Gold prices & Peru poverty drives illegal mining

AlJazeeraEnglish | July 24, 2010 - As the international price of gold continues to soar, thousands of people in Peru have moved to gold mining areas in the hope of striking it rich.

Along with the unregulated digging comes a trail of deforestation and chemical contamination that is damaging one of the most biodiverse regions on earth.

In addition to the negative environmental impact, there are also many social problems in the boom towns that have emerged.

IS ANY DEEP WATER DRILLING SAFE?

TheRealNews | July 10, 2010 - Mark Seibel: BP Gulf disaster exposes oil companies do not have the technology to deal with big spills

BP Reports Progress on Relief Wells

VOAvideo | July 09, 2010 - BP officials say one of two relief wells being drilled to stop the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico could be finished weeks ahead of schedule,

Russia spy case takes another twist

AlJazeeraEnglish | July 07, 2010 - Russia has expressed interest in swapping a scientist jailed for espionage with one of 10 alleged Russian agents detained by US authorities last month, a lawyer for the scientist has said.

Igor Sutyagin, a nuclear weapons expert, was convicted by a Russian court in 2004 on charges of passing classified military information to a British firm, which prosecutors said was a front for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Life expectancy gap between rich and poor widens.

itnnews | July 02, 2010 - The gap between the life expectancy of the rich and poor widened despite efforts to close it, an official Government watchdog revealed.

German's New presidential poll

GERMAN PRESIDENT HORST KOEHLER RESIGNS 5-31-2010

High stakes for Merkel in presidential poll

AlJazeeraEnglish | June 29, 2010 - Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, faces an uphill battle to get Christian Wulff, her candidate, elected as president in a vote to be held on Wednesday.

Noynoy Aquino inauguration as Philippine president

June 30, 2010 | Benigno Aquino III was sworn in on Wednesday as the Philippines' 15th president, leading a Southeast Asian nation his late parents helped liberate from dictatorship and which he promised to deliver from poverty and pervasive corruption..

Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III (born February 8, 1960) is the fifteenth President of the Philippines and is currently the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Aquino is a fourth-generation politician: his great-grandfather, Servillano "Mianong" Aquino, served as a delegate to the Malolos Congress; his grandfather, Benigno Aquino, Sr., held several legislative positions from 1919–44 and his parents were former President Corazon Aquino and former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. Aquino is a member of the Liberal Party.

Paikin on police attack against peaceful protest.

Steve Paikin, veteran Canadian journalist, describes arrest and beating of Guardian newspaper journalist.

US detains alleged Russian secret agents

June 28, 2010 | US authorities have arrested 10 alleged Russian spies accused of serving as undercover secret agents with the goal of penetrating government policymaking circles.

The arrests came after a secret investigation over several years that used extensive surveillance of communications and phone taps, including putting listening devices into the homes of the accused.

The suspects, who were charged in court with conspiracy to act as an agent for a foreign government, were accused of being trained and tasked by Russia to gain intelligence about topics ranging from nuclear weapons, the CIA, congress and positions on Iran.

G20 Exposes Ontario 'Martial Law'

TheRealNews | June 28, 2010 - Paul Cavalluzzo: Ontario Public Works Act removes probable cause & right to free and peaceful assembly. Allows a decision by Cabinet to invoke near martial law.

G20 Exposes Ontario 'Martial Law'.

TheRealNews | June 28, 2010 | Paul Cavalluzzo: Ontario Public Works Act removes probable cause & right to free and peaceful assembly. Allows a decision by Cabinet to invoke near martial law.

Bangladesh paralysed by political strikes

AlJazeeraEnglish | June 27, 2010 Bangladesh has been paralysed by a dawn to dusk general strike - as pressure grows for an early election.Opposition parties accuse the government of failing to deliver on a series of promises. Dozens of activists have been arrested during protests in the capital, Dhaka.

Al Jazeera's (video inside) Nicolas Haque has more.

Real News journalist at Toronto G20 summit.

Real News journalist attacked at Toronto G20

TheRealNews | June 27, 2010 - TRNN's Jesse Freeston, one of the members of media attacked or arrested at G20

G20: Interview with Toronto Mayor David Miller.

Violence mars Toronto 2010 - G20 summit.

June 27, 2010 | Police have arrested more than 400 protesters at the G20 summit in Toronto, Canada. Video 1 ;

Broken windows, burnt cars left by G20 riots in Toronto

June 27, 2010 | Riot police have arrested more than 150 G20 protestors in Toronto, after an angry crowd started burning cars and smashing windows.

Around ten thousand demonstrators have taken part in the rallies. Video 2:

World leaders split over economy

June 27, 2010 | Leaders of the world's richest nations have met in Toronto since Saturday in Canada for G20 discussions after the G8 summit concluded on Friday.

Delegates at the G8 summit faced deep divides over how to tackle the global economic crisis, which was a central topic. Other important issues discussed range from Israel's blockade on Gaza to Iran and North Korea's nuclear programmes, which were severely criticised.

Toronto Tension: G20 protesters

June 26, 2010 | The world's leading powers are in Canada for G8 and G20 summits. They're covering economic recovery, global security and humanitarian aid commitments among other key points. But as the delegates calmly debate - outside is a very different story with Toronto hit by violent demonstrations.

Police abandon cars at G20 protests amid $1 billion security clampdown, more video :