U.S. President Barack Obama is struggling to fashion a coherent Middle East policy that can span the launching of military action in Libya and a hesitant response to repression elsewhere. It has not been easy to strike a balance between pragmatism and principle, with diverging U.S. national interests at stake in each conflict and an […]
Libyan rebels advance as Gadhafi forces flee strikes
Libyan rebels were pushing their advance on Sunday after recapturing two key towns from Moamer Kadhafi’s forces in their first major victories since the launch of Western-led air strikes. The rebels, who were in danger of losing their eastern stronghold city of Benghazi before the strikes were launched on March 19, on Saturday seized back […]
Japan tragedy seared into the world’s imagination
There are events in history that sear themselves into the world’s collective imagination, and enter the realm where myth meets heartbreaking reality. Japan’s tragedy is one of those events. Already, it seems reasonable to surmise it could prove one of the most significant calamities of our time — one that shapes policies, economies, even philosophies […]
Castro explains resignation
FIDEL Castro is seeking to explain his peculiar revelation that he has not been in charge of the Communist Party for the past five years – a role he was widely thought to still hold. The 84-year-old former Cuban leader says in a new opinion piece that it never occurred to him to resign, since […]
Tokyo says radiation in tap water above limit
Tokyo Water Bureau officials say levels of radioactive iodine in some city tap water is two times the recommended limit for infants. The officials told reporters Wednesday that a water treatment center in downtown Tokyo that supplies much of the city’s tap water found that some water contained 210 becquerels per liter of iodine 131. […]
NASA begins preparation for a mission to land astronauts on asteroids
ASTRONAUTS are lining up to be candidates for an extreme trip of a lifetime. In a press conference this morning NASA released the details of its plan to land astronauts on an asteroid by 2025. And while “planetary defence” is the most exciting of several reasons why NASA could be undertaking the mission, the agency […]
China plugging holes in ‘Great Firewall’
CHINA appears to be moving aggressively to plug holes in its ‘Great Firewall’ censorship system, causing frustration for businesses and web users, foreign Internet companies and analysts said. Google’s email service Gmail has been heavily disrupted, as have several popular online services providing encryption software that many businesses and individuals depend on for web security […]
Gaddafi sitting on 143 tonnes of gold in Libya
Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi is reportedly sitting on a 143.8-tonne $6.4-billion pot of gold – enough to pay mercenaries to fight for him for years. The gold bullion – held by the Libyan central bank and controlled by Colonel Gaddafi – is among the 25 largest reserves in the world, the Financial Times reported, citing […]
Children join human shield in support of no-show leader
Muammar Gaddafi’s regime mobilised loyal crowds throughout his strongholds to denounce foreign military intervention in the opening act of a civil war bound to pitch Libya’s tribes and regions into bloody conflict. Hundreds of people waving green flags and chanting pro-regime slogans on Saturday gathered at airports and other strategic sites thought to be on […]
Excerpts of Gaddafi’s letters to world leaders
TRANSCRIPTS of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s recent letters to world leaders have been released. Western nations today began firing upon Libyan military targets after Gaddafi ignored a ceasefire and UN resolution to establish a no-fly zone. In a letter to US President Barack Obama, Gaddafi said he would always love the American leader even in […]