Rivals in Middle East Fast-Track Talks
BY The Guardian
PUBLISHED 09:44, September 3, 2010
WASHINGTON—The Obama administration moved to fast-track the Middle East peace process, gaining Arab and Israeli support for twice-monthly negotiations aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state within a year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed Thursday to convene a second round of direct talks in two weeks, culminating two days of meetings hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington that also included the leaders of Jordan and Egypt. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian... [Full article]
Mexico clash ‘leaves 27 drug cartel gunmen dead’
BY BBC News | PHOTO Stratfor
PUBLISHED 09:36, September 3, 2010
The Mexican army says it has killed 27 suspected drug cartel gunmen in a clash near the US border.
A patrol came under fire as it approached an apparent training camp spotted during an aerial search over Ciudad Mier, the army said. Two soldiers were wounded in the fighting, in the state of Tamaulipas. In recent weeks Tamaulipas has been the scene of major violence between drug cartels competing for control of smuggling routes into the US. According to a statement from Mexico’s Defence Department, the raid in Ciudad Mier was ordered after a military plane had spotted several gunmen in front of a building. When troops moved in, the fire-fight broke out. The military said three people, all believed to be kidnap victims, were freed during the raid. Twenty-five rifles, four grenades, 4,200 rounds of ammunition and 23 vehicles,... [Full article]
Swing-vote Australia MP hints at possible Labor deal
BY Reuters
PUBLISHED 09:28, September 3, 2010
One of three independent MPs needed by Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard to form a minority government hinted on Friday he could negotiate on Labor’s mining profits tax he has previously opposed.
Maverick outback MP Bob Katter gave Gillard and conservative Opposition Leader Tony Abbott a “wish list” of 20 priorities that could cement his support, ruling out a planned emissions trade system and a 30 percent tax on coal and iron ore miners. But Katter, speaking later to reporters,... [Full article]
“Islam is Europe’s Religion” Says Gheddafi to Meeting in Rome
BY Corriere della Sera
PUBLISHED 09:24, September 3, 2010
ROME – “Islam should become the religion of the whole of Europe”. The message from Libyan leader Muammar Gheddafi was delivered on Sunday afternoon to almost 500 women, recruited for a lecture on the Koran. The Libyan leader, who arrived in Rome in the morning to celebrate the second anniversary of the signing of the Italian-Libyan friendship treaty, distributed copies of the Koran to 487 women to whom he spoke at two sessions. Forty-seven men were also due to hear... [Full article]
13 rescued in new Gulf oil rig blast
BY Times of Malta | PHOTO AP
PUBLISHED 09:40, September 3, 2010
An oil platform exploded and burned off the Louisiana coast in the second such disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in less than five months.
This time, the US Coast Guard said there was no leak and no one was killed. The coastguard initially reported yesterday that an oil sheen a mile long had begun to spread from the site of the blast, about 200... [Full article]
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Blog: Breaking news on Tony Blair’s drinking and toilet habits
BY Sofia Echo
PUBLISHED 09:20, September 3, 2010
Watching Tony Blair’s interview with Andrew Marr the other night, and reading snippets of his memoirs, what struck me was the almost complete absence of political debate in either. For the record – although my purpose here is not to defend him – I’m by no means an unequivocal critic of Blair. Politics runs between outright idolatry and demonisation. The truth, as so often, lies somewhere in between.
The endless arguments about the Iraq war will continue forever. But Blair was right to introduce the minimum wage, right to tell the Left of his party that the days of Toytown Trotskyite drug-peddling were over, right to keep the thrust of Thatcherite neo-market economics. He’s also... [Full article]