Bo Xilai, the Chinese politician who launched an attack on organized crime is accused of heading a police apparatus that carried out “evil” operations against its enemies. Bo Xilai spearheaded a crackdown on Chongqing’s mafia organizations, but people are now coming forward claiming this involved torture and false accusations. These allegations have emerged since Bo… Continue reading Li Jun claims to have been tortured by police working under Bo Xilai
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Front Page news
Man shot dead in Bahrain protests ahead of Formula 1 Grand Prix
Activists in Bahrain say a man has been found dead with gunshot wounds after overnight clashes with police a day before Sunday’s Formula 1 Grand Prix. The body was found in the Shia village of Shakhoura, near the capital, Manama, an opposition group said. On Friday, tens of thousands took part in at times violent… Continue reading Man shot dead in Bahrain protests ahead of Formula 1 Grand Prix
Boxun.com, the US-based Chinese-language website covering Bo Xilai scandal, has been hacked
Boxun.com, the US-based Chinese-language website that has reported extensively on the Bo Xilai scandal in China, says it was crippled for several hours by a concerted hacking attack. The Boxun website had to move to a new webhost after the denial-of-service attack on Friday, its manager said. Boxun has reported for several weeks on the… Continue reading Boxun.com, the US-based Chinese-language website covering Bo Xilai scandal, has been hacked
Prince Salman of Bahrain backs Formula 1 Grand Prix despite protests
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain says the weekend’s Formula 1 Grand Prix will go ahead despite protests. “Cancelling the race just powers extremists. Having it allows us to build bridges and celebrate our nation as an idea that’s positive,” Prince Salman said. Unrest in the Gulf state has led to calls… Continue reading Prince Salman of Bahrain backs Formula 1 Grand Prix despite protests
Bhoja Air Boeing 737 carying 127 people crashes in a residential area near Islamabad
A Bhoja Air jet carrying up to 127 people has crashed in a residential area near Islamabad international airport in Pakistan. Aviation officials said the plane, flight BHO-213, was flying from Karachi to Islamabad when it crashed in bad weather minutes from landing. Emergency teams are at the crash site, reported to be at Hussain… Continue reading Bhoja Air Boeing 737 carying 127 people crashes in a residential area near Islamabad
Sarkophobia: Why French people dislike President Nicolas Sarkozy?
From the moment Nicolas Sarkozy took office in 2007, no French president in modern times has been the object of such blatant dislike. It is an animosity quite distinct from opposition to his actual policies. All leaders expect hostility for the things they do. Few get it in such measure for the things they are.… Continue reading Sarkophobia: Why French people dislike President Nicolas Sarkozy?
Africa is sitting on a vast reservoir of groundwater
The notoriously dry continent of Africa is sitting on a vast reservoir of groundwater, say scientists who have mapped in detail the amount and potential yield of this groundwater resource across the continent. They argue that the total volume of water in aquifers underground is 100 times the amount found on the surface. The team… Continue reading Africa is sitting on a vast reservoir of groundwater
Titanic Memorial Cruise: Balmoral arrives in New York after completing its journey to mark disaster centenary
Titanic Memorial Cruise is finished as Balmoral ship has arrived in New York, after completing its journey to mark the centenary of the Titanic disaster. The ship left Southampton on 8 April, and traced the route of Titanic’s tragic maiden voyage. The MS Balmoral held a ceremony above the wreck on 15 April, exactly 100… Continue reading Titanic Memorial Cruise: Balmoral arrives in New York after completing its journey to mark disaster centenary
Anders Breivik Trial Day 4: he originally planned three car bombs in Oslo
The fourth day of Norway’s trial of the century begins with Anders Behring Breivik telling the court he originally planned to detonate three car bombs. The sole car bomb Anders Breivik did set off killed eight people in Oslo. The mass killer said he decided against multiple bombs because building them was “more difficult than… Continue reading Anders Breivik Trial Day 4: he originally planned three car bombs in Oslo
Cosmic rays mystery grows deeper
The mystery surrounding the source of cosmic rays, the highest-energy particles known in the Universe, has grown deeper. The cosmic rays can show up with energies a million times higher than the biggest particle accelerators on Earth can produce. Astrophysicists believed that only two sources could make them: supermassive black holes in active galaxies, or… Continue reading Cosmic rays mystery grows deeper
Casoria Contemporary Art Museum in Naples burns artworks in protest at budget cuts
Casoria Contemporary Art Museum in Naples, Italy, has started burning its artworks in protest at budget cuts which it says have left cultural institutions out of pocket. Museum director Antonio Manfredi set fire to the first painting on Tuesday. “Our 1,000 artworks are headed for destruction anyway because of the government’s indifference,” Antonio Manfredi said.… Continue reading Casoria Contemporary Art Museum in Naples burns artworks in protest at budget cuts
India successfully launched long-range missile Agni-V
India has successfully launched Agni-V, a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile able to carry a nuclear warhead, officials say. The locally-developed Agni-V missile was originally scheduled to launch on Wednesday in the eastern state of Orissa. Officials had delayed the launch because of heavy lightning in the area. The missile has a range of more than 5,000km… Continue reading India successfully launched long-range missile Agni-V
Barack Obama Sr. categorized as “anti-American and anti-white” when he moved to US in 1959
As President Barack Obama has been dogged by claims he is not patriotic enough it now emerges that similar fears were expressed about his father, who was categorized with others as “anti-American and anti-white” when he moved to the United States in 1959. Last year President Barack Obama even had to publish his birth certificate… Continue reading Barack Obama Sr. categorized as “anti-American and anti-white” when he moved to US in 1959
Anders Breivik trial: he wants acquittal or death penalty
Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has told his trial in Oslo he believes there can be only two “just” outcomes to his trial – acquittal or the death penalty. Anders Breivik, 33, who killed 77 people last July, said he considered a lengthy jail sentence “a pathetic punishment”. Norway does not have the death… Continue reading Anders Breivik trial: he wants acquittal or death penalty
King Juan Carlos apologizes to the Spanish people for going on a hunting trip in Botswana
King Juan Carlos of Spain has apologized to his people for going on a hunting trip in Botswana while his country was in the midst of an economic crisis. The king’s trip to Botswana, which was widely criticized, emerged after he was flown home for treatment for a fractured hip. “I’m very sorry, I made… Continue reading King Juan Carlos apologizes to the Spanish people for going on a hunting trip in Botswana
Record number of Americans renounced their US citizenship in 2011 to avoid paying taxes
In 2011, almost 1,800 people renounced their U.S. citizenship or handed in their Green Cards and many of them said it was because of tax reasons. That’s a record number since the Internal Revenue Service began publishing a list of those who renounced in 1998. It’s also almost eight times more than the number of… Continue reading Record number of Americans renounced their US citizenship in 2011 to avoid paying taxes
Sweden’s culture minister Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth triggered race row after cutting cake designed like an African woman
Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, Sweden’s culture minister, faces furious calls to resign after she was pictured cutting a “racist” black cake designed like a native African woman. Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth had appeared at the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm when she was invited to cut the cake which was designed like a naked African woman.… Continue reading Sweden’s culture minister Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth triggered race row after cutting cake designed like an African woman
Warren Buffett reveals he has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer
Warren Buffett has revealed in a letter to shareholders that he has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer. The billionaire investor said the cancer, detected in a routine test, was “not remotely life threatening”. Warren Buffett, 81, said he would begin a two-month course of daily radiation treatment from mid-July. The Berkshire Hathaway boss… Continue reading Warren Buffett reveals he has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer
China promises thorough investigation into Bo Xilai over Neil Heywood’s death
China has promised a thorough investigation into top politician Bo Xilai linked to the death of British businessman Neil Heywood. In an editorial, state-run agency Xinhua said the probe into Bo Xilai and his wife Gu Kailai over the death of Neil Heywood showed the Communist Party’s commitment to the rule of law. The editorial… Continue reading China promises thorough investigation into Bo Xilai over Neil Heywood’s death
King Juan Carlos of Spain comes under fire for hunting elephants in Botswana as his country drowns in debt
King Juan Carlos of Spain has come under fire for hunting elephants in Botswana as his country is being sucked back into the eurozone’s financial crisis and one in two youngsters are jobless. Spanish media have slammed King Juan Carlos, 74, for the reported 32,000 Euros ($43,000) cost of the trip – and have published… Continue reading King Juan Carlos of Spain comes under fire for hunting elephants in Botswana as his country drowns in debt
Space Shuttle Discovery flyover Washington DC on the back of jumbo jet before retirement at Smithsonian
Discovery, NASA’s oldest and most travelled space shuttle, has made a dramatic flypast over the centre of Washington D.C. on the way to its final resting place at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Virginia. Discovery flew over the monuments along the National Mall in Washington DC at about 10:00 EST. Piggy-backing on a… Continue reading Space Shuttle Discovery flyover Washington DC on the back of jumbo jet before retirement at Smithsonian
Spain warns Argentina of strong response over YFP Repsol nationalization
Spain has warned it will defend its interests as a row with Argentina over the nationalization of oil company YPF Repsol. Promising a “clear and overwhelming” response, the Spanish government summoned the Argentine ambassador to Madrid to express its concern. The majority stake in YPF is owned by Spanish oil firm Repsol. Repsol shares fell… Continue reading Spain warns Argentina of strong response over YFP Repsol nationalization
Anders Breivik trial adjourned as the court decides if a lay judge should be dismissed for bias
The trial of Anders Behring Breivik, the man accused of killing 77 people in bomb and gun attacks in Norway last July, has been adjourned while the court decides if a lay judge should be dismissed for bias. The court heard that one of the lay judges in the case wrote last July that Anders… Continue reading Anders Breivik trial adjourned as the court decides if a lay judge should be dismissed for bias
MEP David Martin says ACTA should by rejected by the European Parliament
Euro MP David Martin has said the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) should be rejected by the European Parliament. David Martin, the British MEP responsible for its report on ACTA, said the treaty threatened civil liberties. His comments came less than three months after the previous rapporteur, Kader Arif, resigned from his post in protest at… Continue reading MEP David Martin says ACTA should by rejected by the European Parliament
Jim Yong Kim is the new president of the World Bank
US nominee Jim Yong Kim has been chosen as the new president of the World Bank. Jim Yong Kim, 52, a Korean-American health expert, is currently the president of Dartmouth University. He faced a strong challenge for the post, which has traditionally gone to an American, from Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Dr. Jim Yong… Continue reading Jim Yong Kim is the new president of the World Bank