14 killed in attack in Afghan capital Kabul

February 26, 2010 - At least 14 people, including three suicide bombers were killed in an attack in Afghan capital Kabul on Friday morning, local police said.

Two explosions blew up nearby City Center, a nine-story shopping building in downtown Kabul about 06:40 on Friday morning, police said.

Sunni party to boycott Iraqi elections.

A key Sunni Arab party is boycotting Iraq's March 7 elections

February 20, 2010 | Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- A key Sunni Arab party is boycotting Iraq's March 7 elections because of what it says was Iranian influence that led to the banning of participants in the upcoming race, including the bloc's leader.

The Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, headed by Saleh al-Mutlaq, said the move was prompted by remarks by a U.S. general and the American ambassador to Iraq about Iran's influence in Iraq's electoral process.

Elections in Sudan: Chaos Before Stability.

Research paper - By Savo Heleta | 11 February 2010

Elections in Sudan need to be postponed until after the 2011 referendum or simplified and held only for executive positions at this time.

Sudan's first multi-party elections in over two decades are planned for 11 April 2010. As stipulated in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the north-south conflict, the elections would give a chance to Sudanese to freely choose their own representatives for the first time since 1986.

Al-Qaeda leader killed in US drone strike in Pakistan

Sun, 2010-02-21 03:23 — editor

By Farzana Shah-Asian Tribune Pakistan correspondent

Peshawar, 21 February, (Asiantribune.com): 

A top al-Qaeda leader of Egyptian origin Sheikh Mansoor had been killed in suspected US drones strike in Toll Khel area two kilometer from Miranshah the agency headquarters of North Waziristan Agency, Pakistan.

Official sources say the strike which was carried out on the 17th of February in TollKhel which also left a number of other important militants killed.

Mohamed ElBaradei, to run for President?

Egyptians urge ElBaradei to run for president

Sat, 20 Feb 2010   |  PressTV

Supporters of the former IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei prepare to greet him at Cairo airport on Feb. 19, 2010.

The retired former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, has arrived in Egypt with a bid to seek constitutional changes that would allow him to run for the 2011 presidential election.


A host of supporters greeted the Nobel Peace laureate, who stepped down as the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in November, upon his arrival in Cairo on Friday.

Ukraine rivals skirmish in court and parliament

Fri Feb 19, 2010 | Tymoshenko tries to block Yanukovich's Feb. 25 swearing-in

* She says rigged vote robbed her of victory

* Few believe she can win court appeal (Releads with parliament move to oust her as PM)

By Pavel Polityuk and Richard Balmforth

New charges for the 'Merchant of Death'

Federal prosecutors in the US have filed new charges against accused Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout . 

The updated indictment against Viktor Bout follows a Thai court's decision last year to reject a United States request for Bout's extradition.

Coup D'etat in Niger Republic.

President Mamadou Tandja and his cabinet are being held prisoner

February 18, 2010  |  Niger's President Mamadou Tandja has been captured by mutinous troops after a coup in the west African uranium exporter that left at least three soldiers dead.

Three Nigerien military sources said the coup was led by a soldier named Major Adamou Harouna.

Lobbying money out of control in the US.

US banks are keeping a low profile to avoid angering the American people more. 

However, amid the push for tougher financial regulation, banks are stepping up spending on lobbying to fight proposed stiffer regulations. Expenditures jumped 12% to $29.8 million last year among the eight financial firms that spent the most to influence legislation.

President Obama Addresses the U.S.-Islamic World Forum

February 13, 2010 | the President addressed by video the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar.

Transcript: Assalaamu alaykum. And on behalf of the American people—including Muslim communities across America—greetings as you gather for the 7th U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha.

I want to thank all those whose support has made this Forum possible, especially the Amir of Qatar, the government of Qatar and the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution. It is fitting that you gather again in Doha—a place where our countries come together to forge innovative partnerships in education and medicine, science and technology. continued below...

Campaigning Begins for Sudan's Presidential Vote

VOA News 13 February | VOA News 

12 candidates running for president.

Leading candidates in Sudan's presidential election, from left, Yasir Arman, Omar al-Beshir and Sadiq al-Mahdi (file photos Photo: AFP )

Vice president assumes leadership

 - acting President of Nigeria.

REUTERS - Nigerian Vice President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office as acting president on Tuesday, more than two months after President Umaru Yar’Adua left for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

Parliament earlier recognised Jonathan as acting head of state in an effort to end uncertainty that has threatened to paralyse government business in Africa’s most populous nation and reignite violence in the main oil region.

EU and US seek end to Ukraine election drama.

ANDREW RETTMAN  |  12.02.2010 - EUobserver

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Ukraine presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko is still planning to contest the country's recent election result, despite EU and US pressure to step aside.

The EU's top two officials, Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso on Thursday (11 February) congratulated Ms Tymoshenko's rival, Viktor Yanukovych, on winning the vote.

Ms Tymoshenko (l) white a white tiger cub, her symbol in the election campaign (Photo: tymoshenko.ua)

The U.S. is Now a Police State

February 10, 2010 | By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS - CounterPunch/AK Press.

Anyone Could be Next

Americans have been losing the protection of law for years. In the 21st century the loss of legal protections accelerated with the Bush administration’s “war on terror,” which continues under the Obama administration and is essentially a war on the Constitution and U.S. civil liberties.

Ukraine - colour me blue!

06 February 2010 -  Ukrainian pro-west Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who spear headed the orange revolution, and pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovich held competing rallies Friday to mark the end of their campaigns, ahead of tense presidential elections on Sunday.

February 08, 2010 | Yanukovych marks end of Ukraine's 'Orange' Era

With most of the votes counted in Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich has over 48% of the vote. Less than 3% behind is Yulia Timoshenko, with just under 46%.

Sri Lanka : Fonseka arrest could be poll issue

B. Muralidhar Reddy | The Hinduonline

COLOMBO: With the dissolution of the Sri Lankan Parliament expected on Tuesday and the general election scheduled for the first half of April, the arrest of the former Army Chief and consensus Opposition presidential candidate, General Sarath Fonseka, could be one of the main poll issues.

Though nearly two weeks have passed since the January 26 presidential election, there is no coherent explanation from either Gen (retd.) Fonseka or the Opposition leaders who rooted for him on what prompted them to leave their offices and homes and hire a whole floor of a five-star hotel. Their account that it was meant to pre-empt an operation by the government to round up the General and all the other leaders, only leads to more questions.

The Family: 'Christian Mafia' rules US?

A group known as the Christian mafia is the oldest and arguably the most powerful and influential religious rights organization in the United States, says American author Jeff Sharlet.

Yanukovich leading Tymoshenko in Ukraine run-off.

Sun, 07 Feb 2010  |  PressTV

Former Ukrainian prime minister and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich (picture), is the winner of the presidential run-off in the former Soviet state, exit polls suggest. 

Yanukovich has acquired more than 48 percent of the ballots, while his main rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has collect only 45 percent. 

Orange Revolution May Fade To Black In Ukraine.

February 5, 2010 |  NPR by David Greene

Voters in Ukraine head to the polls Sunday for a runoff presidential election, five years after the Orange Revolution took place in the former Soviet republic.

In late 2004 and early 2005, thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets demanding democracy. And a court responded, throwing out an election and declaring that a victory by Russia's favored candidate had been rigged.

Top 10 Muslim Powers - ranked by NATO!

a short video showing the top 10 muslim military powers ranked by NATO!

U.S. China Relations Getting Rocky

February 04, 2010 BBC World 
Discusses the issues that make the relationship rocky.

Russia guarantees delivery of S-300 system to Iran'

Thu, 04 Feb 2010  |  PressTV

Russia's S-300 missile defense system

Iran's ambassador to Russia says Moscow has guaranteed that it will deliver the S-300 missile defense system to Iran.

"Iran is ready to receive this system and our Russian colleagues have assured us that they will meet their obligations," Ambassador Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi said at a press conference at the main office of RIA Novosti in Moscow on Thursday.

Missile interceptors headed to Romania.

US using anti-Iran disinfo to sell missile shield 
Fri, 05 Feb 2010  |  PressTV

US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley

The US has begun stepping up it's anti-Iran propaganda to justify its decision to deploy a missile shield in Europe.


Washington's latest disinformation campaign about the alleged threat from Iran's advanced missile technology is being implemented to demonize Iran, even though the Islamic Republic has never threatened its neighbors and Iran's military technology is clearly only being developed to ensure the country can defend itself against any potential enemies.

Buddhist monk becomes temple-rocking rapper

February 04, 2010 - Buddhist monk Kansho Tagai has found a way to engage young people at his temple - he's started rapping.

Sri Lanka: End post election clampdown on dissent

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE | AI Index: PRE 01/031/2010 - 01 February 2010

Amnesty International today called on the government of Sri Lanka to immediately end its crackdown on journalists, political activists and human rights defenders after last week’s presidential election.