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Twister that hit Oklahoma caused $2 bn in damage

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:06:51 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - Rescue workers were combing through the battered remains of buildings left behind in the path of the gigantic tornado that killed two dozen people, including nine children, in Oklahoma on Monday. Officials say the search for survivors is nearly over as efforts turn towards recovery. Gary Bird, fire chief of the badly hit Moore suburb, said he was "98% sure" there were no ...

FBI kill Florida man known to Boston bombing suspects

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:03:15 -0400

MIAMI - A man known to the Boston Marathon bombers was shot and killed Wednesday by an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent after he turned violent during questioning, the investigating agency said. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper identified the man as Ibragim Todashev, 27. He was killed in the early morning incident in Orlando, Florida. The FBI said the shooting occurred in Orlando, ...

US Senate panel clears key immigration reform bill

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:41 -0400

WASHINGTON - A US Senate panel has cleared a proposed legislation that relaxes restrictions on IT companies to hire foreign techies, thus clearing one of the major hurdles to ushering changes in American immigration law in a generation. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill after its authors won a bipartisan support with three Republicans joining 10 Democrats in the 18-member ...

Iran allows eight candidates for presidential race

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:52 -0400

TEHRAN - Iran has approved eight candidates for the presidential election due next month, rejecting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's top aide in a major setback to the hawkish leader of the Islamic republic. Ahmadinejad criticised the decision to remove Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei from the final candidate list and said it was an act of "oppression". He announced plans to take up the case with ...

North Korean special envoy visits China to win confidence

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:56:15 -0400

PYONGYANG, North Korea - In an indication that North Korea may give diplomacy a chance to end regional tension, its leader Kim Jong Un Wednesday sent a special envoy to China to win the confidence of its most important ally. The trip by Vice Marshal Choe Ryong Hae, a senior Workers' Party official and the military's top political officer, comes after months of ignoring Chinese warnings to give ...

Work starts on creation of new Dubai island

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:26:18 -0400

Work began on Monday on the development of a man-made island in Dubai, 500 metres directly opposite the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex. To be known as Bluewaters Island, the new development will house five star hotels and resorts, al fresco dining and entertainment zones, and residential apartments and villas. The focal point of the island city, which will cost $1.6 billion, will be a 688 ...

ICC withdraws Asad Rauf from Champions Trophy because of spot-fixing allegations

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:20:01 -0400

International Cricket Council (ICC) has withdrawn umpire Asad Rauf from officiating in the Champions Trophy, which is slated to start from June 6. Explaining the decision, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: "In the wake of reports that the Mumbai Police are conducting an investigation into Asad Rauf's activities, we feel that it is in Asad's best interests as well as those of the ...

Pakistani umpire Rauf withdrawn from Champions Trophy

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:40:01 -0400

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday withdrew Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from next month's Champions Trophy in England and Wales after his name cropped up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal. ICC said it took the decision after media reports indicated that the 57-year-old umpire was under investigation by Mumbai Police. Rauf, who is an ICC Elite Panel umpire, has ...

Google wants rational tax system following criticism over firms lesser tax transparency

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:03 -0400

Google chairman Eric Schmidt has called for a more rational and predictable international tax system following widespread criticism over the company's failure to have a more transparent tax payment system. The move comes after Labour Party leader Ed Miliband targeted his rebuke towards Schmidt at the Google Big Tent Conference, the Guardian reports. UK Prime minister David Cameron's aides have ...

Leona Lewis heart-broken after first breakup

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:01 -0400

Leona Lewis has revealed that she thought her world had come to an end following her split with first boyfriend. The 'Bleeding Love' hit maker, who was in a 10-year relationship with A'n'R scout Lou Al-Chamaa until 2010, told Stylist magazine that she was not sure if she would be able to get over the breakdown of her first romance, Contactmusic reported. Bu Lewis now believes that the split has ...

Tamara Ecclestone opens up about relationship with new beau

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:50:04 -0400

Tamara Ecclestone, who started dating her new boyfriend Jay Rutland in January after being introduced by mutual friends, shocked the world by announcing that she was engaged to him just one month later. The F1 heiress told the Mirror that the couple's engagement has been very sudden and she knows that there are people who won't understand that and will read things into it. She said that, ...

Lydia Davis pips Indian writer U.R. Ananthamurthy to win Booker International Prize 2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:02 -0400

American short story writer Lydia Davis, whose works can be as brief as a single sentence, has won the fifth Man Booker International Prize topling other authors including an Indian named U.R. Ananthamurthy. The influential American writer accepted the 60,000 pounds honour, which is presented every two years to a living, non-UK author for a body of work published in English, at a ceremony held ...

ICC launches Champions Trophy website

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:50:01 -0400

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday launched the official event website for the Champions Trophy, which will be held in England and Wales June 6-23. The site will be accessible at www.icc-cricket.com. The site will have short-form highlights from all tournament matches as well as exclusive behind-the-scene content. The official match centre will be informative and interactive, ...

Singapores exports continue to fall

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:02 -0400

Singapore's external trade continued to fall in the first quarter of this year, with declines for total trade, non-oil domestic exports (NODX) and non-oil re-exports (NORX), the city-state's trade promotion agency, International Enterprise Singapore, said Thursday. This is the third consecutive quarter of decrease for both total trade and NODX. According to the data, the NODX, a key gauge of the ...

Angela Merkel tops Forbes Most Powerful Women list for third successive year

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:20:02 -0400

German chancellor Angela Merkel has been named as the most powerful woman in the world for the third successive year by business magazine Forbes. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was ranked second with Melinda Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in third. According to the Independent, the Queen, rankedat 40, is the oldest woman on the list and has dropped 12 places ...

Cheruiyot to miss World championships for pregnancy

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:50:01 -0400

Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot will not be able to defend her 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres titles at this year's Moscow World championships as she is expecting her first child. The runner said in a statement Wednesday that she felt it was "the right time to start a family" at the age of 29, reports Xinhua. Cheruiyot plans to return for the 2014 season and compete in the 2015 World championships in ...

Pakistan one of worlds most negative nations Poll

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:30:05 -0400

Pakistan has been viewed as one of the most negative countries in the world in a new poll. The south Asian country was ranked after Israel, North Korea in terms of how they are viewed globally. This year's annual Country Ratings Poll for the BBC World Service found that 55 percent of respondents viewed Pakistan as a negative country as compared to only 15 percent who had a mainly positive ...

Iran upgrading nuclear program IAEA

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:03 -0400

Tehran has reportedly upgraded its nuclear program by adding advanced uranium enrichment facilities and building a plutonium-producing reactor according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA report reflects the increased international concerns about the potential proliferation dangers it represents as the completion date approaches, the Huffington Post reports. According to ...

Gisele Bundchen crowned most powerful model in world

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:02 -0400

Gisele Bundchen has been named as the most powerful model in the world by Forbes magazine. The 32-year-old, who is the only model named to the magazine's newly released 2013 'World's Most Powerful Women' list, has been ranked No. 95 out of the 100 influential women including iconic entrepreneurs, CEOs, politicians and philanthropists, the Huffington post reported. Bundchen made the list last ...

Kazakhstan defeat India in volleyball tourney

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

Kazakhstan defeated India 3-2 in the China International men's volleyball tournament here. Kazakhstan won 25-12, 23-25, 24-26, 25-20, 15-7 Wednesday, reports Xinhua. "Our team is so young that they didn't cooperate well and made mistakes, but I am satisfied with their performance," said Gilyazutdinov Rafael, assistant coach of Kazakhstan team. "Our setup was bad today and that is why we lost ...

Finance head Carrion to run for IOC president

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

Finance Commission head Richard Carrion has joined the race to succeed International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge. The Puerto Rican will run against Thomas Bach, Ng Ser Miang and Wu Ching-kuo, who has yet to officially declare his intention to run, reports Xinhua. Carrion, 60, has no sporting background. He is chairman of a financial holding company and since 2002 has ...

British soldier hacked to death in suspected Islamist attack in busy London street

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:00:05 -0400

Two suspected terrorists hacked a man believed to be a British soldier to death on a busy London street on Wednesday. One of the men yelled 'Allahu Akbar', in an attack that was caught on video and left the nation shocked and horrified. According to Fox News, the victim was killed on the spot, and the attackers waited at the scene until police arrived and shot both. One attacker, his hands ...

European leaders hold summit on tax evasion

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:10:01 -0400

The heads of state and government of the European Union held a summit Wednesday in an effort to make more progress in fighting tax evasion and tax fraud. EU leaders are targeting tax crimes both within the borders of their countries and in foreign tax havens despite the reluctance of Austria and Luxembourg. The leaders of the EU's 27 member states are expected to give the go ahead to the ...

Italy has lowest graduate share in Europe

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:40:01 -0400

Italy has the lowest graduation rates in Europe with just one-fifth of people aged 30-34 holding a university degree, according to a study. A total of 31 percent of Italian families cannot afford to pay for their children's university studies, and must take out loans or have their offspring seek jobs to help fund tuition and living costs, said the report by charity Save the Children. It said ...

UN urges collective efforts to achieve water secure world on Day for Biological Diversity

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:17:08 -0400

22 May 2013 150 Unless greater efforts are made to reverse current trends, the world will run out of freshwater, the United Nations said today marking the International Day for Biological Diversity and urging stronger scientific alliances to understand and protect natural resources. "We live in an increasingly water insecure world where demand often outstrips supply and where water quality ...

Amid turmoil in Mideast UN envoy urges concerted action to resume Israeli-Palestinian talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:15:56 -0400

22 May 2013 150 While international attention is understandably on the tragedy that continues to unfold in Syria, it is equally important to ensure the resumption of negotiations aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a senior United Nations envoy stressed to the Security Council today. "Ending the conflict in Syria is a matter of great urgency and must be the top priority of ...

International community must help Darfur become self-sufficient 8211 UN official

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:15:43 -0400

22 May 2013 150 The United Nations humanitarian chief today stressed the international community must do more to ensure the people of Sudan's Darfur region can better provide for themselves. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, who is currently on a four-day visit to Darfur, said she was disappointed that after 10 years of humanitarian operations, the region is ...

UN agency to open nuclear emergency preparedness centre in Fukushima

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:15:33 -0400

22 May 2013 150 Experts from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are heading to Japan to launch an emergency preparedness and response centre in Fukushima, the coastal city devastated two years ago when a massive earthquake and tsunami set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. The IAEA, supported by the Government of Japan, will designate a new Response and ...

Council of Europe Concerned About Russias Human-Rights Record

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:15:20 -0400

MOSCOW Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe, has told President Vladimir Putin that the human rights body is concerned about Russia's law requiring non-governmental organizations to register as foreign agents. Jagland said Europe will watch how the Kremlin implements the law that went in effect last November, a measure requiring non-governmental organizations ...

Boston bombing probe Man shot dead by FBI

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:50:02 -0400

An FBI agent shot and killed a 27-year-old alleged friend of slain Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev in Florida, a day after questioning him as part of the investigation into the April 15 attack, media reports said. The victim, identified as Ibragim Todashev, was shot at a condominium complex Wednesday in Orlando, Florida. The FBI confirmed a man died while one of its agents was ...

UN World Bank Say Development is Key to Congo Peace

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:51:07 -0400

GOMA -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been visiting the war-weary city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), accompanied by the president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim. Both men stressed they see investing in development as the way out of Congo’s conflicts. The front lines outside Goma were silent on Thursday morning as Ban and Kim conducted their ...

Indias Tata Steel reports loss on Europe woes

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:49:03 -0400

MUMBAI (AFP) - India's Tata Steel, one of the world's biggest steelmakers, on Thursday swung to a quarterly net loss from a profit a year ago due to falling demand in its key European market.Tata Steel reported a consolidated net loss of 65.29 billion rupees ($1.18 billion) for the fourth fiscal quarter which ended March, compared to a profit of 4.33 billion rupees in the same period a ...

Eleven die in surge of Iraq violence

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:48:45 -0400

BAGHDAD // Attacks in Iraq yesterday killed 11 people, including four soldiers, officials said. It was the latest in a wave of violence that has left 420 people dead so far this month. Gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Taji, north of Baghdad, killing the four soldiers and wounding five others, security and medical officials said. Near Baquba, also north of the capital, a roadside bomb in a market ...

86 sentenced in Macedonia highway toll scam case

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:46:14 -0400

SKOPJE, Macedonia -; A criminal court in Macedonia's capital has sentenced 86 employees of a road management company to prison terms ranging from eight months to more than six years for involvement in a massive highway toll ...

Appellate court Berlusconi ran illegal scheme

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:46:13 -0400

MILAN -; A Milan appeals court has explained why it upheld Silvia Berlusconi's tax fraud conviction, saying the politician illegally purchased the rights to broadcast U.S. movies on his private TV network, then falsely declared the payments to avoid ...

Google Trends Lets You Track What The World Is Searching For

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:45:12 -0400

Google likes to remind us just how much they know about the things we like, the things we're interested in, and the people we'd like to see experience some sort of wardrobe malfunction. Earlier this month, Google's YouTube released a data map which ...

It’s World Turtle Day

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:45:11 -0400

turtle crossing a busy road - pick it up and send it in the direction it was originally going on the other side of the road, advises the advocacy group American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), which is celebrating their 13thannualWorld Turtle Day2013 today.Picking up the tortoise and turning it around will only cause the slow moving animal to try crossing the road again, according to ...

Japan’s Nikkei Index Falls 7.3 for Several Reasons Europe and U.S. Indexes Dip after Japanese Nosedive JPMorgan Voters Keep CEO Dimon

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:39:06 -0400

YahooFinance ) The Japanese stock market’s single-largest, one-day loss since the 2011 tsunami featured a 7.3 percent plunge yesterday that was blamed on lower-than-expected Chinese manufacturing figures for April, the Federal Reserve's lack of a clear message on continuing quantitative easing and spiking Japanese bond prices.Elsewhere in the Far East, markets generally pulled back. ...

Five Obstacles To A Healthier World

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:38:03 -0400

Runners in the Zurich Marathon (Credit: Wikipedia) Imagine a community in which "great health" is as important as education or social status, or where health education is as important as mathematics. In this community, well-being would be a priority that would be appreciated, pursued and rewarded. That's the vision of leaders at the World Economic Forum. In collaboration with ...

Strife in Iraq Worse and worse

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:36:52 -0400

A WIDENING arc of violence across Iraq is raising fears that the country could fracture under the weight of sectarian and political strife. Attacks in the past week stretched from north of Baghdad, the capital, to the normally calm southern city of Basra, killing more than 200 people. The targets included Sunni mosques as well as Shia districts and Iraqi security forces. On May 20th alone, at ...

Tax-Avoiding Corporations Siphoning Billions from Worlds Poorest

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:35:50 -0400

Some of the world's wealthiest corporations-utilizing secretive tax havens backed by powerful governments-are siphoning of billions of dollars of potential revenue from the very same poor countries that foreign investment is so often said to be helping.According to a new report by ActionAid International, ...

Obama to address drones Guantanamo in major security speech

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:28:29 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about tornadoes and severe weather affecting Oklahoma, at White House on May 21, 2013. Obama will deliver a key speech on U.S. counterterrorism policy this afternoon. (Larry ...

Kenyan police clear truckers blocking east Africas main trade route

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:23:51 -0400

MOMBASA (Reuters) - Kenyan police cleared the only highway from the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi on Thursday, two days after striking truck drivers blocked it and threatened to choke the main trade artery in east ...

Berlin hopes efforts on youth jobs will help its image in Europe

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:23:50 -0400

BERLIN (Reuters) - German alarm that their country is blamed for austerity measures compounding the problems in the euro zone helps explain Berlin's bilateral efforts to tackle youth unemployment in some of the countries worst ...

Way of the World Some Cracks in the Cult of Technocrats

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:22:23 -0400

NEW YORK -- We are living in the age of the technocrats. In business, Big Data, and the Big Brains who can parse it, rule. In government, the technocrats are on top, too. From Washington to Frankfurt to Rome, technocrats have stepped in where politicians feared to tread, rescuing economies, or at least propping them up, in the ...

Amazon Set To Take Over The World With Kindle In June

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:20 -0400

Amazon hasn’t been able to effectively compete with Apple just yet as its Kindle Fire devices are only available in a select few countries. That’s all going to change next month. Amazon announced today that ...

Sudan South Sudan vow to keep oil flowing differ on pumping problem

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:51 -0400

KHARTOUM/ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Sudan and South Sudan's oil ministers on Thursday vowed to continue cross-border oil flows but gave contradictionary opinions whether a technical problem at a pumping station which had cut output had been ...

Lyft Gears Up for International Expansion on Anniversary

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:17:48 -0400

IDG News Service (San Francisco Bureau) - Lyft, the ridesharing service known for its fleet of pink mustache-festooned cars, is eyeing international expansion supported by its biggest funding round yet. The company will be looking at entering new markets, including overseas, between now and the end of 2014, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer said Wednesday. Specific countries of interest were not ...

Top Research Reports Explore Ad Effectiveness in a Social World Hidden Influences on Creativity

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:17:19 -0400

How does advertising perform in a social-media world? How can you build a cohesive social strategy? And what are the hidden influences that shape your organization's creativity? Ad Age is releasing three papers that address these pressing business ...

Frustrated family of American found dead in Singapore withdraw inquiry

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:17:02 -0400

The parents of Shane Todd, the American engineer found dead in his Singapore apartment on June 24, 2012, announced Wednesday that they are withdrawing from the official inquiry into their son's death and will leave Singapore immediately. "We no longer have confidence in the transparency and the fairness of the system," the Todds said in a statement released to CBS ...

Brad Pitt surprises fans at World War Z screening in New Jersey

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:52 -0400

Actor Brad Pitt speaks at a Paramount Pictures presentation to promote his upcoming film "World War Z" during CinemaCon at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 15, 2013, in Las ...

Google goes to Galapagos islands

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:44 -0400

Few have explored the remote volcanic islands of the Galapagos archipelago, an otherworldly landscape inhabited by the world's largest tortoises and other fantastical creatures that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.Soon it will take only the click of a mouse or finger swipe on a tablet to explore some of the Galapagos Islands' most remote areas, surrounding waters and ...

Ga. Teens Remarkable Road to Top of the Class

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:14:16 -0400

PHOTO: High school senior Chelesa Fearce, 17, has overcome homelessness to become a star student and valedictorian at Charles Drew High School in Clayton County, ...

Windows Targets iPad With Snarky Ad

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:14:13 -0400

After Siri seemingly gives up and opens the GarageBand piano, the ad ends with a rather rough rendition of Chopsticks (a play on Apple’s iPad mini commercial) and a graphic showing the iPad priced at $699 and the Windows 8 Asus tablet at $449, both tablets in 64 GB ...

Jennifer Aniston Strips Down for Millers

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:14:10 -0400

May 23, 2013 11:20am For years, Jennifer Aniston has been known for her fit physique and, now, she’s showing it off in a big way. In her new movie, ';We’re the Millers,'; Aniston, 44, plays an exotic dancer alongside Jason Sudeikis, who stars as a drug dealer. In the below trailer, the former ';Friends'; star shows off her moves, and strips down to her ...

Iraqi justice troubles Amnesty International

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:08:36 -0400

Amnesty International reports. Amnesty published its 328-page "State of the World 2013" report, highlighting the rights record of 155 countries and territories. In a forwarding statement, the rights group said the world is "an increasingly dangerous place" where governments are more interested in protecting their borders than the rights of their citizens. On Iraq, the report ...

SRA International promotes David Keffer to corporate controller role

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:08:03 -0400

SRA International Inc. promoted its chief financial officer to corporate controller, the Fairfax-based company announced Wednesday. David Keffer will lead the companys accounting organization, including financial reporting, treasury and cash management, accounting systems, and financial planning and analysis. He previously was CFO of the Intelligence, Homeland Security and Law Enforcement, and ...

UK attack suspects part of previous investigations

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:02:23 -0400

LONDON (AP) -- Two men accused of butchering a British soldier had been part of previous investigations by security services, a British official said Thursday, as investigators searched several locations and tried to determine whether the men were part of a wider plot to instill terror on the streets of ...

10 Things to See A week of top AP photos

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:02:21 -0400

Here's your look at highlights from the weekly AP photo report, a gallery featuring a mix of front-page photography, the odd image you might have missed and lasting moments our editors think you should ...

Latest developments on the attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:53:58 -0400

>Editor's note: Are you from the area affected, or London in general? What is your reaction to the incident? Send us your images, video and experiences.(CNN) -- The brutal killing of a British soldier Wednesday near a military barracks in the Woolwich neighborhood of southeast London has shocked the United Kingdom. Prime Minister David Cameron said the act appears to have been a terrorist ...

Kim Kardashian’s Carry-on During Kanye’s World Tour Will Be an Infant Child

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:34:04 -0400

the exclusively obtained diary entries of Knorth Kardashian West , the unborn child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Today's entry concerns travel plans. Diary, The fuck I'm going on tour in the months immediately following my birth. Is my mother out of her bronzer-dusted mind? "Go on a world tour"--what am I, some Provigil-riddled stagehand? I finish a morning calisthenics ...

Fifa World Cup-themed mall for Qatar attracts retailers

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:33:29 -0400

A Fifa World-Cup themed shopping mall in Doha has attracted an "extreme" amount of interest from the region's biggest retailers, more than two years ahead of its scheduled opening. Mall of Qatar, a 162,000 square metre mall located in Doha next to a future venue for the 2022 World Cup, is due to open in September 2015. The cost of the project is estimated at 3 billion Qatari rials ...

World sets sail for Townsville regatta

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:33:25 -0400

ALL eyes will be on the prize when yachting crews from around the world descend on Townsville for its inaugural regatta in 100 days. Mayor Jenny Hill and event director Demelza McCloud have unveiled the trophy for the Sail Townsville regatta and festival which starts in August.Cr Hill said the event had the potential to grow into a major festival and could even provide a Townsville link to the ...

UAE gives billions to help heal the world

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:33:02 -0400

ABU DHABI // Turmoil in the Arab world signalled a turning point in the amount spent on foreign aid by the UAE, whose efforts have been recognised worldwide. The country donated Dh7.2 billion in 2011- a jump from Dh2.8bn in 2010 - and provided assistance to more than 120 countries. Of that, Dh625.3 million was dedicated to humanitarian assistance in more than 30 countries, most of them Arab. A ...

Gunmen kill 7 Iraqi soldiers in central Iraq

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:25 -0400

BAGHDAD -; Gunmen killed at least seven soldiers in central Iraq on Thursday, officials said, in the latest episode of violence to hit the country in a particularly bloody ...

Violence in Somalia scares investors aid workers

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:24 -0400

MOGADISHU, Somalia -; A spate of attacks by Islamic insurgents in Somalia's capital is forcing investors, businessmen and aid workers to have second thoughts about expanding operations in ...

Togo police fire tear gas at protesters

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:23 -0400

LOME, Togo -; Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the latest confrontation between the ruling party and Togo's increasingly active opposition. Demonstrators were gathering to protest the death of an opposition member, who died in ...

Massive fuel-depot fire breaks out in Brazil

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:21 -0400

RIO DE JANEIRO -; A massive fire broke out Thursday at a fuel depot on the northern outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, sending bright orange flames leaping high into the air and thick black smoking rolling upward and enveloping the ...

UN chief visits Goma Congo

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:20 -0400

The town of Kanyaruchinya is seen from the last United Nations peacekeeper outpost along the road leading north, into M23 rebel territory, from Goma in eastern Congo, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon arrived in Congo's capital far to the west for a two-day visit expected to take him to Goma, where a new U.N. military brigade is being formed to attack rebel groups ...

2 brown bears rescued from captivity in Kosovo

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:18 -0400

Male brown bear Ari and female bear Arina in a bear sanctuary, after being rescued from a decade of captivity in a privately run illegal zoo, Thursday, May 23, 2013, in the village of Mramor near the Kosovo capital Pristina . Two brown bears, Ari and Arina have been released into a bear Sanctuary, in Kosovo after being rescued from a decade of captivity in a 20 square meter cage to amuse visitors ...

British soldier ‘hacked to death’ by unidentified assailants

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:25:33 -0400

The assailants were not unidentified. One of them even gave an interview after the murder, bloody hands and meat cleaver included. The media is walking on eggshell not to say that they are Muslims and in fact the brutal murder was accompanied with 'Allah hu Akbar" as usual. What is it that our leaders are not telling us about Islam and multiculturalism? Do we owe these people ...

Hapag-Lloyd to Revise Europe-Americas Service

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:24:14 -0400

will revise the port calls of its SW2 service, effective week 22 (May 27 to June 2). The carrier will cancel the call at Jamaica southbound, starting with the Celina Star sailing with an estimated time of shipping from Le Havre, France, on June 3. The new port rotation is as follows: Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Hamburg, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Le Havre; Cartagena, Colombia; Manzanillo, Mexico; ...

Instinct guided mom before twister

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:23:43 -0400

No one can know how many decisions were made by residents all across the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore as Monday's monster tornado bore down from the west. Decisions made just before the sky began to spin, big or small, bad or good, often made in a flash. Decisions that, for many, were in fact life or ...

High-priced necklace stolen in second Cannes theft jeweller

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:58 -0400

Thieves have made off with a high-priced necklace made by Switzerland's De Grisogono in the second jewellery theft at this year's Cannes Film Festival, the company said on ...

WHO voices deep concern over spread of SARS-like virus

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:57 -0400

The World Health Organisation (WHO) voiced deep concern on Thursday over the SARS-like virus that has killed 22 people in less than a year, saying it might potentially spread more widely between ...

Riots hit Stockholm suburbs for fourth night

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:56 -0400

Rioters torched cars and attacked local police stations in 15 immigrant-populated Stockholm suburbs in a fourth night of riots on Thursday, shattering Sweden's image as a peaceful and egalitarian ...

Ecuador satellite collides with Russian space junk

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:55 -0400

A small Ecuadoran satellite collided in orbit with the remains of a Russian rocket, but it is too soon to know how much damage it might have sustained, Quito's space agency said ...

Iran denies its drone violated Bahrains airspace

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:15:17 -0400

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran denied on Thursday that one of its drones had violated the airspace of Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, Iranian media reported. Bahrain's Information Minister Samira Rajab told Reuters on Thursday that an unmanned spy drone was found in the Gulf waters between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The incident could further inflame tensions between the two ...

‘There was no Muslim terrorism in the UK until Iraq’ – Oxford imam

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:14:41 -0400

War British Muslims "disown" the Woolwich murderers, and such extremists should be "totally demolished" in UK society - but in order to do that, the UK must change its "illegal" foreign policy, imam of the Oxford Islamic Congregation Dr. Taj Hargey told ...

Markets fall as Japan stocks slide

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:12:42 -0400

23 May 2013 Financial markets around the world have fallen after Japanese stocks suffered their biggest slide since the country was hit by a devastating tsunami more than two years ...

European Union U-turn over refillable olive oil ban

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:12:21 -0400

the European Commission said that restaurants should only be allowed to serve the oil in non-refillable bottles with a proper label. It said this would prevent restaurants from serving low quality oil and improve hygiene. But it also played into the hands of people who complain that the EU is too meddlesome, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying: "This is exactly the sort of area that the ...

Man 80 climbs Mt. Everest with 81-year-old hot on heels

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:11:39 -0400

Yuichiro Miura, 80, right, and his son, Gota, pose at their South Col camp before they climbed the world's tallest mountain on Thursday. (Miura Dolphins Co. Ltd./Associated ...

30 cars restaurant torched on 4th night of Sweden riots

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:11:38 -0400

Groups of youths have burnt down a restaurant, torched more than 30 cars and injured three police in a fourth night of riots in suburbs of the Swedish capital that started following a fatal police shooting. Police spokesman Kjell Lindgren says at least 30 cars were set ablaze across western and southern Stockholm early Thursday. Firefighters said they have "never before seen so many fires ...

Pussy Riot member denied parole despite Paul McCartney plea

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:11:34 -0400

Opposition activists attending an anti-government rally in March demanded the release of political prisoners, while brandishing the portraits of jailed Pussy Riot members Maria Alekhina, left, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. (Andrey Smirnov/AFP/Getty ...

Video Undercover investigation Bangladesh factory conditions revealed

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:09:27 -0400

Poor quality cement and iron rods have been blamed in a government committee report for a massive building collapse in Bangladesh in which more than 1,000 people were killed. CBS News' Holly Williams recently went undercover in that country to investigate unsafe working ...

UK hacking suspect named

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:04:53 -0400

On Twitter Abu Nusaybah said the suspect who has been named as Michael Adeboloja was his friend. "I am absolutely shocked," he wrote. "I grew up with him. "I haven't seen pictures of other 'suspect' so I don't know him - Too much blood being shed around the world we all need to change. "I don't (want the) media to twist my silence as I knew him, ...

Everest 80-year-old becomes oldest man to climb worlds highest mountain – video

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:14 -0400

Yuichiro Miura, 80, from Tokyo, becomes the oldest man ever to reach the summit of Everest. His family wait anxiously at the phone on Thursday for him to call, confirming his record-breaking achievement. Miura says it was 'the best feeling in the world' to reach the summit but now feels 'the most tired he has every ...

UPDATE 2-Tata Steel says no assets up for sale in Europe

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:43 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 12:02pm EDT * Reports third straight quarterly loss * Sees no further writedown after $1.6 bln charge last year (Adds CFO comments) NEW DELHI/MUMBAI May 23 (Reuters) - India's Tata Steel Ltd said it expected to take no further charges in Europe and has put no European assets up for sale, following a $1.6 billion writedown for the region in the past financial year due to ...

Prominent Chechen advocate shot dead in Turkish capital

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:37 -0400

ANKARA (Reuters) - A prominent figure in the Chechen diaspora in Turkey was shot at his Ankara office late on Wednesday, a North Caucasus refugee association said, the latest in a series of killings of Chechens and their sympathizers in the country in recent ...

Congo has chance for peace U.N. ready to enforce Ban Ki-moon

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:33 -0400

1 of 5. U.N. peacekeepers patrol the streets during the visit of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's war-torn east, May 23, ...

The wide world of hacking in China

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:01:29 -0400

The Chinese have been known to be experts at hacking for quite some time. But what might surprise some is that it's an epidemic across the country in all levels of ...

The ‘best architect in the world’ coming to RTP

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:59:24 -0400

The "best architect in the world?" That is the only hint Research Triangle Park spokesperson Erin Monday would give me about a special visitor coming to the park next week. I am betting this "big deal" meeting has something to do with a planned park redesign. As Monday will tell you, the original RTP as you know it today emerged from dark days, when it suffered from ...

Finding Cheap Gas Memorial Day Weekend

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:54 -0400

With Memorial Day weekend fast approaching, the summer driving season is starting to heat up, and more cars on the road means gas prices are expected to go up. Some analysts wonder whether the high gas prices we were seeing early in the year could mean record highs for 2013. But the hunt for cheap gas doesn't have to be difficult. Like many things these days, there's an app ...

Watch Baseball Player Jumps Over Catcher to Score

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:53 -0400

-- -- -- we're gonna mix it up I have long said with the sport of baseball that he is a little more hurtling us both take a look high school player in California. Writing some strong. This ...

Britain vows to hunt all involved

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:52 -0400

>Are you there? Send us your photos, videosLondon (CNN) -- A gruesome cleaver attack on a British soldier left London reeling Thursday, as Britain grappled with questions over who was responsible and whether Islamist extremism was to blame. The scene revealed through cell phone camera footage and witness accounts Wednesday was bloody, and for many hard to believe. A meat cleaver-wielding man ...

Jerry Lewis Still Not Laughing at Woman

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:52 -0400

Ladies? Don't make him laugh. Asked who his favorite female comics were Thursday at a Cannes Film Festival press conference, Jerry Lewis listed Cary Grant and Burt Reynolds. He then added: "I don't have any." In 1998, Lewis famously said that watching women do comedy "sets me back a bit" and that he has trouble with the notion of would-be mothers as comedians. ...

Watch Douglas Damon on Risk of Making Candelabra

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:52 -0400

Now to one of the year's most highly anticipated movies "behind the candelabra" about liberace and his much younger male lover premiering this weekend and the man behind the movie jerry weintraub ...

Did Andrew Garfield as Spiderman Play Basketball With Kids

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:52 -0400

(Photo credit: Bobby Bank/Getty Images) For the past few weeks, Andrew Garfield has been filming ';Spider-Man 2″ in New York City ...

Push for PE to Fight Childhood Obesity

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:48 -0400

report out today makes some ambitious recommendations for physical education requirements in schools, including at least 30 minutes a day of movement during school hours. In the report, the Institute estimates that just half of school-age children get 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous activity. They suggest that schools make physical education a core subject and add the movement time ...

Borders Gift Card Holders Left With Squat

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:46 -0400

(Image credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) A judge ruled on Wednesday that customers who hold $210.5 million in gift cards from the defunct Borders chain aren’t eligible for refunds. About 17.7 million gift cards were outstanding when Borders began liquidating its stores in July 2011 after failing to attract offers for the company. Judge Andrew Carter for the U.S. District Court in ...

Act to avert prolonged stagnation US to Europe

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:57:35 -0400

stagnation that would undermine economic growth in America. "Decisive action is needed now to restart demand and avoid the risk of protracted ...

Head of Arab League Nabil el-Araby announced the names to represent Assad regime at International Syria Confer…

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:55:08 -0400

Head of Arab League Nabil el-Araby announced the names to represent Assad regime at International Syria Conference CAIRO - Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil el-Araby announced the names of the attendees to represent the Assad regime at the International Syria Conference to be held at the end of May.Nabil el-Araby held a press conference in the Egyptian capital of Cairo and stated that ...

Summer in the Smokies

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:46:43 -0400

>Editor's note: CNN.com's weekly Summer in the Park series turns to rangers at the United States' most popular national parks to get insider recommendations for your visits, whether you have just one day or can stay longer. The series will run through Labor Day.(CNN) -- The boundary between Tennessee and North Carolina might be one of the loveliest border crossings ever: It's the crest of the ...

Worries over end to monetary stimulus hit Europe shares

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:34:12 -0400

LONDON | Thu May 23, 2013 11:34am EDT LONDON May 23 (Reuters) - A benchmark European equity index had its worst one-day fall in nearly a year on Thursday, hit by worries over a possible end to U.S. economic stimulus measures, with mining and auto stocks among the worst performers. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index provisionally closed down 2 percent at 1,231.13 points, marking ...

Drone killings draw ire of Amnesty International

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:18:27 -0400

NEW YORK // A leading human rights organisation has criticised the United States' increasing use of drone aircraft for the targeted killing of terrorism suspects overseas and questioned its legality. Amnesty International, in its global review of human rights issues, said the US drone policy was shrouded in secrecy but the killings appeared to amount to extrajudicial executions that violate ...

EU performs abrupt U-turn on olive oil regulation

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:16:27 -0400

Last week, the European Commission, the EU's executive branch, said that restaurants should only be allowed to serve oil to customers in non-refillable bottles with proper content labeling. The refillable bottles are a staple on restaurant tables across Europe for diners who want to douse bread or ...

Dutch arrest meat works owner in horse meat probe

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:16:25 -0400

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -; Dutch authorities on Thursday arrested the director of a meat-processing and wholesale company whose business is at the center of an investigation into undeclared mixing of horse meat with ...

Canada businessmans corruption trial on in Cuba

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:16:23 -0400

HAVANA -; The trial of a Canadian businessman caught up in a corruption probe in Cuba is apparently under way nearly two years after he was ...

Across America 2013 Solar Impulse Sets World Record For Longest Zero-Fuel Flight

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:15:16 -0400

Image Caption: Across America 2013 - 2nd leg from Phoenix Sky Harbor to Dallas Forth Worth. B. Piccard and A. Borschberg after the landing. Credit: Solar Impulse |Revillard| ...

On Top Of The World At 80 Japanese Climber Summits Everest

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:13:28 -0400

A photo from May 22 shows Yuichiro Miura, 80, right, and his son, Gota at their South Col camp at 26,247 feet during their climb to the top of Mount Everest. Miura became the oldest man to reach the ...

Challenges Mount for Southern California International Gateway

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:10:49 -0400

When the Los Angeles City Council on May 8 approved the final environmental impact report for construction of BNSF Railway's $500 million near-dock intermodal yard in Southern California, the approval proved to be the beginning of a journey rather than the end of a ...

A High-Level Delegation to Take Part in World Economic Forum in Jordan

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:04:43 -0400

Manama, May 23. (BNA) -- A high-level Bahrain delegation, led by Transportation Minister Kamel bin Ahmed will arrive in Jordan tomorrow, Friday, to take part in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa 2013, to be held in the Red Sea from May 24 to 26 under the theme: "Advancing Conditions for Growth and Resilience". In this regard, Mr. Kamel Ahmed said that ...

UK soldier slaying suspects had been investigated

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:03:17 -0400

A Chechen immigrant shot to death in central Florida after an altercation with an FBI agent had several ties to that of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects who authorities were questioning him about at ...

Court rejects Pussy Riot parole bid

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:59:34 -0400

A Russian court has denied parole to a member of the Pussy Riot punk group. The decision followed a plea by Sir Paul McCartney for authorities to consider releasing band members on ...

Bangladesh factory owners failings led to collapse says report

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:27 -0400

The defects and errors that led to the world's deadliest garment-industry accident extend from the swampy ground the doomed Rana Plaza was built on, to "extremely poor quality" construction materials, to the massive, vibrating equipment operating when the eight-story building collapsed, a committee appointed by Bangladesh's government concluded. The committee recommended life ...

World stocks slump as Japans Nikkei loses 7

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:26 -0400

Financial markets around the world were roiled Thursday after Japanese stocks suffered their biggest slide since the country was hit by a devastating tsunami more than two years ago. Several reasons have been blamed for the 7.3 percent fall in the Nikkei index to 14,483.98, including a spike in Japanese government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing figures. Mixed messages ...

Eugenie Bouchard advances to Strasbourg International semifinals

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:26 -0400

Quebec teenager Eugenie Bouchard continued her impressive week in Strasbourg, France with a straight sets quarter-final win on Thursday against her Georgian opponent. The 19-year-old Westmount, Que. native beat Anna Tatishvili 6-3, 6-2 at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, a claycourt tune-up for the French Open. While most of the top players are either in training mode for the French Open or ...

Dubai hotel named best in the world

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:17 -0400

Luxury, sail-shaped hotel the Burj Al Arab in Dubai has snagged the lofty title of being named the best hotel in the world by readers of a travel magazine distributed by The Daily Telegraph. Announced this week in London, the ...

QA Last Survivor of a Dramatic World War II Rescue

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:55:50 -0400

For the most part, we got along pretty well, but there were a few people who rubbed each other the wrong way. When you're hungry, cold, and tired, you forget about almost everything else and are only thinking about surviving. Watson, one of the nurses, said, "Anything a medic can do, I can do," and that's exactly what she did. That's how most of the nurses were. They ...

Bad bank FMS to up international profile with explicit guarantee

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:54:40 -0400

By John Geddie Thu May 23, 2013 10:54am EDT LONDON, May 23 (IFR) - German bad bank FMS-Wertmanagement is set to become the latest agency to benefit from an explicit guarantee from the German government, which analysts believe will increase appetite for its bonds among international investors. FMS, the winding-up agency for the nationalised Hypo Real Estate Group, is already Triple-A rated because ...

U.N. investigator seeks world moratorium on killer robots

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:53:24 -0400

GENEVA (Reuters) - A United Nations human rights investigator called on Thursday for all states to declare a moratorium to prevent so-called "killer robots" being deployed on the ...

London attackers known to British security services

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:49:26 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - Two British men of Nigerian descent accused of hacking a soldier to death on a London street in revenge for wars in Muslim countries were known to security services, a source close to the investigation said ...

Ally of Kosovo PM among five arrested for war crimes

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:49:25 -0400

PRISTINA (Reuters) - A close wartime ally of Kosovo's prime minister was among five people arrested by European Union police on Thursday on suspicion of war crimes during a 1998-99 insurgency against Serbian ...

Sweden riots expose ugly side of Nordic model

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:49:25 -0400

1 of 2. Firefighters extinguish a burning car, following riots in the Stockholm suburb of Kista late May 21, 2013, in this picture provided by ...

Exclusive China urbanization plan hits roadblock over spending fears - sources

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:47:57 -0400

China's plan to spend $6.5 trillion on urbanization to bolster the economy is running into snags, sources close to the government said, as top leaders fear another spending binge could push up local debt levels and inflate a property bubble. Premier Li Keqiang has rejected an urbanization proposal drafted by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), seeking changes to put more ...

Video Prince Harrys green thumb on display at Chelsea Flower Show

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:47:35 -0400

CBS News' Elizabeth Palmer reports on London's famous Chelsea Flower Show, which is expecting tens of thousands visitors, and has already attracted members of the royal ...

Father of man killed in Boston bomb probe voices regret

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:47:35 -0400

Mugshot photos of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev (left), killed in a gunfight with police on April 19, 2013; and Ibragim Todashev, who was fatally shot in Orlando, Fla., May 22, when he initiated a violent confrontation with an FBI agent, officials ...

9 myths about drones and Guantanamo

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:47:15 -0400

>Editor's note: Peter Bergen is CNN's national security analyst, a director at the New America Foundation and the author of "Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden -- From 9/11 to Abbottabad," the basis for the HBO documentary "Manhunt" that will be shown on CNN on May 24. Jennifer Rowland is a research associate at the New America Foundation.(CNN) -- On Thursday, President Barack Obama is ...

Watch Aniston Cox and Perry Fuel Friends Reunion Rumors

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:01 -0400

I'm a huge fan. Apparently, she brought a couple of folks on, jennifer aniston, so the big question, is it really g be a reunion. Diana perez got down to the nitty-gritty. I'm here. Reporter: ...

Outrage Halts NYC Ghetto Tours

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:01 -0400

A company that promised sightseer tours to the Bronx that included a New York City "ghetto" has stopped the bus rides under protest from an outraged neighborhood. Real Bronx Tours, which took mostly European tourists from Manhattan to see life in the South Bronx "from a safe distance," issued a statement this week saying it would immediately cease all tours there. Three ...

Watch Sports Illustrated Model to Attend Prom with Teen

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:00 -0400

in sunny los angeles. Reporter: He's a high school senior with chutzpah. Kate, can I call you katie? Reporter: Chutzpah enough to ask a super hot supermodel to the prom. You're on the cover of "sports illustrated." I read "sports illustrated." Reporter: Jake's prom-posal to kate upton on youtube. We can ride around all night long until 11:00. That's my ...

Disabled Couples Legal Battle Ends With New Home

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:00 -0400

Paul Forziano, 30, and Hava Samuels, 36, were married on April 7, 2012. The two are the center of a lawsuit over the rights of mentally disabled individuals to ...

Watch Florida Man Tied to Tsarnaev Shot Killed by FBI

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:44:59 -0400

under president bush but stalled recently. Josh with the other top stories. We are learning more about the florida man shot and killed by the fbi while being questioned about his ties to ...

U.N. mine clearing work under way in Mali

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:40:16 -0400

An anti-land mine advocacy group said it would work with a U.N. stabilization mission in Mali to clear unexploded ordnance from the country. The U.N. Mine Action Service said it was preparing to deploy an African-led mission to work with the U.N. stabilization mission in Mali on mine abatement. UNMAS set up an office in Mali in January, the same month the government called in French support to ...

Al-Qaida ally takes responsibility for Niger attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:40:15 -0400

Security officials in Niger are on the lookout for assailants tied to the bombing Thursday of a military camp, Niger Defense Minister Mahamadou Karidjo said. Karidjo said a car bomb was detonated at a military base in Agadez in central Niger, near the site of a French mining operation. Authorities in Niger told the BBC that several attackers died in the attack, though a fifth insurgent was ...

UPDATE 1-Canadian businessman goes on trial in Cuban corruption crackdown

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:37:34 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 10:37am EDT * Importer expected to plead guilty, faces up to 12 years in prison * Case is part of broad government corruption crackdown * Trials of more foreign businessmen expected By Marc Frank HAVANA, May 23 (Reuters) - The trial of a Canadian businessman who has confessed to bribing Cuban officials began on Thursday, almost two years after his arrest in a sweeping government ...

TECHJET Named 2012 International Distributor of the Year By Jet Edge

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:37:02 -0400

water jet pumps for precision cutting, mobile cutting and surface preparation, including 2500 bar, 4100 bar and 6200 bar models, electric and diesel, from 20-280hp. In addition to supplying Jet Edge pumps, TECHJET also offers precision waterjet cutting ...

The bright new world of electric paint

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:21:37 -0400

>London (CNN) -- Imagine if you could paint a working light switch directly onto your wall, without any need for sockets, cables or wiring. A group of students from the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London has made that possible by creating electrically conductive paint. The paint acts as a form of liquid wiring. Unlike conventional wires, it can be applied to almost any surface, including ...

Cameron vows Britain will track down all involved

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:17:12 -0400

Imams from across the globe pray for Holocaust victims

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:05:16 -0400

Imams from across the globe met with Holocaust survivors in an emotional encounter at Warsaw's synagogue, as part of an anti-genocide programme that includes a visit to ...

Globe Editorial Note to politicians Stop blaming the media for your problems

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:04:48 -0400

Canadian conservatives, be they mayors, MPs or senators, need to stop blaming alleged media bias for their troubles when scandals arise. In Toronto, Mayor Rob Ford and his brother Doug both claim that reports of a video showing the mayor inhaling from what appears to be a crack pipe are an attempt by a left-of-centre newspaper to undermine him. In Ottawa, Senator Marjory LeBreton claimed in a ...

El Salvador presses pope on Romero beatification

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:03:22 -0400

Pope Francis speaks with El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes as they stand in front of a reliquary containing a fragment of the vestment that archbishop Oscar Romero was wearing when he was assassinated, during a private audience at the Vatican Thursday, May 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Alessandro Bianchi, ...

Russia wary of deeper nuclear arms cuts

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:03:21 -0400

Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian military's General Staff, speaks during a security conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The top Russian military officer has warned the West that Moscow reserves the right to take steps in response to the U.S.-led NATO missile defense plans for Europe if it sees it as a threat. (AP Photo/Mikhail ...

AP Interview Syria conflict uproots Palestinians

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:03:20 -0400

DAMASCUS, Syria -; Syria's fighting has uprooted more than half of the country's 530,000 Palestinians - descendants of refugees from a Mideast conflict half a century ago - and their situation is becoming increasingly desperate, the head of a U.N. aid agency said ...

GLOBAL MARKETS-World shares slump on U.S. stimulus growth fears

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:03:00 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 10:03am EDT * Signs Fed could taper bond-buying soon trigger share selloff * Weak Chinese factory, euro zone sentiment data add to concerns * Nikkei drops 7.3 pct, Wall Street opens lower * Yen gains over 2 pct against dollar and euro By Richard Hubbard LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - World stocks fell and measures of investor risk aversion surged on Thursday on signs the U.S. central ...

Structure at bottom of Sea of Galilee could reveal secrets of ancient life in Middle East

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:48 -0400

TIBERIAS, Israel - The massive circular structure appears to be an archaeologists dream: a recently discovered antiquity that could reveal secrets of ancient life in the Middle East and is just waiting to be excavated.It's thousands of years old - a conical, manmade behemoth weighing hundreds of tons, practically begging to be explored.The problem is - it's at the bottom of the biblical ...

Summer in the Smokies

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:29 -0400

Summer in the Smokies

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:29 -0400

John Kerry in the Middle East Eclipse of a Superpower

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:10 -0400

Doha, Qatar - Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in the Middle East today with two of the most vexing problems in international affairs at the top of his agenda: a downward spiraling Syrian civil war that continues to draw neighbors into to its bloody vortex and destabilize the entire region; and the slow-rolling death of the two-state solution to an Israeli-Palestinian conflict that remains ...

Moose International Convention gathers in Milwaukee

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:58:07 -0400

Moose International Convention , with an estimated 8,000 Lodge and Chapter leaders of the Moose fraternal and service organization coming to Milwaukee, begins today through next Wednesday. This year, the Moose will celebrate the 100th anniversary ...

Prosecutor in Berlusconi sex trial receives mail with bullets

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:57:07 -0400

Silvio Berlusconi 's sex trial has received a series of anonymous letters of threats, including one with two bullets, Milan's chief prosecutor said ...

Germany is Most Popular Country in the World

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:53:08 -0400

Europe's largest economy Germany, which has been criticized for not doing enough to help struggling euro zone countries, has topped a poll as the world's most popular country. The survey carried out for the BBC, polled 26,000 people in 25 countries, and asked them to rate 16 countries and the European Union, as a whole, on whether their influence on the world was mainly positive or ...

Russia to urgently evacuate Arctic post as ice melts

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:52:27 -0400

Russia has ordered the urgent evacuation of the 16-strong crew of a drifting Arctic research station after ice floe that hosts the floating laboratory began to disintegrate, officials said ...

US missile defense still plagued by technical doubts

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:52:26 -0400

Three decades after Ronald Reagan launched his "Star Wars" project, the costly missile defense program has become a pillar of US strategy despite lingering doubts about its ...

PM says Britain resolute after attack on soldier

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:52:25 -0400

Prime Minister David Cameron vowed on Thursday that Britain would be resolute against violent extremism following the gruesome murder of a soldier by two suspected extremists on a London ...

20 soldiers die in Niger car blast

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:46:35 -0400

23 May 2013 Twenty soldiers have been killed and another 16 injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car loaded with explosives inside a military installation in the city of Agadez ...

U.S. Scout leaders to vote on allowing gay youth members

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:45:38 -0400

Boy Scouts protest the proposed change in the Boy Scouts of America policy on allowing openly gay youth members. Scouting's leaders are voting on the proposal today. (LM Otero/Associated ...

Gershwin-winner Carole King feted by Barack Obama

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:45:30 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama presents the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to singer-songwriter Carole King on Wednesday at a White House gala in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/Associated ...

Op-Ed Contributors Democracy Jobs and Growth in Europe

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:44:29 -0400

The economic turmoil of the past several years has pushed Europe toward greater integration, starting with financial stabilization and a banking union that is still a work in progress. Everyone now recognizes that a single currency zone without a common fiscal policy invites the kind of crisis we have all been experiencing. Europe has reached this stage grudgingly and with great strain, ...