The News Crawler

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Last Update: Wednesday, May 27, 2009

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Taliban Destroys a Key Bridge in Pakistan Hundreds of trucks bearing NATO supplies idled at terminals near the city of Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday after Taliban fighters blew up an iron bridge about 15 miles away. The explosion, the latest in a spate of attacks, cut off the main supply route for U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan U.S. spies on China from Kyrgyz base: Russian TV Russian state television accused the United States on Sunday of spying on China and Russia after secretly turning its only remaining air base in Central Asia into a state-of-the-art surveillance center. Iran reform candidate condemns killing of Jews in the Holocaust The leading reformist candidate in upcoming Iranian presidential elections on Monday condemned the killing of Jews in the Holocaust, a much different stance than current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who in 2005 called the Holocaust a myth America's Big Banks Are a Far Larger Fraudulent Ponzi Scheme One of America's top bank fraud experts explains the financial industry's "liar's loans" and wholesale greed that got us in this mess. FUSION CENTER MEMO: 'BLACK COLLEGES' ARE 'RADICALIZATION NODES' FOR TERROR US, Switzerland to begin tax treaty negotiations The Treasury Department this month will begin revising a tax treaty with Switzerland, which has pledged to increase transparency and help crack down on tax evaders with money in Swiss banks	Baghdad Bombings Kill 34 People: Police...Iraq bombs linked to militias that fought with US against al-Qaida...Six Car Bombs Kill 30 in Iraq One in Six Americans Now Unemployed or Underemployed INVOKING STATE SECRETS, OBAMA MOVES TO BLOCK CHALLENGE TO BUSH WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....Brennan Keeping Obama Admin From Releasing Torture Docs....Republicans Threaten To Filibuster Nominees If Obama Releases Torture Memos Red Cross: Medical Officers Essentially Participated In Torture At CIA Prisons… Report Quotes Doctor Telling A Detainee: ''I Look After Your Body Only Because We Need You For Information'' Bachmann: Obama Wants Youth In "Re-Education Camps" U.S. defense plan kills programs, trims missile shield The United States would trim missile-defense spending, cancel multibillion-dollar weapons programs but buy more arms for fighting insurgents in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, under a 2010 budget plan. Finally, a little honesty about America's inept war on drugs Through pot legalization, we can bring the marijuana trade into the safety of the regulated economy, consequently eliminating the black market the drug cartels rely on. We can do so without fearing any more negative consequences than we already tolerate in our keg-party culture.
Connecticut
Madoff bill’ clears first hurdle State prosecutors would have immediate authority to seize any assets financial advisers gain through fraud under an amended bill introduced by state Rep. Patricia Dillon, D-New Haven. Some lawmakers take self-imposed pay cuts Democrats earlier this year shot down a Republican proposal to cut lawmakers' salaries to help fill a budget gap in the billions, but some members of both parties have begun taking voluntary decreases. Conn. considers law on failing to report crimes Connecticut lawmakers are considering penalties for people who fail to report violent crimes against others. Connecticut attorney general questions credit-rating companies Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is questioning why up to $400 million in federal bailout money is going to the big three credit-rating agencies that he says helped create the economic meltdown	Rell, police at odds over markings on cruisers Connecticut state police union leaders and Gov. M. Jodi Rell are at odds over whether to spend $600,000 in federal funds to improve markings on police cruisers Eco-Terror Threat: Connecticut DEP Finds Chemical 'Of Concern' At Wood-Burning Plant Site An investigation into possible contamination at the planned site of a wood-burning plant has picked up steam with the discovery of a chemical "of concern" there, a state agency said today. Union givebacks could save $637 million Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the coalition of state employee unions have reached a tentative agreement on contractual concessions that could save Connecticut about $637 million in the two-year budget that starts July 1.The deal includes a retirement-incentive program for veteran state workers, as well as wage and health-insurance concessions.
United States
'Nazi guard' deportation blocked A US judge blocks an order to deport an alleged Nazi concentration camp guard, ahead of his extradition to Germany. U.S. aid delays in drug war criticized After promising $1.4 billion last year under a landmark initiative to help fight drug trafficking in Mexico, the U.S. government has spent almost none of the money. Stimulus seen as windfall for police Large police departments across America are looking to the federal stimulus bill as a lifeline that will save jobs and help keep crime in check, but many smaller departments, which are less hard-pressed, see it as a chance to go on a shopping spree. Peta under fire over claim that it kills most animals left at its US headquarters Outrageous Tax Loopholes and Tips for You Meet a South Carolina couple who tried to deduct cat food and got away with it. Why is labor rioting in Europe but not in the US? The country of Mother Jones, John L. Lewis and Walter Reuther certainly has had a rich and sometimes militant history of labor protest — from the Homestead Steel Works strike against Andrew Carnegie in 1892 to the auto workers’ sit-down strikes of the 1930s and the 67-day walkout by 400,000 G.M. workers in 1970. But in recent decades, American workers have increasingly steered clear of such militancy, for reasons that range from fear of having their jobs shipped overseas to their self-image as full-fledged members of the middle class, with all its trappings and aspirations. Court rules against Navajo Nation in coal case The Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo Nation for a second time in its battle with the federal government over whether the tribe should have gotten more money for coal on its land. Scenes From the Real America I spent Saturday at the bi-annual Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot, right outside of Louisville, Ky. Gun enthusiasts of all stripes were there — from the National Rifle Association and sportsmen to militia members to white supremacists and Obama birthers. Here’s a collection of choice photos from the show Finally, a little honesty about America's inept war on drugs Through pot legalization, we can bring the marijuana trade into the safety of the regulated economy, consequently eliminating the black market the drug cartels rely on. We can do so without fearing any more negative consequences than we already tolerate in our keg-party culture. Media Covers Return Of War Dead For First Time In 18 Years	As Values Fall, Property Tax Revolt Brews Homeowners battle to get property taxes to reflect shrinking value of homes Schools eye stimulus $$$ for energy efficiency Reagan tried to convert Gorbachev to Christianity? Recession persists, but jobless benefits ending In the coming weeks and months, hundreds of thousands of jobless Americans will exhaust their unemployment benefits, just when it's never been harder to find a job. Xerox in $100M data services outsourcing deal Xerox Corp. will pay $100 million over six years to outsource data-center services to India's HCL Technologies Ltd., a Xerox spokesman said Sunday Texas judge's 100 drug cases to be reviewed A prosecutor in Texas is promising to review about 100 drug cases that were presided over by a state judge who has been indicted on federal charges Google’s Plan for Out-of-Print Books Is Challenged A legal settlement giving Google online rights to out-of-print orphan books is being challenged in court. Social Worker Tackles Gunman At Mich. School A social worker at a high school in Detroit is being lauded as a hero after he stopped a 17-year-old boy who allegedly was carrying a sawed-off shotgun and wrestled the boy to the ground Judge Not Giving Up Case Against Ted Stevens CASH-STRAPPED COMMUNITIES START PRINTING OWN CURRENCIES Mentally retarded Texas teen serving 100-year prison term for sex assault of boy He admitted assaulting 7-year-old, but his retardation was not considered; a retrial looms High court lets Abu-Jamal's conviction stand Sallie Mae to shift 2,000 jobs to US U.S. Senator proposes waiting period for ticket resellers Sen. Charles Schumer on Sunday unveiled a proposal aimed at giving fans a better chance to buy hot concert tickets at face value before ticket resellers scoop them up and raise the prices. 'Death camp Nazi' can be deported A US judge revokes the stay of deportation for John Demjanjuk, accused of being an accessory to the murder of 29,000 Jews in a Nazi camp. Big cuts seen for F-22, other big weapon programs The nation should stop pouring billions into futuristic, super-expensive F-22 jet fighters, pull the plug on new presidential helicopters and put the money into systems U.S. soldiers can use against actual foes, Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared Monday Uighurs ask Supreme Court for their freedom Chinese Muslim detainees at Guantanamo Bay asked the Supreme Court on Monday to order their release into the United States F-16s follow plane believed stolen in Canada Judge: U.S. used mentally ill witness in Guantanamo cases The Justice Department improperly withheld important psychiatric records of a government witness who was used in a "significant" number of Guantanamo cases, a federal judge has concluded. Cox accused of antitrust violations over cable TV boxes Lawyers in Nevada and at least four other states have filed lawsuits against Cox Communications in recent weeks, accusing the company of antitrust violations for allegedly requiring customers to rent Cox's cable TV converter boxes to receive premium channels and services. Defence contractor suspended over neo-Nazi link FUSION CENTER MEMO: 'BLACK COLLEGES' ARE 'RADICALIZATION NODES' FOR TERROR Red Cross: Medical Officers Essentially Participated In Torture At CIA Prisons… Report Quotes Doctor Telling A Detainee: ''I Look After Your Body Only Because We Need You For Information''
Madoffed
French investment firm seeks to seize Madoff yacht French investment manager Meeschaert said on Saturday it had applied for the seizure of a yacht owned by a Bernard Madoff company as part of a battle to claw back client losses from the jailed fraudster. Sources Implicate Madoff's Wife Government cracking down on mortgage scams - Federal and state officials are cracking down on mortgage modification scams, accusing "criminal actors" of preying on desperate borrowers caught up in the nation's housing crisis US, Switzerland to begin tax treaty negotiations The Treasury Department this month will begin revising a tax treaty with Switzerland, which has pledged to increase transparency and help crack down on tax evaders with money in Swiss banks SEC charges "Chinese Warren Buffett" of Ponzi scheme U.S. securities regulators charged a Toronto-based fund manager, who describes himself as the "Chinese Warren Buffett" and his hedge fund with operating a multimillion dollar investment fraud, the Securities and Exchange Commission said on Monday. Ex Bristol-Myers exec pleads guilty in Plavix case Andrew Bodnar, a former top executive at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co , faces up to a year in jail after pleading guilty to lying to federal officials about a deal to block a generic version of the company's top-selling medicine Madoff associate charged with fraud

Science
Startling Revelations about Three Mile Island Disaster Raise Doubts Over Nuke Safety A growing body of personal and scientific evidence contradicts the official story that the accident posed no threat to the public. Among 4-year-olds, 1 in 5 obese, study finds (AP)	Arctic sea ice thinnest ever going into spring The Arctic is treading on thinner ice than ever before. Researchers say that as spring begins, more than 90 percent of the sea ice in the Arctic is only 1 or 2 years old. That makes it thinner and more vulnerable than at anytime in the past three decades, according to researchers with NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado
Politics
Proof that Geithner's Bank Plan Is a Massive Giveaway to the Bastards Who Started This Mess Warren Buffett, Champion Of Bailout, Also Leading Beneficiary Geithner Says He May Oust Executives at Banks Needing `Exceptional' Aid Documents Suggest NY Attorney General Knew About AIG Bonuses Months Before He Crusaded Against Them Axing CEOS Is Entertaining, But It Doesn't Solve Our Economic Crisis GOP House Members, Staff Leaking Dirt On Other Republicans U.S. defense plan kills programs, trims missile shield The United States would trim missile-defense spending, cancel multibillion-dollar weapons programs but buy more arms for fighting insurgents in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, under a 2010 budget plan. FLASHBACK: Republicans Urging Coleman To Keep Fighting Called Gore A Sore Loser Bachmann: Obama Wants Youth In "Re-Education Camps"	Fannie, Freddie Bonuses Total $210M Vote on Pentagon nominee held up over tanker contract Harvard professor Ashton Carter's nomination as the chief acquisitions official at the Pentagon is being held up by two Alabama senators over a controversial air tanker contract Moyers Journal: Maddoff Was A Piker -- America's Big Banks Are a Far Larger Fraudulent Ponzi Scheme One of America's top bank fraud experts explains the financial industry's "liar's loans" and wholesale greed that got us in this mess. Earmark Requests Detailed in Database In an effort to make it easier to find Members' earmark requests, the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation unveiled a database today listing every Representative and providing, when available, a link to their requests. Why did AIG pay banks in full? Fed didn't use leverage The Federal Reserve Bank of New York in November chose not to pursue tough negotiations with large foreign and domestic banks and instead paid them 100 cents on the dollar in government funds to settle tens of billions of dollars of exotic financial bets guaranteed by insurer American International Group.
Obama
Obama Urges Iran to Affirm Peaceful Nuclear Energy In Prague, Obama supports Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy with rigorous inspections Geithner denies White House sidestepping CEO pay limits Brennan Keeping Obama Admin From Releasing Torture Docs Republicans Threaten To Filibuster Nominees If Obama Releases Torture Memos INVOKING STATE SECRETS, OBAMA MOVES TO BLOCK CHALLENGE TO BUSH WIRETAPPING PROGRAM	US wants limits on Antarctic tourism The Obama administration is pushing to protect Antarctica's fragile environment by imposing mandatory limits on the size of cruise ships sailing there and the number of passengers they bring ashore. Clinton Media Coach Guiding Geithner Obama to Turkey: America isn't defined by any one religion Obama sets out plan for nuclear-free world
Economy
Geithner: Jobless rate may go up Despite some optimistic signs, Treasury Sec. sees growing unemployment. One in Six Americans Now Unemployed or Underemployed Fed expands currency swaps with 4 central banks The Federal Reserve has expanded credit lines with the central banks of Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and European Union that will provide foreign currency to U.S. banks - if needed.	George Soros: US Banking System "Basically Insolvent" Carmaker Ford cuts debt by $9.9bn Ford sees its shares rise by nearly 15% in New York, after saying it had cut 38% from its $25.8bn debt figure. Toxic debts could reach $4 trillion, IMF warns Blockbuster: may not be able to stay in business

Iraq	Map of Iraq
Soldier charged with murdering contractor A U.S. soldier has been charged with murder in the shooting of a foreign contractor last month at a base north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said Sunday. Saturday: 1 US Marine, 2 Iraqis Killed; 8 Iraqis Wounded Sunday: 9 Iraqis Killed, 30 Wounded Six gay men shot dead in Iraq, says official Iraqi forces arrest more US-allied Sunni guards Iraqi forces have arrested two Sunni Arab neighbourhood guards, a security spokesman said on Saturday, after a string of other arrests in Baghdad that raised tensions. Iraqi babies for sale: people trafficking crisis grows as gangs exploit poor families and corrupt system At least 150 children a year sold for £200 to £4,000 Some bartered youngsters become sex abuse victims Baghdad Bombings Kill 34 People: Police...Iraq bombs linked to militias that fought with US against al-Qaida Six Car Bombs Kill 30 in Iraq 8 al-Qaeda Gunmen Arrested in Diala Peshmerga Fighter Killed in Kirkuk A Peshmerga fighter on Sunday was shot down by unknown gunmen in Kirkuk city, a local police chief said. Senior Interior Ministry Official Shot Down in Baghdad A senior officer in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior on Sunday was killed by unidentified gunmen in the capital Baghdad 17 Administrative Corruption Cases in Diala – Official Security developments in Iraq, April 6 Iraq official suspected of embezzling 130 mln dlrs As Iraq Rape Trial Begins, Attorneys Attack Law Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a former soldier being tried as a civilian on charges of raping a teenage girl and then killing her and her family in Iraq	Korean oil companies fail to pass the pre-qualification process for oil exploration rights in Iraq. State-run Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) and SK Energy said on Friday they had failed to pass the pre-qualification process for oil exploration rights in Iraq. The firms said they were not notified of the reasons, but some sources and from Baghdad said it was due to their involvement in contracts Violence escalates in Kurdish areas after elections Contrary to expectations that the success of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) in the March 29 local elections would be helpful in reducing the tension in Kurdish-populated areas, last week there were violent incidents in Şanlıurfa in which two people died, demonstrations in Ağrı resulted in the arrest of more than 70 people and unrest was reported in certain areas of Hakkari Iraqi police officer killed by roadside bomb Foreign Oil Firms Must Rescind Deals with Kurds to Win Iraq Contracts, Minister Says Foreign oil firms with contracts with Kurdish region cannot apply for any oil deals by the central government in Baghdad, Oil Minister Hussein Shahristani said. 3 Civilians, Cop, Soldier Wounded in Separate Incidents Iraqi Political Elements Involved In Terror Baghdad operational command spokesman General Qasim Ata said that during the command's investigation, arrested terrorists disclosed Iraqi political elements' involvement in terror operations in Baghdad. Trafficking Of Foreign Workers Flourishes In Iraq Much of the menial work at U.S. military installations has been done by South Asian contractors. Those jobs are now declining as the United States reduces its forces, and some Iraqi employers are taking advantage of the cheap labor. FACTBOX-Military and civilian deaths in Iraq OPEC: Iraq should escape oil culture
Middle East
Chechen named Dubai murder suspect Dubai to seek Interpol help in arresting suspects in ex-Chechen commander's killing. Divisions among Arabs helped Iran's regional rise Saudi Arabia's former ambassador to Washington has described Iran as a paper tiger with claws of steel and cited differences among Arabs as the main reason for its increased regional role Iran formally charges jailed U.S. journalist: lawyer Israel: Woman killed in attack on police was 16 Israeli police have identified the person who opened fire at a police station Saturday before she was shot and killed as a 16-year-old Bedouin girl from a town inside Israel. Iran reform candidate condemns killing of Jews in the Holocaust The leading reformist candidate in upcoming Iranian presidential elections on Monday condemned the killing of Jews in the Holocaust, a much different stance than current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who in 2005 called the Holocaust a myth 'Kayhan': Eradicating Israel – The Only SolutionThe Iranian daily Kayhan said that the call for peace by Israel, "the cancerous growth," must not be believed, and that the only possible solution is "eradicating this artificial regime from the global political map." Reports: Syrian Arrested For Obama Assassination Plot	'To Iran, Israel is not a goal, it's a tool' James Zogby, founder of the Arab American Institute, believes that Iran nukes would not be a threat to Israel Obama arrives in Turkey on first visit to Muslim country Egypt on alert for national strike Egypt ordered its police on alert to foil a nationwide strike planned by pro-democracy activists today. Massive US Arms Sale to Israel Disclosed Iran may seek compensation for seizure of suspected arms cargo Iran has reserved the right to seek compensation for the seizure of a shipload of cargo by Cyprus at the direction of the United Nations Security Council, which says the goods are an illegal arms shipment Mideast rappers take the mic The police were polite but firm as they arrested Shahin Felakat, a lanky teen whose mussed-up strands of dirty brown hair reach in all directions, and charged him with singing lyrics that threatened Iran's Islamic order. Hamas wants to smuggle long-range rockets in one piece Defense official: Group needs 'mega tunnels' to obtain advanced arms; attack on Sudan convoy may have been to keep Fajr rockets out of Gaza.
Afghanistan	Map of Afghanistan
NATO leaders pick Dane as new secretary-general NATO leaders appointed Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as NATO's new secretary-general Saturday after overcoming Turkish objections to a leader who angered Muslims around the world by supporting the right to caricature the Prophet Muhammad. U.S. spies on China from Kyrgyz base: Russian TV Russian state television accused the United States on Sunday of spying on China and Russia after secretly turning its only remaining air base in Central Asia into a state-of-the-art surveillance center.	Ragtag Afghan force trying to keep Taliban at bay On a wind-swept hill at the foot of snowcapped mountains, a ragtag collection of farmers, students and other unemployed men snapped to attention, rifles slung across their shoulders, new black boots shining. Taliban commander captured in E Afghanistan Security declines in Afghanistan
Pakistan	Map of Pakistan
Suicide Bomber Kills 22 In Pakistan Shiite Mosque....Taliban blamed for mosque blast A suicide blast ripped through a crowd outside a Shia mosque south of Islamabad today, killing at least 22 people and wounding many more. Pakistan could collapse within six months Pakistan will not allow foreign troops on its soil: Qureshi Taliban threatens two attacks per week in Pakistan if U.S. missiles don't stop 300 suicide attackers present in Pakistan: Rashid Report: 1 Million Pakistanis Displaced by US Drone Attacks	US wants Pakistan-Afghanistan to identify moderate Taliban US National Security Adviser, Marine General James Jones, wants Pakistan and Afghanistan to help the United States approach moderate Taliban activists who are willing to lay down their arms Pakistan wants 'unconditional' aid to fight terror Taliban Destroys a Key Bridge in Pakistan Hundreds of trucks bearing NATO supplies idled at terminals near the city of Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday after Taliban fighters blew up an iron bridge about 15 miles away. The explosion, the latest in a spate of attacks, cut off the main supply route for U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan
Asia
Sri Lankan army: Last rebel stronghold falls UN SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS EMERGENCY SESSION ON NORTH KOREA ROCKET LAUNCH.... U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON NORTH KOREA ENDS WITHOUT AGREEMENT Rocket Flew Over Japan Before Crashing In Pacific... Fails To Put Payload Into Orbit... Obama Condemns "Provocative Act"... Read Full Statement... Gibbs On Timing Of Launch: A "Big Coincidence"... UN Security Council Approves Emergency Session... Fear That China Will Veto... Clinton Works The Phones To Build Consensus... US-EU Joint Statement: "This Action Demands Response" Russia will not Extradite Chechnya Former Dy PM Plans to arrest the former deputy prime minister of Chechnya over the murder of a former rebel leader could be thwarted after Russian prosecutors said they could not agree to an extradition India: Death toll rises to 8 as 2 more blasts rock Assam	Thailand: Jail for Insulting King A Thai citizen was sentenced to 10 years in prison for insulting the king and his family by posting edited photos of the monarchy on the Internet, Bangkok Criminal Court said. Japan richest man: goverment policy 'superficial' Japanese billionaire clothing retailer Tadashi Yanai criticized his government's response to a severe recession as too tepid and called for tax cuts to spur domestic consumption. Muslims Riot In China’s Henan Province Hundreds of ethnic Hui Muslim people in the village of Luohe in China’s Henan province have attacked the government headquarters and paralyzed traffic in a protest against the local authorities, according to a Chinese newspaper. Russian oil pipeline to reach Chinese border: Putin The Russian state oil pipeline Transneft will finish the laying of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean(ESPO) oil pipeline to the Chinese border within weeks, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Monday
Europe
UBS introduces worldwide travel ban in wealth management Police probe torture allegations Police are investigating a report from a human rights group alleging UK involvement in the torture of British terror suspects abroad Switzerland sees surge in money laundering Switzerland, on the 'grey list' of tax havens, saw a surge in suspected activities related to money laundering in 2008, with assets worth an all-time high of $1.65 billion involved in them. UK cop suspended, arrested for arms dealing Paris liberation made 'whites only' Yet the BBC's Document programme has seen evidence that black colonial soldiers - who made up around two-thirds of Free French forces - were deliberately removed from the unit that led the Allied advance into the French capital. Parents 'abused 40% of teachers' Four in 10 teachers have faced either verbal or physical aggression from a pupil's parent or guardian, a survey finds.	Afghan children living in Rome sewer Italian police find more than 100 immigrants, including 24 Afghan children, living in sewers beneath railway stations in Rome. Girls say they are losing their freedom Girls believe they have lost the freedom to do things on their own because parents react to shock headlines by being over-protective. In a survey of 1,000 girls aged between 10 and 18, almost half say Italy muzzled scientist who foresaw deadly earthquake; warning removed from Internet Portugal drug decriminalizing 'bizarrely underappreciated' France finds 'Eta bomb factory' French police find hundreds of kilos of bomb-making ingredients, suspected to belong to Basque separatists Eta, officials say. UK launches massive, one-year program to archive every email
Africa
Somali pirates seize German ship U.S. warns of possible attack on embassies in Nigeria 15 years after Rwanda genocide, culprits at large (AFP) Fifteen years after the Rwandan genocide, which saw the massacre of some 800,000 people, prosecutors say hundreds of suspected perpetrators are still at large.	Pirates attack Israeli ship off Somalia Somali pirates opened fire on an Israeli-owned cargo ship in the Indian Ocean but failed in their attempts to board the vessel, a shipping executive said Sunday. Somali pirates hijack 2 ships Somali pirates have hijacked a Taiwanese fishing vessel and a British cargo ship, diplomats said Monday.
The Americas
Fujimori swings at Peru's ex-presidents in defense A defiant former President Alberto Fujimori on Friday called his murder and kidnapping trial political persecution and said the charges reflect a double standard since his predecessors never faced trial for alleged abuses during their presidencies. 4 arrested in attack on Mexican governor's convoy Four men are under arrest for allegedly attacking a Mexican governor's convoy, killing one of his bodyguards and wounding two agents. Black Man on Top of the WorldOne hundred years ago today, a black man was the first to reach the North Pole, but it took a while for Matthew Henson to get the credit for that feat.	Islands resent squeeze on tax havens More than 400,000 companies share a few local addresses in this tiny Caribbean financial center, where their incorporation papers are kept in a gray two-story building. US law fights submarine-like boats hauling cocaine It's a game played out regularly on the high seas off Colombia's Pacific coast: A U.S. Navy helicopter spots a vessel the size of a humpback whale gliding just beneath the water's surface.