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Israel stunned by Hawking snub

Sat, 25 May 2013 12:03:00 -0400

It is an event "of cosmic proportions", said one Palestinian academic, a befitting description of Stephen Hawking's decision to boycott an Israeli academic conference slated for next June. It was also a decisive moral call which was communicated by the Cambridge University, where Hawking is a professor, on May 8. Hawking is a world-renowned cosmologist and physicist. His scientific work had ...

North Korea envoy hands over China's Xi a note of peace

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:58:46 -0400

BEIJING - A senior North Korean envoy delivered a letter from his leader Kim Jong-un to Chinese President Xi Jinping and told him that Pyongyang was ready to take "positive action" to re-join stalled six-nation nuclear disarmament talks. The letter was handed over by envoy, Vice Marshal Choe Ryong-hae. Choe told Xi that North Korea is willing to take positive actions to solve problems ...

Suspected international arms dealer joins Bout in America

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:02:09 -0400

Richard Chichakli, who has been tied to convicted international arms dealer Viktor Bout, has been extradited from Australia to the US. The 53 year old alleged financial muscle behind the Bout gun-running organisation had been living in Melbourne under an alias before authorities arrested him in January. Syrian-born Chichakli had managed to evade police while working as a cleaner in the city ...

Court rules against tough sheriff

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:50:03 -0400

A US court in Maricopa County, Arizona has found that high-profile sheriff Joe Arpaio violated the constitutional rights of Latino men and women in his attempt to stop illegal immigration. Judge Murray Snow ruled that Arpaio's office would have to stop using race or Latino ancestry as a factor in stopping vehicles carrying Latino occupants. Arpaio had been sued by several Hispanic drivers ...

Bus explosion kills Pakistani children

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:09:26 -0400

At least 17 children have died in eastern Pakistan following an explosion on a school bus. Other children were also injured when a faulty gas cylinder on board the bus exploded. The incident occurred on the outskirts of the city of Gujrat, which is located about 200km southeast of the capital, Islamabad. Police have confirmed the children were on their way to school when the bus was ...

UK defends security services over Woolwich murder

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:52:28 -0400

LONDON - The British government has defended its spy agencies for failing to prevent murder of a soldier in London despite signs and revelations that the two suspects were well known to MI5. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said it was impossible to control everyone all the time. "Peers and MPs will do a thorough investigation in terms of what the security forces knew but I've seen ...

Damac to deliver Oceanscape apartments four years late

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:21:02 -0400

Damac Properties has begun handing over apartments in its long-awaited Oceanscape project in Abu Dhabi. Most investors bought apartments off-the-plan in 2006, paying 30% of their purchase price in the first 120 days of reserving their property. After seven years Damac has finally finished the project, one of its first and probably last Abu Dhabi ventures. Despite being four years late ...

Kiev court says no to gay rights march

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:37:50 -0400

A court in Kiev has banned Ukraine's first gay pride event. The court ruled the march, would have attracted anti-gay activists into the centre of the city, where annual Kiev Day celebrations would also have been taking place. A group of opponents led by the Orthodox Church led the objections to the march. The Church, through its Archpriest Georgy Kovalenko, issued the grounds for ...

US bridge collapses sending vehicles into water

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:45:25 -0400

WASHINGTON - A handful of vehicles and some people plunged into a river after a more than half a century old bridge that links Seattle in the US with Canada collapsed, throwing the movement on the highway into disarray. Authorities said there were no deaths in the bridge collapse on the Skagit River in the US state of Washington. Three people were rescued and taken to hospitals, they said. ...

$2.6 mn necklace spirited away at Cannes Film Festival

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:52:38 -0400

CANNES - A second suspected jewellery heist was reported at the Cannes Film Festival, with a single necklace by Swiss jeweller De Grisogono worth nearly $2.6 million reported missing. In the case of the first gem loot at the Cannes Film Festival, thieves literally tore out a safe filled with roughly $1 million-worth of jewels from a hotel room. The second time around the event took place at ...

World becoming dangerous for refugees, warns Amnesty

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:46:37 -0400

LONDON - Global rights body Amnesty International has said that the world is "increasingly" becoming "dangerous place" for refugees due to inaction on human rights. The London-based group in its annual report cited the increasing number of refugees around the world, and highlighted the lack of support for them, as the key human rights issue for the past year. It said that the number of ...

Historic web page recovered by online appeal

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:30:02 -0400

An attempt to recover the first web page from the earliest days of web world has been successful. The page recovered belonged to 1991 and was demonstrated by Sir Tim. Cern launched its project to recover artefacts and documents from those earliest days. Web creators Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau initiated a public appeal for files, hardware and software tracing the earliest days of web ...

UN lawyer leading drone inquiry praises Obamas speech as significant

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:30:02 -0400

Ben Emmerson, the lawyer leading a UN drone inquiry, has praised President Barack Obama's speech as a significant step towards increased transparency. Emmerson said Obama had set out more clearly than ever before the legal justifications for targeted killing. According to the BBC, Emmerson, a United Nations human rights special rapporteur, launched an inquiry into drones in January, saying ...

Ex-world champ warns Hamilton to look out for biggest threat Rosberg in Monaco

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:10:01 -0400

Former world champion Damon Hill has warned Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton that his biggest threat to second triumph in Monaco is his teammate Nico Rosberg, instead of big guns Sebastian Vettel or Fernando Alonso. The German son of Finland's 1982 champion Keke Rosberg has been a revelation this year, out-qualifying Hamilton for the last two races and establishing his credentials by keeping the 2008 ...

UN to honour five Indian peacekeepers who were killed

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:10:01 -0400

UN will honour over 100 UN peackeepers, including five Indians, who were killed. The International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers will be observed Wednesday to honour over 100 Blue Helmets (peacekeepers) deployed around the world, a UN statement said Saturday. In a message, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "One hundred and eleven peacekeeping personnel died last year and more ...

IMF head Lagarde named assisted witness in Tapie probe

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:40:03 -0400

Beijing, May 25 (Xinhua-ANI): International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde on Friday is named as "assisted witness" in a probe into an alleged corruption relating to a controversial arbitration of the Tapie case after a two-day hearing at a French court in Paris. As former French finance minister, Lagarde has been investigated since August 2011 for "complicity in forgery and ...

Sao Paulo eyes former Villarreal forward Nilmar

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:30:02 -0400

Brazil football club Sao Paulo are reportedly in talks to sign former Villarreal and Brazil international striker Nilmar. The 28-year-old, currently playing with Al Rayyan in Qatar, hopes a return to Brazil could lead to an international recall ahead of next year's World Cup, reports Xinhua. Nilmar has scored 17 goals in 26 appearances for Al Rayyan since joining the club July last year. Sao ...

Facebook Phones poor U.S. sales feedback delays Europe launch

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:50:02 -0400

Facebook Phone's disappointingly poor customer feedback in the United States has resulted in the delay of its launch in Europe. The HTC handsets, which run Facebook's enhanced Home software, designed to replace the phone's home screen with FB feed and chat options, has flopped with users. EE, a UK mobile operator, confirmed that poor customer feedback is the reason why the phone's Europe launch ...

Foreign defence officials visit Russian military base

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:40:01 -0400

Members of foreign delegations attending an international conference on European security visited a military base near Moscow that has a motorized infantry division. Defence officials and military experts from Armenia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the US and Zimbabwe were shown a training centre, a shooting range and the barracks at the Taman ...

Afghanistan UN condemns terrorist attack on partner agencys compound

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:18:00 -0400

24 May 2013 150 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the top United Nations envoy in Afghanistan have strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a compound of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in central Kabul, which earlier today wounded three of the agency's staff, one seriously. One staff member from the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) was also injured, according ...

UN human rights expert welcomes shift in President Obamas counter-terrorism policy

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:17:21 -0400

24 May 2013 150 An independent United Nations human rights expert has welcomed what he said was a ground-breaking speech by President Barack Obama in which the United States leader laid out principles governing the use of counter-terrorism measures such as targeted killings. Mr. Obama said yesterday that, as part of a realignment of US counter-terrorism policy, he would curtail the use of ...

UN agency calls on Syrias neighbours to keep borders open for refugees

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:17:04 -0400

24 May 2013 150 The United Nations refugee agency today called on countries around Syria to keep their borders open for refugees, while also stressing the need for "urgent and robust" international support for host countries and aid agencies. There are already over 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). ...

UN expert group urges new Icelandic authorities to sustain gender empowerment efforts

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:16:56 -0400

24 May 2013 150 As the world's top performer on gender equality, Iceland needs to sustain its achievements and bridge remaining gaps on employment and gender based violence, a group of independent United Nations experts today urged as the country's newly formed Government took office. "There is no room for complacency regarding the gains achieved by Iceland, as equality guarantees in the law ...

UN human rights office urges trial to be decided on merits after Guatemalan court overturns Roos Montt conviction

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:16:23 -0400

24 May 2013 150 The United Nations human rights office today said it was "concerned" about the legal rights of Guatemalans after a high court overturned the 80 year prison sentence against former military leader, Efrain R237;os Montt. "Amid continued legal uncertainty about what the ruling of the Constitutional Court annulling the verdict on the R237;os Montt case means in practice, we are ...

UN report highlights benefits of school meal programmes in crisis settings

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:16:17 -0400

24 May 2013 150 A United Nations report released today stresses the importance of providing meals for schoolchildren, particularly in times of crisis, and notes that this is still lacking in many developing countries. "School feeding assures that where quality education is available, children are able to take advantage of the opportunity to learn," said the Executive Director of the World ...

Politics has too much sway over culture education in Bosnia and Herzegovina - UN expert

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:16:07 -0400

24 May 2013 150 An independent United Nations human rights expert today voiced concern at the extent to which political bodies have influence over cultural institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and urged the Government to ensure that people have opportunities to engage freely in cultural life. "Culture and education seem to have been held hostage to political debates," Farida Shaheed, the ...

UN rights experts call for stronger protection of victims of caste-based discrimination

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:15:59 -0400

24 May 2013 150 More than 260 million people across the world are still victims of human rights abuses due to caste-based discrimination, United Nations independent experts warned today, urging South Asian countries to strengthen legislation to protect them. "Caste-based discrimination remains widespread and deeply rooted, its victims face structural discrimination, marginalization and ...

Glow-in-Dark Roach Worlds Smallest Frog Among Top New Species

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:07 -0400

A cockroach that glows in the dark, a black fungus that's ruining prehistoric cave art and a frog smaller than a child's fingernail. These are three in a top-ten list of newly discovered species for 2012. An international committee of taxonomists announced their annual picks this week. Committee chairman Antonio Valdecasas, a Spanish biologist and research zoologist, says the committee ...

Expert US Foreign Policy in Retreat

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:04 -0400

A former senior advisor to the late Richard Holbrooke, who served as U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, says when it comes to foreign policy, the U.S. is in "retreat." Vali Nasr, who is now dean of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), said the Obama administration has concluded that the best way forward for the United States is to do ...

Pakistani plane forced to land near London two held

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:30:01 -0400

Britain had to scramble fighter jets Friday to escort a Pakistani International Airlines (PIA) plane down to land after it was diverted from Manchester. Later, two people were arrested from aboard the aircraft on suspicion of endangering the flight. The Royal Air Force Typhoon jets were scrambled to escort the passenger plane, originally heading from Pakistan's Lahore city to Britain's ...

Two held over Pakistani planes mid-air alert

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:10:01 -0400

Britain had to scramble fighter jets Friday for escorting a Pakistani International Airlines (PIA) plane after it was diverted from Manchester. Later, two people were arrested on suspicion of endangering the aircraft's flight. The Royal Air Force Typhoon jets were scrambled to escort the passenger plane, originally heading from Pakistan's Lahore city to Britain's Manchester city. Police boarded ...

Cornet wins Strasbourg International

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:45:07 -0400

STRASBOURG, France -; Third-seeded Alize Cornet of France beat Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic 7-6 (4), 6-0 Saturday to win the Strasbourg International ...

Female suicide bomber wounds 18 in Russias Dagestan

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:36:18 -0400

A female suicide bomber blew herself up in front of policemen in Russia'sDagestanon Saturday, injuring 18 people in the second bombing attack to hit the restive region this week, officials ...

British spies tried to recruit Islamist attacker

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:36:17 -0400

Britain's intelligence agencies came under fresh scrutiny on Saturday over claims that MI5 tried to recruit one of two Islamists accused of butchering a soldier in ...

Photos Top images from around the globe

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:30:22 -0400

An activist's silhouette is seen through a rainbow flag during a Gay Parade in Kiev on May 25, 2013. Around a hundred gay rights activists marched in Ukraine on Saturday despite fears of violence and a court ban, marking the first gay pride event in the ex-Soviet country, where homophobia is widespread and generally ...

Black widow suicide bombing injures 12

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:24:43 -0400

A video grab shows the aftermath following twin bombs that went off in Dagestan earlier this week. A female suicide bomber has conducted a similar attack in the ...

After attack peace balloons bring hope

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:24:43 -0400

AFTER a day of explosions and gunfire, residents of Kabul woke up on Saturday morning to be greeted by10,000 neon-pink "peace" ...

Russian pro- anti-gay activists arrested after defying ban

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:22:48 -0400

1 of 5. Russian police take away a banner from gay rights activists during a rally outside the mayor's office in Moscow May 25, 2013. The banner reads, ''Love is ...

Hezbollah Syrian government forces push for advance in Qusair

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:22:48 -0400

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah launched a fierce campaign to seize more rebel territory in the border town of Qusair on Saturday, sources on both sides of the conflict ...

Middle East instability means tourism growth for Oman

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:22:11 -0400

This year, hotels in Muscat have witnessed the strongest growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR), STR Global said in a statement. Regional instability has caused revenues in the Omani capital's tourism industry to grow by more than 15 per cent in the first four months of 2013, according to data released by STR Global. "Due to various reasons, tourists do not prefer Egypt and ...

This week in the world of progressive state blogs Gov. Tancredo Pipeline votes. Cutting 1er taxes

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:21:46 -0400

Each Saturday, this feature links and excerpts commentary and reporting from a dozen progressive state blogs in the past seven days around the nation. The idea is not only to spotlight specific issues but to give readers who may not know their state has a progressive blog or two a place to become regularly informed about doings in their back yard. Just as states with progressive lawmakers and ...

Hagel to West Point Cadets Sexual Assault Is Profound Betrayal

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:19:27 -0400

commencement ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told cadets that sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are a ';profound betrayal'; and charged them with the responsibility to stamp out the sexual assault problem plaguing the military. ';You will need to not just deal with these debilitating, insidious and ...

Watch Billionaire Investor Says Babies Are Killer to Womens Focus

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:19:26 -0400

-- -- comment made by one of the richest man in the world that has so many women seeing granted. A respected hedge fund billionaire known mostly for -- Philanthropic work is making headlines ...

Top 2013 Commencement Speeches by Politicians

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:19:25 -0400

commencement addresses throughout the nation. As graduation season winds down, check out some of the best commencement speeches made by politicians in ...

Girl Who Scolded McDonalds CEO Not Impressed

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:19:21 -0400

Hannah Robertson, 9, flew in with her mom from Kelowna, British Columbia, to attend McDonald's annual shareholder meeting Thursday in Oak Brook, Ill., the company's ...

Iraq bombs kill scores as violence spreads

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:15:13 -0400

At least 70 people have been killed in a wave of car bombs in Iraq, raising concerns the country may slip back into civil war. NBC's Annabel Roberts and Richard O'Kelly ...

Psy to perform in Indonesia South Korean diplomatic celebration

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:14:51 -0400

South Korean pop star Psy will perform in Indonesia at a concert celebrating diplomatic ties between the two countries, his management agency said Saturday. The performance -- which will not be staged as a solo concert -- will mark Psy's first visit to Indonesia, the Jakarta Globe reported. The "Gangnam Style" singer will perform July 6 at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in ...

What made London Samaritan so brave

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:10:31 -0400

>Editor's note: Jason Marsh is the founding editor-in-chief of the online magazine Greater Good, published by The Greater Good Science Center, which focuses on the "science of a meaningful life" and is based at the University of California at Berkeley. (CNN) -- It's hard to imagine a scene more gruesome and disturbing than the one Londoners encountered on an inner-city street Wednesday. A ...

Israeli expert says Syria cyberattack foiled

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:09:17 -0400

The attack took place just after Israel bombed a military complex near Damascus. Israel refuses to comment on the strike but officials at the time said Iranian missiles set for Hezbollah were hit. Syria has said that it would keep all options on the table for its ...

World Tragic end for 64 stone man who ate himself to death

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:46:30 -0400

Desperate Nairobians out to do everything to join this exclusive fraternity, are now falling into the hands of conmen, who at a fee are promising ...

UK zookeeper dies from tiger attack injuries

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:46:01 -0400

"For some unknown reason, an inexplicable reason, because there is no reason for why she did it, she opened the door and went into the tiger enclosure and straight into the tigers, and now we'll never know why," Gill ...

Russian police detain activists foes at gay rally

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:45:44 -0400

Police detain a gay rights supporter, left, and an opponent, right, who scuffle during an unsanctioned gay rally near the City Hall in Moscow, Saturday, May 25, 2013. The Kremlin initiated a bill banning "propaganda of homosexuality" and routinely banned gay rallies and parade. Russian police say they detained at least 30 gay rights campaigners and their opponents at an unsanctioned ...

Ukraine holds first gay pride march

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:25:52 -0400

AROUND a hundred gay rights activists marched in Ukraine on Saturday, marking the first gay pride event in the ex-Soviet ...

Faith healing parents still believers

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:25:48 -0400

But now they've lost an 8-month-old to what a prosecutor called "eerily similar" circumstances. And instead of another involuntary manslaughter charge, they're now charged with third-degree murder."We believe in divine healing, that Jesus shed blood for our healing and that he died on the cross to break the devil's power," Herbert Schaible, 44, told Philadelphia ...

Syrian opposition resumes tough talks on unity key to peace push

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:23:50 -0400

George Sabra (L), a veteran Christian opposition figure and acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, speaks during the opening session of a meeting by members of the Syrian opposition in Istanbul May 23, ...

Russian pays $1.5M to go to space with DiCaprio at Cannes auction

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:15:46 -0400

Leonardo DiCaprio arrives at a photocall for the film "The Great Gatsby" during the 66th annual Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes, France on May 15, 2013. UPI/David ...

Five climbers feared dead on Nepal mountainside

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:15:44 -0400

Officials in Nepal said five missing mountain climbers were likely killed by an avalanche on Mount Kanchenjunga earlier this week. The Nepal tourism ministry said the group went missing while descending the mountain and included climbers from Nepal, Hungary and South Korea. "All our efforts to trace them have failed," Mingma Sherpa, the organizer of the expedition, told the BBC. ...

Friend of alleged soldier killer arrested at BBC

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:10:10 -0400

LONDON (AP) -- Counterterrorism police on Saturday questioned a friend of Michael Adebolajo, one of two suspects in the killing of an unarmed British soldier, a savage attack that has horrified ...

Saudi Arabia warns against Irans nuclear program

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:45:58 -0400

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -; Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal has warned against the danger of Iran's nuclear program to the region's security and said Iran should not threaten its neighbors since countries in the region harbor no ill-intentions to the Islamic ...

Iraq forces strike Sunni militants near Syria

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:38:12 -0400

Sunnis heading to fight in neighboring Syria.Some 20,000 troops attacked suspected hideouts of fighters linked to Sunni militant groups, including Al-Qaeda, and looked to secure a key road leading to Syria, top officers said.Troops were also moved to the 600-kilometre (375-mile) border with Syria."The operation is large and backed by the air force," Staff General Ali Ghaidan Majeed, the ...

Palestinian-Israeli peace deal still possible Abbas

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:38:08 -0400

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks at the World Economic Forum, held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention center, in Southern Shuneh, 55 kilometers southeast of Amman, Jordan, Saturday, May 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Raad ...

Swedish riots spread beyond capital ease in Stockholm

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:37:06 -0400

Riots in Sweden spread beyond the capital on Saturday, the sixth straight night of unrest that flared in Stockholm's immigrant-dominated suburbs and has sparked a debate over integration in a country long seen as an oasis of ...

Kerry accuses Sudan leader of repression in war-torn regions

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:37:05 -0400

US Secretary of State JohnKerrySaturday accused Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir of repressing the people of the South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions and trying to impose Islamic rule on ...

Protests at first Ukraine gay rally

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:31:54 -0400

At least 50 gay rights activists have marched peacefully in the country's first gay rally despite a court ban and attempts to disrupt the ...

Friend of suspect in U.K. soldiers slaying arrested

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:30:53 -0400

Counterterrorism police are questioning a friend of Michael Adebolajo, one of two men suspected of the savage killing of a British soldier. Abu Nusaybah was arrested following a BBC interview in which he said Adebolajo, 28, had changed after returning from a visit to Kenya where he claimed he had been physically and sexually abused in detention. The BBC said Nusaybah was arrested by police ...

Ontario man lost in Australian mountains has strong survival skills

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:30:50 -0400

The sister of an Ontario man who disappeared in Australia's Snowy Mountains nearly two weeks ago says she remains hopeful he will be found, partly because of his training as a Canadian Forces reservist. Mandeep Srawn, sister of 25-year-old Prabhdeep Srawn, spoke to CBC News via Skype on Saturday morning, after rescue officials briefed her family on the latest developments in the search, as ...

Envisioning An International Treaty Banning Drones

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:30:02 -0400

It is not enough to challenge this new technological leap. We must find a path to a world where these weapons are taboo. Some of us have in mind a global treaty banning drones. An anti-drones treaty, if it becomes a reality, will likely be rooted in the emergent international movement against drones. At the World Social Forum in Tunisia that took place this past March, ananti-drones ...

Sudan suspends two biggest dailies for critical coverage editors

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:22:48 -0400

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's security services temporarily suspended the country's two biggest newspapers to punish them for writing about army operations against rebels and the future plans of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, editors said on ...

Aid groups urge EU to fulfil commitments to Palestinians

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:22:48 -0400

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A group of 80 international aid agencies urged the European Union on Saturday to follow through on pledges it made last year to back Palestinian communities seen as vulnerable to Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West ...

Is Documentary Film Viable in a Sensationalized Media World

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:21:38 -0400

There has been a major shift in media culture as most TV networks have abandoned long-form information programming. In these times, with Twitter playing a big part in disseminating news, TV has to be punchy, quick and visual. The age of media mergers has seen showbiz merging with news biz, and soundbites have become shorter as the newscast story count rises. Significantly, the best TV criticism ...

Video British intelligence tried to recruit London killer friend says

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:21:23 -0400

How two extremists capable of such a gruesome attack were able to slip the net is just one of the questions facing British intelligence services. But now, as Charlie D'Agata reports, there's an astonishing claim that agents actually tried to recruit one of the men six months ...

Lawrenceville native strives to fly from worlds wonders

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:21:17 -0400

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Jon Potter didn't need to be asked twice. When a guard pointed to the top of the Bent Pyramid, Potter quickly climbed up through cracks in its limestone face. The 22-year-old Lawrenceville native carried the equipment of a small fabric-winged speedflyer to the peak of Pharaoh Snefru's pyramid, built in 2600 B.C. Speedflying, in Potter's words, is "the ...

Europe must get its head down

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:45:19 -0400

Panels are installed at a solar park in Waldpolenz, Germany. The EU is urging its members to reinforce efforts to meet targets of a 20 per cent share of energy from renewables by 2020. Waltraud Grubitzsch / picture-alliance / dpa / AP ...

World Pakistan school bus fire kills 16 children

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:43:19 -0400

children , aged between four and 10, were just a few kilometres from their school in Gujrat, about 200km (120 miles) south-east of the capital Islamabad, when the incident ...

7 Filipino marines 5 Abu Sayyaf militants killed in Sulu clash

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:43:09 -0400

Soldiers load the bodies of Filipino marines killed during a clash with Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu province south of the Philippine capital Manila. At least seven marines and four militants have been killed as the military launched an offensive against gunmen blamed for recent kidnappings and of trying to sabotage a road project in Sulu. -- PHOTO: ...

Were No. 2 How the world views Canadas influence

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:34:49 -0400

If the world was a high school cafeteria, Canada would probably be sitting at a table with the athletes and cheerleaders, suggests a new global popularity poll. Canada ranked second in a ...

BIPA Announces the Themes of the International Conference on Public Administration

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:33:30 -0400

Manama, May 25. (BNA) --The Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) has announced the activities of the 29th International Conference on Public Administration that will be hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain during the period 1-6 June 2013. The conference will discuss its main theme "The Future of Public Administration: Leadership and Professionalism" as well as sub-themes ...

TRA Participates in the 5th World TelecommunicationsICT Policy Forum

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:33:30 -0400

Manama, May 25. (BNA) --Telecommunication Regulatory Authority represented the Kingdome of Bahrain at the 5th World Telecommunications/ICT Policy Forum (WTPF) held by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, on 14-16 May, 2013 with a theme of 'International Internet-related Public Policy Issues'. TRA Bahrain was invited to chair the second Working Group which ...

As border tightens some U.S.-Mexico neighbors reach across the fence

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:23:35 -0400

NACO, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexican activist Maria Elena Borquez takes up a paintbrush and daubs a bright splotch of color on the rusted steel fence separating the small Mexican town of Naco from a neighboring town in the United ...

Interpol rejects Russias political case against fund manager Browder

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:20:29 -0400

MOSCOW - Interpol has refused to include UK-based fund manager William Browder on its international search list after deciding that Russia's tax evasion case against him is "of a predominantly political ...

Ukraines first gay march held under police protection

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:20:26 -0400

KIEV (Reuters) - About 100 Ukrainian gay rights activists held the country's first gay rally on Saturday, helped by police who arrested 13 people for trying to break up the ...

Suicide car bombing in Russias Dagestan injures 11

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:20:25 -0400

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A suicide bomber blew herself up in car near a police building in Russia's Dagestan region on Saturday, injuring 11 policemen and passers-by, Russian media ...

Europe Weekly EU vows to take on tax evasion

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:19:51 -0400

European current affairs this week were dominated by an EU summit dedicated to tackling tax evasion. Leaders all agreed that something needs to be done on tax evasion and tax avoidance, but couldn’t agree on the details at last Wednesday’s meeting. The rocky Franco-German relationship also continued to make headlines, given the different visions that French President Franois ...

Photos Ring Nebula True Form Revealed

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:10 -0400

In this composite image, visible-light observations by NASA?s Hubble Space Telescope are combined with infrared data from the ground-based Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona to assemble a dramatic view of the well-known Ring ...

Oasis Sediments Archive History

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:09 -0400

A marvel of nature, the lakes of Ounianga in the Sahara Desert have lasted thousands of years and withstood dramatic climate change. Now, a German geologist has analyzed lakebed sediments to shed light on a spectacular chapter in human history. "Water," says Stefan Krpelin, "water as far as the eye can see." He is pointing to the south, where there is only one thing ...

Coal Boom Hurting Great Barrier Reef

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:09 -0400

UNESCO may soon place the natural wonder on its "in danger" list. Climate change is one culprit, but so is the country's booming extraction industry. Environmentalists warn that time is running out for the reef. The man whose job it should be to protect the Great Barrier Reef is actually afraid of water. The vast ocean, with all the creatures it contains, makes him uneasy. Only ...

WWII Medals Back After Mistaken Donation

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:07 -0400

Memorial Day , a mystery that started with a surprise discovery by Goodwill in Missouri had a happy ending. A box of World War II medals, awards and other mementos was discovered by MERS/Missouri Goodwill earlier this week. Lewis Chartock, chief executive officer of MERS/Missouri Goodwill, said he believed the box was donated to Goodwill but was likely flagged by a processing person. Ron ...

Get Super Fit At Any Age

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:07 -0400

Nobody ages backward. Now that we have that unpleasant fact out of the way, let's get to some good news: You don't need to be a genetically blessed model or have a plastic surgeon on speed dial to keep your body in remarkable shape. Instead, just dive into the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth: fitness. With the right workout strategy, one targeted for your age and ...

Tax Drip Loan Sharks Drones 5 Stories Youll Care About in Politics

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:06 -0400

This week we learned that a scandal doesn't go away just because you refuse to talk about it. (Sorry, IRS.) We also learned that if you want to be mayor of New York City, maybe the only thing worse than self-portraits is pictures of, say, Pittsburgh. (Welcome to the race, Anthony Weiner.) We're trying to find out if a heckler technically is still a heckler if you make her part of your ...

Celebrate Geek Pride Day

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:17:05 -0400

Modis has conducted a survey in geek pride, finding that it’s no longer necessary for Americans today to ';sneak their geek.'; Modis reports that 68 percent of all respondents said they would date a geek, possibly because 67 percent of Americans associate geeks with being loyal. Ninety percent of all respondents said that if they were trying to impress someone, they would take ...

France begins withdrawing from Mali

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:12:26 -0400

France began the first stage of a withdrawal from Mali Saturday in what it says is a plan to pull out most of its troops and equipment by the end of the year. A convoy carrying unneeded equipment and vehicles left a French base outside the capital, Bamako, headed for Abidjan ...

Ferris wheel ride world record broken in Chicago

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:10:51 -0400

A manager of Chicago's Navy Pier rode the tourist spot's Ferris wheel for more than two days - 384 times, up and around - bringing the world record for the longest ride to the birthplace of the amusement park ...

Priest who defied Mafia is beatified in Sicily

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:06:30 -0400

ROME (AP) -- An Italian priest who stirred consciences with his anti-Mafia preaching and was gunned down by mobsters has been honored by the Vatican as a ...

British police arrest man after spy claim in soldier case

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:42:13 -0400

Reuters © A woman sits close to the scene of the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby, of the British Army's 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, in Woolwich, southeast London May 24, 2013. REUTERS/ Paul ...

Easter Island statue erected in Japan tsunami town

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:42:07 -0400

TOKYO (AFP) - A giant statue from Chile's Easter Island on Saturday found a new home in a small tsunami-devastated Japanese town where it will become a symbol for its recovery.The new statue, with coral eyes and a stone hat, was erected near the town's shopping area, where makeshift stores now operate after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami destroyed almost the entire town.The ...

World French army begins Mali withdrawal

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:39:54 -0400

Saturday's withdrawal comes just two days after Islamist rebels targeted an army barracks and French-run uranium mine in neighbouring Niger, killing 21 people. French special forces helped Nigerien soldiers end a hostage siege at the barracks on ...

Ex-sex slave says Japan mayors remark absurd

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:39:14 -0400

Kim said Saturday that anyone who makes such an "absurd comment" should quit politics. The 87-year-old and another victim, Kil Won-ok, were speaking to their supporters to share with them their painful past as so-called comfort ...

Sole Survivor Iraq Rescue Mission Ended In Tragedy

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:36:37 -0400

In our latest installment of the StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative, we hear from Lance Cpl. Travis Williams. In 2005, while serving in Iraq, Williams and his 12-man squad came under attack. He was the only ...

Cleveland kidnap case hero not endorsing free burgers

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:34:02 -0400

Charles Ramsey said Friday he’s not endorsing a group of restaurants that are offering him free burgers for life and wants his name kept out of ...

City honors World War I monument

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:33:59 -0400

Mayor Tom Henry joined local veterans, City Councilman Tom Didier and park officials Friday in rededicating a World War I memorial moved to McCulloch Park.The memorial, installed on Nov. 11, 1924, had been located behind a fence on the grounds of General Electric for the last 89 years. It has hundreds of names on it, all GE employees who served in World War I. Included are the names of six GE ...

Gas blast on school bus kills 17

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:33:36 -0400

Islamabad - At least 16 children and a teacher were killed Saturday morning when a gas cylinder exploded in a school bus in eastern Pakistan, officials and rescue workers ...

Mayor urged to talk about crack video

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:33:34 -0400

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford leaves his house in Toronto, May 24, 2013. Embattled Ford fired his chief of staff on Thursday, as Canada's largest city waits for Ford to address allegations that he was caught smoking crack cocaine on camera. REUTERS/Mark ...

IOC official to observe FIBA 3x3 World Tour qualifier for Rio 2016 inclusion review

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:33:22 -0400

The World Class Swimming Programme, one of the five aquatic disciplines, within British Swimming is seeking a successful leader to strategically manage the Sports Science and Sports Medicine (SSSM) ...

New span sought after bridge breaks

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:23:54 -0400

A UK ticket-holder will bank £1 million every month for a year in a new prize being launched by the National Lottery, it has been ...

Syrian loyalists attack key town

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:23:53 -0400

25 May 2013 Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad have unleashed their heaviest artillery barrage in a week to dislodge rebels from a strategic western town, according to ...

Are we ready for a mobile-first world

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:23:52 -0400

announced new capabilities in its network software to make video streams run more smoothly over mobile networks. Among other things, the enhancements can reduce video stalling by 90 percent, according to the company. But even Sandro Tavares, head of marketing for NSN's Mobile Core business, sees "mobile-first" viewing habits as part of the future. "Now that the networks are ...

International child abduction cases up 81

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:23:36 -0400

Child abduction is a "growing problem" with the number of reported cases up by 81 per cent over the last nine years, ministers warned ...

Growing appetite for American whisky straining supply

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:23:02 -0400

Heaven Hill Distilleries, whose Bernheim distillery in Louisville, Ky., is shown above, is undergoing its second expansion in seven years. It's one of several whisky producers in Kentucky making major investments in their business in response to the rising demand. (Heaven Hill Distilleries ...

Making The Mandela Tapes

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:23:01 -0400

It was a fall-off-your chair moment. Verne Harris, head of programming at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, had just said I could use a vast collection of Mandela's audiocassettes for free. Looking back to that moment in February 2012 in Johannesburg, South Africa, I am reminded that journalism and filmmaking are 95 per cent grinding and frustration and five per cent breakthrough and ...

Iraq violence a new test for US

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:19:30 -0400

WASHINGTON - Saddled with Middle East problems ranging from Iran to Syria and beyond, President Barack Obama now faces one that is both old and new: ...

Yugonostalgia as Croatia prepares to join EU

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:19:12 -0400

KUMROVEC, Croatia (AP) -- Croatia may be on the doorstep of the European Union, but in this tiny village another union of nations was getting all the ...

Japan government says unaware of ghosts at PM residence paper

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:46:57 -0400

TOKYO (Reuters) - A delay in Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife moving into their official residence, the site of past assassinations, has revived talk of ghosts in the corridors, prompting the government to deny any knowledge of ...

Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights Introduced

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:43:25 -0400

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world's largest cruise industry trade association, announced earlier this week the adoption of a "Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights." CLIA also will submit the bill to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), requesting formal global recognition and applicability under the IMO's authority over the international maritime ...

Photos A-Rod Sells Home for $30 Million

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:43:22 -0400

The New York Yankees third baseman sold his home in Miami Beach on Friday morning, according to ESPN.com reported. The home sold for $30 million and is one of the highest purchase prices for a home in Miami. It was previously listed for $38 million. A nearby home in a private island in Miami-Dade County sold for a record-breaking $47 million in Aug. ...

Goway Launches Worlds Best Adventures Brochure

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:38:27 -0400

Goway Travel's exclusive adventure specialist division of ADVENTURESIncorporated, has announced the online launch of its 2012 World's Best Adventures brochure. The brochure contains over 50 of the world's best adventures and covers every style of adventure travel. Goway's most popular choices from Africa, Asia and Latin America are included. The adventures are as diverse as ...

SITA World Tours Introduces Affordable India

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:38:26 -0400

SITA World Tours, a recognized leader in international travel for more than seven decades, has announced the introduction of Affordable India, an exciting, new tour product line designed to attract a growing budget oriented segment of the travel market. According to Hardeep Sidhu, SITA's Product Manager for India, the new collection of India itineraries is the result of an increased ...

Mercer expands its services to wealth managers across Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:50 -0400

European wealth managers can now benefit from Mercer’s expertise with the launch of a new service aimed specifically at private banks, family offices, fund platforms and insurance ...

Europe’s retirement provisions insufficient to serve ageing populations

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:48 -0400

Long-term savings provisions in Europe are flawed and are no longer able to meet the needs of ageing populations, finds the Janus Capital European Consumer Finance Survey. The study, which is the first of its kind into the European household balance sheet, shows that there are alarming deficits in levels of personal savings and retirement provision across Europe. While consumer hopes and ...

China snatches 18 swimming golds to spearhead Military World Games

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:31:37 -0400

Chinese swimmers maintained their momentum in swimming at the Military World Games on Wednesday, grabbing four more gold medals and obtaining 18 in total out of 36 available in the pool. After four days' competition at the Military World Games, which is set to close on July 24, Chinese military athletes altogether collected 18 golds from swimming and piled up 22 gold, leading the medals ...

Solar Decathlon Europe exhibits of 20 participants in 2012 edition

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:31:27 -0400

This Monday saw models of the 20 houses that will compete for the Solar Decathlon Europe competition exhibited in Barcelona.As many as 20 universities from 15 countries, including Germany, Spain, China, Egypt, Norway, the United Kingdom and Japan are competing in the event, which will conclude in Madrid in the summer of 2012.It will be the most international edition of the event ever to be held ...

Six Chinese sailors to attend Clipper Round World sailing race

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:31:21 -0400

Six Chinese amateur sailors will embark on the yacht named Qingdao to attend the 2011-2012 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, local sports administration said Wednesday. The six sailors, who are manager, journalist, college student and private entrepreneurs, took training for several months in Qingdao city and two-week training in England, said Lin Zhiwei, head of local sports general ...

Ghana slips in FIFA world rankings

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:31:18 -0400

Ghana dropped further three places in the latest FIFA world ranking, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announced here on Wednesday. A statement on the website of the country's footbal association said Ghana had slipped three places to 36th position in the world ranking from the previous 33rd position it was ranked in last month, on the world stage, while ranking 3rd on the continent after ...

Australian Karl Muggeridge to replace injured Xaus at World Superbike in UK

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:31:16 -0400

Australian motorcycle racer Karl Muggeridge will replace Ruben Xaus at the World Superbike races in Britain, as Xaus suffered from injuries due to a crash, Fox Sports Australia reported on Wednesday. Earlier, Castrol Honda team had fielded Alex Lowes after Jonny Rea was sidelined by injury, but the team has to pull in a second substitute after their second rider, Xaus suffered a horrible crash. ...

Sixth night of violence in Sweden but police say capital calmer

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:21:40 -0400

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Community patrols and a beefed-up police presence helped to calm violence around Stockholm overnight on Saturday but 20 to 30 cars were still torched in poor immigrant suburbs and serious incidents were reported outside the capital for the first time. The rioting in Stockholm abated after a week of masked youths vandalizing schools and police stations, setting cars alight ...

Jordan king says extremism grown fat on Israel-Palestinian conflict

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:21:17 -0400

SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan - Jordan's King Abdullah II says extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. "Good faith talks must get going," he said in Saturday remarks at the opening of a two-day meeting of the Geneva-based World Economic Forum on the shores of the Dead Sea. He pointed to an Arab peace initiative that ...

Suicide bomber dies in blast in Afghan capital

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:12:15 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan-A would-be suicide bomber died when his explosives-rigged vest went off prematurely in Afghanistan's capital on Saturday morning, police said. The apparent failed attack came a day after a major Taliban assault on an international compound in Kabul left 10 people dead including the six attackers. Another blast in the country's east killed 12 people at a mosque during ...

EU steps up quest to solve youth unemployment

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:10:14 -0400

By Barbara Lewis BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European leaders have decided youth unemployment and the risk of social breakdown are among the toughest challenges they face and finding solutions will be a top priority for the coming months. In a ...

Dozens march in Ukraines first-ever gay rally

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:08:56 -0400

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- At least 50 gay rights activists have marched peacefully in the country's first gay rally despite a court ban and attempts to disrupt the ...

In Ethiopia African Union celebrates 50 years

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:08:56 -0400

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- Dozens of African leaders are meeting in the Ethiopian capital to mark 50 years since the founding of the African Union, a continentwide organization that helped liberate Africa from colonial ...

Blast in mosque kills 12 people in eastern Afghanistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:58:23 -0400

KABUL - Authorities in eastern Afghanistan say explosives transported by suspected Taliban fighters accidentally detonated while they were stopped at a mosque, killing 12 people. Local official Qasim Desewal said Saturday that four civilians and eight militants died in the blast during evening prayers the night before in Ghazni province's district of Andar. He said that the Taliban had ...

Africa Europe set out cooperation priorities

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:47:03 -0400

The Action Plan 2011-2013 was adopted at the recent Africa-EU Summit held in Tripoli, Libya. It replaces the First Action Plan 2008-2010 that was approved at the last summit three years ago. Both plans of action are based on eight partnerships defined as "strategic". These focus on energy, climate change, peace and security, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), trade and infrastructure, ...

Female suicide bomber injures 11 in Russian region

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:45:22 -0400

MAKHACHKALA, Russia (AP) -- Police in the southern Russian region of Dagestan say a female suicide bomber has injured at least 11 police officers and ...

We can let fission fizzle out in a renewable world

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:28:14 -0400

Why would anyone choose to reinvest in a form of power that seems not to have been harnessed properly? At Chernobyl and Fukushima the world had two very close shaves. Not a very impressive safety record for a technology that has been pampered with billions of dollars of investment over 60 ...

Balloons bring smiles in war-weary Afghan capital

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:22:00 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Artists and activists have handed out 10,000 pink balloons to residents in Afghanistan's war-weary capital, bringing smiles to surprised Kabul residents a day after a major Taliban siege on an international compound in the ...

Radiation leak at Japan lab small impact expected

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:21:59 -0400

TOKYO (AP) -- A nuclear research lab in northern Japan has reported a radiation leak that may have affected 55 people, though none were hospitalized and no impact was expected outside the ...

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi to move to 7-day ops

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:08:13 -0400

"There's been a growing demand for a continuous entertainment offering and the appeal of Yas Island as a leisure destination is now even higher," said Andy Keeling, park manager, Ferrari World Abu ...

Children to gather in international festival in US

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:06:19 -0400

The International Children's Friendship Festival celebrated with children from 31 different countries in Seattle Children from 31 different countries will participate in the "International Children's Friendship Festival" in the United States hosted by the Turkish American Association of Washington (TACAWA).The annual festival will start on April 27 in Seattle and children from ...

International Retirement Scheme opens to UK Limited Companies

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:37 -0400

A new tax-efficient Pension Trust that allows UK Limited Companies to provide retirement packages for their employees who have responsibilities outside the UK has been launched by s615(6) Limited. The International Retirement Benefit Scheme had previously only been open to direct clients, but for the first time will be offered as a new international pensions solution, and can stand ...

Aon Trade Credit becomes international

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:35 -0400

Aon Trade Credit UK is pushing out of the UK by launching an international team to support global companies in managing their receivables more proactively to prevent bad debt. The credit insurance broker is following Aon’s Global Risk Management Survey which named liquidity one of the top ten risks for global companies in 2009. The new team will be assisted by placing global ...

Dividend forecasts should lead to recovery in Continental Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:33 -0400

Continental Europe is showing signs of a recovery with increases in European stocks dividend forecasts and robust corporate balance sheets, says Ignis Asset Management. Olly Russ, manager of the top-quartile Ignis Argonaut European Income Fund, is confident that current conditions are favouring Continental European equity income stocks, but warned that dividends will remain under pressure ...

Aviva strengthens Europe position

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:30 -0400

ING Group’s holding company in Russia and non-state pension fund business, which had assets under management of £30.4million at 31 December 2008, have been acquired by Aviva plc. The pension fund provides pensions to large multi-national corporate clients, and has 17,000 members. The holding company had £0.8million in AUM at 31 December 2008. The acquisition places ...

BNY Mellon expands across Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:27 -0400

BNY Mellon Asset Management has opened an office in Paris as part of its plans to branch out within Europe. The global asset management arm of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation will be led by Anne-Laure Frischlander, managing director and head of BNY Mellon Asset Management’s French operations, with a five-strong sales team. The new venture will service current clients in ...

Standard Life’s Europe results drop

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:20 -0400

Standard Life plc’s new business results for 2008 show a drop in worldwide life and pensions sales of six per cent to £15.6bn. Total net flows across the worldwide life and pensions operations were down from £2.8bn in 2007 to £2.4bn in 2008. However, in Europe, net flows were 13 per cent higher at £620million in 2008 than in 2007, at £548million. German ...

iShares Europe enjoys record 2008 inflows

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:18 -0400

iShares Europe has reported a record year of net inflows into its European Exchange Traded Funds (ETF), securing €17.7bn in net new ETF assets at the end of 2008. AT the end of 2007, this figure stood at €5.8bn, and therefore iShares has seen a threefold increase in new money flowing into their ETFs. Globally, the business has had a record year, with net inflows of $89bn in ...

2-child limit for Muslims in parts of Myanmar

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:57:44 -0400

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Authorities in Myanmar's western Rakhine state have introduced a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families in an effort to ease tensions with their Buddhist neighbors after deadly sectarian ...

Are international retirement plans the future for expatriates

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:35:00 -0400

The number of employees on international assignments has increased by almost 90 per cent over the last three years, according to ...

Europe to become main driver in RI market

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:59 -0400

Responsible Investment (RI) will become ‘mainstream’ by 2015 with 20 per cent of pension funds’ assets under management invested in this way, according to a report published jointly by Dutch asset manager Robeco and global consulting firm Booz & Company. The companies predict total revenue of approximately US$50bn by 2015. ';We expect the RI market to become ...

Lowest asset growth among world top managers

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:55 -0400

The total assets under management among the world’s 500 largest fund managers grew by around nine per cent in 2007 to US$69.4trn, according to ...

Standard Life paves way to Southern Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:54 -0400

Standard Life Investments (SLI) has reinforced its interest in expanding into Spain, Portugal and Italy by appointing Will Pawson as investment director of Southern Europe. Pawson will be based in Edinburgh and will report to head of European Business Development, Phil Barker. He will take responsibility for the wholesale and institutional marketing of SLI’s products in Spain, ...

Launch of world’s fifth largest insurance company

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:53 -0400

Aviva Investors has officially launched, marking the creation of the world’s fifth largest insurance company. The company is investing to transform its asset management business over the coming years, which will significantly increase its contribution to the Aviva Group’s profit, and will become an ';investment powerhouse on a global scale';. The single business ...

International shift towards Defined Contribution pensions

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:49 -0400

A series of working papers released by the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS) has highlighted the increasing importance of Defined Contribution (DC) The papers, which follow on from a successful initial series, have marked a strong shift in focus towards DC provision. The initial papers looked as the use of education and risk based regulation. Drafted by various ...

World pension assets grow to US$12 trn

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:46 -0400

, also showed that most major countries recorded increases in assets, and that the size of these assets has more than doubled over five years. ';The world’s largest pension funds continue to benefit from a high profile as global demographic challenges remain front of mind,'; commented Carl Hess, global head of investment consulting at Watson Wyatt. ';As a result ...

AEGON continues international expansion

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:46 -0400

Financial services organisation AEGON has entered into a partnership with Catalan-based savings bank Caixa Terrassa Vida, which will distribute AEGON life insurance, pension and health products through its network of almost 300 bank branches. AEGON has bought a 50 per cent stake in the Spanish bank’s life insurance and pension unit for €190 million. The partnership with Caixa ...

Watson Wyatt releases Western Europe updates

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:44 -0400

Financial consultant Watson Wyatt has published the latest editions of its employee benefits and employment terms and conditions for Western Europe. The annual reports are in their 35th and 34th editions, and are references for executives with management responsibility for European or global operations. Covering 19 countries – Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, ...

Borsa Italiana and London Stock Exchange leader in Europe for ETF trades

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:41 -0400

Aggregated figures show that July 2008 set a record in trading of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on Borsa Italiana and London Stock Exchange markets, with 140,452 trades amounting to a highest ever total of €8.8bn (£7.0bn). The average daily value traded was €383.2 million, an increase of 141 per cent year on year, and the total amount traded was an increase of 152 per cent. ...

AEGON moves further into Eastern Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:34 -0400

AEGON has further cemented its presence in Central and Eastern Europe with the acquisition of the Turkish life insurance and pension provider Ankara Emeklilik. The acquisition marks AEGON’s first step into the Turkish market, and is marketed as part of a broader strategy to build scale in emerging markets. The firm agreed to buy Ankara Emeklilik in February 2008, and AEGON also has ...

Europe ETFs overtake US market

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:26 -0400

The assets under management (AUM) in European Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) are predicted to exceed the AUM of American ETFs in the next few months. Since the beginning of 2006, the AUM of fixed income ETFs have grown from £4.4bn to £16.7bn at the end of May 2008, equating to a return of 73.5 per cent. AUM in US fixed income ETFs are currently at £21.8bn, and in Europe ...

Pensions innovation rife in Eastern Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:25 -0400

10.6.08 Creative thinking when it comes to pensions and benefit provision is rife in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) among employers keen to attract and retain an evermore demanding workforce. The latest editions of Watson Wyatt’s annual reports on employee benefits and employment terms and conditions for CEE reveal that companies are having to differentiate themselves by ...

Seven Dials targets Northern Europe in latest asset allocations

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:21 -0400

The Seven Dials European Property Fund has targeted Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Germany as primary territories in the latest round of asset allocation. Fund manager Brett Robinson said that, as a result of the 2007 market fall out, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland all present ';outstanding'; opportunities for the fund, and the Netherlands and Germany also offer ...

Fidelity International Real Estate Business expands into Germany

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:13 -0400

Fidelity International’s Real Estate Business is planning to expand into the Continental European market with the opening of a dedicated Fidelity Real Estate Business office in Munich. The new office, which is currently going through its regulatory notifications, will provide a strategic base for Fidelity’s director of European Real Estate, Keith Sutton. From here he will ...

Pensions barometer uncovers Europe’s best and worst

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:08 -0400

Denmark has come top for the second year running in a report ranking European countries according to their success at addressing pension scheme risk. The third annual Aon European Pensions Barometer, which analyses 25 of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), rates countries by assessing four key areas of pension risks: demographics; adequacy of State provision; affordability ...

Pension reform leads to pension cuts across Europe

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:03 -0400

Pension reforms in Europe and across the globe have resulted in a significant reduction in pension promises, a new study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has indicated. The average pension promise in the 16 OECD countries covered by the Pensions at a Glance 2007 study* has been cut by 22% (for women the reduction was 25%) because of reforms, and in only ...

Amnesty International Sudan Still Holding Hundreds Without Charge Months After Attacks Ouside Khartoum

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:33:50 -0400

Sudan Still Holding Hundreds Without Charge Months After Attacks Outside Khartoum, Amnesty International Says NEW YORK - August 18 - Amnesty International today accused the Sudanese government of holding hundreds of people -- including women and a nine-month-old -- without charge or access to lawyers as they prepare to try another 109 individuals in sham courts over the armed attacks by the ...

International Campaign to Ban Landmines Condemns Russian Use of Cluster Munitions in Georgia

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:33:49 -0400

ICBL Condemns Russian Use of Cluster Munitions in Georgia August 15 - The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) strongly condemned Russia today for the use of cluster bombs in Georgia which resulted in at least 11 civilians being killed and dozens injured. Evidence of cluster munitions use by Russia was revealed by ICBL member Human Rights Watch in a press release issued ...

Amnesty International USA Brings Guantanamo Cell Replica to Denver

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:33:46 -0400

Human Rights Organization Will Tour Cell Across the Nation Urging the Bush Administration to Close Detention Facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba WASHINGTON - August 13 - Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) will bring its national tour of a life-size Guantanamo prison cell replica to Denver, Colorado starting Sunday, August 24 through Tuesday, August 26; visitors are encouraged to experience the ...

Amnesty International Welcomes Release of Syrian Prisoner of Conscience Dr. Aref Dalilah

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:33:44 -0400

Amnesty International Welcomes Release of Syrian Prisoner of Conscience ...