The News Crawler

The News Crawler
Free Free Local Business Advertising Available
Last Update: Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Headlines	Click here for Yesterdays Edition
Admiral Mullen: Pakistan Nukes Are Secure, I'm 'Gravely Concerned' About The Taliban Afghan president Hamid Karzai criticised for selecting former warlord as election running mate Soldiers In Afghanistan Given Bibles, Told To "Hunt People For Jesus" Iraqi police arrest high-ranking member of U.S.-allied movement Iraqi police have arrested a senior member of the U.S.-allied Awakening movement in Salahuddin province, the American military said Sunday, continuing a crackdown that has left many of the Sunni Muslim paramilitary fighters seething with anger. UAW wins big Chrysler stake but can't run company The United Auto Workers union would appear to be the big winner in the Chrysler bankruptcy saga, having exercised its considerable political muscle to win a 55 percent stake in the country's third-largest automaker. Pennsylvania jury is 'failure of justice' All-white jury dismisses 'hate crime' murder of illegal alien. There's no such thing as a fixed-rate credit card Even if you have good credit, card issuers can change your rate and terms at will. Sue the company? Most contracts force consumers to forfeit that right If you have a credit card, a cellphone or even just a job, chances are you've already signed away your right to sue if something goes wrong. KBR Contracts Are ‘Majority’ of Fraud Referrals Company warned officials of flu 18 days before alert was issued Washington state biosurveillance firm raised the first warning about a possible outbreak of swine flu in Mexico more than two weeks before the World Health Organization offered its initial alert about a public health emergency of international concern.	US businesses offshore 22,000 green jobs to India Obama Takes Aim At Tax Havens, Loopholes President Barack Obama is proposing to close tax loopholes for companies and individuals with operations or bank accounts overseas. Democrats leave Gitmo closing money out of bill (AP) UBS asks U.S. court to drop tax evasion case UBS AG asked a U.S. court on Thursday to reject demands by U.S. tax authorities for confidential information about its American clients, saying disclosure would violate Switzerland's bank secrecy laws. 4th-Grader Questions Condoleezza Rice On Waterboarding...Censored? School Told Him Not To Use The Word "Torture" How Lehman Brothers Got Its Real Estate Fix A deal maker at Lehman pioneered ways to package debt that brought huge profits but set off the bank’s collapse Lessons From 1976 Flu Vaccinations Thirty-three years ago, the U.S. launched an unprecedented effort to fend off a swine flu epidemic by vaccinating every person. The program was eventually halted when the flu failed to materialize and the vaccine itself was linked to harmful side-effects. Former Bush Official Proposes Establishing a Group of Three – U.S., China, Saudi Arabia The former director of the Middle East Department in the National Security Council in the Bush administration has recommended the establishment of a new economic grouping comprising the U.S., China and Saudi Arabia.
Connecticut
Conn. Lawmaker Loses Post As Woman's Death Probed Conn. Gov. asks delay in utility shutoffs Gov. M. Jodi Rell is asking Connecticut utility companies to voluntarily extend their "no-shutoff" winter moratorium for delinquent customers. Conn. Senate poised to take up autism bill The Connecticut Senate could vote as early as this week on legislation requiring group health insurance plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism for young children. State Senate Bans Machine Guns for Those Under Age 16 Darkness could fall on nearly 300,000 in Connecticut This recession could see nearly 300,000 residents and businesses lose electricity in the coming weeks because of unpaid power bills. On Friday, the day a winter moratorium on shutting off power to	State Senate Approves Machine Gun Bill In Response To Boy's Death Prompted by the death of an 8-year-old Connecticut boy at a Massachusetts gun club, the state Senate voted 31-2 Thursday on a measure designed to keep machine guns out of the hands of anyone under 16 Conn. House votes to ban 'keepsake' ultrasounds Connecticut's House of Representatives has endorsed a measure barring anyone from performing ultrasounds on pregnant women unless a doctor orders them for medical or diagnostic purposes. Developments on swine flu in Conn. Conn. considers bill to limit drug maker freebies CT adds more hearings on highway tolls
United States
Company warned officials of flu 18 days before alert was issued Washington state biosurveillance firm raised the first warning about a possible outbreak of swine flu in Mexico more than two weeks before the World Health Organization offered its initial alert about a public health emergency of international concern. Google puts flu tracker to work on swine flu US Swine Flu Count Tops 100 Former Bush Official Proposes Establishing a Group of Three – U.S., China, Saudi Arabia The former director of the Middle East Department in the National Security Council in the Bush administration has recommended the establishment of a new economic grouping comprising the U.S., China and Saudi Arabia. Post-9/11 GI Bill applications now accepted KBR Contracts Are ‘Majority’ of Fraud Referrals Judge sentences two more in Ft. Dix conspiracy A man who was the "epicenter of the conspiracy" to kill military personnel was sentenced to life in prison and a convicted fellow plotter was sentenced to 33 years as a judge on Wednesday finished sentencing five Muslim immigrants who contemplated an attack on Ft. Dix. VA: 5th HIV case linked to unsterile equipment A fifth patient has tested positive for HIV, and seven more tested positive for hepatitis after being exposed to contaminated medical equipment at three Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, the agency said Friday. Mexican drug smugglers move into N.M. The dusty little border town of Columbus, N.M., has seen a sudden boom in flashy cars and other sudden signs of wealth due to an influx of Mexican drug smugglers, investigators say. Hasbro and Discovery Plan Channel Based on Toy Brands Lessons From 1976 Flu Vaccinations Thirty-three years ago, the U.S. launched an unprecedented effort to fend off a swine flu epidemic by vaccinating every person. The program was eventually halted when the flu failed to materialize and the vaccine itself was linked to harmful side-effects. Sex-Change Recipient Wins Job Bias Case A federal judge has awarded nearly $500,000 to a former Army Special Forces commander who was rejected from a job at the Library of Congress after revealing an upcoming gender change procedure. How Lehman Brothers Got Its Real Estate Fix A deal maker at Lehman pioneered ways to package debt that brought huge profits but set off the bank’s collapse Pennsylvania jury is 'failure of justice' All-white jury dismisses 'hate crime' murder of illegal alien. Military Lawyers: Release Gitmo Youths Military lawyers for two young Guantanamo detainees have urged the United States to follow the legally binding protocols it signed in 2002 on child soldiers and release the juveniles now being held at the U.S. military prison in Cuba. UAW wins big Chrysler stake but can't run company The United Auto Workers union would appear to be the big winner in the Chrysler bankruptcy saga, having exercised its considerable political muscle to win a 55 percent stake in the country's third-largest automaker. Swine flu or not, many workers can't stay home	'Hire American' provisions frustrate universities, employers At Duke University in North Carolina, where foreign nationals account for 60 percent of this year's master's class in engineering, Vivek Wadhwa is watching his students struggle to get jobs. Churchgoers more likely to back torture, survey finds Accused Al Qaeda Sleeper Agent Admits Role In 9/11 Attacks, Pleads Guilty Condi Confronted About Authorizing Torture By Stanford Students David Kirby: Reuters Mangles Flu Story and Blasts "Wild Theories" About "Evil Factory Farms" Reuters agency, one of the world's most reliably pro-business news outlets, today blasted "wild theories" about "evil factory farms in Mexico" being the cause of the current outbreak of "deadly swine flu."Dead pigs in China, evil factory farms in Mexico and an al Qaeda plot involving Mexican drug cartels are a few wild theories seeking to explain (it)," says Reuter's Michael Kahn in London. "Nobody knows for sure, but scientists say the origins are in fact far less sinister and are likely explained by the ability of viruses to mutate and jump from species to species as animals and people increasingly live closer to each other." That's right - in the lead paragraph, he derides the "wild theory" about factory-farms; and in the next he says the virus jumped from species to species to people, who live ever closer together. Employers of illegal workers to be targeted by U.S. There's no such thing as a fixed-rate credit card Even if you have good credit, card issuers can change your rate and terms at will. Sue the company? Most contracts force consumers to forfeit that right If you have a credit card, a cellphone or even just a job, chances are you've already signed away your right to sue if something goes wrong. 50 years of federal court oversight ends; judge rules Texas city's schools are desegregated A federal judge has ruled that the Galveston public school system is desegregated, ending a civil rights lawsuit that was initiated in 1959. Nerve-gas plotter held over rocket deal Korean-American man who served prison time for trying to broker the sale of sarin nerve gas bombs to Iran has been indicted on charges of attempting to export rocket technology to South Korea. Companies shift rules to keep CEO pay up Espresso Book Machine Could Change Publishing A new kind of vending machine has been unveiled in London. The Espresso Book Machine has access to 500,000 books. Put in money, make a selection and the machine prints and binds your book. At 100 pages a minute, you can get a copy of War and Peacein 15 minutes Bank Regulation Case Pits U.S. Against States The Supreme Court heard arguments in case that could give states more power in overseeing banks, which federal regulators oppose. Is It Wrong To Pay For Sex? It is an age-old question about what is often called the world's oldest profession. But is it morally and ethically wrong — and should it be legally wrong — to pay for sex? A panel of experts takes on the topic in the latest Intelligence Squared U.S. debate. Al Jazeera Joins Cable Lineup In D.C. Pot School: Oaksterdam Teaches 'Cannabusiness' Oaksterdam University is a trade school for those who grow and distribute medical marijuana. Joshua Green, senior editor at Atlantic Magazine, took a 13-week seminar at the school in Fall 2008. There, he learned the ABCs of opening a pot franchise. 4th-Grader Questions Condoleezza Rice On Waterboarding...Censored? School Told Him Not To Use The Word "Torture" WaMu seeks to investigate JPMorgan conduct in deal Washington Mutual Inc on Friday asked a U.S. bankruptcy court to let it probe whether JPMorgan Chase & Co had unlawfully damaged its former thrift unit's assets in order to buy it "on the cheap," at $1.9 billion, last September. Documentary examines U.S. child sex trade Filmmaker Libby Spears wanted to make a documentary about the sexual exploitation of kids in Asia and Latin America, but that changed when she discovered that child sex trafficking is a big problem in the United States.
Madoffed
Madoff Is a Convenient Distraction for a Bunch of Crooks Who Aren't in Jail FINANCE-US: IRS on the Track of Tax-Cheating "John Doe's" The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is hitting pay dirt with a novel legal tactic designed to catch tax evaders. And it's going to use it to force international banks to give up the names of tax cheats. SEC charges former Citi banker with fraud Ex-NYC stock trader pleads guilty to stealing $16M former New York City stock trader has pleaded guilty to stealing $16 million he had promised to invest for friends and clients. UBS asks U.S. court to drop tax evasion case UBS AG asked a U.S. court on Thursday to reject demands by U.S. tax authorities for confidential information about its American clients, saying disclosure would violate Switzerland's bank secrecy laws. Money manager at top of Madoff speed dial is sued As the first speed dial entry at Bernard Madoff's investment firm, longtime money manager and close friend Stanley Chais must have known about the disgraced financier's multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme, a complaint filed in Bankruptcy Court claims.

Science
Scientists see this flu strain as relatively mild Fertilisers 'reducing diversity' Excess fertilisation reduces plant diversity, as fast growing species block some plants' access to sunlight, a study shows. Comets may have jump-started appearance of living organisms, TAU researchers say "When comets slammed into the Earth, they delivered a payload of organic materials," researcher says. Scientists say device charges cars smarter Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., say they've come up with a way to recharge electric cars that won't strain the power grid.	Africans have world's greatest genetic variation Africans have more genetic variation than anyone else on Earth, according to a new study that helps narrow the location where humans first evolved, probably near the South Africa-Namibia border.... Scientists trace ancestry of swine flu virus to 1998 outbreak The new H1N1 influenza virus that continues to spread through the U.S. has ancestry in a swine flu outbreak that first struck a North Carolina hog farm more than 10 years ago, according to scientists studying the strain's genetic makeup Sharp Unveils Solar Powered Cell Phone Officials at Japan's Sharp Corp. say a solar panel snaps on to the device and soaks up the sun, which powers the phone. The phone is waterproof, which makes it perfect for poolside chatting. Japanese consumers need only worry about clouds. For now, the phone is only being released in Japan.
Politics
Credit Rating Firms Accused Of Reaping Profits As Regulators Fail GATES: GITMO DETAINEES COULD BE COMING TO THE U.S. Bill would add support for injured reservists Frugal Google raised 1Q lobbying tally to $880K Google Inc. has been getting more frugal with its employees and other expenses as the recession crimps its growth, but the Internet search leader isn't skimping on political lobbying Top U.S. Marine Defends $13 Billion Amphibious Tank U.S. Marines must be able to storm enemy shores in amphibious vehicles such as those being built by General Dynamics Corp, the top Marine said, defending a $13.2 billion program called into question by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Buffett says most banks aren’t too big to fail Billionaire Warren Buffett says most of the banks the U.S. government is evaluating with stress tests are not too big to fail. Sharpton fined, but feels vindicated in FEC probe The Rev. Al Sharpton said he feels a weight has lifted, now that his longrunning battles with the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Election Commission are finally resolved. Lawmakers Move To Curb Rape On Native Lands One in 3 Native American women will be raped in her lifetime, according to the Justice Department, but few cases of sexual assault in Indian country make it to the courthouse. Now, Congress is sending money to combat the problem and considering a bill to strengthen the authority of tribal police. Worries Rise on the Size of U.S. Debt The government is digging itself deeper into debt, but the market for Treasuries is not infinite and interest payments are expected to balloon. Specter: GOP moved 'far to the right' There’s more than being reelected here. There’s the factor of principle," Specter says. Specter Was Critical of Jeffords' Switch in 2001 Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.), who shocked his GOP colleagues Tuesday by announcing his jump to the Democratic Party in advance of his re-election campaign next year, criticized then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) in 2001 for a similar move. Gonzales says US should be open to torturing again National Zoo Using Stimulus Funds Despite Ban	DOJ Official Breached Ethics Rules Playing Golf Psychologists Told CIA Waterboarding Was Safe Tax credit gets snagged on IRS withholding tables Commerce Dept. releases $53M for salmon disaster The Commerce Department released $53 million to Oregon and California on Thursday to help West Coast salmon fishermen after the third fishery failure in four years.... Congress to stop using coal in power plant Report: Cyber warfare policies lack oversight Shrouded in secrecy, the U.S. government's policies on how and when to wage cyber warfare are ill-formed, lack adequate oversight and require a broad public debate, a new report by the National Research Council says. Edwards acknowledges campaign funds probe Two-time Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards is acknowledging a federal inquiry into his campaign funds. New health threat system was slow to alert Despite huge efforts to make the reporting of disease outbreaks fast and automatic, there were significant delays in bringing Mexico's swine flu outbreak to the full attention of international authorities. Buffett Criticizes Bank Stress Tests Warren E. Buffett attacked the government’s stress tests of 19 large banks — including three Berkshire holdings — saying they failed to properly assess the industry’s health. New hope for stalled labor bill Republicans Defend Tax Havens Against Obama Crackdown Group wants Senate to get 'techy' A bipartisan group of seven senators would like the upper chamber to join the digital age. Murtha’s Nephew Named a Lobbyist for Marines The Marine Corps has assigned the nephew of Representative John P. Murtha, head of a military spending subcommitee, to lobby the Capitol on behalf of the corps. Democrats leave Gitmo closing money out of bill (AP) Mortgage bankers celebrate victory Anti-bankruptcy reform legislation is giving mortgage brokers a reason to celebrate
Obama
White House Aide Has Suspected Swine Flu Case Obama Takes Swipe At Fox News, Tea Baggers Obama adviser: Economic contraction likely A top Obama adviser is predicting another economic contraction in the second quarter of the year and continued increases in unemployment for the next several U.S. May Revive Guantánamo Military Courts Gates defends plan to accept Chinese detainees in U.S. Obama: Schools with suspected cases should close Obama Takes Aim At Tax Havens, Loopholes President Barack Obama is proposing to close tax loopholes for companies and individuals with operations or bank accounts overseas. Obama picks a fight with 'speculators' He's sets up a dramatic showdown with Wall Street -- which may be just what the W.H. wants.	Anti-Torture Protesters Arrested In Droves Outside White House Biden: I'm Telling My Family To Avoid Trains, Airplanes Obama wants weapons-buying bill by Memorial Day President Barack Obama says he wants Congress to send him a bill by Memorial Day to save billions of dollars by overhauling the process for buying military weapons systems Gates Urges US Congress to Approve War Money Fast U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday pressed Congress to quickly approve $83.4 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for aid to Pakistan. U.S. says ready to cut nuclear missiles in Russia deal The United States is ready to cut the number of nuclear weapons delivery vehicles as part of an agreement with Russia to replace a Cold War arms treaty, Washington's chief negotiator was quoted as saying on Monday.
Economy
Exxon Mobil Profits Fall 58 Percent US businesses offshore 22,000 green jobs to India US factory output continues fall Companies Fear Repeat Of 'SARS Effect' With Flu The 2003 SARS outbreak caused fewer than 800 deaths but cost global businesses more than $30 billion. Now, there are concerns that the outbreak of swine flu could hit businesses in the same way. MasterCard stock slumps after revenue warning Oil rises to five-week high near $54 Georgia leads the nation in bank failures Afghan president Hamid Warren Buffett: Inflation on the horizon	Chrysler 'to file for bankruptcy' Google is world's first $100 bn brand Banks in Georgia, N.J., Utah Shut by Regulators Regulators have shut down Silverton Bank in Georgia and set up a temporary government-controlled bank until a buyer can be found. It was the 30th bank failure this year in the U.S. Next economic crisis looms: Commercial real estate defaults Two years after fissures in the residential housing market gave way to a national collapse of home prices and sales, experts warn that the the commercial real estate market is next shoe to drop, bringing more woes to the battered economy. Thousands of commercial mortgages valued at hundreds of billions of dollars are approaching their renewal dates, and by some estimates, two out of every three no longer will meet the original loan conditions and won't be able to be refinanced.

Iraq	Map of Iraq
Sniper downs 2 U.S. soldiers in Amara Uniformed Iraqi kills US soldiers Iranian jets 'hit' Iraqi Kurd areas Iranian helicopters have attacked three Kurdish villages in northern Iraq in an apparent cross-border raid targeting Kurdish separatists, Thursday: 10 Iraqis Killed, 25 Wounded...Friday: 3 GIs, 10 Iraqis Killed; 13 Iraqis Wounded...Saturday: 3 US Soldiers, 3 Iraqis Killed; 7 Iraqis Wounded Sunni fighters detained for past attacks Iraqi and U.S. forces have arrested three leading members of a Sunni militia on suspicion of carrying out attacks -- including downing an American military helicopter -- before they joined sides with U.S.-led forces to fight the insurgency, Iraqi officials said Sunday. Iraqi Authorities: Ba'th, Al-Qaeda, Are Responsible For Baghdad Bombings The Iraqi authorities have accused the Ba'th party and Al-Qaeda in the April 29 bombings in three marketplaces in the Shi'ite Sadr City neighborhood in Baghdad, in which some 50 were killed and 100 wounded. Baghdad operational command Costs soar for Iraqi military training Iraq is falling fall far behind schedule in creating a system to maintain its own military equipment, costing American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, according to a new U.S. audit	Al-Qaeda Members Arrested In Shi'ite Province In Iraq The Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman has announced the arrest of several Al-Qaeda members, three of them from the Shi'ite province of Al-Diwaniyah. Iraq death toll in April, 355 people killed Iraq’s Qaeda Recruiting Muslim Shiites for Bombing Raids Iraq’s al-Qaeda branch has apparently managed to recruit Muslim Shiites in the country, the sect which until very recently it considered ‘infidel’ and worthy to be exterminated, according to Interior Ministry reports. Anbar Police Chief: We Are Ready for U.s Troop Withdrawal Three Americans Killed in Former Qaeda Bastion in Iraq Iraqi police arrest high-ranking member of U.S.-allied movement Iraqi police have arrested a senior member of the U.S.-allied Awakening movement in Salahuddin province, the American military said Sunday, continuing a crackdown that has left many of the Sunni Muslim paramilitary fighters seething with anger. Iraq insists on US leaving cities by June 30 (AP) Iraq's government Monday ruled out allowing U.S. combat troops to remain in Iraqi cities after the June 30 deadline for their withdrawal, despite concern that Iraqi forces cannot cope with the security challenge following a resurgence of bombings in recent weeks.
Middle East
Saudi Arabia: Call It 'Arabian' Gulf – Or We Won't Participate In Islamic Solidarity Games; Iran: We Are Keeping 'Persian Gulf' Name Saudi Arabia has made its participation in the Islamic Solidarity Games conditional upon Iran using the term "Arabian Gulf" instead of "Persian Gulf." Cyberwar: Iranians and Others Outwit Net Censors Computers are becoming more crucial in global conflicts, not only in spying and military action, but also in determining what information reaches people Israel bombs Gaza smuggling tunnels Pentagon chief to reassure Saudis on Iran outreach U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Sunday he would reassure Saudi Arabia this week that the kingdom would not suffer from Washington's efforts to improve its relations with Iran. Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah has rejected the accusations, while admitting that a Hizbullah member Egyptian President Hossni Mubarak implicitly warned Iran and Hezbollah that he will not allow nor tolerate any attempt to tamper Egypt security. "After these powers and their hirelings have encroached on Egypt's security and sovereignty, I say clearly that I don't allow this and will not tolerate US to drop Israel lobbyist spy case Prosecutors are dropping espionage charges against two former Aipac officials. Israeli Arabs held on 'bomb plot' Israeli police have arrested seven Arab Israelis suspected of planning to carry out bomb attacks and kidnap Israelis. 'IDF staged drills over Gibraltar, in preparation for Iran strike' IDF soldier stabbed in suspected terror attack Gates: Persuasion better tack with Iran U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that a military strike on Iran's nuclear program would not stop that country from pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon. Iranian presidential candidate would work with US An Iranian presidential candidate who is wanted by Interpol in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Argentina said Sunday he is willing to cooperate with the U.S. on regional security matters if elected. Lieberman grilled over fraud suspicions Foreign Minister interrogated for eight hours under warning for fourth time since entering office. Bahrain Announces Arrest of Terror Cell	Reactions In Lebanon To Release Of Officers Suspected In Al-Hariri Assassination In response to the release by the international court for investigating the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri of four Lebanese officers arrested on suspicion of involvement in the assassination, Iraq cancels National Security Council National Security Advisor Mowaffaq Al Rubaie affirmed to Al Sharq Al Awsat Newspaper the ministerial council decision to cancel the National Security Council. Al Rubaie abstained from commenting on the consequences of this decision as to his position and to the security situation in Iraq. US: Iran major sponsor of 'terror' US state department says Tehran is financing terrorism in Middle East and Europe Saudi Arabia rebuke over US claim Saudi Arabia says the US must retract a claim that King Abdullah met Israeli President Shimon Peres in 2008. Iran execution provokes outrage A young Iranian woman is hanged for a murder committed when she was 17, despite a stay of execution from the judiciary. Irate pig farmers clash with police in Egypt Egyptian police and armored cars charged into a crowd of a 1,000 irate pig farmers armed with stones and bottles, leaving 12 people injured as residents of a Cairo slum resisted government efforts to slaughter the nation's pigs to guard against swine flu. Report shows press freedom declines worldwide Press freedom declined worldwide in 2008 as even once-unfettered nations such as Israel and Italy imposed new limits on media coverage Roadside Blast Kills 9 Turkish Troops As Rebels Shoot Dead Tenth Near Iraq Border Kurdish rebels waging a separatist campaign killed 10 soldiers in two separate attacks in Turkey's southeast Wednesday, ending months of calm in the conflict-stricken area, the army chief and military sources said. And a former justice minister escaped Hamas re-elects its top political leader Hamas has re-elected Khaled Mashaal as its top political leader for another four-year term, the Palestinian militant group announced Sunday. Ahmadinejad accused of fabricating crowds Rivals say the Iranian president has been busing in students and soldiers to swell the audiences for his speeches
Afghanistan	Map of Afghanistan
Taliban In Afghanistan: We're Launching Military Operation To Expel Foreigners Soldiers killed in Afghan attack Assailants attack military outpost, leaving five foreign soldiers dead Bin Laden still alive, Obama suggests Afghan rights chief fears vote fraud Ballots of Afghan women in conservative districts are vulnerable to fraud in August's presidential election, the country's top human rights official said Sunday. U.S. denies letting troops convert Afghans Afghan presidential hopeful promises Taliban talks Afghanistan's insurgency can be brought to an end through "soft diplomacy" with the Taliban, if Western forces commit to a timetable to withdraw from the country, a veteran of past negotiations with the militants says.	3 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan attack The battle to educate girls in Afghanistan To bring education to rural areas of Afghanistan—where many girls may not know a single woman who can read—one young woman has battled widespread illiteracy and daunting cultural obstacles for the past seven years, setting up schools to change the educational landscape, one child at a time. Soldiers In Afghanistan Given Bibles, Told To "Hunt People For Jesus" Afghanistan attacks leave 25 dead In one attack, 14-year-old boy detonated explosives strapped to him. Afghan president Hamid Karzai criticised for selecting former warlord as election running mate
Pakistan	Map of Pakistan
One Shiite killed, six wounded in Pakistan blast 'Taleban killed' in Pakistan raid At least 13 Taleban militants and two Pakistani soldiers are killed in a battle near the Afghan border, the Pakistan army says. Weapons are ornaments of Muslims, says Taliban Muslim Khan said Taliban cannot renounce weapons in Swat. Despite Taliban turmoil, Pakistan expands nuke plants Pakistan is expanding its nuclear weapons program even as Islamic extremists in northwest Pakistan advance in the direction of several highly sensitive nuclear-related sites, U.S. officials and other experts said this week. Admiral Mullen: Pakistan Nukes Are Secure, I'm 'Gravely Concerned' About The Taliban	Taliban behead two Pakistani officials in Swat Pak to move 6,000 troops from Indian border: NYT The troops were moved to the border after the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks. Pakistani outpost attacked; 18 dead Pakistani army says about 100 insurgents stormed the station in the strategically important northwestern Mohmand region. Two soldiers and 16 militants are killed. Peshawar: singer killed for 'TV sin'
Asia
Australia plans military build-up Naval and air fleet to be modernised in attempt to keep pace with Asian nations. Sri Lankan army 'shells hospital' U.S. says Islamist militancy a concern in Bangladesh Gunmen kill Albanian opposition MP ahead of polls Gunmen shot and killed an Albanian opposition Socialist Party lawmaker on Saturday evening, police said, as the west Balkan country prepares to hold elections seen as crucial in its bid for European Union accession. Tent Villages Spotlight Plight Of Japan's Unemployed Kyrgyzstan denies talks with U.S. on air base Kyrgyzstan is not holding any talks with the United States on allowing it to keep its air base in the Central Asian state, Prime Minister Igor Chudinov said on Wednesday.	Swine Flu: HK Quarantines Hundreds at Hotel US praises Bangladesh 'freedoms' The Bangladeshi government welcomes a US decision to remove it from a list of countries that violate religious freedoms. 50,000 civilians trapped in LTTE-held area Ex-rebel: Tamil Tigers killing civilians Tamil Tiger rebels massacred hundreds of civilians — including 200 people from one village — as they tried to flee the war zone in Sri Lanka, a former rebel says. US fails to remove Nepal Maoists from terror blacklist In a major set back to Nepal's ruling Maoists' effort to mainstream its party, the US administration has maintained the ultra left group on its latest terror blacklist. The US Department of States 2008 country reports, released in Washington on Thursday, said.
Europe
17 killed, 10 wounded in school shooting in Baku Bankers made 'astonishing mess' Bankers made an "astonishing mess" of the financial system and the effects will be felt for generations, MPs say Italy releases Palestinian hijacker Youssef al-Molqui served 24 years for 1985 murder of elderly US Jew during 'Achille Lauro' hijacking. In Europe, Intel Faces a Large Antitrust Fine The Americas: Curaçao: Hezbollah Connection in Drug Arrests	Nato expels Russian 'spy' diplomats Two diplomats ordered to leave headquarters in Brussels on suspicion of being "spies". Russia and Ukraine Settle Natural Gas Dispute Gazprom will waive a $2 billion fine it could have imposed on Ukraine for purchasing less gas than it was required to by contract Ex-Spy Sits Down With Islamists and the West Alastair Crooke, who worked for the British secret intelligence service, has been organizing confidential meetings between Western diplomats and Islamists for several years.
Africa
Pirates hijack UK-owned ship in Indian Ocean NATO thwarts hijack off Somalia, seizes dynamite CAR soldiers blamed for killings Troops in the Central African Republic killed up to 30 civilians in February near the border with Chad, a BBC investigation finds. Ship captain: Just arming crews won't stop piracy The planet's shipping fleet should be protected from deadly pirates by arming senior crew members, or not - depending on who was speaking Thursday to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Maersk Alabama Capt. Richard Phillips or his boss, Maersk Inc. Chairman John P. Clancey Duel at the Suez Canal: World Scrambles to Deal with Pirate Threat ... The old Soviet rocket-propelled grenade launcher can hit a ship at 500 meters (1,640 feet). Propelled by a rocket motor, the grenade can penetrate armored steel up to 60 centimeters (two feet) thick. A captain sitting on 300,000 tons of oil would be well advised to surrender quickly.	French forces grab 3 Somali pirates in Seychelles French naval patrol seized three Somali pirates in Seychelles' waters on Saturday and handed them over to the coastguard, the islands' president's office said Somali pirates seize Greek ship Somali pirates: Foreign fishing drove us to raids Their exploits have turned the inky-blue waters of the Indian Ocean into a perilous gantlet for ships and an unlikely security challenge for world leaders. But behind the bare brick walls of a desolate former British colonial prison, five jailed Somali pirates didn't seem very fearsome at all. Kenyan women: Make war? No sex Thousands of Kenyan women vowed Wednesday to begin a weeklong sex strike to try to protest their country's bickering leadership Russian destroyer captures 29 Somali pirates
The Americas
Mexico Increases Swine Flu Alert: Suspends Private Business Activity, Nonessential Federal Government Activities Mexico says H1N1 is stabilising Brazil clears Indian reservation Morales nationalises fuel supplier Bolivia's president has brought the local unit of British aviation fuel supplier Air BP under state control. Canada: 1st pigs found with new swine flu virus Pigs on a Canadian farm have been infected with the new swine flu virus -- apparently by a farm worker back from Mexico -- and are under quarantine, officials said Saturday. It is the first known case of pigs having the virus. Motive sought for Morales' order to kill Airlifted in from Bolivia's western highlands, some two dozen elite officers in green helmets and flak jackets entered the Las Americas Hotel just before 4 a.m., disabled its surveillance cameras and stealthily made for the fourth floor. Breaking the Taboo: Latin American Leaders Release Report Calling for Global “Paradigm Shift” in Drug Policy	Venezuela takes away funds from opposition mayor of Caracas Venezuela's National Assembly has approved a much-anticipated law that essentially gives control of an opposition-run city to an official appointed by President Hugo Chávez -- an action the opposition mayor characterized as a continuous ``coup d'etat.'' MAY DAY-COSTA RICA: Domestics Fight for Eight-Hour Day Domestic employees in Costa Rica have run out of patience. After 17 years of fighting, they are threatening to report the state to international bodies if their slave-like working hours are not cut back. Army needs oversight, Human Rights Watch says Report lists 17 allegations of serious human rights abuse by the Mexican army, including torture and murder. Colombia Sacks 11 in Wiretapping Scandal The Americas: Curaçao: Hezbollah Connection in Drug Arrests Seventeen people were arrested on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao for involvement in a drug-trafficking ring with connections to Hezbolla Police break up anti-Chavez march with tear gas