent bomb attack near institute connected to EUPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:21amPolice in Greece's capital say they've destroyed a bomb placed outside a policy research institute affiliated with the European Union. Full Story
Afghan reporter detained after criticising governmentPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 1:47pmAfghanistan's intelligence agency has detained a television journalist after he broadcast a programme critical of the government, his channel said on Tuesday. Full Story
Spain to reduce speed limit to conserve fuelPosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 2:06pmSpain will lower its speed limit outside major cities as part of a string of measures unveiled by the government Tuesday aimed at slashing its oil imports by 10 percent per year. "Every time we lift our feet off the accelerator, we are improving GDP and employment," Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian told parliament as he outlined the 31 measures. "The era of cheap energy has passed." Full Story
Italian court OKs expansion of US military basePosted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 2:54pmA top Italian administrative court on Tuesday approved the expansion of a U.S. military base in northeast Italy, local media reported. The expansion has caused angry protests by residents and leftist politicians. The State Council overturned a June ruling by a lower court, saying it had no jurisdiction to suspend the expansion in Vicenza because the move was a political decision taken by former Premier Romano Prodi, the ANSA news agency said. Full Story
Eta 'planned series of attacks'Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 6:34amA Spanish judge says seven alleged members of the Basque separatist group, Eta, were planning a series of bomb attacks in the province of Andalucia. The suspects were detained during police operations last week in the province of Bizkaia in northern Spain and Malaga in the south. Full Story
Militants target US teacher in IndonesiaPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 6:35amTen alleged militants arrested this month planned to assassinate an American teacher in Indonesia and avenge the upcoming executions of the Bali nightclub bombers by attacking the Supreme Court, a top anti-terrorism official said. Full Story
Nigerian militants report more sabotaged oil pipelinesPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 6:36amNigeria's main militant group sabotaged two more oil pipelines Monday during its two-year campaign of attacks on the country's oil industry, a leader of the group told the Associated Press. Full Story
Istanbul rocked by twin bombingsPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 7:47amAt least 17 people have been killed and 150 hurt by two bombs in a residential area of the Turkish city of Istanbul. The first bomb was planted in a rubbish bin in the Gungoren area. It caused crowds to gather before a second, larger device detonated. No group has claimed responsibility, but security services said the attack bore the hallmarks of Kurdish rebels. Full Story
Tourist vehicles attacked in cityPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 7:50amA car and a bus belonging to tourists have been damaged by vandals in Londonderry. Windows were smashed in both vehicles which were parked in Fahan Street in the Bogside area just before midnight on Saturday. Full Story
Brown should quit, says Labour MPPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:02amLabour MP Gordon Prentice has urged Gordon Brown to resign, arguing the government has "gone a bit rusty". He added that the prime minister lacked the skills needed "to communicate, persuade and enthuse". Full Story
Philippine rebel talks reach dealPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:09amPhilippine government negotiators say they have reached a deal with a Muslim rebel group to expand an autonomous region in the south of the country. Villagers affected by the plans will be asked to vote within 12 months on whether they want to join the new area. Full Story
Typhoon kills one in Taiwan, heads for ChinaPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:16amA typhoon dumped up to 700 mm (28 ins) of rain on Taiwan on Monday, killing one person, injuring five, causing widespread flooding and closing businesses and financial markets. Full Story
Suspected U.S. missile strike kills six in PakistanPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:18amA suspected U.S. missile strike on a Pakistani madrasa killed six people, including foreigners, on Monday in tribal lands regarded as an al Qaeda and Taliban hotbed, intelligence officials said. Full Story
Pollution leaves dark cloud hanging over Beijing OlympicsPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:19amBeijing and co-host Olympic city Hong Kong were on Monday blanketed in smog just 11 days before the Games, raising the stakes for organisers who were planning more emergency measures to clear the air. Full Story
Fresh clashes in the North kill 13 Tamil Tigers as SAARC summit opens in Sri Lankan capitalPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:27amSri Lankan military said fresh clashes across the embattled North killed 13 Tigers as the leaders of South East Asian nations gathered in the Sri Lankan capital to participate in the 15th annual SAARC conference today. Full Story
Protests against Nepal's vice presidentPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 8:38amProtesters blocked traffic and held demonstrations Monday in Nepal to protest the newly elected vice president's decision to take his oath of office in a foreign language. Full Story
Gray contests Labour leadershipPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 9:50amThe race to find a new Scottish Labour Party leader is under way after former minister Iain Gray announced he was standing in the contest. The move came after party officials met to set out the timetable. Two other former ministers, Cathy Jamieson and Andy Kerr, are thought to be the front-runners. Full Story
Lufthansa workers strike over payPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 10:48amGround crew and cabin staff at Germany's biggest airline, Lufthansa, have begun an indefinite strike. The Verdi public sector union called the strike after 90.7% of its members supported the walk-out over pay. Full Story
UK: No prosecution planned in journalist's deathPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 1:09pmProsecutors said Monday there was not enough proof to charge anyone in the 2003 death of British journalist Terry Lloyd in southern Iraq, though forensic evidence suggests he was killed by U.S. forces. The 50-year-old journalist for Britain's Independent Television News died on March 22, 2003, after his four-man team was caught in crossfire between U.S. and Iraqi forces. His Lebanese translator Hussein Osman was also killed. Belgian cameraman Daniel Demoustier survived, while the body of his French colleague Fred Nerac has never been found. Full Story
Blaze destroys historic UK pierPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 1:10pmA fierce fire destroyed a historic seaside pier in western England on Monday, quickly reducing the major tourist attraction to a smoldering wreck. There were no immediate reports of casualties. "Our understanding is that there were no general members of the public in the pier," Great Western Ambulance Service spokesman Richard Turner said. Full Story
Cruise ships collide in Greek port; nobody hurtPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 1:13pmTwo cruise ships with hundreds of people on board collided in Greece's main port of Piraeus Monday causing damage but no injuries, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. The Malta-flagged Zenith, carrying 1,819 passengers and 619 crew, was trying to tie up in port when it hit the Greek-flagged Aegean Pearl. The Aegean Pearl was carrying 504 passengers and 349 crew members, the ministry said. Full Story
Pound under pressure against dollar, euroPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 1:36pmThe pound was off lows against the dollar and euro but remained under pressure following a a series of gloomy surveys on the UK economy. Hometrack reported that house prices fell 1.2 percent between July and June, while the Land Registry reported house prices in England and Wales fell 1.0 percent between June and May. Full Story
Two blasts rock Istanbul, killing 17Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 1:38pmThe death toll from two weekend explosions in Turkey rose to 17 Monday after a wounded person died, the state news agency said. The blasts Sunday injured at least 154 others, the Anadolu news agency reported. Among the dead was a three-year-old child, it said. Full Story
Strikes hit Lufthansa in latest German walkoutsPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 3:47pmWorkers at German national airline Lufthansa began an indefinite strike Monday at the height of the holiday season to press for higher pay, in the latest walkout to hit Europe's biggest economy. About 5,000 maintenance, freight and catering staff stopped work from midnight (2200 GMT Sunday) after members of the Verdi service sector union voted overwhelmingly last week for a strike. Full Story
Govt condemns 'cowardly' bombings in IraqPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 3:49pmForeign Secretary David Miliband on Monday condemned the "cowardly and reprehensible" suicide attacks in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Three women bombers blew themselves up in a crowd of Shiite pilgrims in the Iraqi capital, one of a string of attacks in the Middle Eastern country that killed at least 56 people, and wounded scores of others. Full Story
Belgrade fears violence from pro-Karadzic rallyPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 3:50pmRight-wing Serbs called an anti-government rally for Tuesday night to protest the extradition of Radovan Karadzic, as authorities raced to whisk the former Bosnian Serb leader to a U.N. war crimes tribunal amid fears the demonstration could be violent. The rally organizer, the Serbian Radical Party, was busing Karadzic's supporters to the capital Monday from all over Serbia and from Bosnia, where Karadzic is revered by many as a hero who helped create a Bosnian Serb ministate after that country's 1992-95 war. Full Story
Spanish FARC suspect released on bailPosted on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 3:51pmA Spanish woman suspected of being a liaison between the leadership of Colombia's FARC rebel group and its members based in Europe was freed on conditional bail Sunday, a court said. Maria Remedios Garcia Albert, 57, had not yet posted the $18,880 bail, but she has one week to do so or she will be taken back into custody, the National Court said. She was also ordered not to leave the country and check in with the court once a week. Full Story
Courtesy the Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 07/22
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.
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.
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.
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